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 16, 1983 ~ Singer Tracey Ullman releases They Don't Know, lifted off her You Broke My Heart In 17 Places debut album ~ Kirsty MacColl wrote this song when she was just 17, telling of a girl who is told by everybody how she is dating the wrong guy, but “they don't know” about love. MacColl's original was set to be issued as a single in 1979, yet a strike at her distributors kept it from being released. A few years later, actress-comedienne Tracey Ullman would cover the track, featuring MacColl on backing vocals, and issued They Don't Know as her sophomore single it became her biggest hit. It reached No.2 in the UK, and top 10 in Canada, America, the Netherlands and No.1 in Ireland and Norway. Ullman's debut album would spawn two more UK top 10 singles, the Irma Thomas cover Breakaway reached No.4, and Move Over Darling, originally a hit for Doris Day in 1964, peaked at No.8September 16, 1982 ~ Country singer George Strait releases Marina Del Rey, lifted off his Strait From The Heart sophomore album ~ Written by Dean Dillon and Frank Dycus, the sentimental ballad tells of a chance encounter after which both go their own way. It was inspired by an actual real-life hook-up songwriter Dean Dillon had in Marina Del Rey, which left him heartbroken. For the melody Dillon drew from singers he grew up on: “When I heard those melodies that Carole King and James Taylor were writing, a light bulb went off in my head and I thought, Man, if you could take that kind of melody and pair it with a great country lyric, you'd really have something. That's who inspired those melodies. Marina Del Rey at the time was about as far as you could push an envelope in country music.” Marina Del Rey would reach No.6 Billboard Country, the same spot reached by George Strait's Unwound debut single the previous year, a song also written by Dillon and Dycus
September 16, 1979 ~ Fanny Biascamano, mononymously known as pop singer Fanny, born in Sete, France ~ Became known by performing on the Sacrée Soirée TV show at age 12, and subsequently scoring a No.7 hit in France with the Edith Piaf cover L'Homme à La Moto issued as her debut single. The follow-up single Un Poète Disparu would reach No.16. Biascamano would continue to record, yet failed to equal the success of her debut single. Internationally, Fanny is perhaps best known for representing her native France at the Eurovision Songfestival in 1997, where she reached seventh place with Sentiments Songes ~ Biascamano passed away in 2025
September 16, 1979 ~ Tramar Lacel Dillard, commonly known as singer, rapper, songwriter Flo Rida, born in Opa Locke, Florida, USA ~ Broke through with the 2007 single Low which held the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for 10 weeks. His debut studio album, 2008's Mail On Sunday, would reach No.4 on the album charts. Has been recording and scoring hits since, including Right Round, Can't Handle Me, Good Feeling, Wild Ones, Whistle, I Cry, GDFR, and My House. Has collaborated with Fresh Kid Ice, Rick Ross, T-Pain, DJ Khaled, Timbaland, will.i.am, Trey Songz, Lil Wayne, Trina, Wynter Gordon, Akon, and NickelbackSeptember 16, 1978 ~ Twin sisters singer, conductor Ane Carmen Roggen and jazz singer Ida Roggen born in Oslo, Norway ~ Baby sisters of singer Live Maria Roggen. Both sisters would become known as members of Quatro Stagioni and subsequently Pitsj, the latter acclaimed for their eponymous Pitsj album released in 2006
September 16, 1978 ~ Country, pop singer, TV personality Matthew Rogers, full name Matthew Wyatt Rogers, born in Rancho Cucamonga, California, USA ~ First gained attention as finalist on the third season of American Idol in 2004. Would go on to become a popular TV host and correspondent for several shows, focusing especially on entertainment and sports. As a singer best known for the self-penned I'm Coming Home, the theme song of the reality show Coming Home showing surprise reunions of members of the military with their families. The show was also hosted by Rogers
September 16, 1977 ~ Mark Feld, commonly known as singer, songwriter Marc Bolan, passed away in Barnes, UK ~ Glam rock pioneer. Lead singer of T.Rex, known for songs such as Hot Love, Bang-a-gong (Get It On), Telegram Sam, Metal Guru and 20th Century Boy ~ Feld was born in 1947
September 16, 1977 ~ Taalib Hassan Johnson, commonly known as singer Musiq Soulchild, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA ~ Acclaimed R&B, hip-hop singer drawing from funk, blues, jazz and gospel. Released his Aijuswanaseing debut album in 1998 to critical acclaim. The follow-up, 2002's Juslisen, would debut atop the Billboard Hot 200 album charts, reach Platinum status and spawn the Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hits Halfcrazy and Dontchange. Recorded to a devoted and growing fanbase ever since, and is an in-demand collaborator guesting on recordings by Carlos Santana, the Roots, and Ice Cube
September 16, 1973 ~ Avrum Sherman, commonly known as songwriter Al Sherman, passed away in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Prolific Tin Pan Alley-songwriter perhaps best remembered for co-writing For Sentimental Reasons with Edward Heyman and Abner Silver, first recorded by Kay Kyser in 1926 with vocalist Ginny Simms. The song would become a standard, recorded by numerous artists including Tommy Dorsey, Mildred Bailey, and Patti Page. Others who recorded songs written or co-written by Sherman include Ruth Etting, Gene Austin, Vernon Dalhart, Helen Kane, Maurice Chevalier, Rudy Vallée, Billie Holiday (It's Like Reaching For The Moon), Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman, Lionel Hampton, Peggy Lee (Save Your Sorrow For Tomorrow), Kay Starr, Doris Day, Helen Humes, Cyndi Lauper (He's So Unusual), and Diana Krall. Sherman's sons Robert Sherman and Richard Sherman would both follow in their father's footsteps and also become professional songwriters ~ Sherman was born in 1897September 16, 1972 ~ R&B guitarist, bandleader Edgar Blanchard, full name Edgar Vernon Blanchard, passed away in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA ~ Following his stint in the Army during World War II, Blanchard formed the Gondeliers named for his time in Italy. The band, notably featuring Roy Brown, would become well known in New Orleans for their gigs at the Down Beat Club and the Dew Drop Inn. Blanchard would also perform and record with others including Big Joe Turner, Ray Charles, Professor Longhair, Lloyd Price, Little Richard, Eddie Bo, and Clarence Frogman Henry. Blanchard is also known for appearing on the Ric-recordings of Johnny Adams during the late 1950s. Blanchard recorded a sole poorly-received album with the Gondeliers, Let's Have A Blast With The Gondeliers released in 1961, but would continue to perform with the band in New Orleans clubs through the mid 1960s ~ Blanchard was born in 1924
September 16, 1972 ~ In its 6th week on the charts, Black & White by Three Dog Night hits No.1 Billboard Hot 100 ~ The band's third and final American No.1 hit, preceded by Mama Told Me (Not To Come) and Joy To The World, was originally co-written and first recorded nearly two decades earlier by folk singer Earl Robinson. Dealing with racism, the original version was inspired by a US Supreme Court ruling that segregation in public schools is illegal. When Three Dog Night recorded the song, it came at a time when civil rights were a big issue in America. The message of racial equality was emphasized by the band's use of a children's choir in the repeated chorus during the closing moments of the song. Prior to Three Dog Night, the song had also been recorded by Pete Seeger, Sammy Davis Jr, and UK reggae outfit Greyhound
September 16, 1969 ~ Indie rock singer, guitarist, bassist, keyboardist, percussionist Doug Martsch born in Twin Falls, Idaho, USA ~ Heavily influenced by Dinosaur Jr singer and guitarist J Mascis, as well as by Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Mississippi Fred McDowell, and Neil Young. Martsch is best known as lead singer, guitarist of Built To Spill with whom he recorded over half a dozen albums since its inception in the early 1990s. One of the most popular indie rock bands, they have earned a reputation as an exciting live act, have progressed from sparse lo-fi in their early days to sophisticated emo on their later records, and are especially acclaimed for Perfect From Now On, the band's third studio album released in 1997. Martsch has also recorded as a solo artist, releasing his Now You Know debut album in 2002, and has worked with Farm Days, Treepeople, and the Halo BendersSeptember 16, 1968 ~ Jazz saxophonist Chris Cheek, full name Christopher Carson Cheek, born in St Louis, Missouri, USA ~ Leader and sideman. Sessioned on over 100 albums. Worked with Paul Motian, the Electric Bebop Band, the Bloom Daddies, Seamus Blake, Guillermo Klein, Mika Pohjola, Luciana Souza, David Berkman, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Burak Bedikyan, Frank Carlberg, Jen Chapin, Stephen Furic, Chris Lightcap, Brad Mehldau, Wolfgang Muthspiel, and Steve Swallow
September 16, 1968 ~ Marco Antonio Muñiz Rivera, commonly known as singer Marc Anthony, born in New York, New York, USA ~ All-time best selling tropical salsa artist with over 12 million copies sold. Influenced by a wide array of artists from rock, R&B, pop and salsa including José Feliciano, Air Supply, Héctor Lavoe, Rubén Blades and especially Tito Puente. Sang backup for Menudo. Released his Rebel debut album in 1988. Would go on to score well over a dozen top 10 hits on the Billboard Latin charts, the singles I Need To Know and You Sang To Me also reaching top 10 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100
September 16, 1968 ~ Singer, actress Maura O'Connell born in Ennis, Ireland ~ Influenced by tradional Irish music and American country, bluegrass, newgrass. Began her professional career touring the USA with Celtic group De Dannan in 1980. Appeared on the band's 1981 Star Spangled Molly landmark album. Debuted as a solo artist in 1983 with the eponymous Maura O'Connell which didn't make much of an impact. Would gain serious attention with her 1989 Grammy Award-nominated album Helpless Heart and has recorded to critical acclaim and commercial succes through the 2000s. Perhaps best known for her 2009 Naked With Friends album which featured guest singers such as Paul Brady, Alison Krauss, Tim O'Brien and Dolly Parton. O'Connell retired from music in 2013September 16, 1968 ~ Maurice Alfred Cohen, commonly known as songwriter, lyricist Michael Carr, passed away in London, UK ~ Best remembered for co-writing South Of The Border with Jimmy Kennedy for the 1939 film of the same name. The song would be first recorded by Billy Cotton and covered by numerous artists including Gene Autry, Frank Sinatra, Sam Cooke, Patsy Cline, Fats Domino, and Gene Pitney ~ Cohen was born in 1905
September 16, 1963 ~ Pop rock, soft rock singer, songwriter Richard Marx, full name Richard Noel Marx, born in Chicago, Illinois, USA ~ The only male artist in history to have his first seven singles all reach top 5 Billboard Hot 100. Released his eponymous Richard Marx debut album in 1987, it would reach triple Platinum status. As a solo artist enjoyed his biggest succes through the mid 1990s, charting with songs such as Hold On To The Nights, Satisfied, Angelia, Hazard and Now And Forever. In-demand songwriter and collaborator, writing or co-writing songs such as What About Me (Kenny Rogers), Swear Your Love (Steve Lukather), Live My Life Without You (Freddie Jackson), I Know (Luther Vandross), Right Here Waiting (Monica), This I Promise You (NSYNC), Holdin' On To A Dream (Billy Ray Cyrus), and Surrender (Sister Hazel)
September 16, 1961 ~ Alternative rock, shoegaze singer, guitarist, keyboardist Bilinda Butcher born in London, UK ~ Best known as member of My Bloody Valentine, joining the band in 1987 as replacement for David Conway. Also worked with Collapsed Lung, notably on the tracks Ballad Night and Casino Kisschase, Dinosaur Jr and with the Jesus & Mary Chain
September 16, 1960 ~ Donald Wayne Evans, commonly known as bassist Ean Evans, born in Atlanta, Georgia, USA ~ Active since his teens. Influenced by John Paul Jones, Geddy Lee, Leon Wilkeson. Member of rock unit Five Miles High, earning regional popularity in the early 1980s. Formed Babe Blu with keyboardist Joey Huffman. Formed Noon with Rick Craig, blending metal with southern rock. Joined Lynyrd Skynyrd in 2001, replacing the late Wilkeson, remaining with the band until his death at age 48 ~ Evans passed away in 2009September 16, 1958 ~ Jazz pianist, composer Rodney Franklin born in Berkeley, California, USA ~ Influenced by McCoy Tyner, George Duke, Chick Corea, Lonnie Liston Smith. Best known for the 1980 album You'll Never Know and its hit single The Groove. Worked with John Handy, Bill Summers, Freddie Hubbard, Marlena Shaw, Stanley Clarke, and Jennifer Holliday
September 16, 1958 ~ Country bassist, singer Terry McBride born in Austin, Texas, USA ~ Son of country singer Dale McBride. Lead singer, bassist for McBride & the Ride, active from the early through the mid 1990s. McBride is also an in-demand songwriter, writing or co-writing songs for Alan Jackson, Rosie Flores, Brooks & Dunn, George Strait (Always Never The Same), David Ball, Josh Gracin, Reba McEntire (I Keep On Loving You), Casey James, Emerson Drive, and Jim Lauderdale
September 16, 1956 ~ Bassist Bob Rupe born in Richmond, Virginia, USA ~ Mainstay on the Virginia music scene. Perhaps best known as a member of indie rock outfit Cracker for most of the 1990s, appearing on the band's The Golden Age and Gentleman's Blues albums. Rupe was also a co-founding member of the Silos, a band especially acclaimed for their 1987 Cuba album and its eponymous The Silos follow-up released in 1990. Rupe has also served as engineer for a variety of artists, recorded with House Of Freaks, Gutterball, and supergroup Sparklehorse, and guested on albums by Freedy Johnston (Can You Fly), Lauren Hoffman, Garrison Starr (Eighteen Over Me), Joan Osborne, Steve Wynn, and Daniel Johnston ~ Rupe passed away in 2025
September 16, 1956 ~ Pop, rock singer, guitarist Michael Falch, full name Michael Ehlert Falch, born in Køge, Denmark ~ Rose to fame as lead singer in Malurt from its inception in 1976 through the mid-1980s. Following the band's initial disbandement would go on to record over a dozen solo albums, reaching chart succes from the mid 2000s forward with albums such as Falder Du Nu, Sommeren Kom Ny Tilbage and For&aaring;r I Brystet all reaching top 5 in his native Denmark. Has also worked with Boat Man Love including on the 2007 Sang Til Undren album, and with Poul KrebsSeptember 16, 1954 ~ Guitarist, keyboardist Colin Newman born in Wiltshires, UK ~ Best known as lead singer and songwriter of post-punk band Wire. Has also been releasing solo albums starting with 1980's A-Z, recorded in Wire's temporary split. Has produced and arranged for other artists as well including the Virgin Prunes, Parade Ground, Minimal Compact, Alain Bashung, Silo & Lobe, Hawkwind, Dead Man Ray, Fennesz, Polypsics, and Celebricide
September 16, 1953 ~ Smooth jazz, jazz fusion guitarist Earl Klugh born in Detroit, Michigan, USA ~ Influenced by Bob James, Ray Parker Jr, Wes Montgomery and notably by Chet Atkins, having guested on several of the latter's albums. Active since his teens, initially with Yusef Lateef (Suite 16) and George Benson (White Rabbit). Over 30 albums to his name, starting with the eponymous Earl Klugh released in 1976
September 16, 1953 ~ Bassist Michael Rhodes born in Monroe, Louisiana, USA ~ In-demand touring and session musician from the early 1980s forward, present on albums by Stevie Nicks (Bella Donna), JJ Cale (Shades), Dolly Parton, Keith Whitley, Michael Martin Murphey, John Jarvis, Crystal Gayle, Hank Williams Jr, Rodney Crowell (Diamonds & Dirt), Marie Osmond, Rosanne Cash (King's Record Shop), Reba McEntire (Reba), Kenny Rogers, Beth Nielsen Chapman, Delbert McClinton, Steve Winwood, Etta James, Kelly Willis, Alan Jackson (Don't Rock The Jukebox), Vince Gill (Pocket Full Of Gold), Bob Seger, Jason Ringenberg, Faith Hill, Tammy Wynette, Mark Knopfler, Clint Black (Nothin' But The Taillights), Allison Moorer, the Dixie Chicks, Green On Red, Lee Ann Womack (Something Worth Leaving Behind), Aaron Neville, Willie Nelson, George Jones, Sheryl Crow, Gretchen Wilson, George Strait, India Arie, Darius Rucker, Tommy Emmanuel (Little By Little), Buddy Guy, Joss Stone, and Joe Bonamassa ~ Rhodes passed away in 2023