About maketodayrock.com: We celebrate musicians' birthdays, remember those we've lost, and highlight key moments in music such a release dates, chart peak dates, or anything else tied to a specific date. Pick any day from the menu in the top right. The front page shows recent obituaries.
January 19, 1939 ~ Singer Phil Everly, full name Philip Jason Everly, born in Chicago, Illinois, USA ~ Formed the sibling duo the Everly Brothers with his brother Phil Everly. Though following in the tradition of other sibling duos, such as the Delmore Brothers, the Everly's would become one of the best known sibling duos, drawing from rock & roll, country, and pop, and influential on country-rock. They duo scored about a dozen Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hits starting in the late 1950s, including the charttoppers Wake Up Little Susie, All I Have To Do Is Dream, and Cathy's Clown ~ Everly passed away in 2014January 19, 1937 ~ R&B, soul singer Bobby Star born in Baltimore, Maryland, USA ~ Co-founding member of vocal group the Versatiles. At the turn of the 1970s joined Philadelphia group the Intruders, replacing Samuel Brown, known for singles such as When We Get Married, I'm Girl Scouting, and I Bet He Don't Love You (Like I Love You) ~ Starr passed away in 2022
January 19, 1937 ~ Pop singer, guitarist, songwriter, producer Ian Samwell, full name Ian Ralph Samwell, born in Lambeth, UK ~ Penned Cliff Richard's Move It debut single. Co-wrote the Small Faces' 1965 Whatcha Gonna Do About It hit. Also notably remembered for producing America's A Horse With No Name hit single. Has also worked with artists such as Joe Brown, Elkie Brooks, Kenny Lynch, Dusty Springfield, Sounds Incorporated, Georgie Fame, the Grateful Dead, Frank Zappa, and Joni Mitchell ~ Samwell passed away in 2003
January 19, 1936 ~ Walter Howard O'Brien, commonly known as jazz pianist Hod O'Brien, born in Chicago, Illinois, USA ~ Has recorded over a dozen albums as a leader, noted especially for Opalessence released in 1985. Active since the 1950s honing his skills backing the likes of Oscar Pettiford, Elvin Jones, Phil Woods, Freddie Hubbard, Charlie Rouse, and Lee Konitz. In the mid 1970s briefly ran the St James Infirmary jazz club in New York. As a sideman present on albums by Roswell Rudd, Joe Puma (Shining Hour), Stephanie Nakasian, Danny D'Imperio, and Herb Geller. Would marry Nakasian, the couple's daughter, jazz, bebop singer Veronica Swift released her debut album at age 9 ~ O'Brien passed away in 2016
January 19, 1936 ~ Willie Lee Smith, commonly known as blues harpist, drummer, singer Willie Big Eyes Smith, born in Helena, Arkansas, USA ~ Helpful in developing the shuffle rhythm. Played the blues harp on Bo Diddley's 1955 Diddy Wah Diddy recording. Best known for his association with Muddy Waters, intermittently backing the singer from the early 1960s onward. Recorded about half a dozen albums with the Legendary Blues Band. Smith is also present on recordings by Otis Spann, Carey Bell, Johnny Winter (Nothin' But The Blues), and Pinetop Perkins. Later in his career, Smith has recorded a number of solo albums, starting with Bag Full Of Blues released in 1995 ~ Smith passed away in 2011January 19, 1934 ~ Richard Dorian Goodman, commonly known as producer Dickie Goodman, born in Hewlett, New York, USA ~ Half of producer, songwriter duo Buchanan & Goodman with Bill Buchanan. Known for novelty records. One of the first to use the “break-ins” and mash-ups, an early precursor to sampling as evidenced on the 1956 single The Flying Saucer (Back To Earth) ~ Goodman passed away in 1989
January 19, 1933 ~ Pianist, conductor, composer François Rauber born in Neufchâteau, France ~ Best known for his association with Jacques Brel, serving as arranger, songwriter, and conductor from the late 1950s until Brel's death in 1978. Songs co-written by Rauber include Litanies Pour Un Retour, Dors Ma Mie, Les Paumés Du Petit Matin, and J'Aimais. Rauber would also serve as musical director for the 1975 musical film Jacques Brel Is Alive And Well And Living In Paris ~ Rauber passed away in 2003
January 19, 1931 ~ Hard bop, post-bop pianist, composer Horace Parlan born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA ~ As a baby stricken with polio, resulting in the partial crippling of his right hand. The handicap contributed to the development of his unique left-hand chord voicing style, while comping highly rhythmic phrases with the right. Noted for his work on the seminal Charles Mingus albums Mingus Ah Uhm and Blues & Roots. Well over two dozen to his name as leader or co-leader, especially acclaimed for his early 1960s albums Up & Down, Back From The Gig and Happy Frame Of Mind. Has also appeared on albums by Booker Ervin, Dave Bailey, Stanley Turrentine, Lou Donaldson, Dave Bailey, Dexter Gordon (Doin' Allright, Eddie Lockjaw Davis, Ben Webster, Houston Person (The Truth), Idrees Sulieman (Bird's Grass), Clark Terry, Thad Jones, and Michal Urbaniak ~ Parlan passed away in 2017
January 19, 1929 ~ Shirley Marie O'Garra, commonly known as soul, pop singer Shirley Ellis, born in the Bronx, New York, USA ~ Ellis had been a member of the Metronomes, which also included her husband Alphonso Elliston, before rising to fame as co-writer and performer of a handful of soul-tinged novelty songs through the mid 1960s. The Nitty Gritty, The Name Game, and The Clapping Song would all reach top 10 Billboard Hot 100, and all three have been regularly covered. Notable covers include The Nitty Gritty, a 1969 Billboard Hot 100 No.19 hit for Gladys Knight, and Laura Branigan's The Name Game, recorded for her 1987 Touch album. Ellis has recorded three albums, her last one being Sugar Let's Shing-a-ling released in 1967 ~ O'Garra passed away in 2005
January 19, 1927 ~ Frank Anthony Peter Vincent Monterose Jr, commonly known as jazz saxophonist JR Monterose, born in Detroit, Michigan, USA ~ Began studying clarinet in his early teens, switching to tenor saxophone a few years later. Although Monterose never became a household name, he is held in the highest esteem by critics, peers and classic jazz aficionados. Monterose is especially acclaimed for a string of late 1950s and early 1960s albums, perhaps most notably Straight Ahead. Monterose is also particularly known for appearing on Pithecanthropus Erectus, the 1956 breakout album by Charles Mingus. Other notable associations include Henry Busse, Claude Thornhill, Teddy Charles, René Thomas (Guitar Groove), Jon Eardley, Kenny Burrell, Kenny Dorham, and George Wallington. Monterose was influenced by Tex Beneke, Stan Getz, Sonny Rollins, and John Coltrane, yet refused to be pigeonholed in any particular style and has been quoted as saying “I've tried all my life to avoid copying, if I can't be myself, there's no point being in jazz” ~ Monterose passed away in 1993
January 19, 1926 ~ Ranchera singer, songwriter José Alfredo Jiménez, full name José Alfredo Jiménez Sandoval, born in Dolores Hidalgo, Mexico ~ Laid the foundation for modern Mexican music. Discovered in the late 1940s by singer Miguel Aceves Mejía. Has written over an estimated 1,000 songs, the most famous being Yo, Ella, Paloma Querida, Tu Y La Mentira, Media Vuelta, El Rey, El Jinete, Si Nos Dejan, Tu Recuerdo Y Yo, El Hijo Del Pueblo, Cuando El Destino, and Camino De Guanajuato ~ Jiménez passed away in 1973
January 19, 1925 ~ Blues pianist, singer Henry Gray, born in Kenner, Louisiana, USA ~ Helped create the sound of Chicago blues piano. Backed Howlin' Wolf for about a dozen years, starting in 1956. Also worked with Big Maceo Merriweather, Hudson Showes, Jimmy Reed, Bo Diddley, Billy Boy Arnold, Morris Pejoe, Abb Lock, Sonny Boy Williamson II, Homesick James, Robert Lockwood Junior, Muddy Waters, Johnny Shines, Hubert Sumlin, Lazy Lester, Little Walter, Otis Rush, Buddy Guy, James Cotton, Little Milton, Jimmy Rogers, Koko Taylor, JD Miller, and Elmore James ~ Gray passed away in 2020January 19, 1919 ~ Florence Karlen, commonly known as songwriter Florence Kaye, born in New York, New York, USA ~ Best known for co-writing several songs for Elvis Presley, usually with Bernie Baum and Bill Giant. Well known songs include Roustabout, Paradise Hawaiian Style, Edge Of Reality and notably (You're The) Devil In Disguise. Others who recorded songs co-written by Kaye include the Everly Brothers (That's Old Fashioned (That's The Way Love Should Be)), Gene Chandler, and Cindy Malone ~ Kaye passed away in 2006
January 19, 1919 ~ Jazz double bassist Israel Crosby born in Chicago, Illinois, USA ~ One of the finest bass players to emerge from the 1930s, remaining relevant until his death at age 43. Credited with performing one of the first bass solos, namely on Gene Krupa's The Blues Of Israel at a mere age 16. Best known for his stint with Ahmad Jamal from the mid 1950s until his death in 1962, appearing on over a dozen of the pianist's albums including on the seminal Chamber Music Of The New Jazz, At The Pershing (But Not For Me) and Listen To The Ahmad Jamal Quintet. Crosby has also recorded with Sidney De Paris, Art Hodes, Fletcher Henderson, Lorez Alexandria, Sam Jones, Herb Ellis, and George Shearing ~ Crosby passed away in 1962
January 19, 1919 ~ Singer Ray Eberle born in Mechanicville, New York, USA ~ Baby brother of singer Bob Eberly. Pitched by Glenn Miller to join his orchestra despite having no formal training. Sang lead on Miller's classics Sometime, Polka Dots And Moonbeams and At Last, the latter a top 10 hit in 1942. Fired on the spot for getting stuck in traffic and showing up late for a rehearsal. Eberly went on to lead his orchestras, the Ray Eberle Orchestra and the Serenade In Blue Orchestra, from 1943 until his death ~ Eberly passed away in 1979January 19, 1917 ~ Beriford Shepherd, commonly known as jazz drummer, vibraphonist, singer Shep Shepherd, born in Honduras ~ As a child had an early fascination with marching bands, drumming on tables and chairs until his mother bought him a toy drum to save wear and tear on the furniture. Perhaps best remembered for backing Bill Doggett from 1952 through 1959. Co-wrote Doggett's smash hit and signature instrumental Honky Tonk, later covered by numerous artists including the Ventures, Bill Haley, Joey Dee & the Starliters, King Curtis, and the Beach Boys. Shepherd has also worked with Benny Carter, Artie Shaw, Little Willie John, Dinah Washington, Odetta (Odetta And The Blues), Ruth Brown, Joya Sherrill, Lena Horne, and Big Maybelle ~ Shepherd passed away in 2018
January 19, 1917 ~ John Richard Ewing, commonly known as jazz trombonist Streamline Ewing, born in Topeka, Kansas, USA ~ Active since the mid 1930s. Has worked with Horace Henderson, Earl Hines, Louis Armstrong, Lionel Hampton, Jimmie Lunceford, Cab Calloway, Jay McShann, Cootie Williams, Louis Jordan, Earl Bostic, T-Bone Walker, Gerald Wilson, Teddy Buckner, Rex Stewart, the Eagle Brass Band, and Johnny Otis. To rock audiences best known for guesting on two Willy DeVille albums, namely 1992's Backstreets Of Desire and 1995's Big Easy Fantasy ~ Ewing passed away in 2002January 19, 1912 ~ Singer, guitarist, songwriter Roberto Murolo born in Naples, Italy ~ Member of the Midas Quartet from 1939 through 1946. As a solo artist known for his focus on Neapolitan songs and acclaimed for his Napoletana Antologia (Cronologica Della Canzone Parenopea) consisting of Neapolitan song dating back to the 12th century ~ Murolo passed away in 2003
January 19, 1903 ~ Pianist, composer Ervin Nyiregyházi born in Budapest, Hungary ~ Enjoyed popularity throughout the 1920s before descending into relative obscurity. Known for his distinctive playing style, reminiscent of the Romantic pianism associated with Franz Liszt, which divided critical opinion ~ Nyiregyhazi passed away in 1987
January 19, 1900 ~ Albert Brunies, commonly known as jazz cornetist, bandleader Abbie Brunies, born in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA ~ Quintessential New Orleans bandleader, helpful in developing the vibrant music scene in New Orleans, Louisiana, from the 1920s through the 1940s. Influential especially on cornetist Papa Ray Ronnei. Brunies is perhaps best known for leading the house band at the Halfway House, a group which at times included players such as Charlie Cordella, Joe Loyacano, Leon Roppolo, Sidney Arodin, and Leo Adde. In the 1940s, Brunies relocated to Biloxi, Mississippi, where he led the Brunies Brothers Dixieland Jazz Band ~ Brunies passed away in 1978