On This Day in Music: February 17

On February 17 in music history, 65 artists were born, 42 died and 10 other milestones happened, among them The Beatles (1967), The Beach Boys (1962) and Billie Joe Armstrong (1972).

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Highlights

February 17

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Standout moments for this date.

The Beatles

Beatles release "Penny Lane" & "Strawberry Fields"

The Beach Boys

Beach Boys introduced a new musical style with their hit "Surfin"

Billie Joe Armstrong

Billie Joe Armstrong, singer/musician (Green Day) was born

Skrillex

Skrillex released the album 'Quest for Fire'

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Born on February 17

Alec Wilder

Alec Wilder, Rochester NY, composer (1973 ASCAP award) was born

Anton Urspruch

Anton Urspruch, composer was born

Arcangelo Corelli

Arcangelo Corelli, Fusignano Italy, violinist/comp (Concerto Grossi) was born

Baron Ernst Gottlieb

Baron Ernst Gottlieb, composer was born

Ben Cramer

Ben Cramer, Dutch vocalist (Clown) was born

Billie Joe Armstrong

Billie Joe Armstrong, singer/musician (Green Day) was born

Bobby Lewis

Bobby Lewis, rocker (Tossin' & Turnin') was born

Bryan White

Bryan White, American singer was born

Buck Trent

Buck Trent, Spartanburg SC, banjoist/singer (Hee Haw) was born

Chanté Moore

Chanté Moore, American singer was born

Dan Reed

Dan Reed, rocker/actor (HOTS, Lake Consequence) was born

David McComb

David McComb, Australia, vocalist/songwriter (Triffids) was born

Edward (Ed) Sheeran

Edward (Ed) Sheeran, Halifax England, singer-songwriter was born

Edward German (Jones)

Edward German (Jones), Whitchurch Shropshire, British composer was born

Ernest Ford

Ernest Ford, composer was born

Francisco Salvador Daniel

Francisco Salvador Daniel, composer was born

Fred Frith

Fred Frith, English guitarist/violinist/bassist (Skeleton Crew) was born

Friedrich Cerha

Friedrich Cerha, composer was born

Friedrich Wilhelm Markull

Friedrich Wilhelm Markull, composer was born

Gene Pitney

Gene Pitney, Hartford Ct, vocalist/songwriter (Town Without Pity) was born

Georg Bronner

Georg Bronner, composer was born

Giovanni Pacini

Giovanni Pacini, composer was born

Harisu

Harisu, South Korean singer, model and actress was born

Henri Vieuxtemps

Henri Vieuxtemps, Verviers Belgium, composer/teacher (Brussels Cons) was born

Homer Keller

Homer Keller, composer was born

Jan Jachym Kopriva

Jan Jachym Kopriva, composer was born

Johann Melchior Conradi

Johann Melchior Conradi, composer was born

John Leyton

John Leyton, British singer was born

Johnny Bush

Johnny Bush, country singer was born

José José

José José, Mexican singer and actor was born

Kaoru

Kaoru, Japanese musician was born

Karl Jenkins

Karl Jenkins, Welsh composer was born

Kurt Schindler

Kurt Schindler, composer was born

Lee Hoiby

Lee Hoiby, Madison Wisconsin, composer (1957 Arts & Letters) was born

Leevi Antti Madetoja

Leevi Antti Madetoja, composer was born

Lola Montez

Lola Montez, Irish dancer (d. 1861) was born

Loreena McKennitt

Loreena McKennitt, Canadian musician was born

Louis-Maurice de La Pierre

Louis-Maurice de La Pierre, composer was born

Ludwig Bonvin

Ludwig Bonvin, composer was born

Lupe Fiasco

Lupe Fiasco, American rapper was born

Margaret Truman

Margaret Truman, Mo, pres daughter/writer (Murder at FBI)/pianist was born

Marjorie Lawrence

Marjorie Lawrence, Australia, soprano (Venus-Tannhäuser) was born

Marta Romero

Marta Romero, Puerto Rican actress & singer was born

Martyn Bennett

Martyn Bennett, Canadian composer (d. 2005) was born

Meaghan Jette Martin

Meaghan Jette Martin, American child actress and singer was born

Melissa Brooke-Belland

Melissa Brooke-Belland, rocker (Voice of the Beehive-Let it Bee) was born

Michael Lepond

Michael Lepond, American musician was born

Mickey McGill

Mickey McGill, US vocalist (Dells-Love is Blue) was born

Narciso Casanovas

Narciso Casanovas, composer was born

Oskar Danon

Oskar Danon, composer was born

Patrick Uterwijk

Patrick Uterwijk, pop guitarist (Pestilence, Consuming Impulse) was born

Paul Fetler

Paul Fetler, composer was born

Quorthon

Quorthon, Swedish musician (Bathory) (d. 2004) was born

Ramon Tapales

Ramon Tapales, composer was born

Rene Leibowitz

Rene Leibowitz, composer was born

Rick Medlocke

Rick Medlocke, rock guitarist/vocalist (Blackfoot) was born

Ron Goodwin

Ron Goodwin, English composer and conductor (d. 2003) was born

Rudolf Agricola

Rudolf Agricola, [Roelof Huysman], Dutch humanist/organist was born

Samuel Bayer

Samuel Bayer, American music video director was born

Taylor Hawkins

Taylor Hawkins, American musician (Foo Fighters) was born

Tim Mahoney

Tim Mahoney, American musician (311) was born

Tommy Edwards

Tommy Edwards, rock vocalist (It's All in the Game) was born

Usko Merilainen

Usko Merilainen, composer was born

Wish Bone

Wish Bone, American rapper was born

Yuki Isoya

Yuki Isoya, Japanese singer (formerly Judy and Mary) was born

Died on February 17

Alfred Newman

Alfred Newman, US composer, dies at 69

Andrew Weatherall

Andrew Weatherall died

Armand J. Piron

Armand J. Piron, American jazz violinist and composer (b. 1888)

Bill Cowsill

Bill Cowsill, American singer (The Cowsills) (b. 1948)

Bob Merrill

Bob Merrill, American composer and lyricist (b. 1921)

Bruno Walter

Bruno Walter, symphony conductor (NY Philharmonic), dies at 85

Chow Ching Lie

Chow Ching Lie died

Dermot O'Reilly

Dermot O'Reilly, Irish-born Canadian musician, producer and songwriter (b. 1943)

Ethelbert Woodbridge Nevin

Ethelbert Woodbridge Nevin, composer, dies at 38

Fausto Cigliano

Fausto Cigliano died

Ferdinando Carulli

Ferdinando Carulli, composer, dies at 70

Franz Gotz

Franz Gotz, composer, dies at 59

Gavril Nikolayevich Popov

Gavril Nikolayevich Popov, composer, dies at 67

Gerald Fried

Gerald Fried died

Gregorio Allegri

Gregorio Allegri, Italian singer/composer (Miserere), dies at about 67

Henri[cus A] Viotta

Henri[cus A] Viotta, Dutch composer (Handbook of Music), dies at 84

Henry Gray

Henry Gray died

Ja'Net DuBois

Ja'Net DuBois died

Jamie Muir

Jamie Muir died

Jan Bart Klaster

Jan Bart Klaster, music editor (The Slogan), dies at 50

Jerry Fielding

Jerry Fielding, composer (Bewitched, Hogan's Heroes), dies at 57

John Braham

John Braham, singer/composer, dies at 81

Joseph Parry

Joseph Parry, composer, dies at 61

José van Dam

José van Dam died

Kizito Mihigo

Kizito Mihigo died

Louis Marchand

Louis Marchand, composer, dies at 63

Martha Stewart

Martha Stewart died

Michael Lohr

Michael Lohr, composer, dies at 62

Napoleon Coste

Napoleon Coste, composer, dies at 76

Nikoghayos Fadeyi Tigranyan

Nikoghayos Fadeyi Tigranyan, composer, dies at 94

Oskar Merikanto

Oskar Merikanto, composer, dies at 55

Otto J Gombosi

Otto J Gombosi, Hungarian/US musicologist, dies at 52

Paquita la del Barrio

Paquita la del Barrio died

Ray Barretto

Ray Barretto, Puerto Rican musician (b. 1929)

Rick Buckler

Rick Buckler died

Shinya Yamada

Shinya Yamada died

Sonja Ziemann

Sonja Ziemann died

Thelonious Monk

Thelonious Monk, American jazz pianist and composer, dies at 64

U-Roy

U-Roy died

Uta Graf

Uta Graf, singer/teacher, dies at 80

Willy Hess

Willy Hess, German violinist (b. 1859)

[Elsie] Evelyn Laye

[Elsie] Evelyn Laye, actress/singer (Sun Child), dies at 95

Releases & milestones on February 17

Giacomo Puccini

Giacomo Puccini's opera "Madama Butterfly," premieres in Milan

Giuseppe Verdi

Giuseppe Verdi's opera "Un Ballo in maschera" premieres in Napoli

Irving Berlin

Irving Berlin's musical "Face the Music," premieres in NYC

Ja Rule

'Always On Time' by R&B artist Ja Rule featuring Ashanti starts a two-week run at No.1 on the US singles chart.

Johnny Cash

Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash record an album; it was never released.

Pink

Pink released the album 'Trustfall'

Sigmund Romberg

Romberg/Hanley/Atteridge/Smith' musical premieres in NYC

Skrillex

Skrillex released the album 'Quest for Fire'

The Beach Boys

Beach Boys introduced a new musical style with their hit "Surfin"

The Beatles

Beatles release "Penny Lane" & "Strawberry Fields"

More standout moments in February →