On This Day in Music: May 20

1943 Birth

Al Bano

Al Bano, Italian singer was born

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1944 Birth

Boudouin de Groot

Boudouin de Groot, Dutch singer (Good night mister president) was born

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1981 Birth

Calico Cooper

Calico Cooper, American actress and dancer was born

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1946 Birth

Cher [Cherilyn Sarkisian]

Cher [Cherilyn Sarkisian], El Centro, California, American singer and actress (I Got You Babe, Jack Lalane, Mask) was born

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1944 Birth

Cipa Dichter

Cipa Dichter, Rio de Janeiro Brazil, pianist/wife of Misha Dichter was born

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1927 Birth

David Frederick Barlow

David Frederick Barlow, composer was born

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1850 Birth

Eaton Faning

Eaton Faning, composer was born

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1973 Birth

Elsa Lunghini

Elsa Lunghini, French singer and actress was born

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1917 Birth

Enyss Djemil

Enyss Djemil, composer was born

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1889 Birth

Felix Arndt

Felix Arndt, composer was born

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1812 Birth

Gustav Adolf Mankell

Gustav Adolf Mankell, composer was born

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1954 Birth

Guy Hoffman

Guy Hoffman, American musician (Violent Femmes) was born

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1754 Birth

Hans Gram

Hans Gram, composer was born

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1913 Birth

Ion Dumitrescu

Ion Dumitrescu, composer was born

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1959 Birth

Israel Kamakawiwo'ole

Israel Kamakawiwo'ole, American singer (d. 1997) was born

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1954 Birth

James Henderson

James Henderson, country singer (Black Oak Arkansas) was born

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1958 Birth

Jane Wiedlin

Jane Wiedlin, Wisc, singer/guitarist (GoGos, Fur, Rush Hour) was born

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1903 Birth

Jerzy Fitelberg

Jerzy Fitelberg, composer was born

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1944 Birth

Joe Cocker

Joe Cocker, Sheffield England, rock vocalist (Little Help From My Friends) was born

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1876 Birth

John Owen Jones

John Owen Jones, composer was born

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1984 Birth

Kenny Vasoli

Kenny Vasoli, American singer was born

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1961 Birth

Kit Clarke

Kit Clarke, rocker (Danny Wilson-Mary's Prayer) was born

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1986 Birth

LaLa Brown

LaLa Brown, American singer (d. 2007) was born

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1938 Birth

Marinella

Marinella, Greek singer and actress was born

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1547 Birth

Melchior Bischoff

Melchior Bischoff, composer was born

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1942 Birth

Paula

Paula, [Jill Jackson], Tx, singer (Hey Paula) was born

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1554 Birth

Paulo Bellasio

Paulo Bellasio, composer was born

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1940 Birth

Shorty Long

Shorty Long, soul singer/pianist (Here Comes the Judge) was born

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1955 Birth

Steve George

Steve George, rock keyboardist (Mr Mister) was born

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1960 Birth

Susan Cowsill

Susan Cowsill, Newport RI, rock vocalist (Cowsills-We Can Fly) was born

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1937 Birth

Teddy Randazzo

Teddy Randazzo, song writer (I'm on the Outside Looking In) was born

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1943 Birth

Tison Street

Tison Street, composer was born

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1926 Birth

Vic Ames

Vic Ames, rocker (Ames Brothers) was born

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1927 Birth

Walter Aschaffenburg

Walter Aschaffenburg, composer was born

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1952 Birth

Warren Cann

Warren Cann, Victoria Canada, rock drummer (Ultravox) was born

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1955 Birth

Zbigniew Preisner

Zbigniew Preisner, Polish film composer was born

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2025 Death

Arthur Hamilton

Arthur Hamilton died

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1986 Death

Bernard Naylor

Bernard Naylor, composer, dies at 78

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1782 Death

Carlo Giovanni Testori

Carlo Giovanni Testori, composer, dies at 68

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1782 Death

Christoph Gottlieb Schroter

Christoph Gottlieb Schroter, composer, dies at 82

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1896 Death

Clara Josephine Wieck Schumann

Clara Josephine Wieck Schumann, composer/pianist, dies at 76

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1751 Death

Domingo Miguel Bernaube Terradellas

Domingo Miguel Bernaube Terradellas, composer, dies at 38

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1909 Death

Ernest Hogan

Ernest Hogan, blackface comedian and musician (b. 1859)

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2021 Death

Florian Pilkington-Miksa

Florian Pilkington-Miksa died

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1650 Death

Francesco Sacrati

Francesco Sacrati, composer, dies at 44

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1900 Death

Gustav Heinrich Graben-Hoffman

Gustav Heinrich Graben-Hoffman, composer, dies at 80

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1996 Death

Jack Wyngaard

Jack Wyngaard, dancer, dies at 37

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1975 Death

Jacques Stehman

Jacques Stehman, composer, dies at 62

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2021 Death

James Harman

James Harman died

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2000 Death

Jean Pierre Rampal

Jean Pierre Rampal, French flutist (b. 1922)

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1910 Death

Jean-Baptiste Theodore Weckerlin

Jean-Baptiste Theodore Weckerlin, composer, dies at 88

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2026 Death

Jimmy Hughes

Jimmy Hughes died

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1991 Death

Julian Orbon De Soto

Julian Orbon De Soto, composer, dies at 65

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2020 Death

Malin Gjörup

Malin Gjörup died

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2025 Death

Michael B. Tretow

Michael B. Tretow died

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2001 Death

Renato Carosone

Renato Carosone, Italian musician (b. 1920)

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2012 Death

Robin Gibb

Robin Gibb, British singer song-writer, dies from colon and liver cancer at 62

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2021 Death

Roger Hawkins

Roger Hawkins died

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2026 Event

Bladee

Bladee released the album 'Sulfur Surfer'

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1979 Event

Elton John

1st western pop star to tour USSR-Elton John

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1961 Event

Hans Werner Henze

Henzes opera "Elegy for Young Lovers," premieres in Schwetzingen

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2022 Event

Harry Styles

Harry Styles released the album 'Harry's House'

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1980 Event

Kiss

Drummer Peter Criss quits Kiss

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1970 Event

The Beatles

Beatles' "Let it Be" movie premieres in UK

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