On This Day in Music: March 8

On March 8 in music history, 59 artists were born, 37 died and 6 other milestones happened, among them The Beatles (1962), Jimi Hendrix (1971) and Ariana Grande (2024).

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Highlights

March 8

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Standout moments for this date.

The Beatles

Beatles, with Pete Best, TV debut (perform "Dream Baby" on BBC)

Jimi Hendrix

Radio Hanoi broadcasts Jimi Hendrix's "Star Spangled Banner"

Ariana Grande

Ariana Grande released the album 'Eternal Sunshine'

Fela Kuti

Nigerian singer Fela Kuti arrested again on suspicion of murder

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Born on March 8

Alan Hovhaness

Alan Hovhaness, Somerville Mass, composer (Lousadzak, Ukiyo) was born

Andy Ross

Andy Ross, American guitarist (OK Go) was born

Angie Hart

Angie Hart, Australian pop singer was born

Anna Held

Anna Held, Polish-born actress and singer (d. 1918) was born

Anneke van Giersbergen

Anneke van Giersbergen, Dutch singer (The Gathering) was born

Anthony Donato

Anthony Donato, composer was born

Bendix Friedrich Zinck

Bendix Friedrich Zinck, composer was born

Billy Childs

Billy Childs, composer/pianist was born

Bob Brozman

Bob Brozman, American musician was born

Bruce Broughton

Bruce Broughton, American composer was born

Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach

Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, German composer, son of JS Bach was born

Carole Bayer Sager

Carole Bayer Sager, American composer was born

Cheryl "Salt" James

Cheryl "Salt" James, singer (Salt-N-Pepa) was born

Cheryl Baker

Cheryl Baker, rock vocalist (Bucks Fizz-My Camera Never Lies) was born

Christian Wolff

Christian Wolff, composer was born

Cyd Charisse

Cyd Charisse, [Tula Finklea], Amarillo Tx, dancer/actress (Singing in the Rain) was born

Darwin Horacio Vargas-Wallis

Darwin Horacio Vargas-Wallis, composer was born

Dave Moffatt

Dave Moffatt, Canadian musician was born

Don Carlo Gesualdo

Don Carlo Gesualdo, Italian composer (d. 1613) was born

Edward Hubertus Joannes Keurvels

Edward Hubertus Joannes Keurvels, Flemish composer (Parisina) was born

Egbert George "Pete" Pitterson

Egbert George "Pete" Pitterson, trumpeter was born

Ewa Sonnet

Ewa Sonnet, Polish model and pop singer was born

Franco Alfano

Franco Alfano, Italian opera composer (Il dottore Antonio) was born

Franco Faccio

Franco Faccio, Italian composer/conductor was born

Frank Michael Beyer

Frank Michael Beyer, composer was born

Friedrich August Kanne

Friedrich August Kanne, composer was born

Gabor Szabo

Gabor Szabo, Hungarian jazz pianist (Perfect Circle) was born

Gary Numan

Gary Numan, [Gary Webb], Hammersmith England, vocalist (Replicas) was born

George William Martin

George William Martin, composer was born

Gottfied Wilhelm Fink

Gottfied Wilhelm Fink, composer was born

Ivana Loudova

Ivana Loudova, composer was born

Ivor Keys

Ivor Keys, musician/teacher was born

James Daniel "Danny" Turner

James Daniel "Danny" Turner, saxophonist was born

Jaromir Podesva

Jaromir Podesva, composer was born

Johann Rist

Johann Rist, composer was born

Johnny Dollar

Johnny Dollar, singer was born

Joseph Berg

Joseph Berg, composer was born

Judy Johnson

Judy Johnson, Norfolk Va, singer (Your Show of Shows) was born

Lew DeWitt

Lew DeWitt, Va, country singer (Statler Brothers-Flowers on the Wall) was born

Little Peggy March

Little Peggy March, [Margaret Battavio], vocalist (I Will Follow Him) was born

Manuel Gomez Carillo

Manuel Gomez Carillo, composer was born

Micky Dolenz

Micky Dolenz, Los Angeles California, actor (Circus Boy)/singer (Monkees) was born

Mike Allsup

Mike Allsup, Modesto Ca, rock guitarist (Three Dog Night) was born

Otto Taubmann

Otto Taubmann, composer was born

Palito Ortega

Palito Ortega, Argentine singer and actor was born

Paul Juon

Paul Juon, Russian/Swiss violinist/composer was born

Peggy Zina

Peggy Zina, Greek singer was born

Per Jonas Fredrik Vilhelm Svedbom

Per Jonas Fredrik Vilhelm Svedbom, composer was born

Peter Ged Gill

Peter Ged Gill, drummer (Frankie Goes to Hollywood-2 Tribes) [or 1/8] was born

Randy Meisner

Randy Meisner, rock bassist/vocalist (Poco, Eagles-Take it Easy) was born

Raynoma Gordy

Raynoma Gordy, [Mayberry], US orchestra leader (Rayber Voices) was born

Richard Farina

Richard Farina, American writer and folk rocker (Reflections in a Crystal Wind) was born

Robert Tear

Robert Tear, Barry Wales, tenor (Welsh Natl Opera 1970) was born

Sergey Nikitin

Sergey Nikitin, Russian composer was born

Shawn Mullins

Shawn Mullins, American musician was born

Tapio Rautavaara

Tapio Rautavaara, Finnish athlete, actor, and singer (d. 1979) was born

Tom Chaplin

Tom Chaplin, English singer (Keane) was born

Yannis Vlachopoulos

Yannis Vlachopoulos, composer was born

Yvar Emilian Mikhashoff

Yvar Emilian Mikhashoff, composer was born

Died on March 8

Abdou Cherif

Abdou Cherif died

Adam Faith

Adam Faith, English singer and actor (b. 1940)

Adrian Bărar

Adrian Bărar died

Adrien de La Fage

Adrien de La Fage, composer, dies at 56

Auguste Tolbecque

Auguste Tolbecque, composer, dies at 88

Billy Eckstine

Billy Eckstine, jazz singer (Fools Rush In), dies at 78 of stroke

Carolomannus Pachschmidt

Carolomannus Pachschmidt, composer, dies at 33

Cepillín

Cepillín died

Chaim Topol

Chaim Topol died

Clara Kathleen Rogers

Clara Kathleen Rogers, composer, dies at 87

Georg Bronner

Georg Bronner, composer, dies at 53

Grandpa Elliott

Grandpa Elliott died

Guillaume van Messaus

Guillaume van Messaus, composer, dies at 50

Harald Vallerius

Harald Vallerius, composer, dies at 69

Henryk Szeryng

Henryk Szeryng, Polish-born violinist (b. 1918)

Ingo Schwichtenberg

Ingo Schwichtenberg, German drummer (b. 1965)

Isao Suzuki

Isao Suzuki died

Jaroslav Kocian

Jaroslav Kocian, composer, dies at 67

Johann Anton Sulzer

Johann Anton Sulzer, composer, dies at 75

John Winter Thompson

John Winter Thompson, composer, dies at 83

Jose Serrano Simeon

Jose Serrano Simeon, composer, dies at 67

Julien-François Zbinden

Julien-François Zbinden died

Louis Hector Berlioz

Louis Hector Berlioz, French composer (Symphony Fantastic), dies at 65

Marcel Amont

Marcel Amont died

Mauricio Rosenmann Taub

Mauricio Rosenmann Taub died

Mike Starr (musician)

Mike Starr (musician), American Musician (b. 1966)

Naima Samih

Naima Samih died

Othmar Schoeck

Othmar Schoeck, composer, dies at 70

Paul Lewis Harrhy

Paul Lewis Harrhy, actor/opera singer (Intelligence Park), dies at 38

Peter Benoit

Peter Benoit, Flemish composer/conductor (High Mass), dies at 66

Red Callender

Red Callender, US jazz bassist (Unfinished dream), dies at 76

René Clemencic

René Clemencic died

Ron "Pigpen" McKernan

Ron "Pigpen" McKernan, rocker (Grateful Dead, Grass Roots), dies at 27

Ron Miles

Ron Miles died

Thomas Beecham

Thomas Beecham, English conductor (Last Night of the Prom), dies at 81

Trevor Peacock

Trevor Peacock died

William T Walton

William T Walton, English composer (Belhazzar's feast), dies at 80

Releases & milestones on March 8

Ariana Grande

Ariana Grande released the album 'Eternal Sunshine'

Fela Kuti

Nigerian singer Fela Kuti arrested again on suspicion of murder

Jimi Hendrix

Radio Hanoi broadcasts Jimi Hendrix's "Star Spangled Banner"

Judas Priest

Judas Priest released the album 'Invincible Shield'

Sonata Arctica

Sonata Arctica released the album 'Clear Cold Beyond'

The Beatles

Beatles, with Pete Best, TV debut (perform "Dream Baby" on BBC)

More standout moments in March →