1886
Birth
Ma Rainey
Ma Rainey, [Gertrude Pridgett], "Mother of the Blues" American singer (d. 1939) was born
On This Day in Music: April 26
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Born on April 26
1979
Birth
Ariane Moffatt
Ariane Moffatt, Quebec singer and songwriter was born
1916
Birth
Arnoldus Christian Vlok van Wyk
Arnoldus Christian Vlok van Wyk, composer was born
1796
Birth
Auguste-Matthieu Panseron
Auguste-Matthieu Panseron, composer was born
1978
Birth
Avant
Avant, American singer was born
1942
Birth
Bobby Rydell
Bobby Rydell, Phila Pa, rock singer (Wild One, Bye Bye Birdie) was born
1938
Birth
Duane Eddy
Duane Eddy, Phoenix, Az, country singer (Peter Gunn, Cannonball) was born
1910
Birth
Erland von Koch
Erland von Koch, composer was born
1910
Birth
Ernst Tittel
Ernst Tittel, composer was born
1603
Birth
Francesco Nigetti
Francesco Nigetti, composer was born
1932
Birth
Francis Lai
Francis Lai, French film music composer was born
1943
Birth
Gary Wright
Gary Wright, singer, dream weaver (Spooky Tooth-It's All About) was born
1945
Birth
Giorgio Moroder
Giorgio Moroder, producer/singer/songwriter (150 gold discs) was born
1962
Birth
Graham "Skin" Skinner
Graham "Skin" Skinner, rocker (Hipsway) was born
1834
Birth
Horatio Richmond Palmer
Horatio Richmond Palmer, composer was born
1950
Birth
Howard "Leon" Reeder
Howard "Leon" Reeder, rock guitarist (Champaign) was born
1822
Birth
Jan Albert van Eyken
Jan Albert van Eyken, composer/organist was born
1979
Birth
Janne Wirman
Janne Wirman, Finnish musician (Children of Bodom) was born
1971
Birth
Jay DeMarcus
Jay DeMarcus, American bassist (Rascal Flatts) was born
1921
Birth
Jimmy Giuffre
Jimmy Giuffre, jazz musician was born
1949
Birth
Jimmy Hall
Jimmy Hall, rocker (Wet Willie) was born
1959
Birth
John Corabi
John Corabi, American Musician was born
1941
Birth
John Mitchell
John Mitchell, American composer was born
1982
Birth
Jon Lee
Jon Lee, British singer (S Club) was born
1920
Birth
Juan Chambaya Lampe
Juan C Lampe, Aruba, pianist/composer was born
1925
Birth
Jørgen Ingmann
Jørgen Ingmann, Danish musician was born
1906
Birth
Leopold Spinner
Leopold Spinner, composer was born
1806
Birth
Ludwig Friedrich Hetsch
Ludwig Friedrich Hetsch, composer was born
1886
Birth
Ma Rainey
Ma Rainey, [Gertrude Pridgett], "Mother of the Blues" American singer (d. 1939) was born
1938
Birth
Maurice Williams
Maurice Williams, rocker was born
1963
Birth
Michael Damian
Michael Damian, actor/singer (Joseph & Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat) was born
1984
Birth
Mija Martina
Mija Martina, Bosnian singer was born
1880
Birth
Mikhail Fokine
Mikhail Fokine, Russia, choreographer/founder of modern dance was born
1981
Birth
Ms. Dynamite
Ms. Dynamite, English musician was born
1985
Birth
Nam Gyu-Ri
Nam Gyu-Ri, Korean singer, member of See Ya was born
1975
Birth
Nathan "Joey" Jordison
Nathan "Joey" Jordison, American musician (Slipknot) was born
1975
Birth
Nerina Pallot
Nerina Pallot, British singer was born
1567
Birth
Nicolas Forme
Nicolas Forme, composer was born
1926
Birth
Oldrich Frantisek Korte
Oldrich Frantisek Korte, composer was born
1922
Birth
Paul-Andre Gaillard
Paul-Andre Gaillard, composer was born
1950
Birth
Peter Schaufuss
Peter Schaufuss, director of ballet (Deutsche Opera Berlin) was born
1960
Birth
Roger Taylor
Roger Taylor, rock drummer (Duran Duran-Hungry Like the Wolf) was born
1924
Birth
Russell Nype
Russell Nype, Zion Ill, singer/actor (Burton Farley-Dorothy) was born
1970
Birth
Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins
Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins, American singer (TLC) was born
1914
Birth
Wilfred Howard Mellers
Wilfred Howard Mellers, composer was born
Died on April 26
1965
Death
Aaron Avshalomov
Aaron Avshalomov, composer, dies at 70
1999
Death
Adrian Borland
Adrian Borland, English musician (The Sound) (b. 1957)
2021
Death
Al Schmitt
Al Schmitt died
2023
Death
Alzira Rufino
Alzira Rufino died
2025
Death
Andy Bey
Andy Bey died
1827
Death
Bernardo Ottani
Bernardo Ottani, composer, dies at 90
1983
Death
Bronislaw Kaper
Bronislaw Kaper, composer, dies at 81
1991
Death
Carmine Coppola
Carmine Coppola, composer/father of Francis Ford Coppola, dies
1865
Death
Charles J Sax
Charles J Sax, Belgium musician and father of Adolphe Sax inventor of the saxophone, dies at 74
1648
Death
Christoph Thomas Walliser
Christoph Thomas Walliser, composer, dies at 79
1984
Death
Count Basie
William "Count" Basie, jazz piano great, dies on 80th birthday
1703
Death
Georg Christoph Leuttner
Georg Christoph Leuttner, composer, dies at 58
1922
Death
Hans Sommer
Hans Sommer, composer, dies at 84
1951
Death
John Alden Carpenter
John Alden Carpenter, US composer (Sea Drift), dies at 75
1924
Death
Josef Labor
Josef Labor, composer, dies at 82
1785
Death
Karl Siegmund von Seckendorff
Karl Siegmund von Seckendorff, composer, dies at 40
2022
Death
Klaus Schulze
Klaus Schulze died
1991
Death
Leo Arnaud
Leo Arnaud, French-American composer (b. 1904)
1972
Death
Margaret A R Bonds
Margaret A R Bonds, US pianist/composer/arranger, dies at 59
2026
Death
Nedra Talley
Nedra Talley died
2026
Death
Peter Gülke
Peter Gülke died
1907
Death
Pietro Plantania
Pietro Plantania, composer, dies at 79
1987
Death
Shankar
Shankar, Of Noted Bollywood Music Director Duo Shankar-Jaikishan (b. 1922)
Releases & milestones on April 26
2024
Event
Accept
Accept released the album 'Humanoid'
2024
Event
Anitta
Anitta released the album 'Funk Generation'
1835
Event
Frederic Chopin
Frederic Chopin's "Grand Polonaise Brillante" premieres in Paris
1973
Event
Galt MacDermot
"2 Gentlemen of Verona" musical opens in London
1855
Event
Gioachino Rossini
Composer Gioacchino Rossini leaves Italy
2024
Event
Justice
Justice released the album 'Hyperdrama'
2024
Event
Pet Shop Boys
Pet Shop Boys released the album 'Nonetheless'
2024
Event
St. Vincent
St. Vincent released the album 'All Born Screaming'
1947
Event
Vivian Ellis
"Bless the Bride" musical opens in London
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