On This Day in Music: March 15

1926 Birth

Ben Johnston

Ben Johnston, American composer was born

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1926 Birth

Benjamin Burwell Johnson

Benjamin Burwell Johnson, composer was born

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1963 Birth

Bret Michaels

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

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1927 Birth

Carl Smith

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

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1933 Birth

Cecil Perceval Taylor

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

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1901 Birth

Colin McPhee

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

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1934 Birth

Danny Apolinar

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

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1944 Birth

David Costell

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

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1873 Birth

David Vaughan Thomas

David Vaughan Thomas, composer was born

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1946 Birth

David Wall

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

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1938 Birth

Dick Higgins

Dick Higgins, composer was born

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1835 Birth

Eduard Strauss

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

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1808 Birth

Gaetano Gaspari

Gaetano Gaspari, composer was born

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1916 Birth

Harry James

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

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1836 Birth

Henrique Alves de Mesquita

Henrique Alves de Mesquita, composer was born

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1946 Birth

Howard Scott

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

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1942 Birth

Hughie Flint

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

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1907 Birth

Jimmy McPartland

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

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1977 Birth

Joe Hahn

Joe Hahn, American musician was born

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1864 Birth

Johan Halvorsen

Johan Halvorsen, composer was born

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1974 Birth

John "Beatz" Holohan

John "Beatz" Holohan, American musician was born

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1968 Birth

John Tardy

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

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1968 Birth

Jon Schaffer

Jon Schaffer, American guitarist (Iced Earth) was born

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1982 Birth

Jordan Hastings

Jordan Hastings, Canadian drummer (Alexisonfire) was born

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1851 Birth

Jozef Surzynski

Jozef Surzynski, composer was born

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1950 Birth

Jørgen Olsen

Jørgen Olsen, Danish singer was born

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1968 Birth

Kahimi Karie

Kahimi Karie, Japanese singer was born

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1838 Birth

Karl Davydov

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

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1864 Birth

Leslie Stuart

Leslie Stuart, composer was born

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1912 Birth

Lightnin' Hopkins

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

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1924 Birth

Lockrem Johnson

Lockrem Johnson, composer was born

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1972 Birth

Mark Hoppus

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

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1968 Birth

Mark McGrath

Mark McGrath, American musician (Sugar Ray) was born

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1941 Birth

Mike Love

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

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1790 Birth

Nicola Vaccai

Nicola Vaccai, composer was born

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1928 Birth

Nicolas Flagello

Nicolas Flagello, composer was born

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1940 Birth

Phil Lesh

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

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1964 Birth

Rockwell

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

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1933 Birth

Ronald Roseman

Ronald Roseman, composer was born

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1884 Birth

Rudolf Piskacek

Rudolf Piskacek, composer was born

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1947 Birth

Ry Cooder

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

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1968 Birth

Sabrina [Salerno]

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

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1978 Birth

Sid Wilson

Sid Wilson, American musician (Slipknot) was born

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1754 Birth

Silvestro Palma

Silvestro Palma, composer was born

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1894 Birth

Slava Vorlova

Slava Vorlova, composer was born

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1944 Birth

Sly Stone

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

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1962 Birth

Steve Coy

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

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1947 Birth

Stomu Yamash'ta

Stomu Yamash'ta, composer was born

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1962 Birth

Terrence Trent D'Arby

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

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1901 Birth

Theo Uden Marsman

Theo Uden Marsman, Dutch orchestra leader was born

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1929 Birth

Tiezo Matsumura

Tiezo Matsumura, composer was born

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1969 Birth

Timo Kotipelto

Timo Kotipelto, Finnish musician was born

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1867 Birth

Will Rossiter

Will Rossiter, composer was born

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1975 Birth

Will.i.am

Will.i.am, American musician was born

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1934 Birth

Wolfgang Hufschmidt

Wolfgang Hufschmidt, composer was born

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1981 Birth

Young Buck

Young Buck, American rapper was born

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1907 Birth

Zarah Leander

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

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1942 Death

Alexander van Zemlinsky

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

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1575 Death

Annibale Padovano

Annibale Padovano, Italian composer (b. 1527)

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1993 Death

Anthony Bowles

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

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1954 Death

Arthur Fickenscher

Arthur Fickenscher, composer, dies at 82

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1991 Death

Budd [Lawrence] Freeman

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

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1966 Death

Heinrich Lemacher

Heinrich Lemacher, composer, dies at 74

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1918 Death

Jose Silvestre de los Dolores White Lafitte

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

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1918 Death

Juliette Marie Olga Lili Boulanger

Juliette Marie Olga Lili Boulanger, composer, dies at 24

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1883 Death

Karol Studzinski

Karol Studzinski, composer, dies at 55

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2025 Death

Les Binks

Les Binks died

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1959 Death

Lester Young

Lester Young, American musician (b. 1909)

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1918 Death

Lili Boulanger

Lili Boulanger, composer, dies at 24

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1842 Death

Luigi Cherubini

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

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2008 Death

Mikey Dread

Mikey Dread, amaican singer (b. 1954)

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2011 Death

Nate Dogg

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

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1996 Death

Olga Rudge

Olga Rudge, violinist, dies at 100

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1929 Death

Pine-Top Smith

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

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1673 Death

Salvatore Rosa

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

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2011 Death

Smiley Culture

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

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2020 Death

Suzy Delair

Suzy Delair died

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2008 Death

Vytautas Kernagis

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

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1950 Event

Gian-Carlo Menotti

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

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1968 Event

Jimi Hendrix

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

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2024 Event

Justin Timberlake

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

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2024 Event

Kacey Musgraves

Kacey Musgraves released the album 'Deeper Well'

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1962 Event

Richard Rodgers

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

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1966 Event

Tom Jones

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

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1994 Event

Whitney Houston

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

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2026 Event

Willie Peyote

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

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