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 3, 1943 ~ Guitarist Bert Jansch born in Glasgow, UK ~ Founding member of Pentangle. Leading figure in 1960s British folk revival. Over two dozen albums to his name. Critically acclaimed. Admired by peers. Influential on Al Stewart, Paul Simon, Johnny Marr, Elton John, Ian Anderson, Bernie Taupin, Bernard Butler, Jimmy Page, Nick Drake, Graham Coxon, Donovan, Neil Young, Hope Sandoval, the Fleet Foxes, Devendra Banhart, Neil Halstead, Roy Harper, and Gordon Giltrap ~ Jansch passed away in 2011November 3, 1942 ~ Beat, psychedelic rock drummer Christer Pettersson born in Solna, Sweden ~ Co-founding member of the Hep Stars, enjoying popularity in their native Sweden during the 1960s. The band is best known as serving as the launchpad for Benny Anderson of later ABBA fame. Well known songs include Farmer John, Cadillac, Bald Headed Woman, Sunny Girl, Wedding, Consolation, Malaika and Mot Okant Land ~ Pettersson passed away in 2006
November 3, 1941 ~ Pop singer Brian Poole born in Barking, UK ~ Founding member, lead singer of the Tremeloes, present on hits such as hits such as Do You Love Me, Candy Man, and I Want Candy. Poole left the band in 1966 to pursue a solo career. Has also worked with Renaldo & Loaf, the Seychelles, Carousel, and from the late 1980s onwards hooked up with other 1960s stars such as the Troggs' Reg Presley, the Merseybeats' Tony Crane, and the Foundations' Clem Curtis
November 3, 1940 ~ Clarence Edward Mauldin, commonly known as blues singer, guitarist, bassist Sonny Rhodes, born in Smithville, Texas, USA ~ Influenced by T-Bone Walker, LC Robinson, Pee Wee Crayton, BB King, Percy Mayfield. Active since the late 1950s. Backed artists such as Freddie King and Albert Collins. As a solo artist especially acclaimed for a number of 1990s albums, notably 1991's Disciple Of The Blues, 1992's Livin' Too Close To The Edge and 1996's Out Of Control ~ Mauldin passed away in 2021
November 3, 1939 ~ Jazz, avant-garde jazz saxophonist, trumpeter, hornist, trombonist Joe McPhee born in Miami, Florida, USA ~ As a saxophonist influenced by John Coltrane, Albert Ayler, Ornette Coleman. First gained attention in 1967, appearing on the Clifford Thornton album Freedom And Unity. Well over 50 albums as leader or co-leader, especially acclaimed for the albums Variations On A Blue Line, Oleo And A Future Retrospective, Visitation, Rapture. Member of Trio X. Has collaborated with the likes of John Snyder, Plan B, Evan Parker, Ken Vandermark, Michael Bisio, Joe Giardullo, Raphe Malik, Peter Brötzmann Tentet, and the Survival Unit IIINovember 3, 1935 ~ Jazz double bassist Henry Grimes born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA ~ Leading bassist in free jazz. Recorded and performed with artists such as Gerry Mulligan, Sonny Rollins, Thelonious Monk, Anita O'Day, Benny Goodman, Charles Mingus, Cecil Taylor, Don Cherry, Steve Lacy, Pharoah Sanders, Archie Shepp, and Albert Ayler. His career halted in the late 1960s, he was often presumed dead, but Grimes resurfaced in the early 2000s ~ Grimes passed away in 2020
November 3, 1933 ~ John Barry Prendergast, commonly known as composer, arranger, conductor John Barry, born in York, UK ~ Prolific film composer including for 11 Bond films. Scores written or co-written by Barry include Goldfinger, Lion In Winter, Somewhere In Time, Body Heat, Out Of Africa, and Dances With Wolves. Worked with Jack Parnell, Ted Heath, Adam Faith, and Les Vandyke ~ Prendergast passed away in 2011
November 3, 1930 ~ Blues, R&B, gospel singer Mable John born in Bastrop, Louisiana, USA ~ First female to be signed to Berry Gordy Jr's Tamla-Motown label where she released the singles Who Wouldn't Love A Man Like That, No Love and Actions Speak Louder Than Words. Dropped from the label for lack of success by 1962. Would go on to work as a backing singer for Ray Charles. By the mid 1960s John landed at Stax/Volt, for whom she scored a Billboard R&B top 10 hit with Your Good Thing (Is About To End) ~ John passed away in 2022
November 3, 1926 ~ Tenor saxophonist Billy Mitchell, full name William Melvin Mitchell, born in Kansas City, Missouri, USA ~ Worked with Thad Jones, Oliver Jackson, Dizzy Gillespie, Count Basie, Kenny Clarke, Stevie Wonder, Al Cohn, Al Grey, Milt Jackson, Ernestine Anderson, Tony Bennett, Paul Chambers, Sammy Davis Jr, Jon Hendricks, Eddie Jefferson, Jimmy McGriff, Pony Poindexter, Mel Tormé, Bernard Pretty Purdie, Frank Vignola, Frank Wess, and Xanadu All-Stars ~ Mitchell passed away in 2001
November 3, 1926 ~ Guitarist Ray Edenton, full name Ray Quarles Edenton, born in Mineral, Virginia, USA ~ First-call session musician. Member of the Nashville A-Team. Appears on over 12,000 recordings including Red Kirk's Lovesick Blues, Webb Pierce's There Stands The Glass, the Everly Brothers' Bye Bye Love and Wake Up Little Susie, Marty Robbins' Singing The Blues and Roger Miller's King Of The Road. Has also worked with Julie Andrews, the Beach Boys, Gary Burton, Sammy Davis Jr, Henry Mancini, Reba McEntire, Elvis Presley, Leon Russell, and Neil Young ~ Edenton passed away in 2022
November 3, 1801 ~ Composer Vincenzo Bellini, full name Vincenzo Salvatore Carmelo Francesco Bellini, born in Catania, Kingdom Of Sicily ~ Dubbed “the Swan of Catania”. Laid the groundwork for bel canto and hugely influential on later composers, most notably Giuseppe Verdi who praised the broad curves of his melodies. Best known for works such as Il Pirata, La Sonnambula, Anna Bolena, and perhaps his best known I Puritani ~ Bellini passed away in 1835