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 3, 1930 ~ Jazz pianist, composer, arranger Bob Hammer, full name Howard Robert Hammer, born in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA ~ Leader and sideman. Worked with Red Allen, Bud Freeman, Bob Wilber, Roy Eldridge, Gene Krupa, Eddie Condon, Pee Wee Russell, Jimmy Knepper, Johnny Hartman, Woody Herman, Clark Terry, Elvin Jones, Cozy Cole, and with Charles Mingus, the latter calling Hammer “his Ludwig van Beethoven” ~ Hammer passed away in 2021
March 3, 1928 ~ Hard-bop double bassist, arranger Pierre Michelot born in Paris, France ~ Studied piano. Switched to bass at ge 16. Worked with Rex Stewart, Kenny Clarke, Coleman Hawkins, Sidney Bechet, Django Reinhardt, Stéphane Grappelli, Don Byas, Thelonious Monk, Lester Young, Dexter Gordon, Stan Getz, Bud Powell, Zoot Sims, Dizzy Gillespie, Chet Baker, Miles Davis (Ascenseur Pour L'Echafaud), and Jacques Loussier ~ Michelot passed away in 2005March 3, 1927 ~ Ska, rocksteady, reggae saxophonist Tommy McCook born in Havana, Cuba ~ Co-founding member of pivotal ska band the Skatalites. Also closely associated with renowned producers Duke Reid and Bunny Lee, sessioning with numerous artist through either of the two producers. Has also notably worked with Coxsone Dodd, Yabby You, Toots & the Maytals, and with Herbie Mann on the albums Reggae and its follow-up Reggae II ~ McCook passed away in 1998
March 3, 1925 ~ Tenor saxophonist, trumpeter Herbert Hardesty born in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA ~ Best known for his association with pianist Fats Domino and producer Dave Bartholomew. Has also worked with artists such as Papa Celestin, Sidney Desvigne, Chick Webb, Chubby Newsom, Earl Palmer, Ernest McLean, Cosimo Matassa, Jewel King, Tommy Ridgley, Lloyd Price (sax on Lawdy Miss Clawdy), Shirley & Lee, Smiley Lewis, T-Bone Walker, Big Joe Turner, Little Richard, Hank Jones, Count Basie, Tom Waits, Plas Johnson, and Mitch Woods ~ Hardesty passed away in 2016
March 3, 1923 ~ Arthel Lane Watson, commonly known as guitarist Doc Watson, born in Deep Gap, North Carolina, USA ~ Iconic, prolific picker drawing from various traditional American styles including bluegrass, folk, country, blues and gospel. Worked with T Michael Coleman, Randy Scruggs, Earl Scruggs, David Holt, Jack Lawrence, Tommy Emmanuel, Clint Howard, Chet Atkins, Bill Monroe, David Grisman, Del McCoury, Mac Wiseman, Ricky Skaggs, and with his son Merle Watson ~ Watson passed away in 2012March 3, 1920 ~ Songwriter, lyricist, guitarist Hubert Giraud, full name Hubert Yves Adrian Giraud, born in Marseille, France ~ Played with Django Reinhardt's the Quintette du Hot Club, Ray Ventura and with Jacques Hélian. As a songwriter best known for co-authoring, with Pierre Delanoë, the song Dors Mon Amour, the 1958 Eurovision Songfestival winner performed by André Claveau ~ Giraud passed away in 2016
March 3, 1917 ~ Ismael Morales, commonly known as saxophonist, clarinetist, flutist Esy Morales, born in San Juan, Puerto Rico ~ Noted for appearing on several of Xavier Cugat's albums. Formed the Brothers Morales Orchestra with his siblings Humberto Morales and Noro Morales. Led his own the Esy Morales Orchestra, perhaps best known for appearing in several movies including performing Jungle Fantasy in the 1949 Criss-Cross film ~ Morales passed away in 1950
March 3, 1906 ~ Albany Leon Bigard, commonly known as jazz clarinetist, saxophonist Barney Bigard, born in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA ~ In the early 1920s played with King Oliver, usually on saxophone. Bigard is best known however for his 15-year tenure with Duke Ellington starting in 1927. He is also credited as composer or co-composer on several numbers, including the Ellington standard Mood Indigo. Was the one who recommended Duke to hire Johnny Hodges. Post-Ellington Bigard did soundtrack work for Hollywood, including with Louis Armstrong. Toured with trombonist Kid Ory in the late 1940s. Bigard also recorded under his own name. Sat in with the Glenn Miller Orchestra on some of their best known such as Moonlight Serenade and Tuxedo Junction. Wrote an autobiography titled With Louis And The Duke ~ Bigard passed away in 1980March 3, 1906 ~ Big band, jazz singer, saxophonist Kenny Sargent, full name Laurel Kenneth Sargent, born in Centralia, Illinois, USA ~ Best known as lead vocalist, saxophonist for the Casa Loma Orchestra, enjoying popularity in the 1930s and 1940s. Present on some of the band's best known including The Talk Of The Town, Blue Moon, City Called Heaven, and When I Grow Too Old To Dream. Sargent retired from the band in 1943 to pursue a career as a radio host starting with Memphis-based WHHM, remaining active in radio with Tennessee and Texas stations throughout the 1960s ~ Sargent passed away in 1969
March 3, 1905 ~ Jazz keyboardist, saxophonist, violinist Fernand Coppieters born in Brussels, Belgium ~ Father of jazz pianist Francis Coppieters. Wored with Bistroulle-ADO, the Red Mills Ragtime Band, the Rhytmic Novelty Dance Orchestra, Fud Candrix, René Compère, Robert de Kers, Oscar Alemán, Josephine Baker, Roland Dorsay, and Willie Lewis ~ Coppieters passed away in 1981
March 3, 1896 ~ Vaudeville singer, comedian Frankie Jaxon, full name Frank Devera Jackson, born in Montgomery, Alabama, USA ~ Appeared with Duke Ellington in the 1929 film short Black And Tan, and with Bessie Smith in St Louis Blues the same year. Cab Calloway's Minnie The Moocher is said to be based on Jaxon's 1927 song Willie The Weeper. Has worked with Bennie Moten, King Oliver, Freddie Keppard, Cow Cow Davenport, Tampa Red, and the Harlem Hamfats. Retired from music by the early 1940s ~ Jackson passed away in 1953
March 3, 1893 ~ Blues singer, guitarist William Moore born in Dover, Georgia, USA ~ Bridged ragtime and blues. Best known for his late 1920s recordings for Paramount Records. Well-known songs include One Way Gal, Ragtime Millionaire, and Old Country Rock. Moore's songs have been covered by the likes of Lightnin' Wells, John Fahey, and the Notting Hillbillies ~ Moore passed away in 1951
March 3, 1891 ~ Composer, conductor, theatrical impresario Federico Moreno Torroba born in Madrid, Spain ~ Regarded as one of the leading 20th century composers for the classical guitar. Praised as composer of zarzuelas, a form of Spanish light opera, noted for his 1932 Luisa Fernanda. Has also composed ballets, symphonies, piano works and one full-length opera, El Poeta which premiered in 1980 featuring Plácido Domingo ~ Torroba passed away in 1982