We mark the death on July 6, 1971 of the jazz trumpet-player, singer, bandleader, and American icon Louis Armstrong: the “indispensable” man of jazz.

On June 29, 1941 – 79 years ago today – the Polish pianist, composer, philanthropist, vintner, and statesman Ignacy Jan Paderewski died in New York City. He was 80 years old.

We mark the birth on June 22, 1859 – 161 years ago today – of the German-born American conductor and educator Frank Heino Damrosch

We mark the death on June 15, 1996 – 24 years ago today – of the singer and musician - the First Lady of Song, the Queen of Jazz, Lady Ella - Ella Jane Fitzgerald at the age of 78.

We note the death on June 8, 1839 – 181 years ago today – of the German soprano Aloysia Weber Lange. Don’t know who she is? You will soon enough.

It was on June 1, 1971 – 49 years ago today – that the two-room shotgun house in Tupelo Mississippi in which Elvis Presley was born was opened to the public as a tourist attraction

We mark the opening on May 25, 1869 – 151 years ago today - of the Vienna Court Opera.

We mark the passing, on May 18, 1911 of the composer and conductor Gustav Mahler, who died all-too-young in Vienna, two months shy of his 51st birthday.

We mark the birth on May 11, 1888, of the Russian-born American songwriter Irving Berlin (1888-1989). Berlin wrote the words and music to over 1500 songs.

We mark the birth on May 4, 1655 – 365 years ago today – of the inventor, musical instrument builder, and engineer extraordinaire Bartolomeo Cristofori.