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.
July 11, 1975 ~ Kimberly Jones, commonly known as rapper Lil' Kim, born in Brooklyn, New York, USA ~ Influenced by MC Lyte and Lady Of Rage. Discovered by the Notorious BIG. Member of Junior MAFIA. Released her Hard Core solo debut album in 1996. Known for her sexually explicit lyrics, quite uncommon for female artists. Well known songs include Not Tonight featuring Da Brat, Lisa Left-Eye Lopes, Missy Elliott & Angie Martinez, Lady Marmalade with Christina Aguilera, Mya & Pink, Jump Off featuring Mr Cheeks, . Magic Stick featuring 50 Cent, and Lighters UpJuly 11, 1973 ~ Bossa nova, rock & roll singer, songwriter Agostinho dos Santos passed away in Orly, France ~ Best known for lending his voice to the score of the 1959 Black Orpheus score. It included Manhã De Carnaval and Samba De Orfeu written by Luiz Bonfá, and A Felicidade written by Antônio Carlos Jobim ~ Dos Santos was born in 1932
July 11, 1973 ~ Indie rock violinist, guitarist, mandolinist, singer, songwriter Andrew Bird, full name Andrew Wegman Bird, born in Lake Forest, Illinois, USA ~ Influenced by classical music including Claude Debussy, Maurice Ravel, and Béla Bartók, jazz such as Johnny Hodges, Lester Young, and Fats Waller, as well as as swing, calypso, and folk. Known for his multi-layered pop-folk songs. Over a dozen albums to his name since the mid 1990s. Wel-known songs include Fitz And The Dizzyspells, Capsized, and Left Hand Kisses, the latter featuring Fiona Apple. Has also worked with Bowl of Fire, Kat Eggleston, the Squirrel Nut Zippers, Pinetop Seven, Kevin O'Donnells Quality Six, the Handsome Family, Neko Case, Ani DiFranco, My Morning Jacket, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, KT Tunstall, Wilco, and Sara Bareilles
July 11, 1972 ~ Christopher Juel Barriere, commonly known as rapper 3-2, born in Houston, Texas, USA ~ Member of southern hip-hop acts such as the Convicts, the Blac Monks, the Southside Playaz and perhaps most notably Screwed Up Click. As a solo artist about half a dozen albums to his name, starting with Wicked Buddah Baby released in 1996. Barriere was fatally shot at age 44 ~ Barriere passed away in 2016July 11, 1972 ~ Jussi Heikki Tapio Vuori, commonly known as glam metal, hard rock drummer Jussi 69, born in Helsinki, Finland ~ Drummer for Finnish rockers the 69 Eyes, with whom he recorded over a dozen albums starting with Bump 'n Grind in 1992. The band has evolved from glam metal to hard-edged goth with industrial influences and is best known for the albums Devils and Wasting The Dawn, released respectively in 2005 and 2007
July 11, 1970 ~ In its 8th week on the chart, Mama Told Me (Not To Come) by Three Dog Night hits No.1 Billboard Hot 100 ~ Written by the then-relatively unknown Randy Newman, who included the song on his 12 Songs sophomore album. A month after Newman's album release, Three Dog Night issued their cover, which became their first No.1 hit. At the time, Cashbox suggested the cover could do for Newman what the 5th Dimension did for Laura Nyro, the former having had several hits with Nyro-covers including the Billboard Hot 100 No.1 Wedding Bell Blues, since Three Dog Night was “the first to apply muscle” to Newman's material. Although it would take Newman eight more years to have a hit of his own, Short People reaching No.2, he would grow a devoted following, have several of his songs made into hits by others, and become a celebrated film composer with close to two dozen Academy Award nominations, winning twice
July 11, 1969 ~ Singer David Bowie releases Space Oddity, lifted off his eponymous sophomore album ~ Released shortly before the 1969 moon landing, the song was believed to be inspired by the upcoming Apollo 11 mission. It was, however, Stanley Kubrick's movie 2001 A Space Odyssey that gave David Bowie inspiration for the song's title. The BBC actually used the song during the live airing of the Apollo 11 moon landing on July 20th. Yet no one told the show's producer it would have been highly inappropriate had the moon landing gone horribly wrong as the song tells of a fictional astronaut, Major Tom, who loses communication with Ground Control and floats into space. The single's first release reached No.5 in Bowie's native UK, marking his first entry on the British charts, while it bubbled under in America, peaking at No.124. The single was re-released twice, once in 1972 which reached No.15 Billboard Hot 100, making it his first American top 40 hit, and again in 1975, now topping the UK charts, a first for the singer. Bowie has later stated that Space Oddity was “a very good song that possibly I wrote a bit too early because I hadn't anything else substantial (to follow it) at the time”July 11, 1969 ~ Rock, punk rock drummer, producer, songwriter John Kiffmeyer, sometimes credited as Al Sobrante, born in El Sobrante, California, USA ~ Member of Isocracy, known for their sole Bedtime For Isocracy EP released in 1988. The band is regarded as one of the main bands who brought a new sense of positive anarchy to the punk scene. After the band folded Kiffmeyer joined Sweet Children, replacing original drummer Taj Punjabi. The band would evolve into Green Day, with Kiffmeyer appearing on the band's 1990 39/Smooth debut album before being replaced by Tré Cool
July 11, 1968 ~ Hard rock, glam metal singer Daniel MacMaster, full name Daniel Stewart MacMaster, born in Barrie, Canada ~ Lead singer for hard rock outfit Bonham, present on the band's The Disregard Of Time Keeping debut album and it's follow-up Mad Hatter. The band is best known for being founded by drummer Jason Bonham, the son of Led Zeppelin-drummer John Bonham ~ MacMaster passed away in 2008July 11, 1968 ~ Matthew Sherrod, commonly known as drummer Matt Sherrod, born in California, USA ~ First gained attention backing Beck. Became a full member of a reformed Crowded House in 2007 after the death of Paul Hester. Has also worked as a songwriter, producer and session musician with artists such as Tracie Spencer, his brother Paul Sherrod, Wounded Cougar, NOFX, Macy Gray, Seiko Matsuda, and Donna de Lory
July 11, 1962 ~ Singer Bobby Vinton records Rain Rain Go Away at Columbia 30th Street Studio, New York, New York ~ Penned by Gloria Shayne Baker and Noël Regney. Released the following August, paired with Over And Over on the flip side, the single would become a top 20 hit for Bobby Vinton, peaking at No.12 on the Billboard Hot 100July 11, 1962 ~ Siblings the Everly Brothers record Don't Ask Me To Be Friends ~ Written by Gerry Goffin and Jack Keller. Released as a single, b/w No One Can Make My Sunshine Smile, it would stall in the low 40s on the Billboard Hot 100. British singer Cliff Richard would cover the song for his 1970 Tracks 'n Grooves album
July 11, 1962 ~ Singer, songwriter Jill Jones born in Lebanon, Ohio, USA ~ Backup singer for Teena Marie and for Prince in the 1980s. The latter wrote most of Jones's 1987 Jill Jones sole album. The Prince track She's Always In My Hair, the flip side of Raspberry Beret, is reportedly about Jones. Jones also sang with Appolonia 6, Ryuichi Sakamoto (on You Do Me), wrote and co-produced Lisa Lisa's The Great Pretender, fronted the band Baby Mother, and sang vocals touring with late 1990s ChicJuly 11, 1961 ~ Filming begins for the Elvis Presley film Follow That Dream in Florida ~ Based on the 1959 Richard P Powell novel Pioneer Go Home, initially also the working title of the project. Elvis Presley delivers five songs, four of which are included on the accompanying soundtrack EP. Filming took place in Florida, where a then 10-year old Tom Petty whose uncle was involved in the production watched the shoot and met Presley. The encounter would have a profound effect on Petty who traded in his slingshot for a friend's collection of Presley records. Later Petty would comment the encounter first gave him the idea of becoming a musician
July 11, 1959 ~ Alasdair Mackie Ward, commonly known as rock & roll, punk rock singer, guitarist, bassist, drummer, keyboardist Algy Ward, born in Croydon, UK ~ Best known for founding Tank, with whom he recorded about half a dozen albums. The band is especially acclaimed for their 1982 Filth Hounds Of Hades debut album, produced by Motörhead guitarist Fast Eddie Clarke, considered a landmark album in British heavy metal. Previously Ward had played with Australian rock outfit the Saints from 1977 through 1980, present on the albums I'm Stranded, Eternally Yours, and Prehistoric Sounds. Ward was also briefly a member of the Damned, appearing on the 1979 Machine Gun Etiquette comeback album before being fired due to animosity with the band's drummer Rat Scabies ~ Ward passed away in 2023
July 11, 1959 ~ Post-punk, ambient, industrial drummer John Murphy, full name John Russell Murphy, born in Melbourne, Australia ~ Son of jazz drummer Russ Murphy. Got his start in music as co-founding member of punk outfit the News, present on singles such as Dirty Lies, Dowanna Love and Sweet Dancer. Would go on to work with Whirlywind, the Associates, Dumb & the Ugly, SPK, Wreckery, Death In June, Browning Mummery, Naevus, The The, Whitehouse, and Gene Loves Jezebel ~ Murphy passed away in 2015
July 11, 1959 ~ Richard Stephen Sambora, commonly known as guitarist, singer Richie Sambora, born in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, USA ~ Lead guitarist, and along with lead singer Jon Bon Jovi main songwriter of Bon Jovi, known for songs such as You Give Love A Bad Name, Livin' On A Prayer, Bad Medicine, I'll Be There For You and Bed Of Roses. Has also released a number of solo albums, starting with 1991's Stranger In This Town, and formed the duo RSO with OrianthiJuly 11, 1959 ~ Rossiere Wilson, commonly known as jazz, swing drummer Shadow Wilson, passed away in New York, New York, USA ~ Worked with Lucky Millinder, Benny Carter, Tiny Bradshaw, Lionel Hampton, Earl Hines, Count Basie, Woody Herman, Illinois Jacquet, Erroll Garner, Thelonious Monk, Ella Fitzgerald, Joe Newman, Lee Konitz, Sonny Stitt, Phil Woods, Gene Quill, Tadd Dameron, Gil Melle, Fats Navarro, and Tony Scott ~ Wilson was born in 1919
July 11, 1959 ~ Folk rock, alternative rock singer, guitarist, songwriter Suzanne Vega, full name Suzanne Nadine Vega born in Santa Monica, California, USA ~ Influenced by Lou Reed, Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Paul Simon. Rose to prominence in the 1980s with songs such as Marlene On The Wall, Left Of Center, Luka and No Cheap Thrill and has recorded to critical acclaim since. Her a capella Tom's Diner album track of her 1987 sophomore Solitude Standing album would be remade by electronic dance duo DNA, sparking intrest for Vega with new audiencesJuly 11, 1957 ~ Rock, blues, jazz gitarist, bassist, songwriter Erwin van Ligten born in Surabaya, Indonesia ~ Worked with Pangrass, Klaver, Spaak, the Dizzy Man's Band, Bertus Borgers, Barry Hay, Ton Dijkman, Rene Lopez, A Girl Called Johnny, Angela Groothuizen, Sue Chaloner, Berget Lewis, Mathilde Santing, Chris Hinze, and the Alessi Brothers
July 11, 1955 ~ Comedian, painter, songwriter Jeroen van Merwijk born in Bilthoven, the Netherlands ~ Best known as a cabaretier, comedian. As a songwriter known for his work with the radio show Spijkers Met Koppen, Karin Bloemen, Harrie Jekkers, Hans Dorrestijn, Adèle Bloemendaal ~ Van Merwijk passed away in 2021
July 11, 1953 ~ Guitarist Benny DeFranco born in Canada ~ Member of bubblegum pop sibling outfit the DeFranco Family, known for a string of 1970s hits including Abra-ca-dabra, Save The Last Dance For Me and their best known Heartbeat (It's A Lovebeat), the latter reaching the Billboard top 10 in 1973
July 11, 1953 ~ Rock guitarist Chris Newman, full name Christopher Lynn Newman, born in Longview, Washington, USA ~ Enjoyed regional popularity in the Northwest. Known for his intense blues and psychedelic-influenced guitar leads and near-operatic powerhouse vocals. Cited as an influence by numerous grunge artists, especially for his work with his best known band Napalm Beach, considered early innovators of the grunge sound. Other bands led by Newman include Snow Bud, the Flower People, Boo Frog, and the Chris Newman Deluxe Combo ~ Newman passed away in 2021
July 11, 1953 ~ Singer Peter Brown born in Blue Island, Illinois, USA ~ As a solo artist best known for his 1977 A Fantasy Love Affair, which spawned the disco hits Dance With Me and Do Ya Wanna Get Funky With Me. The 12" for the latter would sell a million copies, mkaing it the first 12" record to be awarded gold status. Also known as a producer and songwriter, noted for co-writing Madonna's Material Girl hit single with Robert Rans
July 11, 1950 ~ Patricia Eva Pointer, commonly known as singer Bonnie Pointer born in Oakland, California, USA ~ Co-founding member of sibling outfit the Pointer Sisters. Co-wrote Fairytale, a 1974 Billboard top 20 hit for the band, with Anita Pointer. Left the band in 1977 to pursue a solo career. Scored a top 20 hit with 1978's Heaven Must Have Sent You ~ Pointer passed away in 2020
July 11, 1950 ~ George Gard Desylva, commonly known as songwriter, label executive, film producer Buddy DeSylva, passed away in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Frequent songwriting collaborator of Lew Brown and Ray Henderson. Also worked with George Gershwin, co-writing Blue Monday, a 1922 jazz opera seen as a forerunner to Porgy & Bess. Co-founded Capitol Records with Johnny Mercer and Glenn Wallichs. Served on the ASCAP board of directors from 1922 through 1930. Would move to film production from the 1930s onwards ~ DeSylva was born in 1895