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 7, 1999 ~ Bassist Fred Hopkins passed away in Chicago, Illinois, USA ~ Best known as one third of Air, alongside Henry Threadgill and Steve McCall. Also worked with Muhal Richard Abrams, Arthur Blythe, Oliver Lake, the Association For The Advancement Of Creative Musicians, Diedre Murray, Roy Haynes, Don Pullen, Hamiet Bluiett, Charles Brackeen, Peter Brötzmann, Oliver Lake, David Murray, Tom Varner, and the World Saxophone Quartet ~ Hopkins was born in 1947
January 7, 1992 ~ Garrett Clark Borns, commonly known as glam rock, electropop singer, guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter Børns, born in Muskegon, Michigan, USA ~ Released his Dopamine debut album in 2015, which contained his best known track Electric Love. Has opened for MisterWives, Charli XCX, Years & Years, Halsey, the Lumineers, Mumford & Sons, and Lana Del Rey
January 7, 1991 ~ Country singer Alan Jackson releases I'd Love You All Over Again, lifted off his Here In The Real World debut album ~ Alan Jackson married his high school sweetheart in 1979 and on a rainy night in a hotel room in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, wrote this song for their tenth anniversary, stating that if he could he would love her for the first time all over again. I'd Love You All Over Again was welcomed by critics, Country Universe noting how Jackson has the skill to “include a clever turn of phrase without it sounding forced, or worse, distracting from the overall mood.” Issued as the fifth and final single off his debut album, I'd Love You All Over Again would become his first to top the Billboard Country charts. Alan and his wife Denise remain married to this day and have raised three daughters
January 7, 1989 ~ Stephen Wrabel, mononymously known as singer, pianist, guitarist, songwriter Wrabel, born in New York, New York, USA ~ Staff songwriter at Pulse Recordings with songs recorded by Ke$ha, Adam Lambert, Pink, Kygo, Marshmello, and the Backstreet Boys. As a solo artist known for 11 Blocks, Bloodstain, The Village, and I Want YouJanuary 7, 1988 ~ Robbert van de Corput, commonly known as DJ, producer, remixer Hardwell, born in Breda, the Netherlands ~ First gained attention for his 2009 recording Show Me Love vs. Be. Best known for his sets at music festivals such as Ultra Music Festival, Sunburn and Tomorrowland. Voted DJ Mag world's No.1 DJ in 2013 and 2014
January 7, 1986 ~ Jeremy Miles Ferguson, commonly known as rock, heavy metal, glam rock guitarist, violinist, cellist, pianist, songwriter Jinxx born in Webster City, Iowa, USA ~ Best known as member of the Black Veil Brides. Influenced by Randy Rhoads, Metallica, Danny Elfman, Johann Sebastian Bach, Ludwig van Beethoven, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Domenico Scarlatti. Has worked with the Dreaming, Amen, 80 Proof Riot, Christopher Hall, and XO Stereo
January 7, 1984 ~ Blues rock, folk pop, pop rock singer, guitarist, songwriter Chris Ayer born in McLean, Virginia, USA ~ Member of all-male a capella group the Stanford Mendicants. As a solo artist self-released his Static EP in 2003. Best known for his 2006 full-length debut album This Is The Place, produced by Jason Gantt
January 7, 1982 ~ Country singer George Strait releases If You're Thinking You Want A Stranger (There's One Coming Home), lifted off his Strait Country debut album ~ At the time of its release, the song was met with mixed reception yet Billboard rightly predicted George Strait's third single, preceded by Unwound and Down And Out, would be a “winner (with its) lively promise of changing ways”. If You're Thinking You Want A Stranger (There's One Coming Home), written by David Wills and Blake Mevis, would reach No.3 Billboard Country. Mevis served as sole producer for Strait's first two albums, which spawned a total of seven top 20 hits, including the signature song Amarillo By Morning and the No.1 hits Fool Hearted Memory and A Fire I Can't Put Out. The song's other writer Wills had previously scored two major mid 1970s hits of his own, There's A Song On The Jukebox and From Barrooms To Bedrooms both peaking at No.10 Billboard Country. Wills would score one more top 10 hit on the country charts as a songwriter, when Garth Brooks took Wild Horses to No.7 at the turn of the century
January 7, 1981 ~ Martin Abraham, commonly known as jazz guitarist, tubist Chink Martin passed away in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA ~ Best known as a tubist. Father of bassist Martin Little Chink Abraham. Worked with Papa Jack Laine, the New Orleans Harmony Kings, Leon Roppolo, the Halfway House Orchestra, the New Orleans Harmony Kings, the New Orleans Swing Kings, the Dukes Of Dixieland, Sharkey Bonano, Santo Pecora, Pete Fountain, and Al Hirt ~ Abraham was born in 1886
January 7, 1980 ~ Ivan Lewis Greening, commonly known as heavy metal, alternative metal, nu metal singer, keyboaardist, songwriter Ivan Moody, born in Denver, Colorado, USA ~ Lead singer of Five Finger Death Punch since 2006. Has also worked with Motograter, Ghost Machine, Cory Marks, and Sixx AM
January 7, 1980 ~ Lawrence Eugene Williams, commonly known as R&B, rock & roll singer, pianist Larry Williams, passed away in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Best known for his tenure with Specialty Records during the late 1950s, recording several mostly self-penned classics including Bony Moronie, Short Fat Fannie, Slow Down, Dizzy Miss Lizzy, Bad Boy, and She Said Yeah. Artists who have covered his songs include the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and John Lennon ~ Williams was born in 1935January 7, 1979 ~ Egbert Nathaniel Dwakins III, songwriter, singer, commonly known as Aloe Blacc, born in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Member of hip-hop duo Emanon, along with Exile. Best known as a solo artist, scoring hits such as I Need A Dollar and The Man
January 7, 1979 ~ Stanley Robinson, commonly known as rapper Substantial, born in Cheverly, Maryland, USA ~ Influenced by Native Tongues, OutKast, and by Redman. Worked with Nujabes, Burns, the Other Guys, Algorythm, Pase Rock, Daft Punk, and Kenichiro Nishihara
January 7, 1977 ~ Pop group Brotherhood Of Man release Oh Boy (The Mood I'm In), lifted off their Oh Boy album ~ The song tells of a woman whose partner is no longer with her, and she roams the streets in an attempt to find him. Written by Tony Romeo, who had previously penned the Partridge Family debut single and Billboard Hot 100 No.1 hit I Think I Love You. Diana Trask would be the first to record Oh Boy (The Mood I'm In), making it her signature song and a No.10 hit in her native Australia. Covered by pop quartet Brotherhood Of Man the following year, who took the song to No.8 on the UK charts. Brotherhood Of Man would enjoy popularity across Europe and especially in their native UK from the mid- to late 1970s, scoring three UK No.1 hits, 1976 Eurovision Songfestival-winner Save Your Kisses For Me, Angelo, and FigaroJanuary 7, 1977 ~ Jazz, boogie-woogie pianist Michael Kaeshammer born in Offenburg, West Germany ~ Plays in the style of Albert Ammons, Meade Lux Lewis, Pete Johnson. Debuted with the album The Blue Keys in 1996. Has opened for artists such as Anne Murray, Ray Charles, Allen Toussaint, Colin James, Holly Cole. Winner of numerous Juno Awards in his adopted home country Canada
January 7, 1976 ~ Electronic noise musician Nic Endo born in Wichita Falls, Texas, USA ~ Influenced by Alice Coltrane, James Chance, Miles Davis, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, John Coltrane, the Velvet Underground, the Doors, Neu, Sun Ra.. Best known as member of digital hardcore group Atari Teenage Riot, joining in 1997 and remaining with the band until its disbandement in 2000. Released a solo album, Cold Metal Perfection, in 2000, described as a feminist digital hardcore album. Has also worked with Alec EmpireJanuary 7, 1974 ~ Ramón Eduardo Cedeño, commonly known as jazz, rock, world music guitarist, bassist, percussionist Guayo Cedeño, born in La Ceiba, Honduras ~ Married to singer Gaby Flores, the couple have one daughter. In-demand sideman, has worked with artists such as Andy Palacio, the Garifuna Collective, and Aurelio Martínez. Released his sole solo album, Coco Bar, in 2015. Died of respiratory failure at age 48 ~ Cedeño passed away in 2022
January 7, 1974 ~ Country bassist, singer, songwriter John Rich born in Amarillo, Texas, USA ~ Member, co-lead singer of Lonestar from 1992 through 1998, singing lead on Heartbroke Every Day and co-writing songs such as Come Cryin' To Me and Say When. Subsequently released a number of solo recordings before teaming up with Big Kenny to form the hit-making country duo Big & Rich, scoring hits with songs such as Save A Horse Ride A Cowboy, Comin' To Your City, Lost In This Moment, Look At You, Run Away With You, and Lovin' Lately featuring Tim McGrawJanuary 7, 1971 ~ William E Williams, commonly known as rapper El Da Sensei, born in Newark, New Jersey, USA ~ Member of 1990s rap group the Artifacts, which also included Tame One and DJ Kaos, known for songs such as Easter, C'mon Wit Da Git Down, The Ultimate (You Know The Time) and perhaps their best known Wrong Side Of Da Tracks. Has been recording as a solo artist since the early 2000s
January 7, 1971 ~ Heavy metal, gothic rock singer Nick Holmes, full name Nicholas John Arthur Holmes, born in Halifax, UK ~ Best known as lead singer of gothic metal band Paradise Lost and death metal outfit Bloodbath. Has guested on recordings by Liv Kristine, Trees Of Eternity, and Front Line Assembly
January 7, 1965 ~ Vladimir John Ondrasik III, commonly known as singer, pianist, songwriter Five For Fighting, born in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Known for songs such as Superman (It's Not Easy), 100 Years, The Riddle, World, Chances, What If, and Christmas Where You Are
January 7, 1963 ~ Singer, composer Christine Tobin born in Dublin, Ireland ~ Influenced by Betty Carter, Bessie Smith, Leonard Cohen, Olivier Messiaen, Miles Davis. Member of Lammas. Also worked with Huw Warren, Steve Watts, Roy Dodds, Liam Noble, Kate Shortt, Phil Robson, Dave Whitford, Thebe Lipere, Simon Lea, Don Rendell, Django Bates, Peter Fairclough, Hans Koller, Clark Tracey, and Peter Herbert
January 7, 1963 ~ Alt-rock singer, songwriter Clint Mansell, full name Clinton Daryl Mansell, born in Coventry, UK ~ First gained attention as lead singer of alt-rock band Pop Will Eat Itself, known for songs such as Def Con One and X Y & Zee. Has since ventured into film composing
January 7, 1962 ~ Jazz pianist John Colianni, full name John Kelly Colianni, born in Paterson, New Jersey, USA ~ First got interested in music after watching Duke Ellington perform. Backed Lionel Hampton during the early 1980s. Over half a dozen albums as a solo artist, especially aacclaimed for John Colianni & Company released in 1998. As a sideman, Colianni has appeared on albums by Mel Tormé, Spider Saloff, Scott Whitfield, Ben Tucker, Toni Ballard (I'm Your Pal), Holly Shelton, Muriel Anderson, and Marshall McDonald ~ Colianni passed away in 2023January 7, 1961 ~ Country singer Faron Young records Hello Walls for his album of the same name ~ Preceded by Live Fast Love Hard Die Young, Alone With You, and Country Girl, Faron Young's Hello Walls would become his fourth Billboard Country No.1 hit and his sole top 40 single on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 chart, where it peaked at No.12. The song, telling of a man left by his lover with nobody to talk to but the walls, was written by a then-unknown Willie Nelson, who included his own version on his And Then I Wrote debut album released the following year. Others who have recorded the song include Kitty Wells, Johnny Burnette, Bing Crosby, Brook Benton, and Johnny Paycheck. In 1985, Nelson and Young also recorded the song as a duet. Although the song has become a classic recorded by dozens of artists, the definitive version remains Faron Young's 1961 original
January 7, 1961 ~ Fiddler Nils Okland born in Norway ~ Played with Løver Og Tigre, the Balkansemblet, Bjørnar Andresen, his brother guitarist Torbjørn Okland, Christian Wallumrød, Bjørn Kjellemyr, Benedicte Maurseth, Knut Hamre, and Kari Bremnes