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 4, 1971 ~ Keyboardist, percussionist Andrew Creeggan, full name Andrew Burnett Creeggan, born in Scarborough, Canada ~ Early drummer for Barenaked Ladies who along with his brother Jim Creeggan joined the then-duo consisting of Ed Robertson and Steven Page. Switched to keyboard when Tyler Stewart joined the band. Present on the bands first two albums, 1992's Gordon and 1994's Maybe You Should Drive. Has also recorded a number of albums with his brother Jim and Ian McLauchlan under the moniker the Creeggan Brothers as well as several solo albums consisting of contemporary classical with touches of jazz and rock
July 4, 1969 ~ British rockers the Rolling Stones release Honky Tonk Women paired with You Can't Always Get What You Want on the single's flip side ~ Issued as a stand-alone single, Honky Tonk Women would be warmly received by critics with Rolling Stone naming the song as “likely the strongest three minutes of rock and roll yet released in 1969”. The song would be a major hit for the band, holding the top spot on the American Billboard Hot 100 for four consecutive weeks, and spending five weeks atop the charts in their native UK. The band would include an alternate version, titled Country Honk, on their Let It Bleed album, as well a live rendition on Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out with a different guitar part and an entirely different second verse. Over time, the original single version of Honky Tonk Women has been acknowledged as one of the band's key songs and included on several All-time Best listsJuly 4, 1966 ~ Blues rock singer, guitarist, songwriter Dudley Taft born in Washington DC, USA ~ Member of Sweet Water, present on the band's eponymous 1993 Sweet Water debut album. Co-founding member of the Second Coming, remaining with the band through the early 2000s. Formed Omnivoid, with whom he recorded the EPs Combustion and Ignition before venturing out on his own. Recorded over half a dozen albums as a solo artist, starting with Left For Dead released in 2010
July 4, 1966 ~ Babtunde Okungbowa, commonly known as singer, songwriter, producer OJB Jezreel, born in Surulere, Nigeria ~ Revered singer. Prolific producer. Quintessential to development of Nigerian music. Worked with Ruggedman, Jazzman Olofin, Weird MC, IK Dairo, Daddy Showkey, Shina Peters, Olu Maintain, Faze, Iyanya, D'banj, Durella, WizKid, and Yemi Alade ~ Okungbowa passed away in 2016
July 4, 1965 ~ Blues, electric blues guitarist, bassist, drummer, singer Jimmy D Lane born in Chicago, Illinois, USA ~ Son of blues harpist, guitarist, singer Jimmy Rogers. Critically compared to Stevie Ray Vaughan, Corey Stevens, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, and Jeff Healey. Released his eponymous Jimmy D Lane debut album in 1995. Subsequent albums would feature guest backing musicians including Jim Keltner, Hubert Sumlin, Sam Lay, and Carey Bell. Lane has also appeared on albums by David Honeyboy Edwards, Henry Gray, Pinetop Perkins, Lazy Lester, and BB KingJuly 4, 1965 ~ Raymond Emile Poole, commonly known as rapper, singer, producer Mo B Dick, born in Morgan City, Louisiana, USA ~ Member of No Limit Records production team the Medicine Men. As a solo artist released his full-length Gangsta Harmony debut album in 1999. Guested on recordings by Kane & Abel, Master P, TRU, C-Murder, the Gambino Family, and Lil Soldiers
July 4, 1963 ~ R&B singer Jessie Lee Daniels born in Staten Island, New York, USA ~ Member of family outfit the Force MD's, known best for their Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hit Tender Love written and produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, lead single of their 1985 Chillin' sophomore album. The band regulary reached the top 10 of the Billboard R&B charts throughout the 1980s, well known songs including Tears, Love Is A House, and Touch & Go ~ Daniels passed away in 2022July 4, 1963 ~ Singer, guitarist Michael Sweet born in Whitler, California, USA ~ Best known as co-founding member, guitarist, lead singer of Christian metal outfit Stryper. Has also recorded as a solo artist, worked with Boston during the late 2000s, collaborated with Dokken-member George Lynch under the monniker Sweet & Lynch, and guested on recordings by Michael W Smith, DC Talk, Liberty & Justice, and Tourniquet
July 4, 1963 ~ Conductor Thomas Dausgaard born in Copenhagen, Denmark ~ Best known as principal conductor of the Swedish Chamber Orchestra since 1997. Has also worked with the Danish National Symphony Orchestra, the Seattle Symphony, and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
July 4, 1963 ~ Singer, actress Ute Lemper, full name Ute Gertrud Lemper, born in Münster, Germany ~ Joined jazz rock outfit the Panama Drive Band at age 16. Following her studies at the Dance Academy Cologne and the Max Reinhardt Seminary Drama School Vienna would go on to become a revered singer and stage actress in musicals including a Viennese production of Cats, the title role in Peter Pan, her breakthrough role of Sally Bowles in the original Paris production of Cabaret, and the role of Velma Kelly in Chicago
July 4, 1959 ~ Country guitarist, singer, songwriter Bill McCorvey born in Montgomery, Alabama, USA ~ Founding member, lead singer, guitarist of the Pirates Of The Mississippi, remaining with the band through its initial split in 1996 and rejoining a later incarnation. The band is best known for songs such as Honky Tonk Blues, Feed Jake and Til I'm Holding You AgainJuly 4, 1959 ~ Heavy metal singer Eiríkur Hauksson born in Reykjavik, Iceland ~ First gained attention in 1981 as member of Start, noted for his vocals on Sekur. Would go on to work as a solo artist and with acts such as Drysill, Artch, Gardenian, Live Fire, Magic Pie, Aunt Mary, and Just 4 Fun
July 4, 1956 ~ R&B, pop bassist, singer, songwriter Deon Estus, full name Jeffery Dean Estus, born in Detroit, Michigan, USA ~ Best known as member of 1980s pop group Wham, centered around Andrew Ridgeley and George Michael. Appears on Michael's first two solo albums, 1987's Faith and 1990's Listen Without Prejudice Vol.1. As a solo artist known for Heaven Help Me which reached top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 ~ Estus passed away in 2021
July 4, 1955 ~ Singer John Waite, full name John Charles Waite, born in Lancaster, UK ~ Rose to fame as lead singer of the Babys, known for the Billboard Hot 100 top 20 hits Isn't It Time and Everytime I Think Of You. Debuted as a solo artist with his 1982 Ignition. Would reach international success with its follow-up, 1984's No Brakes. The album would spawn the hit single Missing You, which reached top 10 across the globe including the No.1 spot on Billboard Hot 100. It would later notably be covered by Tina Turner, by Brooks & Dunn and re-recorded as a duet by Waite with Alison Krauss in 2006. Waite has also collaborated with Journey, Bad English and with Ringo Starr's Ringo Starr & his All-Starr Band
July 4, 1952 ~ Biaglo Bergantino, commonly known as songwriter Borney Bergantine, passed away in Kansas, USA ~ Co-wrote My Happiness with Betty Peterson, first recorded by Jon & Sondra Steele in 1948. The song would become a standard, recorded by numerous artists. Noted for being the first song Elvis Presley recorded. Others who covered the song include Ella Fitzgerald, Fats Domino, Jim Reeves, Kitty Wells, Connie Francis, Teresa Brewer, and Freddy Fender ~ Bergantino was born in 1909July 4, 1951 ~ R&B, soul, jazz, funk drummer Ralph Johnson, full name Ralph Randolph Johnson, born in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Member of Earth Wind & Fire from 1972 through 1984, rejoining the band in 1987. Has also worked with Blue Magic, Stanley Turrentine, Howard Hewett, Nathan East, Siedah Garrett. Co-produced the Temptations' 1984 Treat Her Like A Lady single
July 4, 1947 ~ Singer, producer, songwriter Jacques Morali born in Casablanca, Morocco ~ Along with Henri Belolo co-founder of and thriving force behind disco acts Ritchie Family (Brazil, The Best Disco In Town, Life Is Music) and the Village People (YMCA, Macho Man, In The Navy). Has also recorded as a solo artist and wrote or co-wrote for a wide array of artists including Patrick Juvet, Régine, Dalida, Eric Russell, Cher, Patricia Norton, Julius Brown, Starlight, Diva, Dennis Parker, David London, Wayne Scott, Lova Moor, Pia Zadora, and Break Machine ~ Morali passed away in 1991
July 4, 1946 ~ Pop, psychedelic pop singer, keyboardist David Skinner, full name David Ferguson Skinner, born ~ Formed the duo Twice As Much with Andrew Rose, best known for their 1966 Sittin' On A Fence single. The song was written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards and later included on the American edition of the Rolling Stones album Flowers. Skinner would later work with Uncle Dog, Clancy, tour with Roxy Music, and guest on albums by Phil Manzanera and Bryan FerryJuly 4, 1946 ~ Viola Billups, commonly known as R&B, soul, disco singer Pearly Gates, born in Alabama, USA ~ Member of 1960s R&B girl group the Flirtations, known for their 1966 Change My Darkness Into Light single and for backing Tom Jones on tour. Billups departed the group in 1973 to pursue a solo career recording a number of overlooked disco songs throughout the mid-1980s
July 4, 1945 ~ Singer, guitarist, songwriter David McWilliams, full name David Samuel McWilliams, born in Belfast, Northern Ireland ~ Best known for his 1967 song The Days Of Pearly Spencer, originally released as the B-side to Harlem Lady. Despite warm critical reception and ample airplay on pirate radio stations, the song failed to become a hit in either Ireland or the UK, yet would do well in several European countries, including reaching top 10 in the Netherlands and the No.1 spot in France. The song is noted for its dreaminess and phoned-in chorus, creating a low-tech effect by McWilliams singing the lines through a telephone line. Over two decades after its release, The Days Of Pearly Spencer would be notably covered by Marc Almond, the Almond cover did actually reach top 10 in both Ireland and the UK, peaking at No.8 and No.4 respectively. In the Netherlands, however, the biggest hit remains the McWilliams original ~ McWilliams passed away in 2002July 4, 1945 ~ Rupert Lloyd Edwards, commonly known as reggae singer, producer Rupie Edwards, born in St Ann Parish, Jamaica ~ Formed the Ambassadors, teaming up with Junior Menz, Eric Frater, and Dobby Dobson. As a producer worked with the Heptones, the Mighty Diamonds, Bob Andy, Johnny Clarke, Joe Higgs, Gregory Isaacs (Lonely Man), the Ethiopians, U-Roy, Dennis Alcapon, I-Roy, and Vin Gordon
July 4, 1944 ~ Charles J Thornton Jr, commonly known as jazz drummer Butch Miles, born in Ironton, Ohio, USA ~ Cites Buddy Rich, Gene Krupa and Jo Jones as influences. Leader and sideman. Noted especially for his 1995 Cookin' album, accompanied by trumpeter Randy Sandke, saxophonist Harry Allen, guitarist Howard Alden, and bassist Frank Tate. Has collaborated with the likes of Dave Brubeck, Ella Fitzgerald, Danny Moss (Weaver Of Dreams), Sammy Davis Jr, Frank Sinatra, Lena Horne, Tony Bennett, Gerry Mulligan, Woody Herman, and Wild Bill Davison ~ Thornton passed away in 2023
July 4, 1944 ~ Harvey Goldstein, commonly known as bassist Harvey Brooks, born in New York, New York, USA ~ First gained serious attention in 1965 appearing on Bob Dylan's pivotal Highway 61 Revisited album alongside Michael Bloomfield and Al Kooper. Worked with Bloomfield in the short-lived the Electric Flag, recording three albums in 1967 and 1968. Guested on the acclaimed Super Session album by Bloomfield Kooper & Stills, also writing the track Harvey's Tune. Guested on the Doors album Soft Parade, appearing on the tracks Touch Me, Tell All The People and Wishful Sinful. Other notable collaborations include Richie Havens (Mixed Bag), Quicksilver Messenger Service, Graham Bond, Miles Davis (Bitches Brew), John Cale, Seals & Crofts (Summer Breeze), the Fabulous Rhinestones, and Loudon Wainwright IIIJuly 4, 1943 ~ Guitarist, singer, songwriter Alan Wilson born in Arlington, Massachusetts, USA ~ Best known as co-founder, frontman, lead singer, primary songwriter of Canned Heat, known for songs such as On The Road Again, and Going Up The Country ~ Wilson passed away in 1970
July 4, 1943 ~ Konrad Bauer, commonly known as free jazz trombonist Conny Bauer, born in Halle, Germany ~ Brother of trombonist Johannes Bauer. Has worked with Tadashi Endo, Sheryl Banks, Tony Oxley, Derek Bailey, Maggie Nichols, Theo Jörgensmann, Peter Brötzmann, Barre Phillips, Peter Kowald, Han Bennink, Barry Altschul, Jay Oliver, Louis Moholo, and Gerry Hemingway