On This Day in Music: July 16

On July 16 in music history, 40 artists were born, 32 died and 6 other milestones happened, among them Desmond Dekker (1942), Celia Cruz (2003) and Rubén Blades (1948).

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July 16

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Standout moments for this date.

Desmond Dekker

Desmond Dekker, [Dacris], Jamaica, reggae pioneer (Aces-Israelites) was born

Celia Cruz

Celia Cruz, Cuban musician (b. 1924)

Rubén Blades

Rubén Blades, Panamanian singer and actor was born

Stewart Copeland

Stewart Copeland, Alexandria Egypt, drummer (Police-Roxanne) was born

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Born on July 16

Alan "Fitz" Fitzgerald

Alan "Fitz" Fitzgerald, rock keyboardist/vocalist (Night Ranger) was born

Bayani Casimiro

Bayani Casimiro, Filipino dancer and actor (d. 1989) was born

Bella Davidovich

Bella Davidovich, Baku Russia, pianist (Chopin, Beethoven, Ravel) was born

Buddy Merrill

Buddy Merrill, Torrey Utah, guitarist (Lawrence Welk Show) was born

Cal Tjader

Cal Tjader, American musician (d. 1982) was born

Carlo Angeloni

Carlo Angeloni, composer was born

Carmen Lombardo

Carmen Lombardo, Canadian musician (d. 1971) was born

Charles Francis Abdy Williams

Charles Francis Abdy Williams, composer was born

Desmond Dekker

Desmond Dekker, [Dacris], Jamaica, reggae pioneer (Aces-Israelites) was born

Ed Kowalczyk

Ed Kowalczyk, American singer (Live) was born

Eugene Ysaye

Eugene Ysaye, composer was born

Eus van Someren

Eus van Someren, pop guitarist (Scene, Blaauw) was born

Fritz Mahler

Fritz Mahler, composer was born

Georg Simon Lohlein

Georg Simon Lohlein, composer was born

Ginger Rogers

Ginger Rogers, [Virginia McMath], Independ Mo, dancer (Gay Divorcee) was born

Goffredo Petrassi

Goffredo Petrassi, Zagarolo Italy, composer (Beatitudines) was born

Henri Moreau

Henri Moreau, composer was born

Henri[cus A] Viotta

Henri[cus A] Viotta, Dutch conductor/composer (Lexicon of Music) was born

Ian Curtis

Ian Curtis, English rock vocalist (Joy Division-Transmission) was born

Jamie Oliver

Jamie Oliver, Welsh keyboardist was born

John Chilton

John Chilton, jazz trumpeter was born

John Edward "Teddy" Buckner

John Edward "Teddy" Buckner, trumpeter was born

John Everett Watts

John Everett Watts, composer was born

Luigi Arditi

Luigi Arditi, violinist/composer was born

Mark Indelicato

Mark Indelicato, American singer and actor was born

Mary Philbin

Mary Philbin, Chicago IL, actress (Phantom of the Opera) was born

Michael Flatley

Michael Flatley, Chicago Ill, Irish choreographer (Lord of Dance) was born

Mindy Carson

Mindy Carson, NYC, vocalist (Club Embassy, Ford Star Revue) was born

Mišo Kovač

Mišo Kovač, Croatian musician was born

Pinchas Zukerman

Pinchas Zukerman, Tel Aviv Israel, violinist/violist (Leventritt 1967) was born

Ray Barr

Ray Barr, NYC, pianist (Vincent Lopez Show) was born

Ray Major

Ray Major, rock guitarist (British Lions) was born

Rubén Blades

Rubén Blades, Panamanian singer and actor was born

Sollie McElroy

Sollie McElroy, R&B singer (Flamingos-Golden Teardrops) was born

Stewart Copeland

Stewart Copeland, Alexandria Egypt, drummer (Police-Roxanne) was born

Thorkell Sigurbjornsson

Thorkell Sigurbjornsson, composer was born

Tom Boggs

Tom Boggs, rock drummer (Box Tops) was born

Tom Terrell

Tom Terrell, musicologist, deejay was born

Tony Jackson

Tony Jackson, Liverpool, rock bassist/vocalist (Searchers) was born

William Bell

William Bell, [Yarborough], US singer (Tryin' to Love Two) was born

Died on July 16

Bernice Johnson Reagon

Bernice Johnson Reagon died

Billy Williams

Billy Williams, singer (Your Show of Shows), dies at 73

Biz Markie

Biz Markie died

Camillo Felgen

Camillo Felgen, Luxembourgish singer, lyricist, and entertainer (b. 1920)

Celia Cruz

Celia Cruz, Cuban musician (b. 1925)

Charles Bruck

Charles Bruck, Hungarian/French/US conductor (Dutch Opera), dies at 83

Connie Francis

Connie Francis died

Cristoph Kaldenbach

Cristoph Kaldenbach, composer, dies at 84

Eero Raittinen

Eero Raittinen died

Giorgio Nataletti

Giorgio Nataletti, composer, dies at 65

Harry Chapin

Harry Chapin, folk vocalist (Taxi), dies in car crash at 38

Herbert von Karajan

Herbert von Karajan, Austrian conductor, dies at 81

Hiromi Yanagihara

Hiromi Yanagihara, Japanese singer (b. 1979)

Irène Schweizer

Irène Schweizer died

Jacques Hotteterre

Jacques Hotteterre, composer, dies at 87

Jamie Oldaker

Jamie Oldaker died

Jane Birkin

Jane Birkin died

Jo Stafford

Jo Stafford, American singer of traditional pop music (b. 1917)

Johann David Heinichen

Johann David Heinichen, composer, dies at 46

John Panozzo

John Panozzo, drummer, dies at 48

Jon Lord

Jon Lord, English musician, dies from a pulmonary embolism at 71

Kitty Wells

Kitty Wells, American country singer, dies from complications after a stroke at 92

Louis-Francois Dauprat

Louis-Francois Dauprat, composer, dies at 87

Ludwig P Scharwenka

Ludwig P Scharwenka, German composer (Album Polonaise), dies at 70

Ludwig Philipp Scharwenka

Ludwig Philipp Scharwenka, Ger composer (Album Polonaise), dies at 70

Max Zehnder

Max Zehnder, composer, dies at 70

Mickey Rooney Jr.

Mickey Rooney Jr. died

Sidney Torch

Sidney Torch, English composer, conductor and organist (b. 1908)

Travis Kemp

Travis Kemp, dancer/teacher, dies at 91

Ulf Dageby

Ulf Dageby died

Víctor Víctor

Víctor Víctor died

Wayne King

Wayne King, orchestra leader (Wayne King Show), dies at 84

Releases & milestones on July 16

Clairo

Clairo released the album 'Sling'

John Mayer

John Mayer released the album 'Sob Rock'

Pop Smoke

Pop Smoke released the album 'Faith'

Powerwolf

Powerwolf released the album 'Call of the Wild'

Willow Smith

Willow Smith released the album 'Lately I Feel Everything'

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Mozart's opera "Das Entfuhrung aus dem Serail," premieres in Vienna

More standout moments in July →