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 7, 1975 ~ Chanson, pop rock, folk singer, guitarist, pianist, songwriter, actor Raphael Haroche, at times mononymously credited as Raphael, born in Paris, France ~ About a dozen albums to his name, starting with Hôtel De L'Univers released in 2000. Best known for songs such as Caravane, Et Dans 150 Ans and Le Vent De L'Hiver, all of which reached top 20 in his native France
November 7, 1972 ~ Jazz trombonist, bandleader, composer Nils Wogram born in Braunschweig, West Germany ~ Worked with Underkarl, de Jazzkantine, Kenny Werner, Rudi Mahall, Eugene Chadbourne, Aki Takase, Root '70, Conny Bauer, and Simon Nabatov
November 7, 1972 ~ Singer Vicki Lawrence releases The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia, lifted off the album of the same name ~ A murder ballad written by Bobby Russell, the song tells of a man who sets out to kill his cheating wife only to find her already dead, yet he would still be convicted for the crime. In the end it turns out the narrator is the man's sister, and she killed the wife. Russell's then-wife actress Vicki Lawrence recorded the demo. The song would be offered to Cher, but turned down by Cher's manager and husband Sonny Bono as he thought the dark tale might not go well with her Southern fans. Without a singer to record the song, Lawrence recorded the song herself and it became a signature song and her sole major hit. Years later, Cher learned it had first been offered to her. The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia would also serve as the inspiration for the 1981 film of the same name, the version used for the soundtrack was sung by Tanya Tucker with alternate lyrics to fit the film's plotNovember 7, 1971 ~ Alternative country singer, guitarist Matthew Ryan born in Chester, Pennsylvania, USA ~ Influenced by U2, the Replacements, Leonard Cohen, John Mellencamp. Well over a dozen albums to his name, starting with 1997's May Day. Though never reaching mainstream succes Ryan, a gifted storyteller with a devoted fanbase, would become to be regarded as forefather of alt-country drawing critical comparison to Bruce Springsteen, Paul Westerberg and Whiskeytown's Ryan Adams
November 7, 1970 ~ Pop singer, guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter Neil Hannon, full name Edward Neil Anthony Hannon, born in Derry, Northern Ireland ~ Frontman, founding, sole constant member of chamber pop group the Divine Comedy, best known for songs such as Something For The Weekend, Everybody Knows (Except You), National Express and The Pop Singer's Fear Of The Pollen Count
November 7, 1969 ~ Rock, hard rock outfit Led Zeppelin release Whole Lotta Love, sole single off their Led Zeppelin II sophomore album ~ The band's first and highest-charting American hit, peaking at No.4 Billboard Hot 100. The song has been named by several as one of the greatest rock & roll songs, and is included in the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame's list of 500 Songs That Shaped Rock & Roll. Similarities with You Need Love, written by Willie Dixon and first recorded by Muddy Waters in 1962, led to a lawsuit in the mid-1980s, settled out of court in favour of Dixon for an undisclosed amount. On subsequent releases, Dixon would be given co-writing credit. Lead singer Robert Plant would later comment: “Jimmy Page's riff was Page's riff. It was there before anything else. I just thought, ‘well, what am I going to sing?’ That was it, a nick. Now happily paid for. At the time, there was a lot of conversation about what to do. It was decided that it was so far away in time and influence that, well, you only get caught when you're successful. That's the game”
November 7, 1969 ~ British rockers the Rolling Stones kick off their 1969 North American tour at the Moby Gymnasium, Fort Collins, Colorado ~ The band plays some two dozen dates across the USA through the end of the month. First tour to feature guitarist Mick Taylor. BB King, Terry Reid, Ike & Tina Turner, and Chuck Berry served as opening acts. Set lists were derived mostly from the 1968 Beggars' Banquet album and the forthcoming Let It Bleed. Apart from ending in tragedy at the Altamont Speedway Free Festival, a date added while on tour and not part of the official tour, musically the tour is considered the greatest Stones tour of all time and a benchmark of an era. Two significant live albums were recorded during the tour, the bootleg Live'r Than You'll Ever Be, and the band's official Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out album
November 7, 1968 ~ Indie rock bassist, guitarist, keyboardist, drummer, singer Chris Murphy born in Charlottetown, Canada ~ Co-lead singer for Sloan which he founded with Jay Ferguson. Wrote or co-wrote several of the band's best known including Underwhelmed, Coax Me, G Turns To D, She Says What She Means, The Other Man, and The Rest Of My Life. Also formed supergroup the Trans-Canada Highwaymen with Steven Page, Moe Berg and Craig Northey
November 7, 1967 ~ DJ, producer David Guetta, full name Pierre David Guetta, born in Paris, France ~ Released his debut album, Just A Little More Love, in 2002. Would go on to become one of Europe's best known and most successful DJ's. Known for songs such as Love Don't Let Me Go featuring Chris Wilis, The World Is Mine featuring JD Davis, Baby When The Light featuring Steve Angello, When Love Takes Over featuring Kelly Rowland, Who's That Chick featuring Rihanna, Bad Girl featuring Taio Cruz & Ludacris, Play Hard featuring Ne-Yo & Akon, Dangerous featuring Sam Martin, and 2U featuring Justin BieberNovember 7, 1967 ~ Singer, songwriter Sharleen Spiteri, full name Sharleen Eugeen Spiteri, born in UK ~ Lead singer of rock band Texas, known for songs such as I Don't Want A Lover, Tired Of Being Alone, Say What You Want, Black Eyed Boy and Summer Son. Debuted as a solo artist with the album Melody in 2008
November 7, 1965 ~ Progressive metal, neoclassical metal guitarist, bassist Tim Calvert, full name Timothy T Calvert, born in Alameda County, California, USA ~ Known for his dark, moody style of songwriting and his neoclassical guitar playing, characterised by an abundance of arpeggios and sweep-picking. Member of Forbidden from 1989 until the band's initial disbandement nearly a decade later, present on the albums Twisted Into Form, Distortion, and Green. Subsequently briefly a member of Nevermore, appearing on the 1999 Dreaming Neon Black album, before retiring from music to pursue a career as a commercial airline pilot. Calvert passed away at age 52 due to complications of ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease ~ Calvert passed away in 2018
November 7, 1964 ~ Jazz drummer, percussionist Jasper Taylor passed away in Chicago, Illinois, USA ~ Perhaps best known for Don't Eat At Jasper's and Stockyard Strut, both self-penned. After working the minstrel shows and theaters in Mexico and the Southern USA, including stints with WC Handy on whom he would be influential, and Jelly Roll Morton, Taylor relocated to Chicago by the late-1910s where he would become a fixture on the local jazz scene. Taylor led the Chicago Novelty Orchesta, formed a trio with Dave Peyton and Fess Williams, and has notably collaborated with Will Marion Cook, Clarence Williams, and Natty Dominique ~ Taylor was born in 1894November 7, 1962 ~ Jazz drummer Mark Taylor, full name Mark Anthony Taylor, born in London, UK ~ Worked with Eddie Thompson and Al Cohn while still in his teens. Would go on to become an in-demand sideman, having worked with the likes of Kenny Barron, George Coleman, Johnny Griffin, Pharoah Sanders, Bobby Watson, Alan Barnes, Gordon Beck, Geoff Castle, Alec Dankworth, Johnny Dankworth, Kenny Drew, Chris Flory, Herb Geller, Dick Morrisey, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, the Pizza Express All-Stars, Lew Tabackin, and Ken Colyer
November 7, 1961 ~ Singer, percussionist, guitarist Rosanna Tavares born in Minas Gerais, Brazil ~ Member of Rosanna & Zélia, known for collaborating with artists such as Dino Saluzzi, Howard Levy, Katharina Franck, and Shantel ~ Tavares passed away in 2006
November 7, 1960 ~ Alvin Pleasant Delaney Carter, commonly known as guitarist, singer AP Carter passed away in Kingsport, Tennessee, USA ~ Patriarch, founding member of the Carter Family, which also included his wife Sara Carter and cousin Mother Maybelle Carter ~ Carter was born in 1891November 7, 1956 ~ Jazz pianist Mikhail Alperin born in Kamianets Podilsy, Ukraine ~ Leader and sideman. Best known as member of the Moscow Art Trio. Also worked with Arkady Shilkloper, John Surman, Terje Gewelt, Jon Christensen, Tore Brunborg, and Anja Lechner ~ Alperin passed away in 2018
November 7, 1956 ~ Jazz singer, pianist, songwriter Una Mae Carlisle passed away in Harlem, New York, USA ~ Has been performing publicly since age 3. Discovered by Fats Waller, a major influence and future collaborator of hers, while stil in her teens. Toured Europe in the 1930s. Has recorded with sidemen such as Lester Young, Benny Carter and John Kirby in the 1940s. As a songwriter perhaps best known for Walkin' By The River, originally recorded by Hal Kemp in 1940 and notably covered by Mitchell Ayres, Ella Fitzgerald and Della Reese. Married to John Bradford, owner of 1940s Harlem jazz club Gee-Haw Stables ~ Carlisle was born in 1915November 7, 1955 ~ René Marie Stevens, commonly known as jazz singer, songwriter René Marie, born in Warrenton, Virginia, USA ~ About a dozen albums to her name, starting with Renaissance released in 1999 under the moniker René Sloan. Especially acclaimed for her 2004 album Serene Renegade
November 7, 1955 ~ Country, jazz singer, songwriter Shirley Eikhard, full name Shirley Rose Eikhard, born in Sackville, Canada ~ Well over a dozen albums to her name, starting with the eponymous Shirley Eikhard album released in 1972. Had her songs recorded by the likes of Anne Murray (It Takes Time), Emmylou Harris (Good News), Bonnie Raitt (Something To Talk About), and Cher (Born With The Hunger) ~ Eikhard passed away in 2022
November 7, 1953 ~ Jazz saxophonist Erik Balke born in Oslo, Norway ~ Brother of pianist Jon Balke, with whom he also worked. Has also worked with the Lille Frøen Saksofonkvartett, the Jazzpunkensemblet, Don Cherry, Ed Blackwell, Per Jorgensen, Audun Kleive, Nils Petter Molvær, Torbjørn Sunde, Tore Brunborg, Paolo Vinaccia, Bugge Wesseltoft, and Carl Morten Iversen
November 7, 1951 ~ Pop, power pop guitarist, singer, songwriter Kevin MacMichael, full name Kevin Scott MacMichael, born in St John, Canada ~ Member of Cutting Crew from 1985 through 1993, present on songs such as I've Been In Love Before, One For The Mockingbird, Everything But My Pride and their best known (I Just) Died In Your Arms, the latter a Billboard Hot 100 No.1 hit in 1986. Also worked with Fast Forward, Robert Plant, Tribute, the Rankin Family, and with the Sons Of Maxwell ~ MacMichael passed away in 2002November 7, 1949 ~ Country singer Red Foley records Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy at Castle Studio, Nashville, Tennessee ~ Written by Harry Stone and Jack Stapp. Produced by Owen Bradley. Released the following month as a single, b/w Sugar-Foot Rag, it would become a signature song for Red Foley. Sometimes retitled to Chattanooga Shoe Shine Boy it would be covered by numerous artists including Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Pat Boone, and Freddy Cannon
November 7, 1948 ~ Multi-instrumentalist Stephen Bruton, full name Turner Stephen Bruton, born in Wilmington, Delaware, USA ~ Worked with artists such as Kris Kristofferson, NRBQ, T-Bone Burnett, Bonnie Raitt, Gene Clark, Rita Coolidge, Christine McVie, Elvis Costello, Delbert McClinton, Sonny Landreth, and Carly Simon. Has produced albums for Alejandro Escovedo, Marcia Ball, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Hal Ketchum, Storyville, Chris Smither, and Ray Wylie Hubbard ~ Bruton passed away in 2009
November 7, 1947 ~ Singer Hank Williams records Mansion On The Hill at Castle Studio, Nashville, Tennessee ~ Written by Hank Williams and Fred Rose, the latter also producing the single. Paired with I Can't Get You Off Of My Mind on the flip side, the single would be released the next year. It would later be covered by Hank Snow, Roy Orbison, as a duet by Michael Martin Murphey and John Denver, Waylon Jennings, and by the National on their 2007 Virginia EP
November 7, 1946 ~ Trumpeter, arranger, composer Raymond Harry Brown born in Oceanside, New York, USA ~ Worked with Stan Kenton, Bill Watrous, Bill Berry, Frank Capp, Mundell Lowe, Leroy Vinnegar, Thad Jones, Jimmy Heath, Steve Gadd, Billy Hart, Grover Mitchell, Norman Connors, Ella Fitzgerald, Ernestine Anderson, Michael Paulo, Miles Davis, Buddy Collette, Mel Tormé, David Benoit, Kirk Whalum, Rickey Woodard, Roy Hargrove, and with his namesake jazz bassist Ray Brown