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 5, 1947 ~ Winston Stewart, commonly known as singer Delano Stewart, born in Kingston, Jamaica ~ Half of Winston & Bibby, the other half being BB Seaton. Co-founding member of the Gaylads, staying with the band through the late 1960s. As a solo artist best known for songs such as I Don't Know Why I Love You, That's Life, and Stay A Little Bit Longer. The latter would later be covered by UB40 on their 1998 Labour Of Love III album
January 5, 1945 ~ Progressive rock, space rock, jam rock drummer Ron Howden born ~ Co-founding member of Nektar, with whom he recorded about a dozen albums. The band's 1969 Journey To The Centre Of The Eye debut album consisted of a single song running over 40 minutes, with the last 100 seconds of the first side repeated at the beginning of the second side to maintain continuity. The band is especially acclaimed for their work through the mid 1970s, noted for albums such as Remember The Future, Sounds Like This, and Down To Earth. Howden has co-written several of the band's songs, including King Of Twilight which was later covered by Iron Maiden and used as the B-side for their 1984 Aces High single ~ Howden passed away in 2023
January 5, 1941 ~ Singer Grady Thomas born in Newark, New Jersey, USA ~ Closely associated with George Clinton, member of the Parliaments, Parliament and Funkadelic. Along with Fuzzy Haskins and Calvin Simon left the band in 1977 over financial and management disputes with Clinton. The trio caused confusion in 1981 with their Connections And Disconnections album released under the moniker Funkadelic. Thomas would later make amends with Clinton, joining the P-Funk All-Stars in the 1990s. Later still, in 1998 founded Original P with other Clinton-alumni
January 5, 1940 ~ Folk, folk pop bassist, singer, songwriter Athol Guy, full name Athol George Guy, born in Colac, Australia ~ Co-founding member of the Seekers, known for 1960s hits such as I'll Never Find Another You, A World Of Our Own, The Carnival Is Over, Morningtown Ride, and Georgy Girl
January 5, 1932 ~ Blues, jazz, gospel singer Johnny Adams, full name Laten John Adams Jr, born in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA ~ Known as “the Tan Canary” for his multi-octave vocal range. Best known for his renditions of Release Me (1968) and Reconsider Me (1969). Also known for a number of critically acclaimed Rounder Records albums in the 1980s produced by Scott Billington starting with 1984's From The Heat which encompassed a wide range of jazz, blues and R&B styles ~ Adams passed away in 1998
January 5, 1931 ~ Classical pianist, composer, poet, author Alfred Brendel born in Vizmberk, Czechoslovakia ~ Widely regarded as one of the premier pianists of his generation, and the first pianist to record all of Ludwig van Beethoven's piano works. Brendel was also acclaimed for his interpretations of the works of Franz Schubert, Franz Liszt, and Sergei Prokofiev, his 1950 recording of the latter's Piano Concerto No.5 with the Vienna State Opera Orchestra marking his recording debut. Brendel has recorded and toured internationally extensively over a six-decade career and especially from the early 1970s onward, after relocating to the UK, became widely regarded as a musician's musician as well as a mentor to younger pianists including pupils such as Paul Lewis, Imogen Cooper, Kit Armstrong, and Till Fellner. Brendel has received nearly two dozen honorary doctorates from universities the world over including the University of Oxford, Yale University, and the Juilliard School. Looking back on his prolific career, Brendel has told the Guardian in 2010: “I don't feel guilty about being ‘intellectual’ if that means thinking about the structure and character and humour in a piece of music. But I'm not talking about dry analysis, which is relatively easy if you know how. I do the opposite. I familiarise myself with a piece and wait for it to tell me what it's about, and what makes it a masterpiece. That's what fascinates” ~ Brendel passed away in 2025
January 5, 1931 ~ Dancer, director, choreographer Alvin Ailey born in Roger, Texas, USA ~ Founded the Alvin Ailey Dance Company, nurturing black artists and fusing theatre, modern dance, ballet and jazz dance. As a choreographer best known for Revelations, one of the most performed ballet pieces in the world ~ Ailey passed away in 1989
January 5, 1931 ~ Alponso Son Reece, commonly known as hard bop jazz trumpeter Dizzy Reece born in Kingston, Jamaica ~ Part of a wave of Caribbean musicians moving to England in the 1940s and 1950s. Leader and sideman. Has worked with Don Byas, Kenny Clarke, Frank Foster, Thad Jones, Hank Mobley, Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers, Ronnie Scott, Phil Seamen, Victor Feldman, Tubby Hayes, the Paris Reunion Band, Clifford Jordan, Dexter Gordon, Ted Curson, Duke Jordan, John Gilmore, Philly Joe Jones, Art Taylor, and Dizzy GillespieJanuary 5, 1930 ~ Producer, label executive Maynard Solomon, full name Maynard Elliott Solomon, born in New York, New York, USA ~ Co-founded Vanguard Records with his brother Seymour Solomon, a label focusing initially on classical music yet soon also expanding their catalogue with folk, jazz and blues. Non-classical artists signed by the label include the Weavers, Joan Baez, the Rooftop Singers, Larry Coryell, Mississippi John Hurt, Charlie Musselwhite, Buddy Guy and Country Joe & the Fish ~ Solomon passed away in 2020
January 5, 1929 ~ Singer, pianist, guitarist, harmonica player, songwriter Wilbert Harrison born in Charlotte, North Carolina, USA ~ Best known for his hits Kansas City, one of the first songs written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, and for Let's Work Together, the latter also known as Let's Stick Together and covered by an array of artists including Canned Heat and Bryan Ferry ~ Harrison passed away in 1994
January 5, 1928 ~ Edwin Mordue, commonly known as jazz saxophonist Eddie Mordue, born in South Shields, UK ~ Considered one of the finest sax players to emerge from the heyday of British big band music. Professionally active since an early age, moving to London at age 13 to play with Archie's Juvenile Band and subsequently hone his skills working with Eric Winstone during World War II. Mordue's first wife was singer Julie Dawn, with whom he also regularly collaborated. Mordue was a fixture on the 1950s West End jazz scene, notably as a member of Jack Nathan's band, regularly playing the the London Palladium, before focusing on his work as a freelancer. Over the course of his career, Mordue has performed and recorded with the likes of Nat King Cole, Judy Garland, Billie Holiday, Dusty Springfield, Alexis Korner, and Shirley Bassey, as well as orchestras for several TV shows, and in numerous soundtracks including The Pink Panther and several James Bond films. Mordue continued to perform until his death at age 83. Mordue never lost his sense of humor, as reportedly his last words were “yes, rock & roll” in reply to the ambulance medics asking him if he had any allergies ~ Mordue passed away in 2011January 5, 1923 ~ Producer, label founder Sam Phillips born in Florence, Alabama, USA ~ Founded Sun Records. Produced early recordings by Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, and Howlin' Wolf. Advocated for racial equality and helped break down racial barriers in the music industry. Sold the label to Shelby Singleton in 1969 ~ Phillips passed away in 2003
January 5, 1919 ~ Classical, jazz flutist Severino Gazzeloni born in Roccasecca, Italy ~ Best known for his three decade tenure as principal flutist of the RAI National Symphony Orchestra. Gazzelloni had compositions written especially for him by Luciano Berio (Sequenza I For Solo Flute), Pierre Boulez, Bruno Maderna, and Igor Stravinsky. Gazzelloni has also performed in jazz settings, and has tutored artists such as Abbie de Quant, Norma Beecroft and Eric Dolphy. The latter would name a track off his acclaimed 1964 Out To Lunch album, the seven-minute-plus track Gazzelloni, for his tutor ~ Gazzelloni passed away in 1992
January 5, 1906 ~ William Edward Davison, commonly known as jazz, Dixieland cornetist Wild Bill Davison, born in Defiance, Ohio, USA ~ Considered one of the prime Dixieland cornetiss, known for his colorful style, unusually placed high notes, and strong personality. Dubbed “Wild Bill” for his heavy drinking and womanizing. Active since the 1920s, playing with Muggsy Spanier and Frank Teschemacher, but it would not be until the 1940s, teaming up with Eddie Condon, that he would gain wider recognition. Recorded well over a dozen albums as leader, especially acclaimed for That's A Plenty, After Hours, and Jazz On A Saturday Afternoon Vol.1. As a sideman Davison has appeared on albums by Sidney Bechet, Art Hodes (Art Hodes Hot Five), Hot Lips Page, Pee Wee Russell, and Tony Parenti ~ Davison passed away in 1989
January 5, 1887 ~ Percival Davis, commonly known as songwriter, libretist, actor, screenwriter Clifford Grey, born in Birmingham, UK ~ Frequent collaborator of composers such as Jerome Kern, Howard Talbot, George Gershwin. Songs co-written by Grey include Sometimes I'm Happy Sometimes I'm Blue (the Six Hottentots, Doris Day, Lena Horne, Sarah Vaughan), If You Were The Only Girl In The World (Rudy Vallée, Perry Como, Sam Cooke), Date With An Angel (Bobby Howes, the Four Freshmen, Kitty Kallen), and Nobody's Using It Now (Maurice Chevalier, Debroy Somers, Jack Hylton) ~ Davis passed away in 1941
January 5, 1880 ~ Pianist, composer Nikolai Medtner, full name Nikolai Karlovich Medtner, born in Moscow, Russia ~ Contemporary of Sergei Rachmaninoff and Alexander Scriabin. Prolific composer focused on works for piano and to lesser extent violin. Best known for his series of Fairy Tales ~ Medtner passed away in 1951January 5, 1879 ~ John Godfrey Knauff, commonly known as vaudeville singer, songwriter Jack Norworth, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA ~ Perhaps best remembered for co-penning Take Me Out To The Ball Game with Albert von Tilzer, first performed by Norworth's wife Nora Bayes. The song would become the anthem of North American baseball. Neither of the song's authors had actually ever been to a ball game ~ Knauff passed away in 1959