On This Day in Music: December 31

On December 31 in music history, 34 artists were born, 37 died and 7 other milestones happened, among them Odetta (1930), Donna Summer (1948) and John Denver (1943).

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Highlights

December 31

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Standout moments for this date.

Odetta

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

Donna Summer

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

John Denver

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

Umm Kulthum

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

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Born on December 31

Ala Odetta

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

Andy Summers

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

Baron Waqa

Baron Waqa, Nauruan politician and musician was born

Bob Bryar

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

Burton Cummings

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

Donna Summer

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

Ernest Austin

Ernest Austin, composer was born

Ernest John Moeran

Ernest John Moeran, British composer was born

Fermin Goytisolo

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

Franz Joseph Oehlschlagel

Franz Joseph Oehlschlagel, composer was born

Henry Hiles

Henry Hiles, composer was born

John Denver

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

Joseph Mulrey McIntyre

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

Jule Styne

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

Lionel Daunais

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

Malcolm Middleton

Malcolm Middleton, Scottish musician (Arab Strap) was born

Mani Neumeier

Mani Neumeier, German musician (Guru Guru) was born

Marko Rothmuller

Marko Rothmuller, composer was born

Max Fiedler

Max Fiedler, composer was born

Michel Brunet

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

Nathan Milstein

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

Odetta

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

Papoose

Papoose, American rapper was born

Paul Westerberg

Paul Westerberg, singer (The Replacements) was born

Pete Qualfe

Pete Qualfe, rocker was born

Rex Allen

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

Richard Kleinmichel

Richard Kleinmichel, composer was born

Rita Lee

Rita Lee, Brazilian Rock Star was born

Ross Barbour

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

Scott Ian

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

Silvestre Revueltas

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

Thomas Taglichsbeck

Thomas Taglichsbeck, composer was born

Tom Hamilton

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

Umm Kulthum

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

Died on December 31

Alberto Mazzucato

Alberto Mazzucato, composer, dies at 64

Anita Pointer

Anita Pointer died

Bert-Åke Varg

Bert-Åke Varg died

Betty White

Betty White died

Charles Koechlin

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

Cyril M Scott

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

Don Nix

Don Nix died

Donal Michalsky

Donal Michalsky, composer, dies at 47

Ernst Rudorff

Ernst Rudorff, composer, dies at 76

Floyd Cramer

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

Frantisek Chaun

Frantisek Chaun, composer, dies at 60

Franz Ignaz Beck

Franz Ignaz Beck, composer, dies at 75

Frederico Davia

Frederico Davia, opera singer, dies at 63

George Louis Francis Lewis

George Louis Francis Lewis, composer, dies at 16

Giovanni Maria Trabaci

Giovanni Maria Trabaci, composer, dies

Gustav Hermann Unger

Gustav Hermann Unger, composer, dies at 72

Hayden Thompson

Hayden Thompson died

Hugo Franz Karl Alexander von Kerpen

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

Ivan Mozgovenko

Ivan Mozgovenko died

Jay Clayton

Jay Clayton died

Jean-Pierre Duport

Jean-Pierre Duport, composer, dies at 77

José Greco

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

Juraj Filas

Juraj Filas died

Kevin MacMichael

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

Lester Albert Trimble

Lester Albert Trimble, composer, dies at 63

Luigi Ricci

Luigi Ricci, composer, dies at 54

Markku Peltola

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

Oliver Shaw

Oliver Shaw, composer, dies at 69

Omus Hirshbein

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

Peter Van Anrooy

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

Pietro Spada

Pietro Spada died

Rick Nelson

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

Sabin V Dragoi

Sabin V Dragoi, composer, dies at 74

Salvatore Baccaloni

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

Semyon Semyonovich Bogatiryov

Semyon Semyonovich Bogatiryov, composer, dies at 70

Sigwart Aspestrand

Sigwart Aspestrand, composer, dies at 85

Tom Johnson

Tom Johnson died

Releases & milestones on December 31

Def Leppard

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

Gilbert & Sullivan

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

Gustav Mahler

G Mahler conducts the Metropolitan Opera

Harry Tierney

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

Jerry Garcia

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

Kurt Weill

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

Paul McCartney

Paul McCartney files a lawsuit to disolve the Beatles

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