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 23, 1938 ~ Vibraphonist David Pike, full name David Samuel Pike, born in Detroit, Michigan, USA ~ Leader and sideman. Recording as a leader since the early 1960s. Worked with Nick Brignola, Paul Bley, Bill Evans, Herbie Mann, the Jazz Couriers, Kenny Clarke, Lee Konitz, Chuck Israels, Don Friedman, Volker Kriegel, JA Rettenbacher, and Peter Baumeister ~ Pike passed away in 2015
March 23, 1933 ~ Jazz, bebop, free jazz pianist, composer, musicologist Andrzej Trzaskowksi born in Kraków, Poland ~ Musicologist regarded as an authority on syncopated music ~ Trzaskowski passed away in 1998
March 23, 1933 ~ Jazz pianist, singer, composer, lyricist Dave Frishberg born in St Paul, Minnesota, USA ~ Cited Frank Loesser as a major influence, naming Loesser's Baby It's Cold Outside and Willie Nelson's Crazy as two of the songs he wished he had written. Has performed as a solo pianist from the late 1950s forward. Known for humorous, quirky, sardonic songs such as I'm Hip, Blizzard Of Lies, Peel Me A Grape, Slapping The Cakes On Me and probably his best known My Attorney Bernie. Frequent songwriting collaborator of the likes of Johnny Mandel, Bob Brookmeyer, Julius Wechter, Gerry Mulligan. Songs written or co-written by Frishberg have been performed by Blossom Dearie, Rosemary Clooney, Shirley Horn, Anita O'Day, Michael Feinstein, Irene Kral, Diana Krall, Stacey Kent, and John Pizzarelli ~ Frishberg passed away in 2021March 23, 1925 ~ R&B, jazz guitarist Ernest McLean born in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA ~ Best known for his association with producer Dave Bartholomew playing in the house band for Cosimo Matassa's studio. Worked with artists such as Fats Domino (The Fat Man), Little Richard, Smiley Lewis, Lloyd Price (Lawdy Miss Clawdy), Shirley & Lee, Earl Bostic, Herbert Hardesty, Screamin' Jay Hawkins, and Earl Palmer ~ McLean passed away in 2012
March 23, 1918 ~ Granville Henry McGhee, commonly known as jump blues singer, guitarist, songwriter Sticks McGhee, born in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA ~ Best known for first recording Drinkin' Wine Spo-dee-o-dee, which he co-wrote with J Mayo Williams, one of the songs pre-dating and pivotal to development of rock & roll. It would be covered by Wynonie Harris, Johnny Burnette, and Jerry Lee Lewis ~ McGhee passed away in 1961
March 23, 1915 ~ Homer Lee Sherrill, commonly known as old time, bluegrass fiddler Pappy Sherrill, born in Sherrils Ford, North Carolina, USA ~ Received his first fiddle, a tin model from Sears & Roebuck, at the age of seven. Would go on to play for various radio shows starting in the late 1920s. Formed the WIS Hillbillies in 1939, renamed to the Hired Hands after the death of member Byron Parker. The band would become a fixture on the South Carolina music scene, and is noted for appearing on the very first day of broadcasting of the WIS-TV station in 1954 ~ Sherrill passed away in 2001
March 23, 1905 ~ Elisabeth Bunnenberg, commonly known as chanson singer Lale Andersen, born in Bremerhaven, Germany ~ Best known for her 1939 recording of Lili Marleen, a huge hit with German soldiers through the end of the war and eventually selling over a million copies. Nazi officials prohibited Andersen to perform altogether for some nine months because of the song and her association with Jewish friends. In desperation Andersen reportedly attempted suicide but failed. Forced to sing in several Nazi propaganda films before semi-retiring. After the war she returned scoring hits with Die Blaue Nacht Am Hafen and Ein Schiff Wird Kommen and represented Germany at the 1961 Eurovision Songfestival with Einmal Sehen Wir Uns Wieder reaching thirteenth place ~ Buttenberg passed away in 1972March 23, 1898 ~ Tango pianist, composer Francisco de Caro born in Buenos Aires, Argentina ~ Considered the most important representative of tango romanza. Brother of conductor, violinist, composer Julio de Caro. Influenced by Juan Carlos Cobián, Roberto Firpo, Eduardo Arolas. The latter would offer Julio a position in his orchestra after an impromptu performance in 1917. Francisco would later join him, as well as collaborate in other ensembles ~ De Caro passed away in 1976
March 23, 1893 ~ Big band pianist, bandleader, composer, arranger Arnold Johnson born in Chicago, Illinois, USA ~ Worked with Rudy Wiedoeft, Freddy Martin, Harold Arlen, Vic Benton, Bob Chester, and Danny Polo. Johnson disbanded the band in the early 1930s and became a radio producer and director ~ Johnson passed away in 1975