March 1917 in Music History

Events in Music

Mar 7 1st jazz record released on a 78 by Original Dixieland Jass Band for the Victor Talking Machine Company ("Dixie Jazz Band One Step," one side "Livery Stable Blues" other)
Mar 19 Victor Herbert and Harry Blossom's operetta "Eileen", loosely based on a novel by Herbert's grandfather, premieres at Shubert Theater, New York City

Birthdays in Music

Dinah Shore (1917-1994)

Mar 1 American singer (See the USA in a Chevrolet), actress and TV personality (Dinah Shore Show; Nabisco DS Championship), born in Winchester, Tennessee

Desi Arnaz (1917-1986)

Mar 2 Cuban-American singer ("Babalú"), bandleader, actor (I Love Lucy - "Ricky Riccardo"), and television producer (The Untouchables), born in Santiago de Cuba

Mar 2 John Gardner, English classical composer, born in Manchester, England (d. 2011)
Mar 7 Janet Collins, American ballerina, choreographer, and teacher born in New Orleans, Louisiana (d. 2003)
Mar 7 Robert Erickson, American composer, born in Marquette, Michigan (d. 1997)
Mar 12 Leonard Chess [Lejzor Czyż], Polish-American blues and R&B record company executive (Chess Records), born in Motal, Poland (now Belarus) (d. 1969)
Mar 17 Brian Boydell, Irish composer, born in Howth, Ireland (d. 2000)
Mar 19 Constantin "Dinu" Lipatti, Romanian classical pianist and composer, born in Bucharest, Kingdom of Romania (d. 1950)
Mar 20 Vera Lynn, British popular music singer, known as 'the Forces' Sweetheart' ("We'll Meet Again"; "The White Cliffs of Dover"), born in East Ham, London (d. 2020)
Mar 23 Johnny Guarnieri, American stride and jazz stride pianist, and harpsichordist (The Gramercy Five; The Morey Amsterdam Show), born in New York City (d. 1985)
Mar 26 Rufus Thomas [Mr. Swing], American R&B musician (Do the Funky Chicken), born in Cayce, Mississippi (d. 2001)
Mar 30 Els Aarne, Estonian composer, born in Makiivka, Russian Empire (d. 1995)
Mar 30 Rudolf Bruci, Croatian composer, born in Zagreb, Austrian-Hungarian Empire (now Croatia) (d. 2002)