On This Day in Music: December 26

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Highlights

December 26

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Standout moments for this date.

The Beatles

Beatles' "I Feel Fine," single goes #1 & stays #1 for 3 weeks

Jimi Hendrix

Jimi Hendrix writes "Purple Haze" backstage at the Upper Cut Club

Curtis Mayfield

Curtis Mayfield, American musician (b. 1942)

Led Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin's concert debut in Denver as opener for Vanilla Fudge

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Born on December 26

Abdul "Duke" Fakir

Abdul "Duke" Fakir, Detroit MI, rock vocalist (Four Tops) was born

Albert Grisar

Albert Grisar, composer was born

Andre-Michel Schub

Andre-Michel Schub, Paris France, pianist (Van Cliburn-1981) was born

Antonio Molina

Antonio Molina, composer was born

Armen Tigran Tigranyan

Armen Tigran Tigranyan, composer was born

Arnold Ludwig Mendelssohn

Arnold Ludwig Mendelssohn, composer was born

Chris Daughtry

Chris Daughtry, American singer was born

Earl Cate

Earl Cate, Ark, country singers (Cate Bros-Fire on the Tracks) was born

Earle Brown

Earle Brown, composer was born

Ernie Cate

Ernie Cate, Ark, country singers (Cate Bros-Fire on the Tracks) was born

Evgeny Karlovich Tikotsky

Evgeny Karlovich Tikotsky, composer was born

Franz Coenen

Franz Coenen, composer was born

Franz Hunten

Franz Hunten, composer was born

Franz Wilhelm Tausch

Franz Wilhelm Tausch, composer was born

Georgy Mikhaylovich Rimsky-Korsakov

Georgy Mikhaylovich Rimsky-Korsakov, composer [NS] was born

Gordon Edwards

Gordon Edwards, rocker was born

Gote Carlid

Gote Carlid, composer was born

Hans Skramstad

Hans Skramstad, composer was born

Harry Redman

Harry Redman, composer was born

Helmut Eder

Helmut Eder, composer was born

Henning Schmitz

Henning Schmitz, German musician (Kraftwerk) was born

Hubert Cuypers

Hubert Cuypers, Dutch composer/choir conductor (Minstrels) was born

Imperio Argentina

Imperio Argentina, Argentine actress and singer (d. 2003) was born

Ira Newborn

Ira Newborn, NYC, orchestra leader (Manhattan Transfer) was born

James Mercer

James Mercer, American musician (The Shins) was born

Johann Georg Pisendel

Johann Georg Pisendel, German violinist/composer was born

Joseph-Leon Gatayes

Joseph-Leon Gatayes, composer was born

Julius Weismann

Julius Weismann, composer was born

Karel Moor

Karel Moor, composer was born

Krissada Terrence

Krissada Terrence, Thai singer and actor was born

Lars Ulrich

Lars Ulrich, Danish/US heavy metal drummer (Metallica-Kill 'em All) was born

Michael Jones

Michael Jones, rocker (BT Express-Here Comes the Express) was born

Mzbel

Mzbel, Ghanaian singer was born

Peter Woods

Peter Woods, rocker (Romeo Void-Girl in Trouble) was born

Rob de Nijs

Rob de Nijs, Dutch singer (Put a candle in your window) was born

Régine

Régine, French singer and nightclub owner was born

Salvatore Auteri Manzocchi

Salvatore Auteri Manzocchi, composer was born

Thomas Eden Binkley

Thomas Eden Binkley, musician was born

Una Mae Carlisle

Una Mae Carlisle, US pianist/vocalist (Walkin' at the River) was born

Victor Hely-Hutchinson

Victor Hely-Hutchinson, composer was born

Wilhelm Volkmar

Wilhelm Volkmar, composer was born

Yury Nikolayevich Tyulin

Yury Nikolayevich Tyulin, composer was born

Zlatko Pibernik

Zlatko Pibernik, composer was born

Died on December 26

Aki Sirkesalo

Aki Sirkesalo, Finnish musician, in 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake (b. 1962)

Alain Bernheim

Alain Bernheim died

Antonio Caldara

Antonio Caldara, composer, dies

Artur Malawski

Artur Malawski, composer, dies at 53

Bernhard Scholz

Bernhard Scholz, composer, dies at 81

Bertram Luard-Selby

Bertram Luard-Selby, composer, dies at 65

Bob Hammer

Bob Hammer died

Curtis Mayfield

Curtis Mayfield, American musician (b. 1942)

Emile Enthoven

Emile Enthoven, composer, dies at 47

Farid al-Atrash

Farid al-Atrash, Arab composer, singer, virtuoso oud player, and actor (b. 1915)

Felix Wurman

Felix Wurman, American cellist and composer (b. 1958)

Hans Georg Nageli

Hans Georg Nageli, composer, dies at 63

Harry Redman

Harry Redman, composer, dies on 89th birthday

Ivan Rezak

Ivan Rezak, composer, dies at 53

Ivor Gurney

Ivor Gurney, composer, dies at 47

Jan David Holland

Jan David Holland, composer, dies at 81

Joe Dolan

Joe Dolan, Irish singer and entertainer (b. 1943)

Jules Francois Blasini

Jules Francois Blasini, Curacaos pianist/composer, dies at 40

Klaziena "Ina" Boudier-Bakker

Klaziena "Ina" Boudier-Bakker, singer (Armoede, Finale), dies at 91

Knudage Riisager

Knudage Riisager, composer, dies at 77

Lennox Berkeley

Lennox Berkeley, composer, dies at 86

Manikka Vinayagam

Manikka Vinayagam died

Mieszko Talarczyk

Mieszko Talarczyk, Lead singer/Guitarist of grindcore band, Nasum, in 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake (b. 1974)

Muriel Costa-Greenspon

Muriel Costa-Greenspon, American mezzo-soprano (b. 1937)

Nikita Magaloff

Nikita Magaloff, Russian/Swiss pianist, dies at 80

Noel Gallon

Noel Gallon, composer, dies at 75

OG Maco

OG Maco died

Pate Mustajärvi

Pate Mustajärvi died

Robert Levine Sanders

Robert Levine Sanders, composer, dies at 68

Sigurd Køhn

Sigurd Køhn, Norwegian jazz musician, in 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake (b. 1959)

Teena Marie

Teena Marie, American singer and composer (b. 1956)

Tito Rojas

Tito Rojas died

Tom Smothers

Tom Smothers died

Tony Oxley

Tony Oxley died

Releases & milestones on December 26

Alberto Franchetti

Opera "Cristoforo Colombo" is produced (La Scala)

Gaetano Donizetti

Gaetano Donizetti's opera "Anna Bolena," premieres in Milan

George Gershwin

Pulitzer Prize-winning musical play "Of Thee I Sing" opens on Bdwy

Gilbert & Sullivan

Gilbert and Sullivan collaborate for the first time, on their lost opera, Thespis. It does modestly well, but the two would not collaborate again for four years.

Jimi Hendrix

Jimi Hendrix writes "Purple Haze" backstage at the Upper Cut Club

Jule Styne

Musical "Do re mi" with Phil Silvers premieres in NYC

Led Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin's concert debut in Denver as opener for Vanilla Fudge

Richard Adler

"Music Is" closes at St James Theater NYC after 8 performances

The Beatles

Beatles' "I Feel Fine," single goes #1 & stays #1 for 3 weeks

Vincenzo Bellini

Vincenzo Bellini's opera "Norma," premieres in Milan

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Stalin views Dmitri Sjostakovitsj' opera "Lady Macbeth"

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