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.
October 21, 1957 ~ Rock singer, guitarist, bassist, keyboardist, songwriter Julian Cope born in Deri, UK ~ Frontman and primary songwriter of post-punk outfit the Teardrop Explodes, acclaimed for their 1980 Kilimanjaro debut album. Involved in several side projects including Queen Elizabeth, Brain Donor and Black Sheep. Well over two dozen albums to his name as a solo artist, starting with 1984's World Shut Your Mouth album. Debuted as a novelist with One Three One published in 2014
October 21, 1957 ~ Guitarist Steve Lukather born in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Co-founding member of Toto, known best for the Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hits Hold The Line, Rosanna, Africa, I Won't Hold You Back. Over half a dozen albums as a solo artist, starting with Lukather released in 1989. In-demand session guitarist, appearring on over an estimated 1500 albums including recordings by Boz Scaggs (Down Two Then Left), Herb Alpert, Cher, Chicago, Randy Crawford, Aretha Franklin, Olivia Newton-John, Donna Summer, Michael Jackson (Thriller), Billy Preston, Neil Diamond, Jon Anderson, Desmond Child, Jackson Browne, David Crosby, Joe Cocker (Civilized Man), George Benson, Paul McCartney, Bob Seger (The Fire Inside), Rod Stewart, and Gilberto GilOctober 21, 1955 ~ Alberto Iglesias Fernández-Berridi, commonly known as composer, film composer Alberto Iglesias, born in San Sebastian, Spain ~ Prolific film composer, notably known for the scores to The Constant Gardener, The Kite Runner, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, and Parallel Mothers. Has also written a number of ballets
October 21, 1955 ~ Pianist Fred Hersch born in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA ~ Leader and sideman. Worked with Art Farmer, Chris Connor, Jane Ira Bloom, Toots Thielemans, Eddie Daniels, Janis Siegel, Joe Henderson, Charlie Haden, Stan Getz, Bill Frisell, Renée Fleming, Dawn Upshaw, Joshua Bell, Christopher O'Riley, Audra McDonald, Marc Johnson, Joey Baron, Tony Dagradi, Roseanna Vitro, and Johnny Mathis
October 21, 1955 ~ Richard Wayne Mullins, commonly known as Christian singer, pianist, guitarist, songwriter Rich Mullins, born ~ Best known for his worship songs Awesome God and Sometimes By Step. Described by singer Amy Grant as “the uneasy conscience of Christian music” ~ Mullins passed away in 1997
October 21, 1954 ~ Singer, guitarist, songwriter Eric Faulkner born in Edinburgh, UK ~ Best known as member of the Bay City Rollers since 1972. Co-wrote a vast amount of the band's material including Money Honey and Love Me Like I Love You
October 21, 1954 ~ Guitarist, producer, A&R executive Tony Berg, full name Anthony Rains Berg, born ~ Father of alternative rock singer Z Berg. Sessioned for the likes of Air Supply and Debby Boone. Founded Zeitgeist Studios in the early 1980s. Starting in the early 1990s served as A&R executive for Geffen Records, signing acts such as Beck, Wild Colonials, the Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, and At The Drive-in
October 21, 1953 ~ Punk rock, pop rock, new wave guitarist, keyboardist, bassist, songwriter Charlotte Caffey, full name Charlotte Irene Caffey, born in Santa Monica, California, USA ~ Best known as member of all-girl pop-punk outfit the Go-Go's. Wrote We Got The Beat, one of the band'best known hits. Co-wrote several tracks for bandmate Belinda Carlisle's solo albums. Formed the Graces with Meredith Brooks and Gia Ciambotti from 1988 through 1992. Guested on Jewel's album version of Foolish Games. Also collaborated with the Specials, Robert Williams, Blake Xolton, and with Penelope HoustonOctober 21, 1953 ~ Guitarist, producer, arranger Eraldo Bernocchi born in Milan, Italy ~ Worked with Ashes, Alamegretta, Balázs Pándi, Bill Laswell, Colin Edwin, DJ Disk, Gaudi, Harold Budd, Lorenzo Esposito Fornasari, Markus Stockhausen, Nils Petter Molvær, Raiz, Robin Guthrie, Russell Mills, Spectre, Thomas Fehlmann, and Toshinori Kondo
October 21, 1953 ~ Contemporary Christian pianist, singer, songwriter Keith Green, full name Keith Gordon Green, born in Sheepshead Bay, New York, USA ~ Known for composing several standards of contemporary Christian music including Oh Lord You're Beautiful, Asleep In The Light, Your Love Broke Through, You Put This Love In My Heart and The Prodigal Son Suite ~ Green passed away in 1982
October 21, 1953 ~ Jazz bassist, bandleader, composer Marc Johnson, full name Marc Alan Johnson, born in Omaha, Nebraska, USA ~ Married to jazz pianist, singer Eliane Elias. Leader and sideman. Worked with the One O'Clock Lab Band, the NTSU Symphony, Bill Evans, Joe Lovano, Michael Brecker, Stan Getz, Bob Brookmeyer, Gary Burton, John Abercrombie, Bill Frisell, Pat Metheny, Enrico Pieranunzi, Joey Baron, Philly Joe Jones, Jack DeJohnette, Peter Erskine, Paul Motian, Enrico Pieranunzi, Jimmy Gourley, Woody Herman, Lyle Mays, Sadao Watanabe, and Tom Wopat
October 21, 1952 ~ Classical, jazz flutist Ali Ryerson born in New York, New York, USA ~ Worked with Billy Taylor, Kenny Barron, Stéphane Grappelli, Frank Wess, Red Rodney, Laurindo Almeida, Art Farmer, Maxine Sullivan, Roy Haynes, the Montery Bay Symphony, Luciano Pavarotti, and Joe BeckOctober 21, 1952 ~ Keyboardist Brent Mydland born in Munich, West Germany ~ Influenced by organists such as Lee Michaels, Ray Manzarek, Goldy McJohn. Best known as longtime the Grateful Dead keyboardist, serving from 1979 to 1990. Also worked with Bobby & the Midnites, Bob Dylan (on the 1988 LP Down In The Groove), and with New Frontier ~ Mydland passed away in 1990
October 21, 1952 ~ Pop singer, guitarist, songwriter Miroslav Zbirka born in Bratislava, Czechoslovakia ~ Zbirka sings in Slovak, Czech and English. Co-founded Modus. Co-founded Limit. Has occasionally collaborated with Yes singer Jon Anderson. The asteroid 5895 Zbirka, discovered by Czech astronomer Zdenka Vavrova in 1982, was named in his honor ~ Zbirka passed away in 2021
October 21, 1951 ~ Punk rock, post-punk singer, guitarist Greg Sage born in Portland, Oregon, USA ~ Influential on punk rock and post-punk. Best known as co-founding member, singer, guitarist, primary songwriter of the Wipers, considered the first Pacific Northwest punk band and critically acclaimed for the early 1980s albums The Youth Of America and its follow-up Over The Edge. Sage has also recorded as a solo artist, worked with a renewed Wipers during the 1990s and runs his own label, Zeno Records, in Arizona
October 21, 1951 ~ Producer, engineer, mixer Thom Panunzio, full name Thomas R Panunzio, born ~ Staff engineer at Record Plant, and The Hit Factory. Often worked in tandem with producer Jimmy Iovine. Made a name for himself engineering several pivotal 1970s albums, including Bruce Springsteen's Born To Run and Darkness On The Edge Of Town, Patti Smith's Easter, and Tom Petty's Damn The Torpedoes. Other notable credits include the Blue Öyster Cult, the Golden Earring, Ozzy Osbourne, Joan Armatrading, Iggy Pop, Stevie Nicks, Grand Funk Railroad, Joan Jett, and U2. In the new millenium Panunzio would accept executive positions, serving as Executive Senior VP at Universal Music Group and Head of A&R at Geffen Records, overseeing the careers of artists such as Nelly Furtado, Weezer, the Pussycat Dolls, and Rise AgainstOctober 21, 1950 ~ Blues guitarist, singer Dion Payton born in Greenwood, Mississippi, USA ~ In-demand touring and session musician. Has worked with the Violinaires, Millie Jackson, Albert King, OV Wright. Played rhythm guitar and co-arranged Lonnie Brooks's Hot Shot album, released in 1983 ~ Payton passed away in 2021
October 21, 1947 ~ Jazz tenor saxophonist, composer Jerry Bergonzi born in Boston, Massachusetts, USA ~ Leader and sideman. First gained attention backing Dave Brubeck, starting on the 1973 Two Generations Of Brubeck album. Has also worked with Joey Calderazzo, Miles Donahue, Daniel Humair, Hal Galper, Bruce Gertz, George Gruntz, Bob Kaufman, Eartha Kitt, Andy Laverne, Nando Michelin, Alex Riel, Dave Santoro, Brooke Sofferman, Richard Sussman, Bennie Wallace, Mick Goodrick, Jacek Kochan, Bob Moses, Dan Wall, John d'Earth, Dalia Faitelson, Joachim Kühn, Rebecca Parris, and Alan BaylockOctober 21, 1946 ~ Trumpeter, flugelhornist, singer, songwriter Lee Loughnane, full name Lee David Loughnane, born in Chicago, Illinois, USA ~ Founding member of Chicago. Co-wrote songs such as Call On Me, No Tell Lover, Take A Chance, This Time and America. Sang lead on Song Of The Evergreens and Together Again, This Time, co-writing the last two.
October 21, 1946 ~ Nicole van Palm, commonly known as singer Nicole Josy, born in Wemmel, Belgium ~ Formed the duo Nicole & Hugo with her husband Hugo Sigal. The duo were selected to represent Belgium at the 1971 Eurovision Songfestival with Goeiemorgen Morgen. At the last minute Nicole fell ill and they were replaced by Jacques Raymond and Lily Castel who would reach 14th place. In their native Belgium however the original version would remain one of the better-remembered Eurovision entries ~ Van Palm passed away in 2022
October 21, 1946 ~ Rock, reggae guitarist, bassist Phil Chen, full name Phillip David Chen, born in Kingston, Jamaica ~ Member of the Vagabonds. Would go on to become an in-demand session musician, present on albums such as Jeff Beck's Blow By Blow, Donovan's Cosmic Wheels, Joan Armatrading's Back To The Night. Has also worked with the Butts Band, Rod Stewart, Pete Townshend, Eric Clapton, Ray Charles, Desmond Dekker, Jerry Lee Lewis, Bob Marley, Jimmy Cliff, Jackson Browne, Dave Edmunds, Ray Manzarek, and Robby Krieger ~ Chen passed away in 2021
October 21, 1945 ~ Singer Kathy Young born in Santa Ana, California, USA ~ Fronted Kathy Young & the Innocents, best known for the 1960 Billboard top 10 hit A Thousand Stars. Young had just turned 15. A follow-up single, Happy Birthday Blues, would reach top 30 the next year but subsequent singles failed to make a serious impressionOctober 21, 1943 ~ Guitarist, songwriter Ron Elliott born in Healdsburg, California, USA ~ Co-founding member, lead guitarist for 1960s folk rock, pop rock unit the Beau Brummels, for whom he also wrote or co-wrote the band's two biggest hits. Their 1964 debut single Laugh Laugh and its follow-up Just A Little would both reach top 20 Billboard Hot 100. Elliott released his The Candlestickmaker solo album in 1970. Has guested on albums by the Everly Brothers (Roots), Harper's Bizarre, Van Dyke Parks (Song Cycle), Randy Newman (12 Songs), Little Feat, Van Morrison, Dolly Parton, and Nils Lofgren
October 21, 1942 ~ Singer, guitarist Elvin Bishop born in Glendale, California, USA ~ As a solo artist best known for songs such as Travelin' Shoes, Fishin' and perhaps his best known Fooled Around And Fell In Love. Original member of the Paul Butterfield Blues Band including on the band's 1965 The Paul Butterfield Blues Band debut album and its 1966 follow-up East-West, both critically acclaimed
October 21, 1941 ~ Guitarist Steve Cropper, full name Steven Lee Cropper, born in Willow Springs, Missouri, USA ~ Member of the Mar-keys, known for the pivotal 1961 Last Night hit single. Would go on to become a member of noted Stax/Volt house band Booker T & the MG's, appearing on hundreds of recordings by Otis Redding (Respect), Rufus Thomas, William Bell, Sam & Dave (Hold On I'm Coming), Carla Thomas, Albert King (Born Under A Bad Sign), Johnnie Taylor, and Bill Withers. Co-wrote and produced (Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay, a posthumous Billboard Hot 100 No.1 hit for Redding. Other songs co-written by Cropper include Eddie Floyd's Knock On Wood and Wilson Pickett's In The Midnight Hour. Cropper also played with the Blues Brothers and was prominently featured in both the original The Blues Brothers film released in 1980 and its sequel Blues Brothers 2000 ~ Cropper passed away in 2025