On This Day in Music: December 31

1930 Birth

Ala Odetta

Ala Odetta, [Odetta Holmes], Birmingham, folk singer/actress was born

→

1942 Birth

Andy Summers

Andy Summers, Blackpool England, rock guitarist (Police-Roxanne) was born

→

1959 Birth

Baron Waqa

Baron Waqa, Nauruan politician and musician was born

→

1979 Birth

Bob Bryar

Bob Bryar, American drummer (My Chemical Romance, Gerardolopoly) was born

→

1947 Birth

Burton Cummings

Burton Cummings, rock guitarist (Guess Who-These Eyes) was born

→

1948 Birth

Donna Summer

Donna Summer, Boston, singer (Love to Love You Baby, On the Radio), (d. 2012) was born

→

1874 Birth

Ernest Austin

Ernest Austin, composer was born

→

1894 Birth

Ernest John Moeran

Ernest John Moeran, British composer was born

→

1951 Birth

Fermin Goytisolo

Fermin Goytisolo, rocker (KC & Sunshine Band-Give It) was born

→

1724 Birth

Franz Joseph Oehlschlagel

Franz Joseph Oehlschlagel, composer was born

→

1826 Birth

Henry Hiles

Henry Hiles, composer was born

→

1943 Birth

John Denver

John Denver, NM, singer (Rocky Mt High), thank God he's a country boy was born

→

1972 Birth

Joseph Mulrey McIntyre

Joseph Mulrey McIntyre, rocker (New Kids-Lovin' You Forever) was born

→

1905 Birth

Jule Styne

Jule Styne, England, songwriter/composer (1954 Acad Award, 1968 Tony) was born

→

1902 Birth

Lionel Daunais

Lionel Daunais, Quebec singer and composer (d. 1982) was born

→

1973 Birth

Malcolm Middleton

Malcolm Middleton, Scottish musician (Arab Strap) was born

→

1940 Birth

Mani Neumeier

Mani Neumeier, German musician (Guru Guru) was born

→

1908 Birth

Marko Rothmuller

Marko Rothmuller, composer was born

→

1859 Birth

Max Fiedler

Max Fiedler, composer was born

→

1970 Birth

Michel Brunet

Michel Brunet, Gatineau Quebec, ice dancer (1996 Canadians-2nd) was born

→

1904 Birth

Nathan Milstein

Nathan Milstein, Odessa Russia, concert violinist (Phila Orch 1942) was born

→

1930 Birth

Odetta

Odetta, [Holmes], Birmingham Ala, folk singer (Sanctuary) was born

→

1978 Birth

Papoose

Papoose, American rapper was born

→

1959 Birth

Paul Westerberg

Paul Westerberg, singer (The Replacements) was born

→

1943 Birth

Pete Qualfe

Pete Qualfe, rocker was born

→

1922 Birth

Rex Allen

Rex Allen, Wilcox Az, cowboy singer (Dr Baxter-Frontier Doctor) was born

→

1846 Birth

Richard Kleinmichel

Richard Kleinmichel, composer was born

→

1947 Birth

Rita Lee

Rita Lee, Brazilian Rock Star was born

→

1928 Birth

Ross Barbour

Ross Barbour, Columbus Ind, singer (4 Freshmen) was born

→

1963 Birth

Scott Ian

Scott Ian, Queens, New York, American heavy metal guitarist (Anthrax-I'm the Man) was born

→

1899 Birth

Silvestre Revueltas

Silvestre Revueltas, Santiago Papasquiaro Mexico, composer (Sensemaya) was born

→

1799 Birth

Thomas Taglichsbeck

Thomas Taglichsbeck, composer was born

→

1951 Birth

Tom Hamilton

Tom Hamilton, Colorado Springs Co, rock bassist (Aerosmith-Dream On) was born

→

1904 Birth

Umm Kulthum

Umm Kulthum, Egyptian singer and actress (d. 1975) was born

→

1877 Death

Alberto Mazzucato

Alberto Mazzucato, composer, dies at 64

→

2022 Death

Anita Pointer

Anita Pointer died

→

2022 Death

Bert-Åke Varg

Bert-Åke Varg died

→

2021 Death

Betty White

Betty White died

→

1950 Death

Charles Koechlin

Charles Koechlin, French composer (Jungle Book), dies at 83

→

1970 Death

Cyril M Scott

Cyril M Scott, English composer/author (Alchemist), dies at 91

→

2024 Death

Don Nix

Don Nix died

→

1975 Death

Donal Michalsky

Donal Michalsky, composer, dies at 47

→

1916 Death

Ernst Rudorff

Ernst Rudorff, composer, dies at 76

→

1997 Death

Floyd Cramer

Floyd Cramer, pianist (Nashville Sound), dies of cancer at 64

→

1981 Death

Frantisek Chaun

Frantisek Chaun, composer, dies at 60

→

1809 Death

Franz Ignaz Beck

Franz Ignaz Beck, composer, dies at 75

→

1996 Death

Frederico Davia

Frederico Davia, opera singer, dies at 63

→

1968 Death

George Louis Francis Lewis

George Louis Francis Lewis, composer, dies at 16

→

1647 Death

Giovanni Maria Trabaci

Giovanni Maria Trabaci, composer, dies

→

1958 Death

Gustav Hermann Unger

Gustav Hermann Unger, composer, dies at 72

→

2025 Death

Hayden Thompson

Hayden Thompson died

→

1802 Death

Hugo Franz Karl Alexander von Kerpen

Hugo Franz Karl Alexander von Kerpen, composer, dies at 53

→

2021 Death

Ivan Mozgovenko

Ivan Mozgovenko died

→

2023 Death

Jay Clayton

Jay Clayton died

→

1818 Death

Jean-Pierre Duport

Jean-Pierre Duport, composer, dies at 77

→

2000 Death

José Greco

José Greco, Italian-born American flamenco dancer and choreographer (b. 1918)

→

2021 Death

Juraj Filas

Juraj Filas died

→

2002 Death

Kevin MacMichael

Kevin MacMichael, American guitarist (Cutting Crew) (b. 1951)

→

1986 Death

Lester Albert Trimble

Lester Albert Trimble, composer, dies at 63

→

1859 Death

Luigi Ricci

Luigi Ricci, composer, dies at 54

→

2007 Death

Markku Peltola

Markku Peltola, Finnish actor and musician (b. 1956)

→

1848 Death

Oliver Shaw

Oliver Shaw, composer, dies at 69

→

2011 Death

Omus Hirshbein

Omus Hirshbein, classical music impresario and music director, dies at 77

→

1954 Death

Peter Van Anrooy

Peter Van Anrooy, conductor/composer (Piet Hein Rhapsodie), dies at 75

→

2022 Death

Pietro Spada

Pietro Spada died

→

1985 Death

Rick Nelson

Rick Nelson, singer/actor (Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet), dies at 45

→

1968 Death

Sabin V Dragoi

Sabin V Dragoi, composer, dies at 74

→

1969 Death

Salvatore Baccaloni

Salvatore Baccaloni, opera singer/actor (Full of Life), dies at 69

→

1960 Death

Semyon Semyonovich Bogatiryov

Semyon Semyonovich Bogatiryov, composer, dies at 70

→

1941 Death

Sigwart Aspestrand

Sigwart Aspestrand, composer, dies at 85

→

2024 Death

Tom Johnson

Tom Johnson died

→

1984 Event

Def Leppard

Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen loses his arm in a car crash

→

1879 Event

Gilbert & Sullivan

Gilbert and Sullivan's Opera "Pirates of Penzance," premieres in NYC

→

1907 Event

Gustav Mahler

G Mahler conducts the Metropolitan Opera

→

1923 Event

Harry Tierney

H Tierney/J McCarthy's musical "Kid Boots," premieres in NYC

→

1963 Event

Jerry Garcia

Jerry Garcia & Bob Weir played music together for the 1st time

→

1989 Event

Kurt Weill

"Threepenny Opera" closes at Lunt-Fontanne Theater NYC after 65 perfs

→

1970 Event

Paul McCartney

Paul McCartney files a lawsuit to disolve the Beatles

→