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.
March 16, 1909 ~ Donald MacRae Wilhoite Jr, commonly known as vaudevillian, songwriter Don Raye, born in Washington DC, USA ~ Best known for penning or co-penning a number of the Andrews Sisters' songs including Beat Me Daddy Eight To The Bar, The House Of Blue Lights, Just For A Thrill and Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy. Other artists who recorded his songs include Will Bradley, Louis Jordan, Jimmie Lunceford, Bing Crosby, Woody Herman, Freddie Slack, Sarah Vaughan, and Gene Krupa ~ Raye passed away in 1985March 16, 1909 ~ Abraham John Bond Jr, commonly known as blues, country blues singer, guitarist, songwriter Son Bonds, born in Brownsville, Tennessee, USA ~ Closely associated with Sleepy John Estes and Hammie Nixon. Best known for his 1934 recording Back And Side Blues, which reportedly served as the basis for Sonny Boy Williamson I's Good Morning Little Schoolgirl. Other well known Bond songs include A Hard Pill To Swallow and Come Back Home ~ Bond passed away in 1947
March 16, 1902 ~ Jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, guitarist, songwriter Leon Roppolo, full name Leon Joseph Roppolo, born in Lutcher, Louisiana, USA ~ Major influence on Benny Goodman. Best known as a member of the New Orleans Rhytm Kings, regarded as one of the top jazz bands of the 1920s. Co-wrote Farewell Blues, covered by King Oliver, Cab Calloway, Django Reinhardt, and Count Basie. Co-wrote Tin Roof Blues, covered by Louis Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton, and Sidney Bechet ~ Roppolo passed away in 1943March 16, 1901 ~ Piedmont blues, country blues singer, guitarist, songwriter Alec Seward, full name Alexander T Seward, born in Charles City Council, Virginia, USA ~ Worked with Brownie McGhee, Sonny Terry, Louis Hayes, Leadbelly, Woody Guthrie. As a solo artist best known for Some People Say and Creepin' Blues, the latter with notable harmonica accompaniment by Larry Johnson ~ Seward passed away in 1972
March 16, 1736 ~ Giovanni Battista Draghi, commonly known as composer Giovanni Pergolesi, passed away in Pozzuoli, Italy ~ Baroque composer, violinist, organist best known for his Stabat Matar and the opera La Serva Padrona. Given the nickname “Pergolesi” for the town of Pergola, the birthplace of his ancestors. Died of tuberculosis at age 26 ~ Draghi was born in 1710