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 3, 1965 ~ British pop group the Hollies record Yes I Will at EMI Studios, London, UK ~ Written by Gerry Goffin and Russ Titelman. Produced by Ron Richards. Released later the same month featuring Nobody on the flip side it would reach top 10 in the band's native UK. It failed to chart entirely in America. The following year the Monkees would record a cover version for their eponymous The Monkees debut albumJanuary 3, 1964 ~ Rock, pop drummer Curt Bisquera born in Santa Maria, California, USA ~ Session drummer worked with Johnny Cash, Josh Groban, Mick Jagger, Seal, Sarah McLachlan, Elton John, Johnny Hallyday, Tom Petty, the Beach Boys, Terence Trent d'Arby, Julieta Venegas, Shelby Lynne, Ronan Keating, Taylor Dayne, Céline Dion, Paula Abdul, Chris Isaak, Melanie C, Beth Hart, Bonnie Raitt, Tony Joe White, Lulu, Mike Love, Nelly Furtado, and Boz Scaggs
January 3, 1964 ~ Guitarist, singer Raymond McGinley born in Glasgow, UK ~ Co-founding member of Teenage Fanclub, known for songs such as Star Sign, The Concept, What You Do To Me, and Ain't That Enough, the latter a UK top 20 hit in 1997. McGinley also worked with Snowgoose, releasing their Harmony Springs debut album in 2012
January 3, 1963 ~ Clarinetist, bandleader John Casimir passed away in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA ~ First gained attention in the late-1910s, playing in the Young Eagles Band alongside Lee Collins. Best known for leading the Young Tuxedo Brass Band from the early 1940s until his death some two decades later, the 1958 Jazz Begins the only album released during his lifetime ~ Casimir was born in 1898
January 3, 1962 ~ Rock, punk rock, glam punk, grunge percussionist Greg Gilmore born in France ~ Played in 10 Minute Warning, which also included Duff McKagan. Member of seminal Seattle band Mother Love Bone. Has also worked with Jack Endino, LAND, Skin Yard, Radio Chongqing, and Steve Fisk
January 3, 1962 ~ Blue-eyed soul, gospel singer Jon Gibson, full name Jon Robert Gibson, born in San Francisco, California, USA ~ Best known for a number of late 1980s, 1990s contemporary Christian singles, notably Love Come Down and Jesus Loves Ya, the latter topping the Christian charts for 11 weeks
January 3, 1959 ~ Country singer, songwriter Rusty Golden born in Brewton, Alabama, USA ~ Formed the sibling duo the Goldens with Chris Golden. The duo's father is country singer William Lee Golden of the Oak Ridge Boys. The brothers are best known for the singles Put Us Together Again and Sorry Girls, both taken of their eponymous 1988 The Goldens debut album. After disbanding in the early 1990s Rusty continued to work as a solo artist and songwriter
January 3, 1959 ~ Tracy Grijalva, commonly known as heavy metal guitarist Tracy G, born in Whittler, California, USA ~ Best known as a member of Dio from 1993 to 1999, featured on the albums Strange Highways and Angry Machines. Also worked with Swift Kick, Rags, WWIII, the Eightball Cholos, the Driven, the Mark Bramlett Band, Goad-ed, Love/Hate, Epic, Vessyl, the Robot Lords Of Tokyo, Pain Savior, and Barking Spider
January 3, 1957 ~ Singer Brenda Lee records One Step At A Time at Pythian Studios, New York, New York ~ Written by Hugh Ashley. Arranged by Jack Pleis and Al Caiola. Released later the same month, paired with Fairyland on the flip side, it would be a top 20 Billboard Country hit for Brenda Lee, peaking at No.15
January 3, 1957 ~ Singer, guitarist, pianist Dave Dobbyn, full name David Joseph Dobbyn, born in Auckland, New Zealand ~ Member of the Dudes from 1975 through 1980. Subsequently a key member of DD Smash, best known for songs such as Outlook For Thursday, Whaling, and Magic (What She Do). After the latter disbanded in the mid-1980s ventured out on his own, noted for his 1986 hit Slice Of Heaven with Herbs of the Footrot Flats (The Dog's Tale) animated film soundtrack, Sailing Away (All Of Us), Love You Like I Should, and Loyal
January 3, 1954 ~ Ross Friedman, commonly known as punk, proto-punk, heavy metal guitarist, keyboardist Ross Funicello or Ross the Boss, born in New York, New York, USA ~ Co-founding member of punk outfit the Dictators. Although the punk rock outfit, predating the Ramones, initially had little success outside New York, especially their first three albums, Go Girl Crazy, Manifest Destiny, and Bloodbrothers, all of which included Friedman, over time have found a larger audience and have retrospectively been acknowledged as key recordings in the development of punk rock. The band has been described as epitomizing punk rock, embracing the junk culture and lifestyle associated with the genre, before punk rock became a musical and cultural phenomen. Following his departure from the Dictators, Friedman briefly played with Fabienne Shine in Shakin' Street, including as a support act for Black Sabbath on their 1980 Heaven & Hell tour. It was here he was introduced to bassist Joey DeMaio, with whom he founded Manowar later the same year. Friedman recorded half a dozen albums with the band, , a no frills outfit known for their melodic riffs tapping into the primal power of rock & roll, including 1984's Hail To England widely regarded as a landmark album in power metal. In 1984 Manowar would also make the Guinness Book Of World Records for delivering the loudest performance ever. Friedman continued to record well into the 2020s with a wide array of groups, including Manitoba's Wild Kingdom, the Hellacopters, and the Brain Surgeons, and a handful of albums as a solo artist, starting with New Metal Leader issued in 2008. Upon hearing of his passing at age 72, the Metal Hall of Fame issued a statement which in part read: “Ross will always be the Metal Hall of Fame's ‘Global Metal Ambassador’ to the world. His powerful playing, unmistakable tone, and uncompromising spirit helped shape generations of musicians and fans around the world” ~ Friedman passed away in 2026
January 3, 1953 ~ Hard rock singer, guitarist, songwriter, producer Bob Halligan Jr born in Lackawanna, New York, USA ~ Lead singer, guitarist of Ceili Rain, merging Celtic rock, hard rock, Christian hard rock. Co-wrote the Judas Priest-songs Take These Chains of 1982's Screaming For Vengeance and Some Heads Are Gonna Roll of 1984's Defenders Of The Faith. Others who recorded songs written or co-written by Haligan include KIX (Don't Close Your Eyes), the Blue Öyster Cult, Kiss, Cher, Helix, Icon, and Bonfire
January 3, 1950 ~ Andy Hernandez, commonly known as vibraphonist, keyboardist, percussionist, flutist, singer Coati Mundi born in New York, New York, USA ~ Member of Dr Buzzard's Original Savannah Band, known for their 1976 hit Cherchez La Femme. Co-founding member, musical director, arranger of Kid Creole & the Coconuts, scoring dance hits such as I'm A Wonderful Thing Baby, Stool Pigeon, and Annie I'm Not Your Daddy. Hernandez has also recorded as a solo artist, notably the UK top 40 hit Me No Pop I, and has collaborated with Ralfa Pagán, Joe Bataan, Vernon Reid, N'dea Davenport, Nona Hendryx, Tito Puente, Manny Oquendo, Hall & Oates, and MachitoJanuary 3, 1948 ~ Country banjoist, guitarist Larry McNeely born in Lafayette, Indiana, USA ~ Influenced by Don Reno and Bill Keith. First gained attention in the mid 1960s as member of Roy Acuff's backing unit the Smoky Mountain Boys. Would go on to back artists such as Glen Campbell, Burl Ives, the Smother Brothers, Mac Davis, Eddie Kendricks, Percy Faith, Barbara Mandrell. As a solo artist known for his 1976 Rhapsody For Banjo album
January 3, 1947 ~ Singer, guitarist, pianist, bassist, violinist, songwriter Seweryn Krajewski born in Nowa Sol, Poland ~ Member of Czerwone Gitary from 1965 through 1997, generally regarded as one of the most influential Polish rock bands considered the Polish equivalent to the Beatles. The band enjoyed their greatest successes through 1970, acclaimed for albums such as To Wlasnie My, Czerwony Gitary 2 and especially their 1970 release Na Fujarcie, the latter considered their masterpiece. Has also recorded about a dozen albums as a solo artists and written songs for the likes of Irena Jarocka, Maryla Rodowicz, Urszula Sipinska, Zdzislawa Sosnicka (Dezsczowy Wielbiciel), and Edyta Geppert
January 3, 1947 ~ Zulema Cusseaux, mononymously known as disco, R&B singer, songwriter Zulema, born in Tampa, Florida, USA ~ Sang backup for Aretha Franklin. Member of Faith Hope & Charity. Debuted as a solo artist with the eponymous Zulema in 1972. Toured as opening act with Bill Withers, Roberta Flack, Marvin Gaye, Gladys Knight, Earth Wind & Fire, and Sly Stone ~ Cusseaux passed away in 2013
January 3, 1946 ~ James Forman, commonly known as jazz, R&B singer, keyboardist, guitarist, bassist, percussionist, singer James Mtume, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA ~ Son of saxophonist Jimmy Heath. First gained attention backing artists such as McCoy Tyner, Art Farmer, Gato Barbieri, Harold Land, Buddy Terry, Lonnie Liston Smith, Freddie Hubbard and notably Miles Davis from 1971 through 1975. Best known as frontman and eponym of Mtume, scoring R&B hits with songs such as You Me & He and Juicy Fruit. Co-wrote Never Knew Love Like This Before, a Grammy Award-winning hit for Stephanie Mills. Has also written or co-written songs recorded by Phyllis Hyman, Roberta Flack, Donny Hathaway, R Kelly, Mary J Blige, Teddy Pendergrass, and Inner City ~ Forman passed away in 2022
January 3, 1946 ~ John Richard Baldwin, commonly known as bassist John Paul Jones, born in London, UK ~ Best known as bassist and keyboardist of rock, hard rock titans Led Zeppelin. After the band disbanded in 1980 following the death of drummer John Bonham has gone on to collaborate with numerous artists across a variety of genres, perhaps most notably teaming up with Josh Homme and Dave Grohl in the supergroup Them Crooked VulturesJanuary 3, 1946 ~ Jazz drummer Motohiko Hino born in Tokyo, Japan ~ Brother of Terumasa Hino. Motohiko has played professionally since age 17. Has worked with artists such as Jon Faddis, Billy Harper, Joanne Brackeen, Joe Henderson, Takehiro Honda, Nobuyochi Ino, Karen Mantler, Hugh Masekela, John Scofield, Jean-Luc Ponty, Sonny Rollins, and Shungo Sawada ~ Hino passed away in 1999
January 3, 1946 ~ Robert John Pedrick Jr, commonly known as singer Robert John, born in Brooklyn, New York, USA ~ Enjoyed on-and-off chart success from the late 1950s through the 1970s, starting with White Bucks And Saddle Shoes under his given name Bobby Pedrick back in 1958 at a mere age 14, followed by the minor 1963 hit My Jelly Bean as lead singer of Bobby & the Consoles, and his 1971 Billboard Hot 100 No.3 solo hit The Lion Sleeps Tonight, the latter originally a charttopper for the Tokens a decade earlier. However, Pedrick scored his biggest success with Sad Eyes, which topped the Billboard Hot 100 in 1979. Reminiscent of the 1950s doo-wop ballads, Sad Eyes was one of a select few non-disco, or disco-influenced, tunes to top the charts in 1979. At the time, Pedrick was working a day job in construction and at the urging of producer John Tobin, Pedrick wrote the song using Toby Beau's My Angel Baby as a frame of reference. As Tobin later clarified: “That's the kind of song Robert should be doing. (…) Robert wrote Sad Eyes and rewrote it for about three months. Every time he'd write it I'd go, Nah, change this and change that.” It became the biggest hit of the singer's career, fondly remembered to this day as one of the most enduring ballads of its day. Sad Eyes also featured Darlene Love on backing vocals ~ Pedrick passsed away in 2025
January 3, 1945 ~ Singer, guitarist, bassist, keyboardist, songwriter Stephen Stills, full name Stephen Arthur Stills, born in Dallas, Texas, USA ~ Member of Buffalo Springfield, wrote For What It's Worth. Member of supergroup Crosby Stills Nash & Young, known for their landmark Déjà Vu album. Teamed up with Michael Bloomfield and Al Kooper on the acclaimed Super Session album. Released his eponymous Stephen Stills solo debut album in 1970, which featured Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton and spawned the Billboard Hot 100 top 20 hit Love The One You're With. Fronted Manassas. Guested on albums by Joni Mitchell (Clouds), Joan Baez, the Monkees, the Jefferson Airplane (Volunteers), John Sebastian, the Bee Gees, Joe Vitale, Ringo Starr, Rita Coolidge, Bill Withers, and Elvin Jones
January 3, 1943 ~ Folk rock, progressive rock guitarist, saxophonist Brian Hopper born in Whitstable, UK ~ Member of early Canterbury scene outfit Wilde Flowers. Also present on Soft Machine's 1969 Volume Two sophomore album. Retired from music by the early 1970s, disillusioned by the deatg of two bandmates. Would reemerge in the late 1990s, releasing several albums as a solo artist
January 3, 1941 ~ Jazz saxophonist, flutist, composer, arranger Roger Neumann born in Minot, North Dakota, USA ~ Recorded two outstanding albums as a leader, 1983's Roger Neumann's Rather Large Band and 1994's Instant Heat. Married to singer Madeline Vergari, with whom he has also worked. As a tenor saxophonist has backed Woody Herman, Bob Crosby, and Anita O'Day. Best known as an arranger for the likes of Buddy Rich, Count Basie, Ray Brown, and the Beach Boys ~ Neumann passed away in 2018
January 3, 1941 ~ Singer, pianist, songwriter, arranger, producer Van Dyke Parks born in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, USA ~ Revered by peers. Best known for his 1967 Song Cycle album. Has produced, arranged, collaborated with a wide variety of artists including the Beach Boys, Randy Newman, Harry Nilsson, Phil Ochs, Ry Cooder, Syd Straw, Ringo Starr, U2, Kimbra, Silverchair, and the Mothers Of InventionJanuary 3, 1939 ~ Arieh Lieb Einstein, commonly known as singer, actor, comedian, songwriter, screenwriter Arik Einstein, born in Tel Aviv, Israel ~ Dubbed “the Voice of Israel” and perhaps the most popular and influential Israeli artist of all time acclaimed for pioneering Israeli rock. Has worked with acts such as Shalom Hanoch, Miki Gavrielov, Yoni Rechter, Schmulik Kraus, the Churchills, Batzal Yarok, and the High Windows ~ Einstein passed away in 2013
January 3, 1939 ~ Saxophonist, flutist Brian Smith born in Wellington, New Zealand ~ Worked with Alexis Korner's Blues Incorporated, Ronnie Scott, Tubby Hayes, Maynard Ferguson, Nucleus, Mike Westbrook, Neil Ardley, Mike Gibbs, the Spontaneous Music Ensemble, Keith Tippett, and Pacific EardrumJanuary 3, 1939 ~ Rock & roll, rockabilly singer, guitarist, songwriter Gene Summers born in Dallas, Texas, USA ~ As a solo artist known for recordings such as School Of Rock & Roll, Straight Skirt, Nervous, Gotta Lotta That, Twixteen, Alabama Shake, Fancy Dan, and Big Blue Diamonds. Has also worked with the Rebels, the Tom Toms, Bill Smith Combo, and the Platinum Fog ~ Summers passed away in 2021