On This Day in Music: December 26

On December 26 in music history, 43 artists were born, 34 died and 11 other milestones happened, among them The Beatles (1964), Jimi Hendrix (1966) and Curtis Mayfield (1999).

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Highlights

December 26

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Standout moments for this date.

1964 Event

The Beatles

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

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1966 Event

Jimi Hendrix

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

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1999 Death

Curtis Mayfield

Curtis Mayfield, American musician (b. 1942)

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1968 Event

Led Zeppelin

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

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Born on December 26

1935 Birth

Abdul "Duke" Fakir

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

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1808 Birth

Albert Grisar

Albert Grisar, composer was born

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1952 Birth

Andre-Michel Schub

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

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1894 Birth

Antonio Molina

Antonio Molina, composer was born

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1879 Birth

Armen Tigran Tigranyan

Armen Tigran Tigranyan, composer was born

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1855 Birth

Arnold Ludwig Mendelssohn

Arnold Ludwig Mendelssohn, composer was born

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1979 Birth

Chris Daughtry

Chris Daughtry, American singer was born

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1942 Birth

Earl Cate

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

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1926 Birth

Earle Brown

Earle Brown, composer was born

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1942 Birth

Ernie Cate

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

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1893 Birth

Evgeny Karlovich Tikotsky

Evgeny Karlovich Tikotsky, composer was born

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1826 Birth

Franz Coenen

Franz Coenen, composer was born

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1793 Birth

Franz Hunten

Franz Hunten, composer was born

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1762 Birth

Franz Wilhelm Tausch

Franz Wilhelm Tausch, composer was born

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1901 Birth

Georgy Mikhaylovich Rimsky-Korsakov

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

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1946 Birth

Gordon Edwards

Gordon Edwards, rocker was born

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1920 Birth

Gote Carlid

Gote Carlid, composer was born

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1797 Birth

Hans Skramstad

Hans Skramstad, composer was born

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1869 Birth

Harry Redman

Harry Redman, composer was born

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1916 Birth

Helmut Eder

Helmut Eder, composer was born

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1953 Birth

Henning Schmitz

Henning Schmitz, German musician (Kraftwerk) was born

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1873 Birth

Hubert Cuypers

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

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1906 Birth

Imperio Argentina

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

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1949 Birth

Ira Newborn

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

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1970 Birth

James Mercer

James Mercer, American musician (The Shins) was born

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1687 Birth

Johann Georg Pisendel

Johann Georg Pisendel, German violinist/composer was born

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1805 Birth

Joseph-Leon Gatayes

Joseph-Leon Gatayes, composer was born

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1879 Birth

Julius Weismann

Julius Weismann, composer was born

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1873 Birth

Karel Moor

Karel Moor, composer was born

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1970 Birth

Krissada Terrence

Krissada Terrence, Thai singer and actor was born

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1963 Birth

Lars Ulrich

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

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1950 Birth

Michael Jones

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

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1979 Birth

Mzbel

Mzbel, Ghanaian singer was born

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1954 Birth

Peter Woods

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

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1942 Birth

Rob de Nijs

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

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1929 Birth

Régine

Régine, French singer and nightclub owner was born

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1845 Birth

Salvatore Auteri Manzocchi

Salvatore Auteri Manzocchi, composer was born

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1931 Birth

Thomas Eden Binkley

Thomas Eden Binkley, musician was born

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1915 Birth

Una Mae Carlisle

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

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1901 Birth

Victor Hely-Hutchinson

Victor Hely-Hutchinson, composer was born

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1812 Birth

Wilhelm Volkmar

Wilhelm Volkmar, composer was born

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1893 Birth

Yury Nikolayevich Tyulin

Yury Nikolayevich Tyulin, composer was born

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1926 Birth

Zlatko Pibernik

Zlatko Pibernik, composer was born

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Died on December 26

2004 Death

Aki Sirkesalo

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

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2022 Death

Alain Bernheim

Alain Bernheim died

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1736 Death

Antonio Caldara

Antonio Caldara, composer, dies

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1957 Death

Artur Malawski

Artur Malawski, composer, dies at 53

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1916 Death

Bernhard Scholz

Bernhard Scholz, composer, dies at 81

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1918 Death

Bertram Luard-Selby

Bertram Luard-Selby, composer, dies at 65

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2021 Death

Bob Hammer

Bob Hammer died

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1999 Death

Curtis Mayfield

Curtis Mayfield, American musician (b. 1942)

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1950 Death

Emile Enthoven

Emile Enthoven, composer, dies at 47

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1974 Death

Farid al-Atrash

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

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2009 Death

Felix Wurman

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

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1836 Death

Hans Georg Nageli

Hans Georg Nageli, composer, dies at 63

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1958 Death

Harry Redman

Harry Redman, composer, dies on 89th birthday

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1977 Death

Ivan Rezak

Ivan Rezak, composer, dies at 53

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1937 Death

Ivor Gurney

Ivor Gurney, composer, dies at 47

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1827 Death

Jan David Holland

Jan David Holland, composer, dies at 81

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2007 Death

Joe Dolan

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

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1887 Death

Jules Francois Blasini

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

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1966 Death

Klaziena "Ina" Boudier-Bakker

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

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1974 Death

Knudage Riisager

Knudage Riisager, composer, dies at 77

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1989 Death

Lennox Berkeley

Lennox Berkeley, composer, dies at 86

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2021 Death

Manikka Vinayagam

Manikka Vinayagam died

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2004 Death

Mieszko Talarczyk

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

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2005 Death

Muriel Costa-Greenspon

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

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1992 Death

Nikita Magaloff

Nikita Magaloff, Russian/Swiss pianist, dies at 80

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1966 Death

Noel Gallon

Noel Gallon, composer, dies at 75

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2024 Death

OG Maco

OG Maco died

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2025 Death

Pate Mustajärvi

Pate Mustajärvi died

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1974 Death

Robert Levine Sanders

Robert Levine Sanders, composer, dies at 68

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2004 Death

Sigurd Køhn

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

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2010 Death

Teena Marie

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

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2020 Death

Tito Rojas

Tito Rojas died

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2023 Death

Tom Smothers

Tom Smothers died

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2023 Death

Tony Oxley

Tony Oxley died

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Releases & milestones on December 26

1892 Event

Alberto Franchetti

Opera "Cristoforo Colombo" is produced (La Scala)

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1830 Event

Gaetano Donizetti

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

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1931 Event

George Gershwin

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

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1871 Event

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.

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1966 Event