On This Day in Music: May 17

On May 17 in music history, 49 artists were born, 35 died and 9 other milestones happened, among them Enya [Eithne Ní Bhraonáin] (1961), Donna Summer (2012) and Billie Eilish (2024).

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Highlights

May 17

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Standout moments for this date.

Enya [Eithne Ní Bhraonáin]

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

Donna Summer

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

Billie Eilish

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

Trent Reznor

Trent Reznor, musician (9 Inch Nails) was born

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Born on May 17

Alan Doyle

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

Antonio Aguilar

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

Antonio Scontrino

Antonio Scontrino, composer was born

Bill Bruford

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

Birgit Nilsson

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

Bob Merrill

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

Brazilio da Cunha Luz Itibere

Brazilio da Cunha Luz Itibere, composer was born

Carl Friedrich Zollner

Carl Friedrich Zollner, composer was born

Charles-Louis-Adolphe Vogel

Charles-Louis-Adolphe Vogel, composer was born

Charlotte Helen Sainton-Dolby

Charlotte Helen Sainton-Dolby, contralto/composer was born

Christoph Thomas Walliser

Christoph Thomas Walliser, composer was born

Dallas Taylor

Dallas Taylor, American singer (Underoath) was born

David Howell Cope

David Howell Cope, composer was born

Derek Hough

Derek Hough, American dancer and singer was born

Dewey Redman

Dewey Redman, jazz musician was born

Enya [Eithne Ní Bhraonáin]

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

Francesco Pasquale Ricci

Francesco Pasquale Ricci, composer was born

Frantisek Kovaricek

Frantisek Kovaricek, composer was born

George Johnson

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

Guido Masanetz

Guido Masanetz, composer was born

Howard Ashman

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

Jesse Winchester

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

Jody Pijper

Jody Pijper, Dutch (background) singer was born

Johann Nepomuk Kafka

Johann Nepomuk Kafka, composer was born

John Vincent

John Vincent, composer was born

Jordan Nathaniel M Knight

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

Josh Homme

Josh Homme, American musician and songwriter was born

Laura Voutilainen

Laura Voutilainen, Finnish singer was born

Lee-Hom Wang

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

Malcom Hale

Malcom Hale, rocker was born

Nicolai Berezowsky

Nicolai Berezowsky, composer was born

Paul Crossley

Paul Crossley, concert pianist was born

Paul Di'anno

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

Pervis Jackson

Pervis Jackson, rocker (Spinners) was born

Peter Mennin[i]

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

Philip James

Philip James, composer was born

Philippe Boesmans

Philippe Boesmans, composer was born

Sandor Vegh

Sandor Vegh, violinist teacher conductor was born

Shiri Maimon

Shiri Maimon, Israeli singer was born

Sigismund Toduta

Sigismund Toduta, composer was born

Steve Barakatt

Steve Barakatt, Canadian composer was born

Taj Mahal

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

Tracey Bryn

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

Trent Reznor

Trent Reznor, musician (9 Inch Nails) was born

Udo Lindenberg

Udo Lindenberg, German musician was born

Vicky Moscholiou

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

Vincent Henar

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

Werner Egk

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

Zinka Milanov

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

Died on May 17

Abe Burrows

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

Adolf Bernhard Marx

Adolf Bernhard Marx, composer, dies at 70

Bohumil Pazdirek

Bohumil Pazdirek, composer, dies at 80

Bruce Fairbairn

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

Donald Keith Falkner

Donald Keith Falkner, singer, dies at 94

Donna Summer

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

Eduardo Fabini

Eduardo Fabini, composer, dies at 67

Eric De Lamarter

Eric De Lamarter, composer, dies at 73

Francesco Balilla Pratella

Francesco Balilla Pratella, composer, dies at 75

Fryderyk Edward Sobolewski

Fryderyk Edward Sobolewski, composer, dies at 63

Gervais Bernard Gaston Salvayre

Gervais Bernard Gaston Salvayre, composer, dies at 68

Guido van Arezzo

Guido van Arezzo, Italian music theorist, dies

Henri Gagnon

Henri Gagnon, composer, dies at 74

Hugo Freidhofer

Hugo Freidhofer, composer, dies at 80

Jacob Wilhelm Lustig

Jacob Wilhelm Lustig, composer, dies at 89

Johann Michael Bach

Johann Michael Bach, German composer, dies at 46

John Wesley Work

John Wesley Work, composer, dies at 65

Johnny "Guitar" Watson

Johnny "Guitar" Watson, musician, dies at 61

Juan Pujol

Juan Pujol, Catalan composer (b. 1570)

Karl Heinrich David

Karl Heinrich David, composer, dies at 66

Kevin Gilbert

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

Lawrence Welk

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

Louis Brassin

Louis Brassin, composer, dies at 43

Lucien Herr

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

Lucky Peterson

Lucky Peterson died

Nathan "Dambuza" Mdledle

Nathan "Dambuza" Mdledle, singer, dies at 72

Niccolo Paganini

Niccolo Paganini, composer, dies at 57

Paul Dukas

Paul Dukas, French composer (b. 1865)

Peter Thomas

Peter Thomas died

Roberta Marrero

Roberta Marrero died

Sean Tyla

Sean Tyla died

Shalva Azmayparashvili

Shalva Azmayparashvili, composer, dies at 54

Sharon Sheeley

Sharon Sheeley, American songwriter (b. 1940)

Totó la Momposina

Totó la Momposina died

Vangelis

Vangelis died

Releases & milestones on May 17

Beth Gibbons

Beth Gibbons released the album 'Lives Outgrown'

Billie Eilish

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

Kerry King

Kerry King released the album 'From Hell I Rise'

Pietro Mascagni

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

Slash

Slash released the album 'Orgy of the Damned'

Stephen Schwartz

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

The New Six

The New Six released the album 'Way Up'

Twenty One Pilots

Twenty One Pilots released the album 'Clancy'

Zayn Malik

Zayn Malik released the album 'Room Under the Stairs'

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