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.
November 15, 1949 ~ Art rock, progressive rock, pop rock singer, keyboardist, guitarist Raúl Porchetto born in Mercedes, Argentina ~ Well over a dozen albums to his name as a solo artist, starting with Cristo Rock released in 1972. Best known for a string of early to mid-1980s albums, notably Reina Madre released in 1983. Member of pivotal 1970s Argentinian rock supergroup Porsuigieco, which also included Leon Gieco, Charly García and Nito Mestre
November 15, 1945 ~ Singer Anni-Frid Lyngstad born in Bjørkåsen, Norway ~ Member of ABBA, known for songs such as Waterloo, Hasta Mañana, SOS, Mamma Mia, Dancing Queen, Knowing Me Knowing You, Summer Night City, The Winner Takes It All and Super TrouperNovember 15, 1945 ~ Singer, actor, director, poet, songwriter Ferdi Tayfur, full name Ferdi Tayfur Turanbayburt, born in Adana, Turkey ~ Active since the late 1960s with over 30 albums and over 30 films to his name. Best known for his 1975 Birak Su Gurbeti album which spawned the Cesme hit ~ Turanbayburt passed away in 2025
November 15, 1944 ~ Folk, traditional Irish singer, banjoist, mandolinist, guitarist, songwriter Mick Moloney born in Limerick, Ireland ~ Best known as co-founder, leader of the Green Fields Of America, an ensemble of American musicians promoting and performing Irish music. The band is especially acclaimed for their 1989 Live In Concert album. Moloney is also known as author of Far From The Shamrock Shore (The Story Of Irish-American History Through Song), published in 2002 ~ Moloney passed away in 2022
November 15, 1942 ~ Pianist, conductor Daniel Barenboim born in Buenos Aires, Argentina ~ Conductor, musical director associated with renowned orchestras such as the Berlin State Opera, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Orchestre De Paris, and La ScalaNovember 15, 1942 ~ Bataan Nitollano, commonly known as Latin soul singer, pianist Joe Bataan, born in Spanish Harlem, New York, USA ~ Merged Latin boogaloo with American doo-wop. Actively recording since the mid 1960s with well over a dozen albums to his name, notably the 1965 Riot album. Coined the term “salsoul” and co-founder of Salsoul Records. To rap audiences perhaps best known for 1979's Rap-o Clap-o, one of the earliest hip-hop hit singles
November 15, 1941 ~ Producer, pianist, singer Jim Dickinson, full name James Luther Dickinson, born in Little Rock, Arkansas, USA ~ Father of Cody Dickinson and the Black Crowes guitarist Luther Dickinson. Member of the Dixie Flyers, with whom he backed artists such as Bettye LaVette, Hank Ballard, James Carr, and Albert Collins. In-demand session pianist for the likes of the Rolling Stones, the Flamin' Groovies, and notably Ry Cooder, appearing on about a dozen of Cooder's albums. Acclaimed producer from the 1970s onwards, working with artists such as Big Star (Third), Willy DeVille, Green On Red, the Replacements, the Panther Burns, Toots & the Maytals, and Screamin' Jay Hawkins. ~ Dickinson passed away in 2009
November 15, 1937 ~ James Thomas Ellis, commonly known as R&B, disco singer Jimmy Ellis, born in Rock Hill, South Carolina, USA ~ Lead singer of the Trammps, best known for their era-defining hit Disco Inferno. The song had been a modest hit in 1976 but inclusion in the 1977 Saturday Night Fever film would rekindle interest. A re-release would top the Billboard R&B charts and reach top 20 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100. The song has become one of the all-time classic dance tracks and remains a favorite of radio stations the world over ~ Ellis passed away in 2012
November 15, 1937 ~ William Edward John, commonly known as R&B, soul singer Little Willie John, born in Cullendale, Kansas, USA ~ Known for songs such All Around The World, Need Your Love So Bad, Talk To Me Talk To Me, Leave My Kitten Alone, Let Them Talk, Sleep and Fever ~ John passed away in 1968
November 15, 1936 ~ Singer, poet, songwriter, dissident Wolf Biermann, full name Karl Wolf Biermann, born in Hamburg, Germany ~ Best known for his 1968 recording Ermutigung. While on a sanctioned tour in the West Biermann was stripped of his nationality by the East German authorities for his criticism of the government's Stalinist policies. He would remain in the West and continue to be an outspoken advocate on several issues including criticizing both Communism and ant-semitismNovember 15, 1935 ~ Jazz, blues critic, historian, archivist, label executive, producer Pete Welding born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA ~ Journalist for the famed Down Beat jazz and blues magazine. Founded the Testament Records label in 1963. As a producer has worked with Blind Connie Williams, Big Joe Williams, Robert Nighthawk, Doctor Ross, Mississippi Fred McDowell, JB Hutto, Bo Diddley, Otis Spann, Jean-Luc Ponty, Charlie Musselwhite, the Jazz Crusaders, and Johnny Shines ~ Welding passed away in 1995
November 15, 1932 ~ R&B singer Clyde McPhatter, full name Clyde Lensley McPhatter, born in Durham, North Carolina, USA ~ Iconic 1950s, 1960s singer pivotal to development of doo-wop and R&B. Lead singer of Billy Ward & the Dominoes. Formed and fronted the Drifters from 1953 through 1955, singing lead on songs such as Money Honey, Lucille, Such A Night and Honey Love. Subsequently recorded as a solo artist, scoring Billboard R&B top 10 hits with singles such as Love Has Joined Us Together, Seven Days, Treasure Of Love, Long Lonely Nights and perhaps his best known A Lover's Question ~ McPhatter passed away in 1972
November 15, 1932 ~ Singer Petula Clark, full name Sally Olwen Clark, born in Epsom, UK ~ Dubbed “the First Lady of the British Invasion” in America. Known for songs such as I Know A Place, My Love, Sign Of The TImes, I Couldn't Live Without Your Love, Who Am I, Colour My World, This Is My Song, The Other Man's Grass Is Always Greener, Kiss Me Goodbye, Don't Sleep In The Subway and Downtown
November 15, 1931 ~ Evangelina Orico, commonly known as actress, singer Vanjo Orico, born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ~ Known best for her role in the 1953 adventure western O Cangaceiro, the first Brazilian movie to score internationally. As a singer known for first recording Eu Não Existo Sem Você in 1957, penned by Antônio Carlos Jobim and Vinicius de Moraes and covered by over four dozen artists ~ Orico passed away in 2015November 15, 1929 ~ Soul singer Joe Hinton, full name Joseph Hinton, born in Evansville, Indiana, USA ~ Started as a gospel singer in the Blair Gospel Singers. As a solo artist turned to R&B and known for early 1960s singles such as You Know It Ain't Right, Better To Give Than Receive and his biggest hit his R&B rendition of the Willie Nelson-penned Funny How Time Slips Away ~ Hinton passed away in 1968
November 15, 1928 ~ William Dale Fries Jr, commonly known as country singer CW McCall, born in Aubudon, Iowa, USA ~ Best known for Convoy, a surprise hit in 1975. Fries was working as an art director in advertising and came up with the character of trucker CW McCall for a campaign for the Iowa-based Old Home Bread bakery. The advertising campaign was a huge success with viewers and earned Fries the advertising industry's prestigious Clio Award. Subsequently, Fries decided to build further upon the fictional character and decided to cut a record, Convoy co-written with Chip Davis, under the McCall moniker. The single would be a surprise hit, sold two million copies, topped both the Billboard Country and Billboard Hot 100 charts, and later inspired a film of the same name starring Kris Kristofferson. A full album, Wolf Creek Pass, would be released in 1975. Fries would re-record Convoy for the 1978 Sam Peckinpah-film, with lyrics adjusted to match the film's plot. He also released several more albums in the same vein as the single that kicked it all off. Following the financial success of Convoy, Fries was able to retire to Ouray, Colorado, where he and his family used to vacation. He would later serve three terms of two years each as mayor of the Colorado mountain town ~ Fries passed away in 2022November 15, 1925 ~ Composer, pianist, conductor Jurriaan Andriessen, full name Jurriaan Hendrik Andriessen, born in Haarlem, the Netherlands ~ Son of composer Hendrik Andriessen, brother of composer Louis Andriessen. Composed chamber music, orchestral music, opera and ballet. Perhaps best known for his 1994 composition Il Discorso Della Corona, played yearly for chamber of parliament by the Residentie Orkest prior to the Troonrede ~ Andriessen passed away in 1996
November 15, 1920 ~ Jazz, hard bop saxophonist Jerome Richardson born in Oakland, California, USA ~ Gifted improviser active since the late 1940s. Has recorded about half a dozen albums as a leader, notably Midnight Oil released in 1958, but is best known as an in-demand studio musician active in jazz and R&B well into the 1990s. Present on albums by Cal Tjader, Oscar Pettiford (Another One), Cozy Cole, Sarah Vaughan (In The Land Of Hi-Fi), Betty Carter, Johnny Hartman, Cannonball Adderley, Dinah Washington (The Swingin' Miss D), Gene Ammons, Eddie Lockjaw Davis, Charles Mingus (Mingus Ah Uhm), Miles Davis (Sketches Of Spain), Etta Jones, Blue Mitchell, John Coltrane, Oliver Nelson, Freddie Hubbard, Wes Montgomery, Nina Simone, Roy Ayers, Steely Dan (Can't Buy A Thrill), the Four Tops, Horace Silver, Neil Diamond, BB King, Earth Wind & Fire, the Crusaders (Street Life), and George Benson ~ Richardson passed away in 2000November 15, 1919 ~ Producer, engineer, songwriter George Motola born in Hartford, Connecticut, USA ~ Best known for co-penning Goodnight My Love with John Marascalco, first recorded by Jesse Belvin in 1956 and later covered by a number of artists including the McGuire Sisters, the Fleetwoods, Ben E King, Paul Anka, the Four Seasons. Instrumental in forming the Shields, a group that included Belvin, Frankie Ervin and Johnny Guitar Watson. Other songs co-written by Motola include Shattered Dreams for the Johnny Burnette Trio, Jeannie Jeannie Jeannie for Eddie Cochran, Here Comes Henry for Young Jessie, Annie's Rock for Ernie Fields and perhaps one of the wildest rock & roll records of all-time Rocking This Joint To-nite for Kid Thomas ~ Motola passed away in 1991
November 15, 1911 ~ Emanuel Kurtz, commonly known as songwriter, lyricist Manny Curtis, born ~ Frequent collaborator of the likes of Vic Mizzy, Al Hoffman, Al Goodhart. Over an estimated 250 songs to his name, the best known being In A Sentimental Mood originally recorded by Duke Ellington and covered by over 700 artists. Also notably known for writing the English lyrics of Let It Be Me, based on the Gilbert Bécaud-composition Je T'Appartiens, the English version would become a standard recorded by numerous artists from pop, jazz, rock, R&B including Chet Atkins, the Everly Brothers, Betty Everett & Jerry Butler, the Righteous Brothers, and Elvis Presley ~ Kurtz passed away in 1984
November 15, 1905 ~ Drummer, percussionist Johnny Williams, full name John Francis Wiliams, born in Watertown, Massachusetts, USA ~ Father of film composer John Williams. Rose to fame drumming for the CBS Radio Orchestra in the 1930s and subsequently backing Raymond Scott from 1936 through 1939. Has also worked with Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey, Vincent Lopez, Leo Reisman, Jacques Renard, and Alfonso D'Artega ~ Williams passed away in 1985
November 15, 1885 ~ Jazz clarinetist, saxophonist Achille Baquet, full name Achille Joseph Baquet, born in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA ~ Worked with the Original Dixieland Jazz Band, Papa Jack Laine, and the Whiteway Jazz Band. Co-wrote songs such as the New Orleans Jazz Band's Why Cry Blues and the Original Dixieland Jazz Band's Livery Stable Blues ~ Baquet passed away in 1956