On This Day in Music: May 16

On May 16 in music history, 43 artists were born, 27 died and 5 other milestones happened, among them Janet Jackson (1966), Krist Novoselic (1965) and Billy Cobham (1944).

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Highlights

May 16

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Standout moments for this date.

Janet Jackson

Janet Jackson, Gary Indiana, singer, Michael's sister (Control) was born

Krist Novoselic

Krist Novoselic, American bassist (Nirvana) was born

Billy Cobham

Billy Cobham, Panama, jazz artist (Same Ole Love) was born

Ronnie James Dio

Ronnie James Dio, American heavy metal vocalist (b. 1942)

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Born on May 16

Arthur Henry Mann

Arthur Henry Mann, organist/composer was born

Barbara Lee

Barbara Lee, US singer (Chiffons, He's So Fine) was born

Billy Cobham

Billy Cobham, Panama, jazz artist (Same Ole Love) was born

Boyd Tinsley

Boyd Tinsley, American violinist (Dave Matthews Band) was born

David Ford

David Ford, English singer/songwriter was born

Dolcenera

Dolcenera, Italian singer was born

Donald James Martino

Donald James Martino, Plainfield NJ, composer (Noturnno-Pulitzer 1974) was born

Eduard Hille

Eduard Hille, Dutch composer/conductor was born

Frank Lynes

Frank Lynes, composer was born

Friedrich Gulda

Friedrich Gulda, Austrian pianist/composer (Hangman's Songs) was born

Geraint Jones

Geraint Jones, conductor/organist was born

Glenn Gregory

Glenn Gregory, rock vocalist (Heeaven 17-Electric Dreams) was born

Hanus Trnecek

Hanus Trnecek, composer was born

Hazel O'Connor

Hazel O'Connor, Coventry England, singer/actress (Breaking Glass) was born

Isaac "Redd" Holt

Isaac "Redd" Holt, US drummer (Young-Holt Unlimited-In Crowd) was born

Jan Kiepura

Jan Kiepura, Sosnowiec Poland, vocalist/actor (Her Wonderful Lie) was born

Jan Zimmer

Jan Zimmer, composer was born

Janet Jackson

Janet Jackson, Gary Indiana, singer, Michael's sister (Control) was born

Jock Bartley

Jock Bartley, rocker (Firefall) was born

Jonathan Richman

Jonathan Richman, rocker (Modern Lovers-New England, Egyptian Reggae) was born

Juan Morel Campos

Juan Morel Campos, composer was born

Krist Novoselic

Krist Novoselic, American bassist (Nirvana) was born

Laura Pausini

Laura Pausini, Italian pop singer was born

Maurice Henry Weddington

Maurice Henry Weddington, composer was born

Mince Fratelli

Mince Fratelli, Scottish Drummer (The Fratellis) was born

Nancy Ajram

Nancy Ajram, Lebanese singer was born

Nicky Chinn

Nicky Chinn, English songwriter/producer (Chinn & Chapman) was born

Osmo Uolevi Lindeman

Osmo Uolevi Lindeman, composer was born

Paul Amadeus Pisk

Paul Amadeus Pisk, composer was born

Rachel Goswell

Rachel Goswell, English singer and songwriter (Slowdive, Mojave 3) was born

Ralph Tresvant

Ralph Tresvant, Boston, singer (New Editon) was born

Ray Condo

Ray Condo, Canadian rockabilly musician was born

Richard Page

Richard Page, Los Angeles California, rocker (Mr Mister) was born

Richard Tauber

Richard Tauber, [Ernst Seiffert], Austria/British, tenor/conductor was born

Robert Fripp

Robert Fripp, guitarist (King Crimson) was born

Roger Earl

Roger Earl, rocker (Foghat) was born

Sonny Sandoval

Sonny Sandoval, American singer (P.O.D.) was born

Tony Kakko

Tony Kakko, Finnish singer (Sonata Arctica) was born

Tonéx

Tonéx, American singer was born

Walther Geiser

Walther Geiser, composer was born

William Sputnik Spooner

William Sputnik Spooner, rock guitarist (Grateful Dead, Tubes) was born

Woody Herman

Woody Herman, jazz clarinetist/bandleader/composer (Thundering Herds) was born

[Wladziu Valentino] Liberace

[Wladziu Valentino] Liberace, West Allis Wisconsin, pianist (Liberace Show, Evil Chandell-Batman) was born

Died on May 16

Arkady Mandjiev

Arkady Mandjiev died

Brian Pendleton

Brian Pendleton, English musician (The Pretty Things) (b. 1944)

Carel Brons

Carel Brons, composer, dies at 52

Chalino Sanchez

Chalino Sanchez, Mexican musician (b, 1960)

Chetan Karki

Chetan Karki died

Clemens Krauss

Clemens Krauss, Austrian conductor (Vienna State Opera), dies at 61

Dennis Locorriere

Dennis Locorriere died

Django Reinhardt

Django Reinhardt, Belgian musician (b. 1910)

Donn Trenner

Donn Trenner died

Eduard Rappoldi

Eduard Rappoldi, composer, dies at 72

Ernie Freeman

Ernie Freeman, American pianist and arranger (b. 1922)

Ernst Chreistian Hesse

Ernst Chreistian Hesse, composer, dies at 86

Eusebio Grados

Eusebio Grados died

Felicia Dorothea Hemans

Felicia Dorothea Hemans, poet/hymn writer, dies

Giovanni Carlo Maria Clari

Giovanni Carlo Maria Clari, composer, dies at 76

Hank Jones

Hank Jones, American jazz pianist (b. 1918)

Ike Willis

Ike Willis died

Karl August Krebs

Karl August Krebs, composer, dies at 76

Kaspar Ett

Kaspar Ett, German organist/composer, dies at 59

Leone Sinigaglia

Leone Sinigaglia, composer, dies at 75

Lester Sterling

Lester Sterling died

Lilli Lehmann

Lilli Lehmann, soprano, dies

Lola Flores

Lola Flores, singer/actress (Kuma Ching, Faraona), dies at 70

Marv Johnson

Marv Johnson, US soul singer (You Got What it Takes), dies at 54

Maxime Dumoulin

Maxime Dumoulin, composer, dies at 79

Ronnie James Dio

Ronnie James Dio, American heavy metal vocalist (b. 1942)

Sammy Davis Jr

Sammy Davis Jr, singer/actor (Golden Boy), dies at 64

Releases & milestones on May 16

Astro

Astro released the album 'Drive to the Starry Road'

Bedřich Smetana

Bedrich Smetana's opera "Dalibor," premieres in Prague

Benjamin Britten

Benjamin Britten's opera "Owen Wingrave," premieres in Aldwych

Damiano David

Damiano David released the album 'Funny Little Fears'

Irving Berlin

Musical "Annie Get Your Gun," starring Ethel Merman premieres in NYC

More standout moments in May →