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.
August 8, 1907 ~ Swing, jazz saxophonist, bandleader, arranger, songwriter Benny Carter, full name Bennet Lester Carter, born in New York, New York, USA ~ Though Carter also played trumpet, clarinet, and piano, he is most acclaimed as a saxophonist, and regarded a pioneer on the alto sax alongside contemporary Johnny Hodges. Carter got his start in music in the early 1920s, serving as arranger for Fletcher Henderson. Carter has also briefly led McKinney's Cotton Pickers, before forming his first band by the early 1930s. Over the years, he has employed numerous sideman who would later rise to fame including Cozy Cole, Ben Webster, Dizzy Gillespie, Coleman Hawkins, JJ Johnson, Max Roach, and Miles Davis. Carter has recorded prolifically, and written and first recorded numerous songs which would go on to become standards, covered by many, including Blue Lou, When Lights Are Low, There I've Said It Again, Key Largo, and Summer Serenade. Carter remained active until his death at age 95, his consistency and longevity unprecedented ~ Carter passed away in 2003August 8, 1904 ~ Pierre Paquet, commonly known as jazz trumpeter, arranger, composer Peter Packay, born in Brussels, Belgium ~ Despite an accident leaving him crippled in one arm decided to learn to play the trumpet. As a composer known for songs such as Alabama Mamma, The Blue Duke, Dixie Melody and Lullaby For A Mexican Alligator. Worked with the Varsity Ramblers, the Red Beans, David Bee, Packay's Swing Academy, and Billy Arnold ~ Paquet passed away in 1965
August 8, 1899 ~ Violinist, pianist, composer, songwriter Victor Young, full name Albert Victor Young, born in Chicago, Illinois, USA ~ Bandleader, conductor perhaps best known for writing or co-writing a number of classic tracks including When I Fall In Love (Jeri Southern), Blue Star (The Medic Theme) (Les Baxter, Earl Grant, the Ventures), Sweet Sue Just You (Charlie Straight, Ted Lewis, Fats Waller, Louis Prima), Can't We Talk It Over (Bing Crosby, Red McKenzie, Toni Arden), Street Of Dreams (Russ Columbo, Ben Selvin, Sarah Vaughan), Love Letters (Dick Haymes, Tony Bennett, Perry Como), Around The World (Eddie Fisher, Frank Sinatra, Brenda Lee), My Foolish Heart (Gordon Jenkins, Billy Eckstine, the Del Vikings, Sam Cooke), Johnny Guitar (Peggy Lee), and I Don't Stand A Ghost Of A Chance (Bing Crosby) ~ Young passed away in 1956