On This Day in Music: May 20

On May 20 in music history, 36 artists were born, 22 died and 6 other milestones happened, among them Cher [Cherilyn Sarkisian] (1946), Joe Cocker (1944) and Elton John (1979).

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Highlights

May 20

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Standout moments for this date.

Cher [Cherilyn Sarkisian]

Cher [Cherilyn Sarkisian], El Centro, California, American singer and actress (I Got You Babe, Jack...

Joe Cocker

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

Elton John

1st western pop star to tour USSR-Elton John

The Beatles

Beatles' "Let it Be" movie premieres in UK

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Born on May 20

Al Bano

Al Bano, Italian singer was born

Boudouin de Groot

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

Calico Cooper

Calico Cooper, American actress and dancer was born

Cher [Cherilyn Sarkisian]

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

Cipa Dichter

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

David Frederick Barlow

David Frederick Barlow, composer was born

Eaton Faning

Eaton Faning, composer was born

Elsa Lunghini

Elsa Lunghini, French singer and actress was born

Enyss Djemil

Enyss Djemil, composer was born

Felix Arndt

Felix Arndt, composer was born

Gustav Adolf Mankell

Gustav Adolf Mankell, composer was born

Guy Hoffman

Guy Hoffman, American musician (Violent Femmes) was born

Hans Gram

Hans Gram, composer was born

Ion Dumitrescu

Ion Dumitrescu, composer was born

Israel Kamakawiwo'ole

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

James Henderson

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

Jane Wiedlin

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

Jerzy Fitelberg

Jerzy Fitelberg, composer was born

Joe Cocker

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

John Owen Jones

John Owen Jones, composer was born

Kenny Vasoli

Kenny Vasoli, American singer was born

Kit Clarke

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

LaLa Brown

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

Marinella

Marinella, Greek singer and actress was born

Melchior Bischoff

Melchior Bischoff, composer was born

Paula

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

Paulo Bellasio

Paulo Bellasio, composer was born

Shorty Long

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

Steve George

Steve George, rock keyboardist (Mr Mister) was born

Susan Cowsill

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

Teddy Randazzo

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

Tison Street

Tison Street, composer was born

Vic Ames

Vic Ames, rocker (Ames Brothers) was born

Walter Aschaffenburg

Walter Aschaffenburg, composer was born

Warren Cann

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

Zbigniew Preisner

Zbigniew Preisner, Polish film composer was born

Died on May 20

Arthur Hamilton

Arthur Hamilton died

Bernard Naylor

Bernard Naylor, composer, dies at 78

Carlo Giovanni Testori

Carlo Giovanni Testori, composer, dies at 68

Christoph Gottlieb Schroter

Christoph Gottlieb Schroter, composer, dies at 82

Clara Josephine Wieck Schumann

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

Domingo Miguel Bernaube Terradellas

Domingo Miguel Bernaube Terradellas, composer, dies at 38

Ernest Hogan

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

Florian Pilkington-Miksa

Florian Pilkington-Miksa died

Francesco Sacrati

Francesco Sacrati, composer, dies at 44

Gustav Heinrich Graben-Hoffman

Gustav Heinrich Graben-Hoffman, composer, dies at 80

Jack Wyngaard

Jack Wyngaard, dancer, dies at 37

Jacques Stehman

Jacques Stehman, composer, dies at 62

James Harman

James Harman died

Jean Pierre Rampal

Jean Pierre Rampal, French flutist (b. 1922)

Jean-Baptiste Theodore Weckerlin

Jean-Baptiste Theodore Weckerlin, composer, dies at 88

Jimmy Hughes

Jimmy Hughes died

Julian Orbon De Soto

Julian Orbon De Soto, composer, dies at 65

Malin Gjörup

Malin Gjörup died

Michael B. Tretow

Michael B. Tretow died

Renato Carosone

Renato Carosone, Italian musician (b. 1920)

Robin Gibb

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

Roger Hawkins

Roger Hawkins died

Releases & milestones on May 20

Bladee

Bladee released the album 'Sulfur Surfer'

Elton John

1st western pop star to tour USSR-Elton John

Hans Werner Henze

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

Harry Styles

Harry Styles released the album 'Harry's House'

Kiss

Drummer Peter Criss quits Kiss

The Beatles

Beatles' "Let it Be" movie premieres in UK

More standout moments in May →