About maketodayrock.com: We celebrate musicians' birthdays, remember those we've lost, and highlight key moments in music such a release dates, chart peak dates, or anything else tied to a specific date. Pick any day from the menu in the top right. The front page shows recent obituaries.
October 25, 1882 ~ Antonio Junius Jackson, commonly known as pianist, singer, composer Tony Jackson, born in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA ~ Son of freed slaves. Influenced Clarence Williams, Steve Lewis, and Jelly Roll Morton. Served as mentor to the far from modest Morton who even ranked him “the only musician better than himself”. Best remembered for Pretty Baby, written about his male lover ~ Jackson passed away in 1921
October 25, 1825 ~ Johann Baptist Strauss, commonly known as composer Johann Straus II, born in Vienna, Austria ~ Son of composer Johann Strauss I. Composed light music, dance music, operettas. Dubbed “the Waltz King”, having composed over 500 waltzes, polkas, and quadrilles including The Blue Danube, Kaiser-Walzer and Tritsch-Tratsch Polka. Notably also remembered for the operettas Die Fledermaus and Der Zigeunerbaron ~ Strauss passed away in 1899