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 4, 1937 ~ Jazz saxophonist, composer Barney Wilen, full name Barney Jean Wilen, born in Nice, France ~ Leader and sideman. Worked with Miles Davis (Ascenseur Pour L'Echafaud), Kenny Clarke, Thelonious Monk, Art Blakey's the Jazz Messengers, Bud Powell, Chet Baker, Jay Cameron, Franco Cerri, Gil Cuppini, Leo Ferré, George Gruntz, Lars Gullin, Roy Haynes, Sacha Distel, Marie Möör, Stevie Nicks, Jacques Pelzer, François Tusques, and René Urtreger ~ Wilen passed away in 2006
March 4, 1934 ~ Singer, actress Barbara McNair, full name Barbara Jean McNair, born in Chicago, Illinois, USA ~ Jazz, nightclub singer best known for her 1958 debut single Till There Was You. Toured with Nat King Cole. Starred in early 1960s Broadway shows, notably I'm With You. Would focus on acting in films and TV from the 1970s onwards ~ McNair passed away in 2007March 4, 1934 ~ Laila Sinikka Soppi, commonly known as singer Laila Halme, born in Lesogorsky, Russia ~ Best known for representing Finland at the 1963 Eurovision Songfestival, reaching tied thirteenth place with the song Muistojeni Laulu (The Song Of My Memories). The other contestant reaching thirteenth place was Annie Palmen, who represented the Netherlands with Een Speeldoos ~ Soppi passed away in 2021
March 4, 1933 ~ Johanna Rafalowicz, commonly known as jazz singer Ann Burton, born in Amsterdam, the Netherlands ~ Alongside Rita Reys and Greetje Kauffeld considered one of the premier postwar Dutch jazz singers. Best known for her 1967 Blue Burton album. Over the course of her career, Burton has worked with Johnny Millston, Ted Powder, Pia Beck, Gijs Hendriks, Masahiko Sato, Ken McCarthy, Grady Tate, and Buster Williams ~ Rafalowicz passed away in 1989
March 4, 1932 ~ Zenzile Miriam Makeba, commonly known as singer, activist Miriam Makeba, born in Johannesburg, South Africa ~ Dubbed “Mama Africa” and considered an icon of African jazz, also well known as a fierce activist. Actively performing since the mid 1950s with acts such as the Cuban Brothers, Manhattan Brothers, and the all-female unit the Skylarks. A role in the 1959 Come Back Africa anti-apartheids film would gain her enough exposure to set her off on an international career. Has recorded well over a dozen albums, starting in the early 1960s. Shared a Grammy Award with mentor Harry Belafonte for the 1965 collaborative An Evening With Belafonte And Makeba album. Also especially noted for her 1967 Pata Pata album. Its Billboard Hot 100 top 20 title track, written by Makeba and Jerry Ragovoy, became a signature song and would be covered by over 50 artists ~ Makeba passed away in 2008March 4, 1930 ~ Neoclassical, experimental composer Robert William Witt born in Youngstown, Ohio, USA ~ Married to colorature soprano singer Eva Mondrut. Mentored by Vincent Persichetti. Well known for integrating old themes into new works. Best known for the works Divertimento For Three Woodwinds, Te Deum For Chorus And Brass Quintet and Sonatina No.1 ~ Witt passed away in 1967
March 4, 1929 ~ Conductor, violinist Bernard Haitink, full name Bernard Johan Herman Haitink, born in Amsterdam, the Netherlands ~ Internationally acclaimed conductor. Worked with the Concertgebouw Orchestra, the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the Royal Opera House, the Staatskapelle Dresden, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra ~ Haitink passed away in 2021March 4, 1929 ~ Jacqueline Nash, commonly known as singer, actress Gale Sherwood, born in Hamilton, Canada ~ Performed with Nelson Eddy from 1953 until his death in 1967. Starred in a number of musical productions for stage, notably a 1967 production of Show Boat with the Los Angeles Light Civic Opera, and for screen including They Shall Have Music, Let's Make Music and the 1955 TV operetta The Desert Song ~ Nash passed away in 2017
March 4, 1926 ~ Jazz saxophonist, flutist, clarinetist, arranger Don Rendell born in Plymouth, UK ~ Son of Percy Rendell who was musical director for the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company. Leader and sideman. Rendell worked with artists such as George Evans, Oscar Rabin, Johnny Dankworth, Billie Holiday, Tony Crombie, Ted Heath, Stan Kenton, Tony Kinsey, Woody Herman, Ian Carr, Barbara Thompson, Michael Garrick, Brian Priestley, Neil Ardley, Kenny Graham, Richard Hewson, Jutta Hipp, Cyril Stapleton, Stan Tracey, Guy Warren, and Amancio d'Silva ~ Rendell passed away in 2015March 4, 1925 ~ Composer, conductor Paul Mauriat born in Marseille, France ~ Closely associated with French icons Charles Aznavour and Maurice Chevalier. Composed with collaborators such as Andre Pascal, Frank Pourcel, Jacques Plante, Raymond Lefèvre. Internationally best known for songs such as Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Love In Every Room, and for his late 1960s American No.1 hit record Love Is Blue (l'Amour Est Bleu), originally by André Popp ~ Mauriat passed away in 2006
March 4, 1921 ~ Composer, electronic pioneer Halim El-Dabh, full name Halim Abdul Messieh El-Dabh, born in Cairo, Egypt ~ Early pioneer of electronic music, experimenting with sound manipulation, or musique concrete, as early as the 1940s incorporating everyday sounds, reverberation, echo chambers and voltage controls in works such as The Expression Of Zaar ~ El-Dabh passed away in 2017
March 4, 1878 ~ Songwriter, pianist Egbert Van Alstyne, full name Egbert Anson Van Alstyne, born in Marengo, Illinois, USA ~ Co-wrote songs such Pretty Baby (the Emerson Military Band, Morton Harvey, Sammy Kaye), Memories (John Barnes Wells, the Southerners, Gene Austin), Beautiful Love (Victor Young, Anita O'Day, Shirley Horn), and Drifting And Dreaming (George Olsen, Jack Denny, the Chordettes) ~ Van Alstyne passed away in 1951
March 4, 1678 ~ Composer, violinist, priest Antonio Vivaldi, full name Antonio Lucio Vivaldi, born in Venice, Italy ~ Baroque composer influential on Johann Sebastian Bach. Virtuoso violinist. Composed over 40 operas. Also known for his concertos and choral works. Perhaps best remembered for his violin concertos, most notably The Four Seasons ~ Vivaldi passed away in 1741