On This Day in Music: December 22

On December 22 in music history, 41 artists were born, 37 died and 4 other milestones happened, among them Madonna (1984), The Clash (2002) and Giovanni Bottesini (1821).

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Highlights

December 22

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Standout moments for this date.

Madonna

Madonna's "Like a Virgin" single goes #1 for 6 weeks

The Clash

Joe Strummer, lead singer of the British punk band The Clash, dies at age 50

Giovanni Bottesini

Giovanni Bottesini, composer was born

Ma Rainey

Ma Rainey, "Mother of the Blues", US blues singer/composer, dies at 53

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Born on December 22

Alan Dudley Bush

Alan Dudley Bush, composer pianist/teacher was born

Andre Kostelanetz

Andre Kostelanetz, St Petersburg Russia, conductor (Lincoln Portrari) was born

Andreas Hallen

Andreas Hallen, composer was born

Antoine Mariotte

Antoine Mariotte, composer was born

Barry Jenkins

Barry Jenkins, rocker (Animals-House of the Rising Sun) was born

Basshunter

Basshunter, popular Swedish singer was born

Carl Friedrich Abel

Carl Friedrich Abel, German/British viola-da-gamba-player/composer was born

Cecil [James] Sharp

Cecil [James] Sharp, London England, folk musician was born

David Heavener

David Heavener, American actor and musician was born

David Leisner

David Leisner, composer was born

Edgard Victor Achille Charles Varese

Edgar Varèse, French-born composer (d. 1965) was born

Frank Corsaro

Frank Corsaro, NY harbor, opera director was born

Frank Gambale

Frank Gambale, Australian musician was born

Franz Schmidt

Franz Schmidt, composer was born

Franz Wilhelm Abt

Franz Wilhelm Abt, German composer/choir conductor was born

Giacomo Puccini

Giacomo Puccini, Lucca Italy opera composer (La bohème, Tosca, Madame Butterfly), (d. 1924) was born

Giovanni Bottesini

Giovanni Bottesini, composer was born

Gunther Schuller

Gunther Schuller, NYC, jazz composer was born

Hawkshaw Hawkins

Hawkshaw Hawkins, Huntington WV, country singer (Ozark Jubilee) was born

Izydor Lotto

Izydor Lotto, composer was born

James Gurley

James Gurley, American musician was born

Jordin Sparks

Jordin Sparks, American singer and American Idol winner was born

Joseph Deems Taylor

Joseph Deems Taylor, NYC, composer (Peter Ibbetson) was born

Lucien Petipa

Lucien Petipa, French dancer/choreographer/ballet leader was born

Luther Campbell (Luke)

Luther Campbell (Luke), American rap artist (2 Live Crew) was born

Marc Lavry

Marc Lavry, composer was born

Marcel "Schmier" Schirmer

Marcel "Schmier" Schirmer, German singer and bassplayer (Destruction) was born

Maria Teresa Carreno

Maria Teresa Carreno, Venezuelan pianist, singer, composer, and conductor was born

Maurice Gibb

Maurice Gibb, Manchester England, rocker (Bee Gees-Saturday Night Fever) was born

Michael Osborne

Michael Osborne, rock guitarist/vocalist (Axe) was born

Mieczyslaw Surzynski

Mieczyslaw Surzynski, composer was born

Nicola d' Arienzo

Nicola d' Arienzo, composer was born

Richey James Edwards

Richey James Edwards, Welsh musician (Manic Street Preachers) (disappeared in 1995) was born

Rick Nielsen

Rick Nielsen, Rockford Il, rock vocalist/guitarist (Cheap Trick) was born

Ricky Ross

Ricky Ross, British rock vocalist (Deacon Blue-Raintown) was born

Robert Frank Kurka

Robert Frank Kurka, composer was born

Robin Gibb

Robin Gibb, Manchester England, rocker (Bee Gees-Saturday Night Fever), (d. 2012) was born

Thomas Christian David

Thomas Christian David, composer was born

Tomas Micieres

Tomas Micieres, composer was born

Wakin Chau

Wakin Chau, Chinese singer was born

Yoshio Hasegawa

Yoshio Hasegawa, composer was born

Died on December 22

Antoine Mariotte

Antoine Mariotte, composer, dies on 69th birthday

Arthur H Bird

Arthur H Bird, composer, dies at 67

Benedikt Randhartinger

Benedikt Randhartinger, composer, dies at 91

Big Scarr

Big Scarr died

Bonifacio Gil Garcia

Bonifacio Gil Garcia, composer, dies at 66

Cecil Effinger

Cecil Effinger, composer, dies at 76

Celius Dougherty

Celius Dougherty, composer, dies at 84

Chris Rea

Chris Rea died

D. Boon

D. Boon, American singer and guitarist (The Minutemen) (b. 1958)

Dave Dudley

Dave Dudley, American singer (b. 1928)

Dennis Linde

Dennis Linde, American songwriter (b. 1943)

Domingo Julio Gomez Garcia

Domingo Julio Gomez Garcia, composer, dies at 87

Ernst Krenek

Ernst Krenek, Austrian/US composer (Orpheus & Eurydike), dies at 91

Galina Ustvolskaya

Galina Ustvolskaya, Russian composer (b. 1919)

Giovanni Marco Rutini

Giovanni Marco Rutini, composer, dies at 74

Heike Matthiesen

Heike Matthiesen died

Ingrid Steeger

Ingrid Steeger died

Ishmail Spicer

Ishmail Spicer, composer, dies at 72

Jan Dismas Zelenka

Jan Dismas Zelenka, composer, dies at 66

Jean-Joseph Mouret

Jean-Joseph Mouret, composer, dies at 56

Johann Nepomuk David

Johann Nepomuk David, composer, dies at 82

Johann Peter Pixis

Johann Peter Pixis, composer, dies at 86

Johnny Coles

Johnny Coles, trumpeter, dies at 71

Julius Weismann

Julius Weismann, composer, dies at 70

Jürg Wyttenbach

Jürg Wyttenbach died

Laura Lynch

Laura Lynch died

Leonidas Zoras

Leonidas Zoras, composer, dies at 82

Leopoldo Mugnone

Leopoldo Mugnone, composer, dies at 83

Ma Rainey

Ma Rainey, "Mother of the Blues", US blues singer/composer, dies at 53

Nikolay Alexeyevich Titov

Nikolay Alexeyevich Titov, composer, dies at 75

Powell Weaver

Powell Weaver, composer, dies at 61

Ray Lynch

Ray Lynch died

Robin Le Mesurier

Robin Le Mesurier died

Thom Bell

Thom Bell died

Tucker Smith

Tucker Smith, singer/dancer (Cool-West Side Story), dies

Walter "Wolfman" Washington

Walter "Wolfman" Washington died

Walter Johannes Damrosch

Walter Johannes Damrosch, composer, dies at 88

Releases & milestones on December 22

Madonna

Madonna's "Like a Virgin" single goes #1 for 6 weeks

Nina Hagen

German DR banishes singer Nina Hagen

The Clash

Joe Strummer, lead singer of the British punk band The Clash, dies at age 50

The Who

Kenny Jones becomes The Who's new drummer

More standout moments in December →