On This Day in Music: May 17

1969 Birth

Alan Doyle

Alan Doyle, Canadian musician (Great Big Sea) was born

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1919 Birth

Antonio Aguilar

Antonio Aguilar, Mexican singer and actor (d. 2007) was born

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1850 Birth

Antonio Scontrino

Antonio Scontrino, composer was born

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1949 Birth

Bill Bruford

Bill Bruford, English drummer (Yes, King Crimson-Red, Genesis) was born

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1918 Birth

Birgit Nilsson

Birgit Nilsson, Karup Sweden, operatic soprano (Elektra, Salome) was born

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1921 Birth

Bob Merrill

Bob Merrill, American composer and lyricist (d. 1998) was born

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1896 Birth

Brazilio da Cunha Luz Itibere

Brazilio da Cunha Luz Itibere, composer was born

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1800 Birth

Carl Friedrich Zollner

Carl Friedrich Zollner, composer was born

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1808 Birth

Charles-Louis-Adolphe Vogel

Charles-Louis-Adolphe Vogel, composer was born

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1823 Birth

Charlotte Helen Sainton-Dolby

Charlotte Helen Sainton-Dolby, contralto/composer was born

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1568 Birth

Christoph Thomas Walliser

Christoph Thomas Walliser, composer was born

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1980 Birth

Dallas Taylor

Dallas Taylor, American singer (Underoath) was born

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1941 Birth

David Howell Cope

David Howell Cope, composer was born

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1985 Birth

Derek Hough

Derek Hough, American dancer and singer was born

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1931 Birth

Dewey Redman

Dewey Redman, jazz musician was born

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1961 Birth

Enya [Eithne Ní Bhraonáin]

Enya [Eithne Ní Bhraonáin], Gweedore, County Donegal, Irish singer and songwriter (A Day Without Rain) was born

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1732 Birth

Francesco Pasquale Ricci

Francesco Pasquale Ricci, composer was born

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1924 Birth

Frantisek Kovaricek

Frantisek Kovaricek, composer was born

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1953 Birth

George Johnson

George Johnson, Los Angeles California, rocker (Brothers Johnson) was born

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1914 Birth

Guido Masanetz

Guido Masanetz, composer was born

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1950 Birth

Howard Ashman

Howard Ashman, American lyricist (d. 1991) was born

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1944 Birth

Jesse Winchester

Jesse Winchester, Shreveport La, singer/songwriter (Learn to Love it) was born

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1952 Birth

Jody Pijper

Jody Pijper, Dutch (background) singer was born

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1819 Birth

Johann Nepomuk Kafka

Johann Nepomuk Kafka, composer was born

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1902 Birth

John Vincent

John Vincent, composer was born

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1970 Birth

Jordan Nathaniel M Knight

Jordan Nathaniel M Knight, Mass, rocker (New Kids-Hangin' Tough) was born

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1973 Birth

Josh Homme

Josh Homme, American musician and songwriter was born

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1975 Birth

Laura Voutilainen

Laura Voutilainen, Finnish singer was born

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1976 Birth

Lee-Hom Wang

Lee-Hom Wang, American-born Taiwanese musician and composer was born

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1941 Birth

Malcom Hale

Malcom Hale, rocker was born

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1900 Birth

Nicolai Berezowsky

Nicolai Berezowsky, composer was born

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1944 Birth

Paul Crossley

Paul Crossley, concert pianist was born

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1959 Birth

Paul Di'anno

Paul Di'anno, rocker (Iron Maiden Chingford, London V Early Vocalist was born

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1938 Birth

Pervis Jackson

Pervis Jackson, rocker (Spinners) was born

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1923 Birth

Peter Mennin[i]

Peter Mennin[i], Erie Pennsylvania, composer (Moby Dick) was born

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1890 Birth

Philip James

Philip James, composer was born

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1936 Birth

Philippe Boesmans

Philippe Boesmans, composer was born

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1912 Birth

Sandor Vegh

Sandor Vegh, violinist teacher conductor was born

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1981 Birth

Shiri Maimon

Shiri Maimon, Israeli singer was born

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1908 Birth

Sigismund Toduta

Sigismund Toduta, composer was born

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1973 Birth

Steve Barakatt

Steve Barakatt, Canadian composer was born

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1942 Birth

Taj Mahal

Taj Mahal, NYC, singer/songwriter (Real Thing) was born

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1962 Birth

Tracey Bryn

Tracey Bryn, rocker (Voice of Beehive-Let it Bee) was born

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1965 Birth

Trent Reznor

Trent Reznor, musician (9 Inch Nails) was born

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1946 Birth

Udo Lindenberg

Udo Lindenberg, German musician was born

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1943 Birth

Vicky Moscholiou

Vicky Moscholiou, Greek singer (d. 2005) was born

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1958 Birth

Vincent Henar

Vincent Henar, Surinam, bassist (Fra Fra Sound) was born

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1901 Birth

Werner Egk

Werner Egk, Auchsesheim Germany, composer (Die Zaubergeige) was born

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1908 Birth

Zinka Milanov

Zinka Milanov, Zagreb Yugoslavia, soprano (Ljublama Opera 1927) was born

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1985 Death

Abe Burrows

Abe Burrows, songwriter, composer, and writer (b. 1910)

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1866 Death

Adolf Bernhard Marx

Adolf Bernhard Marx, composer, dies at 70

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1919 Death

Bohumil Pazdirek

Bohumil Pazdirek, composer, dies at 80

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1999 Death

Bruce Fairbairn

Bruce Fairbairn, Canadian record producer and musician (b. 1949)

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1994 Death

Donald Keith Falkner

Donald Keith Falkner, singer, dies at 94

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2012 Death

Donna Summer

Donna Summer, American singer, dies from lung cancer at 63

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1950 Death

Eduardo Fabini

Eduardo Fabini, composer, dies at 67

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1953 Death

Eric De Lamarter

Eric De Lamarter, composer, dies at 73

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1955 Death

Francesco Balilla Pratella

Francesco Balilla Pratella, composer, dies at 75

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1872 Death

Fryderyk Edward Sobolewski

Fryderyk Edward Sobolewski, composer, dies at 63

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1916 Death

Gervais Bernard Gaston Salvayre

Gervais Bernard Gaston Salvayre, composer, dies at 68

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1050 Death

Guido van Arezzo

Guido van Arezzo, Italian music theorist, dies

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1961 Death

Henri Gagnon

Henri Gagnon, composer, dies at 74

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1981 Death

Hugo Freidhofer

Hugo Freidhofer, composer, dies at 80

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1796 Death

Jacob Wilhelm Lustig

Jacob Wilhelm Lustig, composer, dies at 89

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1694 Death

Johann Michael Bach

Johann Michael Bach, German composer, dies at 46

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1967 Death

John Wesley Work

John Wesley Work, composer, dies at 65

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1996 Death

Johnny "Guitar" Watson

Johnny "Guitar" Watson, musician, dies at 61

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1626 Death

Juan Pujol

Juan Pujol, Catalan composer (b. 1570)

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1951 Death

Karl Heinrich David

Karl Heinrich David, composer, dies at 66

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1996 Death

Kevin Gilbert

Kevin Gilbert, American singer, composer and instrumentalist (b. 1966)

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1992 Death

Lawrence Welk

Lawrence Welk, conductor/accordionist (Lawrence Welk Show), dies of pneumonia at 89

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1884 Death

Louis Brassin

Louis Brassin, composer, dies at 43

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1926 Death

Lucien Herr

Lucien Herr, French leader (Correspondance entre Schiller), dies

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2020 Death

Lucky Peterson

Lucky Peterson died

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1995 Death

Nathan "Dambuza" Mdledle

Nathan "Dambuza" Mdledle, singer, dies at 72

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1840 Death

Niccolo Paganini

Niccolo Paganini, composer, dies at 57

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1935 Death

Paul Dukas

Paul Dukas, French composer (b. 1865)

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2020 Death

Peter Thomas

Peter Thomas died

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2024 Death

Roberta Marrero

Roberta Marrero died

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2020 Death

Sean Tyla

Sean Tyla died

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1957 Death

Shalva Azmayparashvili

Shalva Azmayparashvili, composer, dies at 54

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2002 Death

Sharon Sheeley

Sharon Sheeley, American songwriter (b. 1940)

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2026 Death

Totó la Momposina

Totó la Momposina died

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2022 Death

Vangelis

Vangelis died

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2024 Event

Beth Gibbons

Beth Gibbons released the album 'Lives Outgrown'

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2024 Event

Billie Eilish

Billie Eilish released the album 'Hit Me Hard and Soft'

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2024 Event

Kerry King

Kerry King released the album 'From Hell I Rise'

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1890 Event

Pietro Mascagni

Pietro Mascagni's opera "Rustic Chivalry" premieres in Rome at the Teatro Costanzi

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2024 Event

Slash

Slash released the album 'Orgy of the Damned'

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1971 Event

Stephen Schwartz

Stephen Schwartz' musical "Godspell," premieres off-Broadway

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2022 Event

The New Six

The New Six released the album 'Way Up'

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2024 Event

Twenty One Pilots

Twenty One Pilots released the album 'Clancy'

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2024 Event

Zayn Malik

Zayn Malik released the album 'Room Under the Stairs'

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