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 24, 1927 ~ Southern gospel singer Jake Hess, full name William Jake Hess, born in Limestone County, Alabama, USA ~ Lead singer with the Statesmen Quartet from 1948 through 1963. After his departure from the band founded the Imperials. Major influence on Elvis Presley, who was so impressed with Hess' singing that he tried to emulate the vocal style and phrasing for the remainder of his life. Hess has sung backup on several Elvis albums and performed at Presley's funeral ~ Hess passed away in 2004
November 24, 1925 ~ Saxophonist Al Cohn born in New York, New York, USA ~ Came to prominence in the band of Woody Herman. Also known for his longtime association with fellow saxophonist Zoot Sims and for his work as a respected arranger including on the Broadway musicals Raising and Sophisticated Ladies. As a sideman Cohn played with artists such as Manny Albam, Mose Allison, Art Blakey, Bob Brookmeyer, Kenny Burrell, Coleman Hawkins, Quincy Jones, Gary McFarland, Joe Newman, and Oscar Pettiford ~ Cohn passed away in 1988
November 24, 1923 ~ Jazz saxophonist Serge Chaloff born in Boston, Massachusetts, USA ~ Son of pianist Julius Chaloff and piano teacher Margaret Chaloff. Considered one of the finest baritone saxophonists of the bop era, playing professionally since his mid-teens with musicians twenty years or more his senior. Best known for his association with Woody Herman, forming the reed section of Herman's band alongside Stan Getz, Zoot Sims, and Herbie Steward. Recorded about half a dozen albums as a leader until his untimely death at age 33 of spinal cancer, and is noted especially for the collaborative Serge Chaloff & Boots Mussulli album released in 1954. Chaloff has also worked with Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Boyd Raeburn, Oscar Pettiford, Georgie Auld, and Sonny Stitt. According to his brother Richard Chaloff, Chaloff could play the baritone like a tenor saxophone, “the only time you knew it was a baritone was when he took it down low, he played it high, he had finger dexterity, I used to watch him, you couldn't believe the speed he played, he was precise, he was a perfectionist” ~ Chaloff passed away in 1957November 24, 1920 ~ Orchestral conductor Lee Hepner born in Edmonton, Canada ~ Founder and music director of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, remaining with the orchestra from 1952 through 1960. Also associated with the Edmonton Pops Orchestra, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Hamilton Opera Company ~ Hepner passed away in 1986
November 24, 1918 ~ William Strethen Davis, commonly known as jazz pianist, organist, guitarist, arranger Wild Bill Davis, born in Glasgow, Missouri, USA ~ Leader and sideman. Best known for pioneering the electronic organ prior to Jimmy Smith's emergence and as a member of Louis Jordan's backing unit the Tympany Five. Also worked with Milt Larkin, Arnett Cobb, Illinois Jacquet, Tom Archia, Buster Bennett, Claude McLin, Johnny Hodges, Duke Ellington, Lionel Hampton, Ray Brown, Eddie Lockjaw Davis, Floyd Smith, and Sonny Stitt ~ Davis passed away in 1995
November 24, 1912 ~ Pianist Teddy Wilson born in Austin, Texas, USA ~ Leader and sideman. Described as “the definitive swing pianist” by noted jazz critic Scott Yanow, Wilson has backed some of the biggest names in jazz in concert and on record including Louis Armstrong, Lena Horne, Benny Goodman, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Benny Carter, Gene Krupa, Helen Ward, Lester Young, Roy Eldridge, Charlie Shavers, Red Norvo, Sarah Vaughan, Ben Webster, Mildred Bailey, and Buck Clayton ~ Wilson passed away in 1986November 24, 1907 ~ Steve Edward Nelson, commonly known as songwriter Steve Nelson, born in New York, New York, USA ~ Best known for co-writing Frosty The Snowman with Jack Rollins. First recorded by Gene Autry in 1950, it would become a Holiday classic recorded by over 400 artists including Nat King Cole, Perry Como, Ella Fitzgerald, the Ronettes, Brenda Lee, George Strait, and Leon Redbone. Other songs written or co-written by Nelson have been recorded by Eddy Arnold (Bouquet Of Roses), Hank Snow, Art Mooney, Samantha Sang, and Barbra Streisand (Songbird) ~ Nelson passed away in 1981
November 24, 1896 ~ Rosa Deschamps, commonly known as jazz, blues singer, vaudeville entertainer Rosa Henderson born in Henderson, Kentucky, USA ~ Known for 1920s recordings such as Afternoon Blues, Doggone Blues, He May Be Your Dog But He's Wearing My Collar and Papa If You Can't Do Better I'll Let A Better Papa Move In. Worked with the Virginians, Fletcher Henderson, the Choo Choo Jazzers, the Kansas City Five, and the Four Black Diamonds ~ Deschamps passed away in 1968