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 31, 1929 ~ Actress, singer Jean Simmons, full name Jean Merilyn Simmons, born in London, UK ~ Rose to fame in Britain after being cast in the 1946 Great Expectations. Would work in Hollywood from the 1950s onwards. Played both dramatic roles and in musical comedies such as a 1955 production of Guys And Dolls. Also a stage actress and singer, notably touring the USA and England with a production of Stephen Sondheim's A Little Night Music during the 1970s ~ Simmons passed away in 2010
January 31, 1928 ~ Harold Willis, commonly known as R&B, rock & roll singer, songwriter Chuck Willis, born in Atlanta, Georgia, USA ~ Dubbed “the King of the Stroll” for his performance of the 1950s dance the stroll. Known best for his late 1950s hits CC Rider and What Am I Living For. Other well known songs include It's Too Late, Juanita, Love Me Cherry, My Story, and Don't Deceive Me. Had his songs covered by Ruth Brown, Little Richard, Screamin' Jay Hawkins, James Brown, Otis Redding, Roy Orbison, Buddy Holly, Freddie King, Elvis Presley, Delaney & Bonnie, and Conway Twitty ~ Willis passed away in 1958January 31, 1928 ~ Tabla player Keshav Sathe born in Bombay, India ~ Pivotal to Indo-jazz fusion. Collaborated with the Asian Music Circle, Joe Harriott, John Mayer, Irène Schweizer, Barney Wilen, Manfred Schoof, John Renbourn, Danny Thompson, Julie Felix, Bhaskar Chandavarkar, Larry Adler, Tony Roberts, Alisha Sufit, and Suns Of Arqa ~ Sathe passed away in 2012
January 31, 1921 ~ Actress, singer, dancer, comedian Carol Channing born in Seattle, Washington, USA ~ Best known as an actress in Broadway and film musicals, also making appearances in feature films and TV series. Received numourous awards and nominations, notably a number of Tony's (including for the lead role of Dolly in 1949's Broadway performance of Hello Dolly) and a 1968 Oscar-nomination for Best Supporting Actress in Thoroughly Modern Millie ~ Channing passed away in 2019
January 31, 1913 ~ Pedri Nolasco Justix Nolasco, commonly known as son, bolero, mambo, descarga, jazz pianist, conductor, bandleader, arranger, composer Peruchín, born in Banes, Cuba ~ Studied piano and saxophone but had to give up the latter due to his asthma. Considered one of the most important figures in 1950s descarga music and one of the most influential 20th-century Cuban pianists. Alongside Lilí Martínez, Noro Morales and Rubén González defined modern Cuban piano playing. Remained at the forefront of Cuban jazz through the 1960s. Influenced Charlie Palmieri, George Shearing, Papo Lucca, Chucho Valdes. Mentored Bebo Valdes. Father of guitarist Peruchín Jr ~ Justiz passed away in 1977
January 31, 1908 ~ Hector Roberto Chavero Aramburu, commonly known as payada, trova singer, guitarist, songwriter Atahualpa Yupanqui, born in Pergamino Partido, Argentina ~ Regarded by some as one of the most influential Argentine folk musicians. Married to pianist, songwriter Paula Nenette Pepin. Found widespread acclaim in the 1960s, his songs recorded by Facundo Cabral, Mercedes Sosa, Jorge Cafrune. Known for songs such as El Arriero, Los Hermanos, La Pobrecita ~ Aramburu passed away in 1992
January 31, 1907 ~ Swing trombonist Benny Morton born in New York, New York, USA ~ Though Morton never became a household name and is largely forgotten today, in part due to poorly documented liner notes, Morton was one of the swing era's finest trombonists, praised for his subtle tone and tasteful understatement, and has been cited as an influence by the likes of Kai Winding, Bill Watrous, and Eddie Bert. Closely associated with guitarist Charlie Christian and singer Billie Holiday, especially on several of the latter's early recordings. Morton only recorded four sides as a leader, but as a valued sideman appears on albums by Fletcher Henderson, Count Basie (Lester Leaps In), Wild Bill Davison, Ray Bryant, Ruby Braff, Rex Stewart, Roy Eldridge, Buck Clayton, Lester Young, Eddie Condon, and Teresa Brewer. Morton continued to perform well into the 1970s ~ Morton passed away in 1985
January 31, 1907 ~ Jazz banjoist, guitarist Emanuel Sayles born in Donaldsonville, Louisiana, USA ~ Studied violin and viola, yet best known as a banjoist and guitarist. A valued accompanist, Sayles became a fixture on the New Orleans music scene where he backed artists such as William Ridgley, Fate Marable, AJ Piron, and Sidney Desvigne. Sayles spent most of the 1930s and 1940s in Chicago, sessioning extensively in both jazz and blues settings, before returning to Louisiana to work with the likes of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Punch Miller, Peter Bocage, Earl Hines, and Louis Cottrell Jr. Sayles occasionally recorded as a leader during the 1960s ~ Sayles passed away in 1986
January 31, 1906 ~ Blues, boogie-woogie pianist, singer, songwriter Roosevelt Sykes born in Elmar, Kansas, USA ~ Known for songs such as Driving Wheel, Night Time Is The Right Time and perhaps his best known 44 Blues, the latter becoming a signature song and a blues standard. Worked with Big Joe Williams, St Louis Jimmy Oden, Homesick James, and Charlie Specks McFadden ~ Sykes passed away in 1983
January 31, 1898 ~ Bandleader Fred Rich, full name Frederic Efrem Rich, born in Warsaw, Poland ~ Active from the 1920s through the 1950s. Known for songs such as I'm Always Chasing Rainbows, So Beats My Heart For You, A Peach Of A Pair, Cheerful Little Earful, and I'm Tickled Pink With A Blue Eyed Baby. Rich has employed sidemen and vocalists such as Jimmy Dorsey, Tommy Dorsey, Joe Venuti, Bunny Berigan, Benny Goodman, Elmer Feldkamp, and Eddie Lang ~ Rich passed away in 1956
January 31, 1894 ~ Bandleader, songwriter Isham Jones, full name Isham Edgar Jones, born in Coalton, Ohio, USA ~ One of the most popular dance bandleaders of the 1920 and 1930s. Known for songs such as Wabash Blues, It Had To Be You, and I'll See You In My Dreams. Employed sidemen such as Louis Panico, Benny Goodman, Woody Herman, Walt Yoder, Roy Bargy, and Al Gallodoro ~ Jones passed away in 1956