On This Day in Music: May 1

On May 1 in music history, 43 artists were born, 33 died and 26 other milestones happened, among them The Beatles (1966), The Rolling Stones (1971) and Elton John (1979).

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Highlights

May 1

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Standout moments for this date.

The Beatles

Last British concert by Beatles (Empire Pool in Wembley)

The Rolling Stones

Rolling Stones release "Brown Sugar"

Elton John

Elton John becomes 1st pop star to perform in Israel

Drake

Drake released the album 'Dark Lane Demo Tapes'

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Born on May 1

Anna Pollak

Anna Pollak, mezzo-soprano was born

Anthony Johnson Showalter

Anthony Johnson Showalter, composer was born

Bo Nilsson

Bo Nilsson, Swedish composer (Doppelspiel) was born

Bohuslav Jeremias

Bohuslav Jeremias, composer was born

Carlos Ward

Carlos Ward, rocker (B T Express) was born

D'arcy Wretzky

D'arcy Wretzky, American musician (The Smashing Pumpkins) was born

Dan Regan

Dan Regan, American musician (Reel Big Fish) was born

Earl George

Earl George, composer was born

Enrico Josif

Enrico Josif, composer was born

Felipe Boero

Felipe Boero, composer was born

Felipe Padilla de Leon

Felipe Padilla de Leon, composer was born

Felix Hanemann

Felix Hanemann, rocker (Zebra) was born

George Guest

George Guest, composer was born

George Melachrino

George Melachrino, composer was born

Glen Ballard

Glen Ballard, American songwriter and record producer was born

Gottfried Rieger

Gottfried Rieger, composer was born

Heinz Eric Roemheld

Heinz Eric Roemheld, American film composer (d. 1985) was born

Howard Barlow

Howard Barlow, Plain City Ohio, conductor (Voice of Firestone) was born

Jacob-Joseph-Balthasar Martinn

Jacob-Joseph-Balthasar Martinn, composer was born

James Wise

James Wise, US soul singer (Archie Bell & the Drells) was born

Jerry Weiss

Jerry Weiss, NYC, rocker (Blood Sweat & Tears) was born

Johnny Colt

Johnny Colt, Cherry Point NC, rock bassist (Black Crowes) was born

Judy Collins

Judy Collins, Seattle Wash, singer (Send in the Clowns, Clouds) was born

Juraj Hatrick

Juraj Hatrick, composer was born

Kate Smith

Kate Smith, American singer (d. 1986) was born

Keiichiro Koyama

Keiichiro Koyama, Japanese musician (NEWS) was born

Ko Otani

Ko Otani, Japanese composer was born

Leo Sowerby

Leo Sowerby, Grand Rapids Michigan, composer (Pulitzer 1946) was born

Little Walter

Little Walter, [Marion Walter Jacobs], rocker was born

Marco da Gagliano

Marco da Gagliano, Italian opera composer was born

Mark Scott

Mark Scott, Paramus NJ, rock drummer (Trixter-Give It To Me Good) was born

Nick Feldman

Nick Feldman, English musician was born

Nick Fortune

Nick Fortune, [Nicholas Fortuna], rock bassist (Buckinghams Chicago) was born

Paul Smith

Paul Smith, rock saxophonist (Haircut 100) was born

Ray Parker Jr

Ray Parker Jr, Detroit Mich, rock guitarist/vocalist (Ghostbusters) was born

Rita Coolidge

Rita Coolidge, Nashville Tn, singer (Higher & Higher, We're All Alone) was born

Sonny James

Sonny James, [James Loden], Hackelburg AL, rocker (Young Love) was born

Steve Farris

Steve Farris, rock guitarist (Mr Mister) was born

Tim Hodgkinson

Tim Hodgkinson, English composer and musician (Henry Cow) was born

Tim McGraw

Tim McGraw, American musician was born

Tony Ashton

Tony Ashton, rocker was born

Walter Susskind

Walter Susskind, Praha (Prague) Czechoslovakia, conductor was born

William Mitchell Byers

William Mitchell Byers, musician was born

Died on May 1

Alexander Alexandrovich Davidenko

Alexander Alexandrovich Davidenko, composer, dies at 35

Antonín Dvořák

Antonín Dvořák, Czech composer (b. 1841)

AntonínDvorak

AntonínDvorak, Czech composer (Slavic Dancing), dies at 62

Aram Katchaturian

Aram Katchaturian, Russian composer (The Earth), dies at 74

Big Hawk

Big Hawk, American rapper (b.1969)

Charles "skip" Pitts

Charles "skip" Pitts, American soul and blues guitarist, dies from lung cancer at 65

Desider Antalffy-Zsiross

Desider Antalffy-Zsiross, Hungarian organist/composer, dies at 59

Edward Cuthbert Bairstow

Edward Cuthbert Bairstow, composer, dies at 71

Esaias Reusner

Esaias Reusner, composer, dies at 43

Gordon Jenkins

Gordon Jenkins, orchestra leader (NBC Comedy Hour), dies at 73

Gordon Lightfoot

Gordon Lightfoot died

Heinrich Franz Daniel Stiehl

Heinrich Franz Daniel Stiehl, composer, dies at 56

Hugo Peretti

Hugo Peretti, American songwriter and record producer (b. 1916)

Jill Sobule

Jill Sobule died

Johann Ludwig Bach

Johann Ludwig Bach, German composer (b. 1677)

Johnny Paris

Johnny Paris, American saxophonist (Johnny and the Hurricanes) (b. 1940)

Jonathan Tiersten

Jonathan Tiersten died

Leo Spies

Leo Spies, composer, dies at 65

Louis Campbell-Tipton

Louis Campbell-Tipton, composer, dies at 43

Luigi Arditi

Luigi Arditi, violist/composer, dies at 80

Manolo el del bombo

Manolo el del bombo died

Nana Caymmi

Nana Caymmi died

Percy William Whitlock

Percy William Whitlock, composer, dies at 42

Pugh Rogefeldt

Pugh Rogefeldt died

Richard Tandy

Richard Tandy died

Rob McConnell

Rob McConnell, Canadian jazz composer/arranger and valve trombonist (b. 1935)

Régine Zylberberg

Régine Zylberberg died

Sharon Redd

Sharon Redd, American house music and urban contemporary singer (b. 1945)

Snitz Edwards

Snitz Edwards, actor (Phantom of the Opera, College), dies at 75

Spike Jones

Spike Jones, composer (Spike Jones Show), dies at 53

Tülay Özer

Tülay Özer died

Vilem Blodek

Vilem Blodek, composer, dies at 39

William Mitchell Byers

William Mitchell Byers, musician, dies on 79th birthday

Releases & milestones on May 1

American Football

American Football released the album 'American Football'

Anton Westerlin

Anton Westerlin released the album 'Bag Gardinerne S1+S2'

Barbara Mandrell

15th Academy of Country Music Awards: Barbara Mandrell wins

Drake

Drake released the album 'Dark Lane Demo Tapes'

Elton John

Elton John becomes 1st pop star to perform in Israel

Haste the Day

Haste the Day released the album 'Dissenter'

JoJo

JoJo released the album 'Good to Know'

Kacey Musgraves

Kacey Musgraves released the album 'Middle of Nowhere'

Kate Smith

Singer Kate Smith begins her long-running radio program on CBS

Kneecap

Kneecap released the album 'Fenian'

Kramer

Kramer released the album 'They Came Like Swallows'

Le Sserafim

Le Sserafim released the album 'Unforgiven'

Mýa

Mýa released the album 'Retrospect'

Nerissima Serpe

Nerissima Serpe released the album 'Nerissima'

North West

North West released the album 'N0rth4evr'

Olavi Uusivirta

Olavi Uusivirta released the album 'Camouflage'

Seefeel

Seefeel released the album 'Sol.Hz'

Sevendust

Sevendust released the album 'One'

Super Furry Animals

Super Furry Animals released the album 'Precreation Percolation'

The Beatles

Last British concert by Beatles (Empire Pool in Wembley)

The Rolling Stones

Rolling Stones release "Brown Sugar"

Thurston Moore

Thurston Moore released the album 'They Came Like Swallows'

Tori Amos

Tori Amos released the album 'In Times of Dragons'

Venom

Venom released the album 'Q139719973'

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Mozart's opera "Marriage of Figaro" premieres in Wien (Vienna)

Young the Giant

Young the Giant released the album 'Victory Garden'

More standout moments in May →