On This Day in Music: March 15

On March 15 in music history, 57 artists were born, 21 died and 8 other milestones happened, among them Jimi Hendrix (1968), Whitney Houston (1994) and Justin Timberlake (2024).

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Highlights

March 15

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Standout moments for this date.

Jimi Hendrix

LIFE mag calls Jimi Hendrix "most spectacular guitarist in the world"

Whitney Houston

8th Soul Train Music Awards: Toni Braxton, Whitney Houston win

Justin Timberlake

Justin Timberlake released the album 'Everything I Thought It Was'

Sly Stone

Sly Stone, Dallas, rocker (Sly & the Family Stone-Everyday People) was born

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Born on March 15

Ben Johnston

Ben Johnston, American composer was born

Benjamin Burwell Johnson

Benjamin Burwell Johnson, composer was born

Bret Michaels

Bret Michaels, Harrisburg Pa, guitarist (Poison-Talk Dirty to Me) was born

Carl Smith

Carl Smith, Maynardville Tn, country singer (Grand Ole Opry) was born

Cecil Perceval Taylor

Cecil Perceval Taylor, composer/jazz pianist (U of Wisconsin) was born

Colin McPhee

Colin McPhee, Montreal Canada, composer (H2O, Mechanical Princibles) was born

Danny Apolinar

Daniel George "Danny" Apolinar, composer/songwriter was born

David Costell

David Costell, Pitts, rocker (Gary Lewis & the Playboys-Diamond Ring) was born

David Vaughan Thomas

David Vaughan Thomas, composer was born

David Wall

David Wall, English ballet dancers/director (Royal Academy of Dancing) was born

Dick Higgins

Dick Higgins, composer was born

Eduard Strauss

Eduard Strauss, Austria, composer (318 Dance) was born

Gaetano Gaspari

Gaetano Gaspari, composer was born

Harry James

Harry James, Albany Ga, trumpeter (married to Betty Grable) was born

Henrique Alves de Mesquita

Henrique Alves de Mesquita, composer was born

Howard Scott

Howard Scott, San Pedro Cal, rock guitarist/vocalist (War, Cisco Kid) was born

Hughie Flint

Hughie Flint, London England, rock drummer (Bonzo Dog Band) was born

Jimmy McPartland

Jimmy McPartland, jazz trumpeteer/actor (Magic Horn) was born

Joe Hahn

Joe Hahn, American musician was born

Johan Halvorsen

Johan Halvorsen, composer was born

John "Beatz" Holohan

John "Beatz" Holohan, American musician was born

John Tardy

John Tardy, US heavy metalist (Obituary, Slowly We Rot) was born

Jon Schaffer

Jon Schaffer, American guitarist (Iced Earth) was born

Jordan Hastings

Jordan Hastings, Canadian drummer (Alexisonfire) was born

Jozef Surzynski

Jozef Surzynski, composer was born

Jørgen Olsen

Jørgen Olsen, Danish singer was born

Kahimi Karie

Kahimi Karie, Japanese singer was born

Karl Davydov

Karl Davydov, Russian cellist (d. 1889) was born

Leslie Stuart

Leslie Stuart, composer was born

Lightnin' Hopkins

Lightnin' [Sam] Hopkins, Texas, blues stylist (Ball of Twine) was born

Lockrem Johnson

Lockrem Johnson, composer was born

Mark Hoppus

Mark Hoppus, American musician (+44 and blink-182) was born

Mark McGrath

Mark McGrath, American musician (Sugar Ray) was born

Mike Love

Mike Love, California, rock saxophonist/vocalist (Beachboys-In My Room) was born

Nicola Vaccai

Nicola Vaccai, composer was born

Nicolas Flagello

Nicolas Flagello, composer was born

Phil Lesh

Phil Lesh, [Chapman], California, rock bassist (Grass Roots, Grateful Dead) was born

Rockwell

Rockwell, [Kennedy Gordy], Det MI, rock vocalist (Someone Watching Me) was born

Ronald Roseman

Ronald Roseman, composer was born

Rudolf Piskacek

Rudolf Piskacek, composer was born

Ry Cooder

Ry[land] Cooder, LA, blues guitarist (Crossroads) was born

Sabrina [Salerno]

Sabrina [Salerno], Genoa Italy, Miss Italy (1984)/singer (Boys) was born

Sid Wilson

Sid Wilson, American musician (Slipknot) was born

Silvestro Palma

Silvestro Palma, composer was born

Slava Vorlova

Slava Vorlova, composer was born

Sly Stone

Sly Stone, Dallas, rocker (Sly & the Family Stone-Everyday People) was born

Steve Coy

Steve Coy, rocker (Dead or Alive-Spin Me Round) was born

Stomu Yamash'ta

Stomu Yamash'ta, composer was born

Terrence Trent D'Arby

Terrence Trent D'Arby, NYC, rock vocalist (Wishing Well) was born

Theo Uden Marsman

Theo Uden Marsman, Dutch orchestra leader was born

Tiezo Matsumura

Tiezo Matsumura, composer was born

Timo Kotipelto

Timo Kotipelto, Finnish musician was born

Will Rossiter

Will Rossiter, composer was born

Will.i.am

Will.i.am, American musician was born

Wolfgang Hufschmidt

Wolfgang Hufschmidt, composer was born

Young Buck

Young Buck, American rapper was born

Zarah Leander

Zarah Leander, Swedish actress and singer (d. 1981) was born

Died on March 15

Alexander van Zemlinsky

Alexander van Zemlinsky, Aust/US composer (African Dance), dies at 70

Annibale Padovano

Annibale Padovano, Italian composer (b. 1527)

Anthony Bowles

Anthony Bowles, music writer (Jesus Christ Superstar), dies at 61

Arthur Fickenscher

Arthur Fickenscher, composer, dies at 82

Budd [Lawrence] Freeman

Budd [Lawrence] Freeman, US jazz saxophonist (Eel), dies at 84

Heinrich Lemacher

Heinrich Lemacher, composer, dies at 74

Jose Silvestre de los Dolores White Lafitte

Jose Silvestre de los Dolores White Lafitte, composer, dies at 82

Juliette Marie Olga Lili Boulanger

Juliette Marie Olga Lili Boulanger, composer, dies at 24

Karol Studzinski

Karol Studzinski, composer, dies at 55

Les Binks

Les Binks died

Lester Young

Lester Young, American musician (b. 1909)

Lili Boulanger

Lili Boulanger, composer, dies at 24

Luigi Cherubini

Luigi Cherubini, Italian composer (Dies Irae), dies at 81

Mikey Dread

Mikey Dread, amaican singer (b. 1954)

Nate Dogg

Nate Dogg, American rapper, Nathaniel Dwayne Hale. (b. 1969)

Olga Rudge

Olga Rudge, violinist, dies at 100

Pine-Top Smith

Pine-Top Smith, jazz pianist (Boogie Woogie Piano), dies at 24

Salvatore Rosa

Salvatore Rosa, Italian painter (Baroque)/poet/music/actor, dies at 57

Smiley Culture

Smiley Culture, British reggae singer, David Victor Emmanuel. (b. 1962)

Suzy Delair

Suzy Delair died

Vytautas Kernagis

Vytautas Kernagis, Lithuanian singer, TV shows announcer (b. 1951)

Releases & milestones on March 15

Gian-Carlo Menotti

Gian Carlo Menotti's opera "Consul," premieres in NYC

Jimi Hendrix

LIFE mag calls Jimi Hendrix "most spectacular guitarist in the world"

Justin Timberlake

Justin Timberlake released the album 'Everything I Thought It Was'

Kacey Musgraves

Kacey Musgraves released the album 'Deeper Well'

Richard Rodgers

Richard Rodgers' musical "No Strings", premieres in NYC

Tom Jones

8th Grammy Awards: Taste of Honey, Tom Jones, Sintra & Striesand

Whitney Houston

8th Soul Train Music Awards: Toni Braxton, Whitney Houston win

Willie Peyote

Willie Peyote released the album 'Anatomia di uno schianto prolungato'

More standout moments in March →