On This Day

August 1947 in Music History

Events in Music

  • Aug 1 "Medium & The Telephone" opens at Barrymore Theater NYC for 211 performances
  • Aug 2 Greek-American soprano makes her Italian debut in the title role of Amilcare Ponchielli's "La Gioconda" at the Verona Arena
  • Aug 6 1st performance of Hector Villa-Lobos' "Bachianas Brasilieras No 8"
  • Aug 23 US President Truman's daughter, Margaret's 1st public singing concert

Birthdays in Music

  • Aug 1 Rick Anderson, American actor and rock bassist (Tubes - "I'll Talk To You Later"), born in St. Paul, Minnesota (d. 2022)
  • Aug 1 Rick Coonce, American rock drummer (Grass Roots), born in Los Angeles, California (d. 2011)
  • Aug 2 Massiel [Maria Santamaria], Spanish pop singer (La, la, la), born in Madrid, Spain
  • Aug 4 Klaus Schulze, German electronic music composer (Audentity), born in Berlin
  • Aug 4 Paul Layton, English musician and rocker (The New Seekers - "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing"), born in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, England
  • Aug 5 Greg Leskiw, Canadian guitarist (The Guess Who, 1970-72), born in Winnipeg, Manitoba
  • Aug 5 Rick Derringer [Zehringer], American guitarist, songwriter (The McCoys - "Hang On Sloopy"; solo - "Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo".), and producer (Edgar Winter; Johnny Winter; Weird Al Yankovic), born in Fort Recovery, Ohio
  • Aug 5 Willie Weeks, American session and touring bass player (George Harrison; Vince Gill; Wynonna Judd; David Bowie; Eric Clapton), born in Salemburg, North Carolina
  • Aug 8 Brenda Lee Eager, American gospel and soul singer and songwriter, born in Mobile, Alabama
  • Aug 9 Barbara Mason, American R&B singer ("Yes, I'm Ready"), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  • Aug 10 Dmitri Alexeev, Russian concert pianist (Leeds International Competition, 1975), and teacher (Royal College of Music - London, 2010-present), born in Moscow, USSR
  • Aug 10 Ian Anderson, Scottish rock singer, flute player, guitarist, and songwriter (Jethro Tull - "Bungle In The Jungle"; "Aqualung"; "Locomotive Breath"), born in Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland
  • Aug 11 Catherine Collard, French concert pianist (Schumann; Brahms), and teacher, born in Paris (d. 1993)
  • Aug 13 David St. Hubbins, British fictional heavy metal singer (Spinal Tap), born in Squatney, London, England
  • Aug 14 Maddy Prior, English folk singer (Steeleye Span, Silly Sisters, Carnival Band), born in Blackpool, United Kingdom
  • Aug 15 (Gerardo) "Jerry" Velez, American drummer and percussionist (Jimi Hendrix's Woodstock appearance; Spyro Gyra - "Morning Dance"), born in The Bronx, New York City
  • Aug 17 Gary Talley, American rock guitarist (Box Tops - "The Letter"), born in Memphis, Tennessee
  • Aug 19 Gerard Schwarz, American classical trumpeter and conductor (Seattle Symphony, 1985-2011), born in Weehawken, New Jersey
  • Aug 20 David Lasley, American session vocalist and songwriter, born in Branch, Michigan
  • Aug 20 James Pankow, American trombonist, arranger and composer (Chicago - "Make Me Smile"; "Colour My World"), born in St. Louis, Missouri
  • Aug 21 Carl Giammarese, American rock guitarist (The Buckinghams - "Kind Of A Drag"), born in Chicago, Illinois
  • Aug 22 Donna Godchaux, American singer (Grateful Dead, 1972-79), born in Florence, Alabama
  • Aug 23 Rex Allen Jr, American country singer (Nashville on the Road), born in Chicago, Illinois
  • Aug 23 Terje Rypdal, Norwegian jazz guitarist and composer, born in Oslo, Norway
  • Aug 23 Willy Russell, English playwright and composer (Shirley Valentine, Educating Rita), born in Whiston, England
  • Aug 24 Jimmy Fox, American drummer (The James Gang - "Funk #49"), born in Cleveland, Ohio

Deaths in Music

  • Aug 13 Tobias Norlind, Swedish musicologist, dies at 68

Famous Musicians

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