October 6, 2022 ~ Engineer, producer Fred Catero passed away ~ Active since the 1960s. Has worked with artists such as Janis Joplin, Bob Dylan, Al Kooper, Linda Ronstadt, Mel Tormé, Tower Of Power, Santana, and others. Founded Catero Records in the 1980s, focusing on jazz acts such as Herbie Hancock, Ernie Mansfield, Laurie Antonioli and Paul Speer ~ Catero was born in 1933
October 6, 2022 ~ George Ivy Hunter, commonly known as singer, songwriter, producer Ivy Jo Hunter, passed away ~ Session keyboardist on a number of early Motown recordings before focusing on songwriting, mostly in partnership with William Mickey Stevenson. Artists who recorded his songs include the Spinners, Martha & the Vandellas (Dancing In the Street), the Four Tops (Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever), the Temptations, the Contours, Jimmy Ruffin, the Marvelettes (Danger Heartbreak Dead Ahead), the Miracles, the Isley Brothers (Behind A Painted Smile), Brenda Holloway, Marvin Gaye (You're The One), Chuck Jackson, Aretha Franklin (Without Love), and others ~ Hunter was born in 1940
October 6, 2022 ~ Myrna Joy Miller, commonly known as country singer Jody Miller passed away ~ Paved the way for future crossover female singers such as Linda Ronstadt, Anne Murray and Olivia Newton-John. Debuted in 1963 with the album Wednesday's Child Is Full Of Woe. Known for songs such as He Walks Like A Man, The Queen Of The House, The Home Of The Brave, There's A Party Goin' On, Good News, When The New Wears Off Our Love, and others ~ Miller was born in 1941
October 6, 2020 ~ Edward O'Sullivan Lee, commonly known as reggae producer Bunny Lee, passed away ~ One of Jamaica's most important and influential producers from the late 1960s through the late 1970s, instrumental in the development of dub music. Started as a plugger in the early 1960s for producer Duke Reid, later for Leslie Kong. Would turn to engineering and producing records by 1967, his first hit record being Roy Shirley's Music Field. Founded his own label, Lee, producing artists such as Lloyd Jackson, Lester Sterling, Derrick Morgan, Slim Smith (Everybody Needs Love), the Uniques, Pat Kelly, Max Romeo, Delroy Wilson, Eric Donaldson (Cherry Oh Baby), John Holt, Johnny Clarke, Owen Gray, Cornell Campbell, King Tubby, and others ~ Lee was born in 1941
October 6, 2020 ~ Rock, hard rock guitarist, songwriter Eddie Van Halen, full name Edward Lodewijk van Halen, passed away in Santa Monica, California, USA ~ Considered a virtuoso guitarist. Lead guitarist of Van Halen, which he founded with Mark Stone, David Lee Roth and brother Alex van Halen, known for songs such as Runnin' With The Devil, Eruption, Dance The Night Away, Jump, Panama, Why Can't This Be Love, When It's Love, and others. Eddie also worked with Gene Simmons, Nicolette Larson, Michael Jackson, Brian May, Sammy Hagar, Black Sabbath, Roger Waters, Steve Lukather, and LL Cool J ~ Van Halen was born in 1955
October 6, 2020 ~ Traditional pop, reggae, vocal jazz singer Johnny Nash. full name John Lester Nash Jr, passed away in Houston, Texas, USA ~ One of the first non-Jamaican artists to record in Jamaica. Best known for I Can See Clearly Now, a Billboard No.1 hit in 1972. Other well known songs include Let's Move And Groove, the Sam Cooke-cover Wonderful World, Let's Go Dancing, and others ~ Nash was born in 1940
October 6, 2019 ~ Drummer Ginger Baker passed away in Canterbury, UK ~ Regarded by some as rock's first superstar drummer, especially for his role in the short-lived but quintessential 1960s trio Cream alongside bassist Jack Bruce and guitarist Eric Clapton. Drew from jazz and African rhythms. Has also worked with Blues Incorporated, the Graham Bond Organisation, Blind Faith, and others. Also noted for founding and fronting Ginger Baker's Air Force in the 1970s. Would go on to become an in-demand collaborator in rock, world music and jazz, working with acts such as Fela Kuti, Atomic Rooster, Hawkwind, Masters Of Reality, Bill Laswell, Charlie Haden, Bill Frisell, and others ~ Baker was born in 1939
October 6, 2018 ~ Choral conductor Lorna Cooke DeVaron passed away ~ One of the most important choral conductors of the 20th century. Premiered works by Benjamin Britten, Leonard Bernstein, Samuel Barber, Aaron Copland, Irving Fine, Gunther Schuller, Daniel Pinkham, and others ~ DeVaron was born in 1921
October 6, 2017 ~ Walter Sigler, commonly known as singer, instrumentalist, producer, songwriter Bunny Sigler, passed away in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA ~ Helped develop the “Philly sound” of the early-1970s. Member of South Shore Comission. Worked extensively with producers and songwriters Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff. As a solo artist known for, among others, Lovey Dovey and Shake Shake Shake (Shake Your Booty). As a songwriter and producer Sigler also worked with the O'Jays (co-wrote Sunshine and When The World Is At Peace), the Whispers, Ecstasy Passion & Pain, Carl Carlton, Jackie Moore, Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, the Roots, Billy Paul, Lou Rawls, Patti Labelle, Stephanie Mills, and Curtis Mayfield ~ Sigler was born in 1941
October 6, 2015 ~ Singer Billy Joe Royal passed away in Morehead, North Carolina, USA ~ Best known for his 1965 album Down In The Boondocks, the title track peaking at No.9 on the Billboard Hot 100. Close friend and frequent collaborator of Joe South, the latter oft serving as co-writer or writer and/or co-producer or producer. Royal is also known for late-1960s songs such as I Knew You When, I've Got To Be Somebody, Hush, and Cherry Hill Park. Royal would continue to chart throughout the 1990s, mainly on the country charts with songs such as Burned Like A Rocket, Old Bridges Burn Slow, Tell It Like It Is, Love Has No Right, and Till I Can't Take It Anymore ~ Royal was born in 1942
October 6, 2015 ~ Joseph Johnson Jr, commonly known as drummer Smokey Johnson, passed away in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA ~ Learned trombone as a child. Switched to drums at age 12. Worked with James Sugarboy Crawford, Dave Bartholomew, Earl King, Wardell Quezergue, Professor Longhair (including on the classic recording Big Chief), Snooks Eaglin, Fats Domino, and others. Co-wrote It Ain't My Fault, a New Orleans classic recorded by the Olympia Brass Band, the Rebirth Brass Band, the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, the Treme Brass Band, Charmaine Neville, Milton Batiste, Shane Theriot, the Young Olympians, the Ambrosia Brass Band, David Roe, Cole Prior Stevens, and others, and sampled by Silkk The Shocker, Mystikal, Mariah Carey, and others ~ Johnson was born in 1936
October 6, 2012 ~ Guitarist, singer Nick Curran, full name Nicholas Michael Curran, passed away ~ Active since his late teens, touring with Ronnie Dawson. Would go on to play with Kim Lenz & the Jaguars, backing Kim Lenz on tour and record including on the albums The One And Only and It's All True. Released his Fixin' Your Head solo debut album in 1999. Has also worked with the Texas Northside Kings, Degüello, the Lowlifes, and notably the Fabulous Thunderbirds ~ Curran was born in 1977
October 6, 2010 ~ Colette Lucie Raget, commonly known as actress, singer Colette Renard, passed away in Saint-Remy-les-Chevreuses, France ~ Best known for the lead role in the musical Irma la Douce, a role she played for over a decade. Has also recorded over 50 albums during her career ~ Raget was born in 1924
October 6, 2004 ~ Salsa singer Marvin Santiago passed away in Bayamon, Puerto Rico ~ Active since the late 1960s. Sang with Rafael Cortijo, starting on the Ahi Na Ma (Put It There) album singing lead vocals on the tracks Vasos En Colores and with La Sonora De Felipe Rodriguez. Would go on to sing with Roberto Angleró, Bobby Valentín and the Fania All-Stars before debuting as a solo artist in 1977 with the album De Los Soneros ~ Santiago was born in 1947
October 6, 2000 ~ Jazz pianist, singer Pat Flowers, full name Ivelee Patrick Flowers, passed away in Detroit, Michigan, USA ~ Worked with Fats Waller during the last year of Waller's life. Subsequently manager Ed Kirkeby attempted to book him as Waller's successor. Flowers would record for most of the decade in New York, eventually returning to Detroit where he would become a mainstay on the local jazz scene ~ Flowers was born in 1917
October 6, 1998 ~ Double bassist Jean-François Jenny-Clark passed away in Paris, France ~ Regarded as one of the most important bassists of European jazz. Worked with Aldo Romano, Don Cherry, Steve Lacy, Keith Jarrett, Jasper van 't Hof, Charlie Mariano, Albert Mangelsdorff, Joachim Kühn, Daniel Humair, and others ~ Jenny-Clark was born in 1944
October 6, 1996 ~ Thereon Eugene Daffan, commonly known as country singer, guitarist, songwriter Ted Daffan, passed away ~ Wrote the seminal Truck Driver's Blues originally recorded by Cliff Bruner in 1939 with Moon Mullican singing lead. Daffan also wrote, and was the first to record, both I'm A Fool To Care and Born To Lose. Both would become standards, the former covered by Gene Autry, Jim Reeves, Connie Francis, Fats Domino, and others. The latter would be covered by Porter Wagoner, Ferlin Husky, Don Gibson, Ray Charles, and numerous others ~ Daffan was born in 1912
October 6, 1982 ~ Pianist, bassist, guitarist, percussionist William Butler, full name William Pierce Butler, born in Texas, USA ~ Key member of Arcade Fire, fronted by his brother Win Butler, known for songs such as Keep The Car Running, Ready To Start, Reflektor and Afterlife. Butler also co-wrote the soundtrack for the 2013 film Her with Owen Pallett, nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Score. Has also recorded as a solo artist, starting with Policy released in 2015
October 6, 1980 ~ Songwriter, singer Lincoln Chase passed away ~ Occasionally recorded as a singer. Best known as a songwriter, enjoying succes from the 1950s through the mid-1960s. Song written or co-written by Chase include Must I Cry Again (the Hilltoppers), Rain Down Rain (Big Maybelle), Salty Tears (Chuck Willis), Such A Night (the Drifters), Please Don't Freeze (Ruth Brown), Jim Dandy (Lavern Baker), and The Nitty Gritty (Shirley Ellis) ~ Chase was born in 1926
October 6, 1979 ~ Singer, keyboardist, songwriter Julian Velard born in New York, New York, USA ~ First gained serious attention opening for singer Amy MacDonald on her 2008 This Is The Life uk tour. Released his The Planeteer sophomore album in 2009, earning him critical acclaim and a following especially in the Netherlands
October 6, 1978 ~ Alternative rock, metal bassist, guitarist, singer Caleb Scofield, full name Caleb Mark Scofield, was born in Concord, New Hampshire, USA ~ Best known as bassist for Cave In, joining the band in 1998 shortly before the release of the band's Until Your Heart Stops debut album. Scofield remained with the band until his death in 2018. Has also worked with Zozobra, co-founded by Scofield in 2006, and with sludge band Old Man Gloom ~ Scofield passed away in 2018
October 6, 1976 ~ Singer Yotuel Romero, full name Yotuel Omar Romero Manzanares, born ~ Lead singer of hip hop group Orishas, with whom he recorded about half a dozen albums including the acclaimed Emigrante album released in 2002. Romero released his Suerte solo debut album in 2013
October 6, 1971 ~ Jeremy Godfrey, commonly known as pop, electronic, progressive rock keyboardist, producer, songwriter Jem Godfrey, born in UK ~ Best known as a producer, often in collaboration with Bill Padley, responsible for hits such as Atomic Kitten's Whole Again. Has also worked with Shayne Ward, Frost, Jennifer Ellison, Blue, Ronan Keating, Holly Valance, Gareth Gates, the Losers, and others
October 6, 1970 ~ Jazz pianist Maria Kannegaard born in Copenhagen, Denmark ~ Worked with Live Maria Roggen, Eldbjørg Raknes, Ole Morten Vågan, Thomas Stronen, Matts Ellertsen, the Trondheim Jazz Orchestra, Hålkon Kornstad, Karin Boye, Siri Gjaere, Iain Ballamy, Ashley Slater, Billy Fy, Eirik Hegdal, and others
October 6, 1966 ~ Jazz, soul jazz guitarist Mark Whitfield born in Lindenhurst, New York, USA ~ Leader and sideman. Worked with Carl Allen, Beta Radio, Mary J Blige, d'Angelo, Donald Harrison, Terence Blanchard, Javon Jackson, Christian McBride, Jack McDuff, Nicholas Payton, Courtney Pine, Jimmy Smith, Cedar Walton, Ernie Watts, Joe Zawinul, and others
October 6, 1966 ~ Country singer, guitarist, songwriter Tim Rushlow, full name Timothy Ray Rushlow born in Midwest City, Oklahoma, USA ~ Lead singer of Little Texas from 1988 through 1997, known for Billboard Country top 10 hits such as What Might Have Been, God Bless Texas, My Love, Kick A Little, Amy's Back In Austin and Life Goes On. After the band dissolved recorded as a solo artist, notably the single She Misses Him, and formed the duo Rushlow Harris with his cousin Don Harris
October 6, 1966 ~ Bassist Tommy Stinson, full name Thomas Eugene Stinson, born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA ~ Rose to prominence as bassist for 1980s rock band the Replacements, considered pioneers of alternative rock and especially acclaimed for the 1984 Let It Be Me and its 1985 Tim follow-up. Following the band's disbandement in the early 1990s Stinson founded Bash & Pop, played with Perfect, and eventually joined Guns 'n Roses in 1998. Stinson has also recorded as a solo artist, releasing his Village Gorilla Head debut album in 2004, and collaborated with Soul Asylum, MOTH, Bobot Adrenaline, the Old 97's, and others
October 6, 1965 ~ Saxophonist Jeff Antoniuk born in Alberta, Canada ~ Founded the Jazz Update Quartet, teaming up with Tom Baldwin, Wade Beach and Tony Martucco. Also worked with Jamie Baum, Jeff Coffin, Zaccai Curtis, Jimmy Haslip, Leonardo Lucini, Allison Miller, Marcus Miller, Najee, Alex Norris, Mike Pope, Wayman Tisdale, Walt Weiskopf, Kenny Werner, Tommy Banks, Ralph Bowen, David Foster, Ingrid Jensen, PJ Perry, Ray Charles, Natalie Cole, Bobby McFerrin, Kenny Rogers, and others
October 6, 1965 ~ R&B, hip-hop singer, songwriter, producer Michael Marshall born in Berkeley, California, USA ~ Lead singer of Timex Social Club, best known for Rumors which reach top 10 on both sides of the Atlantic in 1986
October 6, 1958 ~ Heavy metal, glam metal guitarist, keyboardist, singer Robert Sarzo born ~ Once hired by Ozzy Osbourne to replace Randy Rhoads yet never played with Ozzy's band because label executive Don Arden had hired Bernie Tormé without telling anyone. Best known as member of Hurricane and Operation Mindcrime
October 6, 1954 ~ David Kent Hidalgo, commonly known as singer, guitarist, songwriter David Hidalgo born in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Founding member and primary songwriter of Los Lobos along with Louie Perez. Member of supergroup Los Super Seven and of the Latin Playboys. Plays guitar, accordion, violin, banjo, cello, percussion. Guested on recordings by numerous artists including Dave Alvin, Buckwheat Zydeco, T-Bone Burnett, Peter Case, Marc Cohn, Ry Cooder, Elvis Costello, Crowded House, John Lee Hooker, Leo Kottke, Roy Orbison, Dolly Parton, Bonnie Raitt, Taj Mahal, Tom Waits, and others
October 6, 1952 ~ Free improvisation saxophonist, bassist Norbert Möslang born in St Gallen, Switzerland ~ Formed the core of Voice Crack with Andy Guhl. Has also worked with Jim O'Rourke, Otomo Yoshihide, Keith Rowe, Carlos Zingaro, Irene Schweizer, and others. Also noted for composing the soundtrack to the 2009 The Humming Of Insects documentary
October 6, 1951 ~ Singer, guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter Kevin Cronin born in Evanston, Illinois, USA ~ Best known as on-and-off member of REO Speedwagon joining the band shortly after they recorded they recorded their 1971 debut album. Cronin wrote or co-wrote a vast amount of the band's material including Keep The Fire Burning, I Do Wanna Know, Keep Pushin', Roll With The Changes, Time For Me To Fly, Here With Me, In My Dreams, Don't Let Him Go, and perhaps most notably the charttoppers Keep On Loving You and Can't Fight This Feeling
October 6, 1949 ~ Soul, funk, R&B guitarist Thomas McClary born in Eustis, Florida, USA ~ Co-founding member of the Commodores. Noted for his guitar play on Easy. Sang lead on Sexy Lady. Wrote or co-wrote a vast amount of the band's material including Slippery When Wet, Brick House, Too Hot Ta Trot and I Feel Sanctified. Following his departure from the band released his eponymous Thomas McClary solo debut album in 1984. McCrary also co-wrote Dreaming Of You for bandmate Lionel Richie duetting with Diana Ross. Co-wrote Without You In My Life recorded by Kenny Rogers. Wrote Love Will Find A Way recorded by Michael Henderson. Co-wrote and produced a number of tracks for Klique's 1983 Try It Out album, notably the Billboard R&B top 10 hit Stop Dogging Me Around. By 1986 McClary returned to Florida where he became the music director for his church and founded the CDBY gospel label
October 6, 1948 ~ Composer, guitarist Glenn Branca born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, USA ~ To pop, rock audiences best known for founding the Theoretical Girls with conceptual artist Jeff Lohn. The band played less than two dozen sets, were never signed by a record company and released just one single, US Millie b/w You Got Me, but was nevertheless considered an early leading no wave group mixing modern classical music with punk rock ~ Branca passed away in 2018
October 6, 1947 ~ Francisco Andión González, commonly known as singer, songwriter, actor Patxi Andión, born in Madrid, Spain ~ Born to Basque parents his political beliefs led him to seek exile in Paris where he took part in the May 1968 protests and subsequently embarked on his musical career. Well over a dozen albums to his name, starting with Retratos released in 1969. Also known as an actor, starting in the mid-1970s ~ Andión passed away in 2019
October 6, 1947 ~ Pop, rock, punk bassist Paul Martinez born in Leicester, UK ~ Member of short-lived punk outfit the Adverts, known for their 1977 single Gary Gilmore's Eyes. Has also worked with Chicken Shack, Bernard Pretty Purdie, Cat Stevens, Dakota Staton, Richard Groove Holmes, Stretch, Patty Pravo, John Otway, Robert Plant, Richard Strange, Tom Cochrane, and others
October 6, 1944 ~ Christian rock, gospel, rock & roll singer, guitarist Mylon LeFevre, full name Mylon Rae LeFevre, born in Gulfport, Mississippi, USA ~ Best known for writing Without Him. After Elvis Presley recorded the song for the 1967 How Great Thou Art album, it would be covered by over a hundred artists. LeFevre was a member of family outfit the LeFevres in his early teens, founded and fronted Broken Heart, and has recorded prolifically as a solo artist from the mid-1960s through the 1990s. Noted especially for the albums Mylon (We Believe) released in 1970 and Road To Freedom released in 1973, the latter a collaboration with Alvin Lee ~ LeFevre passed away in 2023
October 6, 1943 ~ Pop, rock singer, guitarist, songwriter Cees Veerman born in Volendam, the Netherlands ~ Influenced by the Kinks. Rose to fame as co-founding member, guitarist, singer of the Cats, pivotal to the development of the Paling sound and known for hits such as Be My Day, One Way Wind and perhaps their best-known Sure He's A Cat. Recorded a sole solo album, Another Side Of Me released in 1976 ~ Veerman passed away in 2014
October 6, 1943 ~ Conductor, opera director, musicologist, composer Udo Zimmermann born in Dresden, Germany ~ Perhaps best known as director of the Leipzig Opera and the Deutsche Oper Berlin. As a composer internationally recognised for the one-act chamber opera Die Weisse Rose premiered in 1967, telling of the killing of siblings Hans Scholl and Sophie Scholl by the nazis for leading the non-violent resistance group Die Weisse Rose ~ Zimmermann passed away in 2021
October 6, 1941 ~ Jazz pianist, composer, arranger Masahiko Satoh born in Tokyo, Japan ~ Leader and sideman. Worked with artists such as Jean-Luc Ponty, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, Eddie Gomez, Steve Gadd, Peter Brötzmann, Takeo Moriyama, Anthony Braxton, Joëlle Léandre, Helen Merrill, Hatsune Miku, and others
October 6, 1937 ~ Shakuhachi player, composer Hozan Yamamoto born ~ Considered a virtuoso on the shakuhachi, a traditional bamboo flute. Rose to fame in the mid-1960s as one third of the Shakuhachi Sanbon Kai trio, alongside Reibo Aoki and Katsuya Yokoyama. Would go on to collaborate with a wide array of internationally known artists including Ravi Shankar, Helen Merrill, Gary Peacock, Karl Berger, Jean Pierre Rampal, and Chris Hinze ~ Yamamoto passed away in 2014
October 6, 1929 ~ Pianist, composer, arranger Norma Simmons born in Chicago, Illinois, USA ~ Leader and sideman. Known among others for his arrangement of Ramsey Lewis's 1966 hit Wade In The Water. Has worked with artists such as Helen Humes, Carmen McRae, Sarah Vaughan, Anita O'Day, Joe Williams, Roy Eldridge, Johnny Griffin, Red Holloway, Etta Jones, Betty Carter, Dakota Staton, Clifford Jordan, and others ~ Simmons passed away in 2021
October 6, 1908 ~ Samuel Blythe Price, commonly known as jazz, boogie-woogie, jump blues pianist, bandleader Sammy Price, born in Honey Grove, Texas, USA ~ Backed singers such as Trixie Smith and Sister Rosetta Tharpe early on in his career. Best known as a bandleader, accompaniest, staff musician for Decca Records. Has worked with Blue Lu Barker, Cousin Joe, Evelyn Knight, Lester Young, Jimmy Rushing, Don Stovall, Red Allen, and others ~ Price passed away in 1992
October 6, 1896 ~ Jazz, R&B, pop producer, music publisher, promoter Joe Davis, full name Joseph M Davis, born in New York, New York, USA ~ Perhaps best known for his association with Fats Waller, convincing the shy, relucting pianist to pursue a performing career. As a manager helped dozens of blues and pop singers to get signed to a variety of major and minor labels from the 1920s onward. Founded and ran Triangle Music Publischin Co. Founded several labels, including Beacon Records and Jay-Dee Records ~ Davis passed away in 1978
October 6, 1893 ~ Composer, songwriter Milton Ager born in Chicago, Illinois, USA ~ One of the premier songwriters of the 1920s and 1930s. Best remembered for penning Ain't She Sweet with frequent collaborator Jack Yellen, first recorded by Lou Gold in 1927 and covered by over 200 artists including the Dixie Demons, Fabian and Frank Sinatra. Other songs co-written by Ager include I'm Nobodys Child (Aileen Stanley, Ruth Etting, Benny Goodman), Glad Rag Doll (Sam Lanin, Ben Bernie, Kay Starr), Happy Days Are Here Again (Johnny Marvin, Jack Hylton, Patti Page), Happy Feet (Paul Whiteman, Frankie Trumbauer, Leo Reisman), and Trust In Me (Mildred Bailey, Louis Jordan, Etta James) ~ Ager passed away in 1979