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 25, 1933 ~ Blues guitarist, singer, songwriter Clarence Edwards born in Lindsay, Louisiana, USA ~ Would gain recognition later in life, playing the blues festival circuit in the late 1980s. Best known for songs such as Lonesome Bedroom Blues and I Want Somebody ~ Edwards passed away in 1993
March 25, 1933 ~ Charles William Harris, commonly known as rock & roll, pop singer Wee Willie Harris, born in Bermondsey, UK ~ Enjoyed popularity in his native UK during the 1950s and early 1960s, despite none of his singles reaching the charts. Dubbed “Britain's wild man of rock & roll” for his flamboyant appearance and stage presence. Became a popular performer on TV shows, though many in the media would express concern for the BBC promoting teenage decadence. Best known for his 1957 self-penned Rockin' At The 2 I's debut single. Harris would resurface in the 1970s as a nostalgia act after being referenced by Ian Dury in the song Reasons To Be Cheerful Part 3. Harris would later record the album Twenty Reasons To Be Cheerful ~ Harris passed away in 2023
March 25, 1931 ~ Pianist, harpsichordist, producer Erik Smith, full name Erik George Sebastian Smith, born in Rostock, Germany ~ Son of conductor Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt. Of Jewish descent fled Germany in 1936 with his mother and brother to be raised in the UK. Producer for Decca Records and Phillips. Formed the London Wind Soloists and the Vienna Mozart Ensemble. Produced over 90 opera recordings. Best known for the complete recordings of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, some 180 CDs known as The Complete Mozart Edition released in the early 1990s ~ Smith passed away in 2004
March 25, 1931 ~ Jazz, bebop, post-bop, avant-garde drummer, bandleader, composer Paul Motian, full name Stephen Paul Motian, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA ~ Advanced improviser who challenged post-bop. Rose to prominence from the late 1950s onward backing Bill Evans including on the highly acclaimed Sunday At The Village Vanguard album. Also closely associated with Keith Jarrett, playing with the latter for about a decade starting in 1967. As a leader known for albums such as Dance, Psalm, and The Story Of Maryam. In-demand sideman, present on albums by George Russell, Lee Konitz, Mose Allison (I Love The Life I Live), Bob Brookmeyer, Paul Bley, Don Cherry (Relativity Suite), Charlie Haden (Closeness Duets), and Chick Corea ~ Motian passed away in 2011March 25, 1931 ~ Music manager, songwriter, producer Ted White, full name Theodore Richard White, born in Detroit, Michigan, USA ~ Manager and first husband of pivotal R&B singer Aretha Franklin, with whom he has one son. The couple were married from 1961 through 1969. Co-wrote several of Franklin's best known, notably Dr Feelgood, Think and (Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You've Been Gone ~ White passed away in 2020
March 25, 1931 ~ Producer Tom Wilson, full name Thomas Blanchard Wilson Jr, born in Waco, Texas, USA ~ Founded Transition Records, known for several quintessential mid 1950s jazz releases including Cecil Taylor's Jazz Advance and Sun Ra's Jazz By Sun Ra. As staff producer at Columbia Records especially noted for producing three key Bob Dylan albums, namely The Times They Are A-Changin', Another Side Of Bob Dylan and Bringing It All Back Home. Produced Simon & Garfunkel's 1964 Wednesday Morning 3AM debut album. Has also worked with the likes of the Mothers Of Invention, the Velvet Underground, Eddie Harris, Eric Burdon, and the Blues Project ~ Wilson passed away in 1978
March 25, 1930 ~ Classical pianist, teacher, author Russell Sherman born in New York, New York, USA ~ Debuted at the Town Hall, New York, at age 15. Would go on to become an in-demand soloist, working with renowned orchestras such as the New York Philharmonic, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and the Philadelphia Orchestra. Artist-in-residence and longtime teacher at the New England Conservatory of Music, Boston. As an author known for his collection of short essays on piano playing related concerns, titled Piano Pieces published in 1996 ~ Sherman passed away in 2023
March 25, 1929 ~ Jazz pianist Cecil Taylor, full name Cecil Percival Taylor, born in Long Island, New York, USA ~ Classically trained. Pioneered free jazz. Notably influenced by Béla Bartók and Karlheinz Stockhausen. Possibly over a 100 albums as a leader or co-leader. Known for landmark albums such as Looking Ahead, Love For Sale, and Unit Structures. Has collaborated with the likes of Steve Lacy (The Straight Horn Of Steve Lacy), Buell Neidlinger, the Jazz Composers Orchestra, Max Roach, Mal Waldron (Update), and Evan Parker ~ Taylor passed away in 2018
March 25, 1926 ~ Conductor, orchestrator, film composer Riz Ortolani, full name Riziero Ortolani, born in Pesaro, Italy ~ With a career spanning five decades starting in the mid 1950s has scored over 200 films and TV shows. Best known for co-writing Ti Guardero Nel Cuore for the 1962 documentary film Mondo Cane. It would win the 1964 Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Theme. It has become a pop standard recorded either as an instrumental theme or with Italian or English lyrics, retitled More, by well over 300 artists including Kai Winding, Byron Lee, the Ventures, Frank Sinatra, Duke Ellington, Ricky Nelson, the Supremes, Roy Orbison, Booker T & the MG's, Tom Jones, and Judy Garland ~ Ortolani passed away in 2014March 25, 1925 ~ Singer, voice actor Elmer Dresslar Jr born in St Francis, Kansas, USA ~ Best known as a voice actor, mostly in jingles and commercials. As a solo singer known for the singles Chain Gang and These Hands. Member of the Singers Unlimited ~ Dresslar passed away in 2005
March 25, 1925 ~ Morris Joseph Lazar, commonly known as traditional pop, swing, big band singer, actor Freddie Stewart, born in New York, New York, USA ~ Best known for appearing in the fim series The Teen Agers from 1946 through 1948. Wrote the song Do I Know What I'm Doing for the 1943 She's For Me musical comedy film. Briefly sang with Tommy Dorsey's orchestra ~ Lazar passed away in 2000
March 25, 1923 ~ Bonnie Buckingham, commonly known as singer, guitarist, songwriter Bonnie Guitar, born in Seattle, Washington, USA ~ As a recording artist, Buckingham is best known for her 1957 country-pop hit Dark Moon, one of the first songs by a female country artist to cross over to the pop charts where it reached No.6. However, she is best known for her work behind the scenes, including notably as co-founder of Dolton Records and as such incremental in launching the careers of acts such as the Fleetwoods and the Ventures, and later on as co-owner of Jerden Records ~ Buckingham passed away in 2019
March 25, 1906 ~ Singer, actor, songwriter Jean Sablon born in Nogent-sur-Marne, France ~ One of the first French singers to embrace jazz. The first singer to record with famed guitarist Django Reinhardt. Enjoying an international career in film, stage and music he was often referred to as a French version of Bing Crosby or Frank Sinatra. Known for songs such as Vous Qui Passez Sans Me Voir, In The Still Of The Night, Love Walked In, and Les Feuilles Mortes ~ Sablon passed away in 1994
March 25, 1904 ~ Kermit Holden Johnson, commonly known as boogie-woogie, jazz pianist Pete Johnson, born in Kansas City, Missouri, USA ~ Helped make boogie-woogie popular in the late 1930s. Played with Big Joe Turner (including on Roll 'Em Pete, generally seen as one of the first rock & roll records), Meade Lux Lewis, Albert Ammons, JC Higginbotham, JC Heard, Chuck Berry, and Big Maybelle. Johnson also wrote and recorded Rocket '88 Boogie, the inspiration for Ike Turner's Rocket '88 two years later in 1951 ~ Johnson passed away in 1967
March 25, 1902 ~ Clarinetist Albert Burbank born in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA ~ Student of Lorenzo Tio. Worked with Kid Milton, Paul Barbarin, Kid Ory, Herb Morand, Kid Clayton, Percy Humphrey, and Jimmy Archey ~ Burbank passed away in 1976
March 25, 1867 ~ Conductor Arturo Toscanini born in Parma, Italy ~ One of the most beloved musicians of the late 19th century, early 20th century. Household name in America, known for popularizing operatic and symphonic repertoire. Worked with La Scala, the New York Philharmonic, and the NBC Symphony Orchestra ~ Toscanini passed away in 1957