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.
September 11, 1976 ~ In its 10th week on the charts, (Shake Shake Shake) Shake Your Booty by KC & the Sunshine Band hits No.1 Billboard Hot 100 ~ Preceded by Get Down Tonight and That's The Way (I Like It), (Shake Shake Shake) Shake Your Booty would become the band's third Billboard Hot 100 No.1 hit. The song was actually inspired by what they saw people do on the dance floor, as the band's bassist and producer Richard Finch later explained: “And then every once in a while you'd see someone break loose and shake their booty like Jell-O. We figured, okay, how do you write about this? You know, say it like it is.” The band would score two more No.1 hits, I'm Your Boogie Man in 1977 and Please Don't Go in 1979, tallying up the total to five, all of which were written by Richard Finch and lead singer Harry Wayne Casey. In 1979, Frank Zappa, at times known for his wordplay, released Sheik Yerbouti, an album named for its track The Sheik Yerbouti Tango. The title may have been inspired by the KC & the Sunshine Band hitSeptember 11, 1973 ~ Heavy metal, progressive rock singer, guitarist, bassist, keyboardist Andreas Hedlund born in Skellefteå, Sweden ~ Best known as member of Borknagar and Cronian. Has also worked with Otyg, Vintersorg, Hayavoth, Fission, Waterclime, and Cosmik Death
September 11, 1972 ~ Actress, singer Ricky Koole born in Delft, the Netherlands ~ In-demand actress with well over two dozen roles in film and TV to her name, notably playing the female lead role of Lika in the acclaimed 2011 Sonny Boy film. One of several to play Rachel Hazes, the wife of singer André Hazes, in the biographical stage musical Hij Gelooft In Mij. Has sung in various theater productions with her husband music journalist, radio DJ Leo Blokhuis, starting with 2007's Harmonium presenting forgotten songs and composers. As a singer has recorded about half a dozen albums, starting with Who's Suzy released in 2004. Noted for her 2011 Wind Om Het Huis albumSeptember 11, 1971 ~ Blues pianist, guitarist Curtis Jones passed away in Munich, West Germany ~ Best known for his recordings of Lonesome Bedroom Blues, Tin Pan Alley and Decoration Blues, the latter covered by Sonny Boy Williamson I. One of Jones' songs, Highway 51, was included on Bob Dylan's 1962 eponymous debut album Bob Dylan ~ Jones was born in 1906
September 11, 1971 ~ The cartoon series The Jackson 5ive, featuring animated versions of the Jackson 5 siblings, debuts on ABC ~ The show would run from 1971 through 1973, each episode showing adventures with animated versions of the group, along with Michael Jackson's pet mice Ray and Charles and his snake Rosie
September 11, 1971 ~ Fiddler, percussionist, composer Joe Jordan, full name Joseph Taylor Jordan, passed away in Tacoma, Washington, USA ~ Worked with the Taborian Band, Tom Turpin, Sam Patterson, Louis Chavin, Bob Cole, Rosamond Johnson, Ernest Hogan, James Reese Europe, the Chocolate Drops, Jabbo Smith, Garvin Bushell, James P Johnson, Fats Waller, Porter Grainger, Asadate Dafora, and WC Handy ~ Jordan was born in 1882
September 11, 1971 ~ Singer, guitarist, songwriter Richard Ashcroft, full name Richard Paul Ashcroft, born in Billingshire, UK ~ Best known as lead singer and rhythm guitarist for the Verve, for whom Ashcroft penned the songs Bitter Sweet Symphony, Lucky Man, and The Drugs Don't Work. Also plays bass, keyboards and drums. Has released a number of successful solo albums since the band's breakup and formed the band RPA & the United Nations Of Sound in 2010
September 11, 1970 ~ Drummer, songwriter, composer Francis Macdonald born ~ Has recorded as a solo artist, at times using the moniker Nice Man, both in the pop rock idioms and classical, notably 2015's Music For String Quartet Piano And Celeste. Manager of Camera Obscura and the Vaselines. Member of Teenage Fanclub, first appearing on some tracks of the 2003 Foru Thousan Seven Hundred And Sixty-Six Seconds album. In-demand collaborator, has worked with Kevin Ayers, Kim Fowley, Alex Chilton, Belle & Sebastian, and BMX Bandits
September 11, 1969 ~ Gospel, jazz, pop rock singer, songwriter, actress Crystal Lewis, full name Crystal Lynn Lewis, born in Corona, California, USA ~ Got her start in music at age 15, starring in the Christian musical film Hi-Tops. Member of rockabilly outfit Wild Blue Yonder, with whom she recorded the 1986 eponymous Wild Blue Yonder album. Following the band's disbandement bhas recorded some two dozen album starting with her 1987 Beyond The Charade debut album. Lewis is best known for a string of mid- to late 1990s albums, culminating in her 2000 Fearless album which is regarded as an influence on the likes of Katy Perry and Tori KellySeptember 11, 1969 ~ Alternative rock singer, bassist, guitarist Rebecca Odes born in West Orange, New Jersey, USA ~ To music audiences best known as co-founding member, bassist and singer for rock unit Love Child, with whom she recorded the critically acclaimed Okay and its follow-up Witchcraft during the early 1990s. Has sporadically recorded as a solo artist, going by the mononym Odes, and is known as an author
September 11, 1967 ~ British pop rock band the Beatles begin filming Magical Mystery Tour ~ A surreal comedy starring the band and narrated by John Lennon. Based on a loose script and largely improvised the band begin filming their third musical film, the first two being A Hard Day's Night and Help. Made for TV it would premiere in black and white on the BBC the following December, with a colour rerun the following January. The film would be received poorly by critics and audiences, yet the accompanying double EP, containing songs from the film such as Fool On The Hill, I Am The Walrus and Blue Jay Way, would be a critical and commercial succes
September 11, 1967 ~ Singer, pianist composer Harry Connick Jr born in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA ~ Started learning keyboards at age 3, publicly playing since age 5, at age 9 performed Ludwig van Beethoven's Piano Concerto No.3 Opus 37 with the New Orleans Symphony Orchestra. Connick released his eponymous debut LP, Harry Connick Jr, in 1987 consisting mainly of instrumental standards. Connick's plays mostly jazz, with an occasional touch of funk. Connick has also successfuly ventured into acting.
September 11, 1965 ~ Jazz saxophonist Jesse Davis born in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA ~ Leader recording since the early 1990s backed by sidemen such as Mulgrew Miller, Jacky Terrasson, Robert Trowers, Brad Mehldau, Nicholas Payton, Dado Moroni, Peter Washington, Hank Jones, Ron Carter, Lewis Nash, Peter Bernstein, and Ray Drummond
September 11, 1965 ~ Richard Melville Hall, commonly known as DJ, producer, songwriter Moby, born in New York, New York, USA ~ Considered to be the most important dance figures of the 1990s. Helped make electronic dance music mainstream, especially with the acclaimed 1999 album Play. Also known for songs such as Move (You Make Me Feel So Good), Feeling So Real, James Bond Theme (Moby's Re-version), South Side (featuring Gwen Stefani), Go, and Porcelain. Has performed with Lou Reed, Kris Kristofferson, David Bowie, Bono, Michael Stipe, New Order, Public Enemy, Slash, Mission Of Burma, Mylène Farmer, and Dubsidia. Known as an advocate for various causes, especially human rights and animal rightsSeptember 11, 1965 ~ British rockers the Rolling Stones kick off their German tour at the Halle Münsterland, Münster, West Germany ~ The band plays about a dozen shows over a week's time, the set list including Everybody Needs Somebody To Love, Around And Around, Time Is On My Side, and (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction. The band concludes the tour with a single concert in Austria at the Stadthalle, Vienna, on September the 17th
September 11, 1964 ~ Bassist Victor Wooten born in Mountain Home, Idaho, USA ~ Best known as bassist for Béla Fleck's backing unit the Flecktones. Also a member of SMV, along with fellow bassists Stanley Clarke and Marcus Miller. Youngest of five brothers, all of them in the family band the Wooten Brothers, including Roy Wooten and Joseph WootenSeptember 11, 1963 ~ Bassist Alan Davey born in Ipswich, UK ~ Influenced by Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, and Motörhead. Best known as bassist in Hawkwind. Also a member of Gunslinger, Meads Of Asphodel, Dumpy's Rusty Nuts, Spirits Burning, Bedouin, Hawklords, and the Psychedelic Warlords
September 11, 1962 ~ British pop, rock group the Beatles record PS I Love You at EMI Studios, London, UK ~ Principally composed by Paul McCartney, yet credited to John Lennon/McCartney. Producer George Martin had booked session drummer Andy White to replace bandmember Pete Best, yet was unaware the band had already hired Ringo Starr. Both Best and Starr appear on the recording, Best giving the song a lightweight cha cha feel while Starr played maracas. Released the following month as the B-side to the band's Love Me Do debut single. The USA release would be close to a year and a half later, in April 1964
September 11, 1962 ~ Singer, songwriter Neil Sedaka marries Leba Strassberg ~ Long rumored to be gay, possibly due to his regular songwriting partner Howard Greenfield openly being gay, Neil Sedaka marries steady girlfriend Leba Strassberg, who would serve as career coach for well over 50 years. The couple have two children together, daughter Dara Sedaka who is also a recording artist and singer for TV and radio commercials, and son Marc Sedaka who is a screenwriter
September 11, 1961 ~ Elizabeth Ann Guttman, commonly known as actress, singer EG Daily, born in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Best known as an voice actress and actress, notably in Pee-Wee's Big Adventure. As a singer known for her 1986 dance hit Say It Say It. Other well known songs include Shake It Up and I'm Hot Tonight both used in the Scarface soundtrack, love In The Shaows co-written and produced by Harold Faltermeyer, and Mind Over Matter. Daily also sang backup on Human League-frontman Philip Oakey's 1985 Philip Oakey & Giorgio Moroder albumSeptember 11, 1958 ~ Pianist, keyboardist Mick Talbot born in London, UK ~ Member of the Merton Parkas, Dexys Midnight Runners, and of the Bureau before co-founding the Style Council with Paul Weller in 1982, remaining with the band until its disbandement in 1990. Has also worked with Damon Minchella, Galliano, Gene, the Young Disciples, Candi Staton, Wilko Johnson, Roger Daltrey, Pete Townshend, and Pete Williams
September 11, 1957 ~ Drummer, percussionist Jon Moss, full name Jonathan Aubrey Moss, born in Wandsworth, UK ~ Drummer of 1980s new wave, pop group Culture Club, known for hits such as Do You Really Want To Hurt Me, Time (Clock Of The Heart), Church Of The Poisoned Mind, and Karma Chameleon, all of which reached the top 10 on both sides of the Atlantic. Has also worked with Promised Land, London, the Nips, the Damned, and Adam & the AntsSeptember 11, 1955 ~ Jazz, funk, jazz fusion guitarist Hiram Bullock born in Osaka, Japan ~ Leader and sideman. Member of the 24th Street Band. Has recorded with Will Lee, David Sanborn, Bob James, Steely Dan (Gaucho), Paul Simon (One Trick Pony), Harry Belafonte, Marcus Miller, Sting (Nothing Like The Sun), Carla Bley, Miles Davis, Billy Joel, Ruben Rada, and Gil Evans ~ Bullock passed away in 2008
September 11, 1955 ~ Glenn Henderson, commonly known as jazz bassist, double bassist Jaribu Shahid or Jaribu Abdurahman Shahid, born in Detroit, Michigan, USA ~ Member of Griot Galaxy, taking over leadership when Faruq Z Bey fell into a coma after a motorcycle crash. Also closely associated with Roscoe Mitchell. Served as sideman for Kamau Kenyatta, Geri Allen, Buddy Collette, Rod Williams, Wendell Harrison, Sun Ra (Somewhere Else), Craig Taborn, James Carter (JC On The Set), David Murray, and the Art Ensemble Of Chicago
September 11, 1953 ~ Singer Renée Geyer, full name Renée Rebecca Geyer, born in Melbourne, Australia ~ Active since the early 1970s. Member of jazz-blues outfit Dry Red. Member of Sun. Member of Mother Earth. Over a dozen albums to her name as a solo singer, starting with the eponymous Renée Geyer released in 1973. Best known for songs such as Say I Love You, Heading In The Right Direction, and States And Whispers. Also an in-demand backing singer, present on albums by Sting, Chaka Khan, Toni Childs, and Joe Cocker ~ Geyer passed away in 2023
September 11, 1953 ~ Singer, guitarist, songwriter Tommy Shaw, full name Tommy Roland Shaw, born in Montgomery, Alabama, USA ~ Best known as co-lead singer of Styx, remaining with the band from 1975 through 1984 and rejoining in 1995. Shaw wrote or co-wrote several of the band's best known including Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man), Renegade, Blue Collar Man (Long Nights), and Too Much Time On My Hands. Shaw also recorded as a solo artist, noted for his 1984 Girls With Guns top 40 hit single, recorded two albums with Damn Yankees, and teamed up with Yankees bandmate Jack Blades under the group moniker Shaw-Blades