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.
June 1, 1948 ~ Singer Albert Mazibuko, full name Mdletshe Albert Mazibuko, born in Ladysmith, South Africa ~ Longtime member of Ladysmith Black Mambazo, joining the band in 1973. The choral group is internationally best known for backing Paul Simon on the acclaimed Graceland album released in 1986
June 1, 1948 ~ Pianist, composer José Vianna da Motta passed away in Lisbon, Portugal ~ One of the last pupils of Franz Liszt. Accompanied violinists such as Pablo de Sarasate, Tivadar Nachéz, and Bernardo Moreira de Sá. Known as a fine interpreter of the works of Johann Sebastian Bach and Ludwig van Beethoven as well as lesser-known composers such as Charles-Valentin Alkan. Also known as a renowned composer in his own right, writing pieces for piano, chamber music, orchestral and choral works ~ Da Motta was born in 1868
June 1, 1948 ~ John Lee Curtis Williamson, commonly known as blues harpist, singer, songwriter Sonny Boy Williamson I, passed away in Chicago, Illinois, USA ~ Regarded as the premier blues harpist of his generation. Influential on post-war blues artists such as Billy Boy Arnold, Junior Wells, Sonny Terry, Little Walter, Snooky Pryor. Mentored Muddy Waters. Best known for his 1937 debut single Good Morning School Girl, which quickly became a blues standard covered by numerous artists ~ Williamson was born in 1914
June 1, 1946 ~ Violinist Vera Beths born in Haarlem, the Netherlands ~ Member of Archibudelli alongside altviolist Jürgen Kussmaul and husband cellist Anner Bijlsma. Has also been married to hoboist, conductor Werner Herbers. Has works especially written for her by the likes of Peter Schat, Louis Andriessen, Misha Mengelberg, and Philip Glass. Also well known for her association with Willem Breuker. Guested on Boudewijn de Groot's De Reiziger of his seminal 1973 Hoe Sterk Is De Eenzame Fietser album
June 1, 1945 ~ Linda Joy Sampson, commonly known as pop singer, actresss Linda Scott born in Queens, New York, USA ~ Enjoyed chart succes in the early 1960s with songs such as Don't Bet Money Honey, I Don't Know Why and her best known the Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hit I've Told Ev'ry Little Star
June 1, 1943 ~ Singer, arranger, songwriter Tom Bahler, full name Thomas Lee Bahler, born in Inglewood, California, USA ~ Brother of singer, arranger, conductor John Bahler, with whom he formed 1960s pop band the Love Generation. The band recorded three commercially unsuccessful albums but is known for their 1967 song Let The Good Times In, which they rerecorded for the pilot of the Partridge Family. Bahler is probably best known as a songwriter, penning or co-penning songs such as Bobby Sherman's Julie Do Ya Love Me, Living In A House Divided best known as recorded by Cher, the Brothers Johnson's Ain't We Funkin' Now, and Michael Jackson's She's Out Of My Life. The latter, a 1980 Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hit for Jackson, is said to have been originally intended for Frank Sinatra
June 1, 1942 ~ Singer, guitarist, songwriter Alberto Radius born in Rome, Italy ~ Co-founded Formula 3 with Gabriele Lorenzi and Toni Cicco. The band is known for a string of early 1970s hits including Questo Folle Sentimento, Lo Ritorno Solo, and Eppur Mi Son Scordato Do Te. Radius has also recorded about a dozen albums as a solo artist, starting with Radius released in 1972, collaborated with Lucio Battisti, Milva, and Giuni Russo, and formed the late 1980s group Cantautores ~ Radius passed away in 2023
June 1, 1942 ~ Lenore Hyams, commonly known as jazz pianist, composer Lenore Raphael born in New York, New York, USA ~ Leader and sidewoman. Has worked with Lionel Hampton, Ken Peplowski, Illinois Jacquet, Clark Terry, Hilliard Greene, Rudy Lawless, Jon Hendricks, Warren Vaché Jr, Harry Allen, Gene Bertoncini, Joel Frahm, and Marlene Verplanck
June 1, 1941 ~ Conductor Edo de Waart born in Amsterdam, the Netherlands ~ First gained serious attention as oboist with the Concertgebouw Orchestra in the early 1960s. Would go on to serve as assistant conductor to Leonard Bernstein as well as Bernard Haitink. Conductor of the Netherland Wind Ensemble and the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra by the end of the decade. Would go on to work with renowned orchestras including the Santa Fe Opera, the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, the Houston Grand Opera, the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, the San Diego Symphony, the Minnesota Orchestra, and the San Francisco SymphonyJune 1, 1941 ~ Gyula Deutsch, commonly known as vaudeville, theater singer, dancer, actress Jenny Dolly passed away in New York, New York, USA ~ Formed the sibling duo the Dolly Sisters along with her identical twin Rosie Dolly. Both sisters pursued a parallel solo career from the mid-1910s forward, including acting in silent films ~ Deutsch was born in 1892
June 1, 1940 ~ Jazz singer Yolande Bavan born in Sri Lanka ~ Best known for replacing Annie Ross in Lambert Hendricks & Ross in 1962 after Ross retired from the band for health reasons. Bavan would record three live albums with the band, now renamed Lambert Hendricks & Bavan, before they disbanded in 1964. Bavan has subequently appeared in a number of musicals and films
June 1, 1934 ~ Pop singer, actor Pat Boone, full name Patrick Charles Eugene Boone, born in Jacksonville, Florida, USA ~ Popular pop singer during the 1950s and 1960s. Sold over 45 million records and appeared in a dozen Hollywood films. Best known for songs such as Ain't That A Shame, I Almost Lost My Mind, Don't Forbid Me, Love Letters In The Sand, April Love and Moody River
June 1, 1929 ~ Alto saxophonist, arranger, composer Lennie Niehaus born in St Louis, Missouri, USA ~ Best known for his association with Stan Kenton. Also known as a film composer and arranger, oft in collaboration with Jerry Fielding. Arranged for Kenton as well as for artists including the King Sisters, Mel Tormé, Dean Martin, and for Carol Burnett ~ Niehaus passed away in 2020
June 1, 1926 ~ Actor, comedian, gospel singer, writer, TV personality Andy Griffith, full name Andy Samuel Griffith, born in Mount Airy, North Carolina, USA ~ Rose to fame as an actor, notably featured in the mid- to late 1950s films A Face In The Crowd and No Time For Sergeants, and the TV sitcom The Andy Griffith Show. Griffiths sang in some of his acting roles and has recorded a number of standalone albums including country, gospel, and hymns ~ Griffith passed away in 2012
June 1, 1925 ~ Bluegrass singer, bassist, guitarist Hazel Dickens, full name Hazel Jane Dickens, born in Mercer County, West Virginia, USA ~ Influenced by Uncle Dave Macon, the Monroe Brothers, and the Carter Family. Once described by the New York Times as “a clarion-voiced advocate for coal miners and working people and a pioneer among women in bluegrass music” Closely associated with Alice Gerrard, with whom she recorded the albums Who's That Knocking (And Other Bluegrass Country Music) and Won't You Come & Sing For Me. As a solo artist best known for her contributions to the soundtrack of Harlan County USA, notably the track They'll Never Keep Us Down, and for the 1980s albums By The Sweat Of My Brow and It's Hard To Tell The Singer From The Song. Songs written by Dickens have been recorded by Dry Branch Fire Squad, Hot Rize, Lynn Morris, Dolly Parton (A Few Old Memories), Bill Frisell, Bobby Osborne, and Kathy Mattea ~ Dickens passed away in 2011
June 1, 1924 ~ Alto saxophonist, clarinetist Hal McKusick born in Medford, Massachusetts, USA ~ During the big band era served in ensembles led by Les Brown, Woody Herman, Boyd Raeburn, and Alvino Rey. Over half a dozen albums to his name as a leader, noted especially for Cross-Section (Saxes) released in 1959 featuring a cast which included Art Farmer, Paul Chambers and Connie Kay. As a sideman McKusick has appeared on albums by Milt Hinton (Basses Loaded), Manny Albam, Charlie Parker, Dinah Washington (The Swingin' Miss D), Charles Mingus, Nat Pierce, Urbie Green, and Jackie Paris ~ McKusick passed away in 2012
June 1, 1924 ~ Drummer, actor Herbie Lovelle, full name Herbert Edward Lovelle, born in New York, New York, USA ~ Played with Hot Lips Page, Hal Cornbread Singer, Johnny Moore, Earl Hines, Lucky Thompson, and Jimmy Rushing, prior to becoming the house drummer at the Savoy Ballroom, New York, a job he held for much of the 1950s. Following tours with saxophonist Arnett Cobb, and pianist Teddy Wilson, Lovelle became an in-demand session musician in jazz, blues, R&B, and pop. Has appeared on albums by Art Farmer, Buddy Lucas, Bob Dylan (The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan), Sonny Stitt, Lightnin' Hopkins, Jimmy Witherspoon, Illinois Jacquet, David Blue (David Blue), the Monkees (Headquarters), Richard Groove Holmes, Solomon Burke, Fats Domino, John Denver, Evie Sands (Any Way That You Want Me), Big Joe Turner, Van Morrison (TB Sheets), and Gordon Lightfoot. From the 1980s forward, Lovelle has also ventured into acting for film and TV ~ Lovelle passed away in 2009
June 1, 1920 ~ Marie Roach, commonly known as gospel, R&B singer Marie Knight, born in Sanford, Florida, USA ~ Best known for her association with Sister Rosetta Tharpe touring with Tharpe throughout the 1940s. Notably present on the response and call duet Up Above My Head (I Hear Music In The Sky) recorded in 1947 ~ Roach passed away in 2009
June 1, 1919 ~ Blues, jazz pianist, organist, singer, composer Lafayette Leake born in Winona, Missouri, USA ~ Member of the Big Three Trio, replacing Leonard Castron in the early 1950s. Session musician for Chess Records, appearing on several Chuck Berry recordings including Rock & Roll Music and Johnny B Goode, songs regarded as pivotal to the development of rock and roll. Though a highly revered pianist who could play anything by ear, Leake's shyness kept him in the background for most of his career, serving as a leader of his own unit only sporadically. Leake has guested on albums by numerous artists, including Dale Hawkins, Bo Diddley (Bo Diddley), Howlin' Wolf (Howlin' Wolf (The Rockin' Chair Album)), Sonny Boy Williamson II, John Lee Hooker (The Real Folk Blues), Buddy Guy, Magic Sam, Koko Taylor, Jimmy Dawkins, Willie Dixon, Junior Wells, Eddie C Campbell (King Of The Jungle), Eddy Clearwater, Otis Rush, and Big Walter Horton ~ Leake passed away in 1990
June 1, 1915 ~ Cyrus Whitfield Bond, commonly known as country singer, guitarist, songwriter Johnny Bond, born in Enville, Oklahoma, USA ~ Known for songs such as Ten Little Bottles, So Round So Firm So Fully Packed, Oklahoma Waltz, Love Song In 32 Bars, Sick Sober & Sorry and perhaps his best known Divorce Me COD, the latter a Billboard Country top 10 hit in 1947. Acted in over 40 films, starting with 1939's Saga Of Death Valley. Closely associated with Tex Ritter, his partner in the music publishing firm Vidor Publications. Bond would retire from performing in the 1970s to focus on music publishing ~ Bond passed away in 1978
June 1, 1909 ~ Singer, actor, TV personality Ray Heatherton born in Orange, New Jersey, USA ~ Discovered by bandleader Paul Whiteman who hired the young Heatherton by the late 1920s as featured vocalist on The Old Gold Hour radio show. Would go on to star in musicals, notably Babes In Arms, and become one of TV's earliest stars ~ Heatherton passed away in 1997
June 1, 1905 ~ Delta blues singer, guitarist Boyd Gilmore born in Inverness, Mississippi, USA ~ Though Gilmore's recording career was brief, he is remembered by blues aficionados for two early 1950s recordings, 1952's Ramblin' On My Mind and Believe I'll Settle Down recorded the following year. The former, a cover of the classic Robert Johnson song, features a young Ike Turner on piano, whereas the latter featured pianist Pinetop Perkins, guitarist Earl Hooker, and drummer Willie Nix. Though Gilmore never achieved much fame during his lifetime, he did enjoy some regional popularity touring Delta juke joints, before settling down in California ~ Gilmore passed away in 1976
June 1, 1898 ~ Jazz trombonist Harry White, full name Harry Alexander White, born ~ Played drums as a teenager before switching to trombone by the late-1910s. As a songwriter known for co-penning Oh Sister Ain't That Hot, first recorded by Gene Rodemich and covered by the Original Memphis Five, Jimmie Noone, and Fats Waller, and Evenin', first recorded by Cab Calloway and covered by T-Bone Walker, Jimmy Rushing, and Jimmy Witherspoon. Led the family outfit the White Brothers Orchestra, with whom he enjoyed popularity in the late 1920s. Member of the Mills Blue Rhythm Band, and notably of Calloway's ensemble, serving as trombonist, arranger, and composer. White has also worked with Duke Ellington, Elmer Snowden, Claude Hopkins, Luis Russell, Manzie Johnson, Hot Lips Page, Edgar Hayes, and Bud Freeman ~ White passed away in 1962
June 1, 1894 ~ Pianist, bandleader, composer Percival Mackey, full name Thomas Percival Montague Mackey, born in London, UK ~ Popular 1920s dance band bandleader. Also known for scoring soundtracks in the 1930s. Worked with Jack Hylton, the Broadway Five, Al Bowlly, Art Christmas, Jack Jackson, and Ivor Mairants ~ Mackey passed away in 1950June 1, 1879 ~ Writer, composer, lyricist Raymond Hubbell, full name John Raymond Hubbell, born in Urbana, Ohio, USA ~ Perhaps best known for co-writing Poor Butterfly with John Golden. The song was inspired by the Giacomo Puccini-opera Madame Butterfly and written for the Broadway show The Big Show, in which it was introduced by Sophie Bernard. Over time it would be recorded by well over 300 artists, including early versions in the mid-1910s by Elizabeth Spencer and Edna Brown, as well as later versions by Paul Whiteman, Sarah Vaughan, Sonny Rollins, Tony Bennett, and Johnny Mathis ~ Hubbell passed away in 1954