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 20, 1953 ~ Jazz, pop, rock singer, bassist, pianist, guitarist Billy Field, full name William Bruce Field, born in Wagga Wagga, Australia ~ Active since the late 1960s. Member of King Fox, known for the 1972 single I Think You're Fine. Released his Bad Habits solo debut album in 1981, which spawned the hit singles Bad Habits and You Weren't In Love With Me both of which reached top 10 in his native Australia. Has recorded to moderate succes since as a solo artist, serves as producer, and runs his own recording studio Paradise StudiosJanuary 20, 1952 ~ Ann Allen, commonly known as cajun, folk singer, guitarist, accordionist, fiddler Ann Savoy, born in Richmond, Virginia, USA ~ Married to accordionist Marc Savoy, her bandmate in the Savoy-Doucet Cajun Band and the Savoy Family Band. The couple's sons Joel Savoy and Wilson Savoy also play in the latter. Also a member of all-female band the Magnolia Sisters
January 20, 1952 ~ Blues, blues-rock singer, guitarist John Campbell, full name John Allen Campbell, born in Shreveport, Louisiana, USA ~ Member of short-lived power trio Junction alongside Tim Delaney and Jack Haupt. As a solo artist best known for a number of late 1980s, early 1990s hard-edged, raw albums, notably the acclaimed One Believer album released in 1991 ~ Campbell passed away in 1993
January 20, 1952 ~ Stanley Bert Eisen, commonly known as hard rock, rock guitarist, singer Paul Stanley born in New York, New York, USA ~ Co-founder, guitarist, co-lead singer of Kiss, known for 1970s hits such as Rock & Roll All Nite, Beth, Hard Luck Woman, Calling Dr Love, and perhaps their best known I Was Made For Lovin' YouJanuary 20, 1948 ~ Singer Tony Pantano born in Messina, Italy ~ Active since his mid-teens. Fronted Isy & the Dynamics during the mid 1960s, known for the single One Night. Fronted Sammy &; the Dolphins, with whom he recorded the EP The Dolphins At Sergio's Rendezvous. As a solo artist known for the early 1970s singles Every Time You Touch Me and Tonight, both of which became modest hits in his adopted homeland Australia ~ Pantano passed away in 2023
January 20, 1947 ~ Guitarist, composer Chris Karrer born in Kempten, West Germany ~ Co-founding member of Amon Düül and its commercially more successful successor Amon Düül II, the latter especially known for a number of soundtracks most notably Niklashauser Fart and San Domingo. Though primarily active as a guitarist, Karrer also plays oud, saxophone, and violin. Karrer has also recorded as a solo artist, and worked with Embryo, Popol Vuh, Uli Trepte, and Guru Guru ~ Karrer passed away in 2024January 20, 1947 ~ Rock, country rock drummer, singer George Grantham born in Cordell, Oklahoma, USA ~ Member of Boenzee Cryque alongside Rusty Young. Best known as co-founding member of Poco, remaining with the band through 1977. Has also worked with the Flying Burrito Brothers, Steve Wariner, Ricky Skaggs, Ronnie McDowell
January 20, 1946 ~ Jazz pianist, arranger John Sheridan born in Columbus, Ohio, USA ~ Got turned on to jazz at age 8, hearing a recording of Benny Goodman's famed 1938 Carnegie Hall concert. Best known for his association with Jim Cullum, performing and recording with the cornetist for some two decades starting in the late 1970s. Has recorded about a dozen albums as a leader or co-leader, noted especially for his 1997 Something Tells Me debut album and the 2004 Thanks A Million collaborative album with trumpeter Bob Barnard. Other notable collaborations include Banu Gibson (Livin' In A Great Big Way), Duke Heitger, Brian Ogilvie, Randy Reinhardts (As Long As I Live), and Ron Hockett ~ Sheridan passed away in 2021
January 20, 1945 ~ Art rock, pop rock singer, guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter Eric Stewart, full name Eric Michael Stewart, born in Droylsden, UK ~ Co-founding member of the Mindbenders remaining with the band through 1968, known best for The Game Of Love and A Groovy Kind Of Love. Co-founding member of 10cc remaining with the band through 1995, present on the band's best known including Donna, Rubber Bullets, Life Is A Minestrone, I'm Not In Love, The Things We Do For Love, and Dreadlock Holiday. Has also worked with Hotlegs, the Alan Parsons Project, Paul McCartney, and recorded as a solo artist. Served as producer for the likes of Neil Sedaka, Justin Hayward, John Lodge, Sad Cafe, and Agnetha Fältskog
January 20, 1944 ~ Charles Louis Domanico, commonly known as jazz, pop bass guitarist, double bassist Chuck Domanico, born in Chicago, Illinois, USA ~ Worked with Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand, Carmen McRae, Joni Mitchell, Taj Mahal, Diane Schuur, Natalie Cole, the Manhattan Transfer, Chet Baker, Henry Mancini, the Hindustani Jazz Sextet, Shelly Manne, Oliver Nelson, John Klemmer, Roger Kellaway, Barney Kessel, Art Pepper, Don Ellis, Bob Thiele, João Donato, Pisano & Ruff, Gerry Mulligan, Phoebe Snow, Rita Coolidge, Bobby Hutcherson, Louie Bellson, Sonny Criss, Shelly Manne, Wade Marcus, JD Souther, the Pointer Sisters, Herb Alpert, Freddie Hubbard, Patti Austin, Lou Rawls, Joe Sample, Bonnie Raitt, Julio Iglesias, Pat Benatar, Barry Manilow, Bette Midler, Céline Dion, Dwight Yoakam, and Lee Ann Womack ~ Domanico passed away in 2002
January 20, 1943 ~ Pianist, singer David Libert born ~ Co-founding member of pop group the Happenings. The band was known for adding their own distinctive style to hits originally recorded by others, and enjoyed popularity especially during the mid 1960s. See You In September, Go Away Little Girl, I Got Rhythm, and My Mammy all reached top 20 Billboard Hot 100. Libert briefly served as manager for Rare Earth, and subsequently as tour manager for Alice Cooper during the first half of the 1970s, a time span generally considered Cooper's key period. After relocating to Los Angeles in 1976, Libert became a representative for artists such as George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, Brian Auger, Vanilla Fudge, and Living Colour ~ Libert passed away in 2024
January 20, 1942 ~ R&B singer William Powell born in Canton, Ohio, USA ~ Lead singer for the O'Jays, with whom he recorded about half a dozen albums. The band is known especially for two 1972 No.1 Billboard R&B hits, Back Stabbers and Love Train, both cherished and remembered as some of the finest of the Philly soul era. Other well known songs include Give The People What They Want, I Love Music (Part I), Livin' For The Weekend, Message In Our Music, and Darlin' Darlin' Baby (Sweet Tender Love). Following Powell's death at age 35 of cancer, the band would attract Sammy Strain as lead singer, formerly of Little Anthony & the Imperials, and continued to record to lesser success ~ Powell passed away in 1977
January 20, 1941 ~ Singer, TV host Pierre Lalonde born in Montreal, Canada ~ Son popular 1940s singer Jean Lalonde. Pierre sings in both English and French starting in the early 1960s, has also recorded under the moniker Peter Martin and is known for a variety of TV shows including Le Jeunesse D'Aujourd'hui, The Peter Martin Show, Music Hop ~ Lalonde passed away in 2016January 20, 1936 ~ Boogie-woogie, blues, jazz pianist Erwin Helfer born in Chicago, Illinois, USA ~ Closely associated with singer Estelle Yancey. Perhaps best known for his 1976 Heavy Timbre (Chicago Boogie Piano) album, which included contributions from Blind John Davis, Sunnyland Slim, Willie Mabon, and Jimmy Walker
January 20, 1936 ~ Blues guitarist Luther Tucker born in Memphis, Tennessee, USA ~ Though he never acieved much fame considered one of the most prominent Chicago blues rhythm guitarists on par with Eddie Taylor, Jody Williams, Freddie Robinson. Has worked with BB King, Mel Brown, Pat Hare, Elmore James, Little Walter, Otis Rush, Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, James Cotton, and Elvin Bishop ~ Tucker passed away in 1993January 20, 1931 ~ Jazz pianist, composer Hachidai Nakamura born in Tsingtao, China ~ Chinese-born Japanese pianist and composer. Member of the Big Four, alongside Hidehiko Matsumoto, George Kawaguchi, and Mitsuru Ono. Has composed for Kyu Sakamoto and Saburo Kitajima. Known in the US mostly for co-penning Sakamoto's Sukiyaki, a 1963 Billboard No.1 hit ~ Nakamura passed away in 1992
January 20, 1929 ~ Jazz, hard bop, post-bop drummer Jimmy Cobb, full name Wilbur James Cobb born in Washington DC, USA ~ Started in the early 1950s touring with Earl Bostic. Closely associated with Miles Davis from the late 1950s through the early 1960s including on seminal albums such as Porgy & Bess, Kind Of Blue and Sketches Of Spain. Has also worked with Dinah Washington (Dinah), Cannonball Adderley, Paul Chambers, Wayne Shorter, Art Pepper, John Coltrane (Giant Steps), Freddie Hubbard (Open Sesame), Howard McGhee, Wynton Kelly (Someday My Prince Will Come), Sonny Red, Wes Montgomery, Shirley Scott, Bunky Green (My Baby), Big Mama Thornton, Sarah Vaughan, and Starbuck. Later on in his career, Cobb would record as a leader including tributes to Davis, Kelly, and Chambers ~ Cobb passed away in 2020January 20, 1926 ~ Experimental pianist, composer David Tudor, full name David Eugene Tudor, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA ~ One of the leading performers of avant garde piano. Premiered Pierre Boulez's Piano Sonata No.2 in the US. Had Karlheinz Stockhausen dedicate his Klavierstuck VI to him. Closely associated with John Cage, premiering several of Cage's works including Music Of Changes, Concert For Piano And Orchestra, and 4'33. Tudor also gave early performances of works by Morton Feldman, Earle Brown, Christian Wolff, and La Monte Young ~ Tudor passed away in 1996
January 20, 1924 ~ Songwriter Lee Pockriss, full name Lee Julian Pockriss, born in Brooklyn, New York, USA ~ In-demand songwriter of the 1950s and 1960s, with several soundtracks and Broadway shows to his name. Perhaps best known for co-writing Perry Como's Catch A Falling Star, Brian Hyland's Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polkadot Bikini, and the Cuff Links' Tracy. Others who have recorded his songs include Jerry Vale, Johnny Mathis, Anita Bryant (My Little Corner Of The World), Dodie Stevens, Shelley Fabares (Johnny Angel), Frankie Laine, the Rooftop Singers, and Clint Holmes (Playground In My Mind) ~ Pockriss passed away in 2011January 20, 1923 ~ Pop, jazz singer Nora Brockstedt born in Oslo, Norway ~ Internationally best known for representing Norway twice at the Eurovision Songfestival, reaching 4th place in 1960 with Voi Voi and 7th place the following year with Sommer I Palma ~ Brockstedt passed away in 2015
January 20, 1923 ~ Ottis Dewey Whitman Jr, commonly known as singer, songwriter Slim Whitman, born in Tampa, Florida, USA ~ Enjoyed a career spanning seven decades. Known for his yodeling and his high falsetto. Sold over 70 million records. Best known for songs such as Indian Love Call, Keep It A Secret, My Heart Is Broken In Three, Rose Marie, More Than Yesterday, and Something Beautiful To Remember. Opened for Elvis Presley in the 1950s ~ Whitman passed away in 2013January 20, 1922 ~ Raymond Antinini, commonly known as bandleader Ray Anthony, born in Bentleyville, Pennsylvania, USA ~ Last surviving member of Glenn Miller Orchestra. Known for a number of early 1950s hits recorded with his own band, Bunny Hop, Hokey Pokey, and Theme From Dragnet. Married to singer, actress and model Mamie van Doren from 1955 to 1958
January 20, 1918 ~ Juan García Esquivel, commonly known as bandleader, pianist, composer Esquivel, born in Jiutepec, Mexico ~ Known for instrumental songs merging lounge music and jazz with a touch of Latin music. Sometimes referred to as “the King of Space Age Pop”. Best known for his rendition of Mucha Muchacha, later used in numerous movies including The Big Lebowski and Beavis And Butthead Do America ~ Esquivel passed away in 2002
January 20, 1896 ~ Nathan Birnbaum, commonly known as vaudevillian, comedian, singer George Burns born in New York, New York, USA ~ Formed the comedy duo Burns & Allen with his wife Gracie Allen, performing from the 1920s through the 1950s on radio, TV and film. Enjoyed a sudden career revival at age 79, winning an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the 1975 film The Sunshine Boys ~ Burns passed away in 1996
January 20, 1894 ~ Classical composer Walter Piston, full name Walter Hamon Piston Jr, born in Rockland, Maine, USA ~ Got his start in music playing piano and violin in dance bands and orchestras throughout the 1910s, notably serving under Georges Longy. Following a stint in the US Army during World War I, studied music at Harvard University, graduating summa cum laude and teaching at the same university from 1926 until his retirement in 1960. As a classical composer wrote for ballet, orchestral music, chamber music, choral music, and various instruments. Known for works such as Three Pieces For Flute Clarinet & Bassoon, Symphony No.1 and The Incredible Flutist ~ Piston passed away in 1976