1886
Birth
Al Jolson
Al Jolson, [Asa Yoelson], jazz singer/silent actor (Mamie, Swanee) was born
On This Day in Music: May 26
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Born on May 26
1886
Birth
Al Jolson
Al Jolson, [Asa Yoelson], jazz singer/silent actor (Mamie, Swanee) was born
1846
Birth
Arthur Coquard
Arthur Coquard, composer was born
1959
Birth
Beverly Lee
Beverly Lee, rocker was born
1962
Birth
Colin Vearncombe
Colin Vearncombe, rocker (Black-Wonderful Like) was born
1952
Birth
David Meece
David Meece, Christian musician was born
1591
Birth
Dirck Janszoon Sweelinck
Dirck Janszoon Sweelinck, composer was born
1981
Birth
Eda-Ines Etti
Eda-Ines Etti, Estonian singer was born
1898
Birth
Ernst Bacon
Ernst Bacon, composer was born
1893
Birth
Eugene Goossens
Eugene Goossens, London England, conductor/composer (Perseus) was born
1825
Birth
Felipe Gutierrez y Espinoza
Felipe Gutierrez y Espinoza, composer was born
1945
Birth
Garry Peterson
Garry Peterson, rocker (Guess Who) was born
1904
Birth
George Formby
George Formby, [William Booth], British singer/comic (Let George Do It) was born
1856
Birth
George Templeton Strong
George Templeton Strong, composer was born
1898
Birth
Gerard Bertouille
Gerard Bertouille, composer was born
1949
Birth
Hank Williams Jr
Hank Williams Jr, Shreveport La, country singer (Honky Tonk) was born
1773
Birth
Hans Georg Nageli
Hans Georg Nageli, composer was born
1905
Birth
Hans Holewa
Hans Holewa, composer was born
1941
Birth
Imants Kalnins
Imants Kalnins, composer was born
1981
Birth
Irini Merkouri
Irini Merkouri, Greek singer was born
1877
Birth
Isadora Duncan
Isadora Duncan, San Franciso, American free form/interpretative dancer was born
1938
Birth
Jackie Liebesit
Jackie Liebesit, rocker (Can) was born
1782
Birth
Joseph Drechsler
Joseph Drechsler, composer was born
1976
Birth
Justin Pierre
Justin Pierre, American singer (Motion City Soundtrack) was born
1957
Birth
Kristina Olsen
Kristina Olsen, American musician was born
1975
Birth
Lauryn Hill
Lauryn Hill, South Orange New Jersey, American singer-songwriter (The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill) was born
1964
Birth
Lenny Kravitz
Lenny Kravitz, American musician was born
1940
Birth
Levon Helm
Levon Helm, Elaine Arkansas, American musician (The Band), (d. 2012) was born
1883
Birth
Mamie Smith
Mamie Smith, American singer (d. 1946) was born
1926
Birth
Maria de Lourdes Martins
Maria de Lourdes Martins, composer was born
1977
Birth
Mark Hunter
Mark Hunter, American musician (Chimaira) was born
1946
Birth
Mick Ronson
Mick Ronson, English musician (d. 1993) was born
1926
Birth
Miles Davis
Miles Davis, Alton, Illinois, American jazz musician, trumpeter and composer (d. 1991) was born
1853
Birth
Monroe A Althouse
Monroe A Althouse, composer was born
1916
Birth
Moondog
Moondog, American composer, musician and poet (d. 1999) was born
1920
Birth
Peggy Lee
Peggy Lee, American singer (d. 2002) was born
1978
Birth
Phil Elverum
Phil Elverum, American singer-songwriter was born
1959
Birth
Steve Hanley
Steve Hanley, English musician (The Fall, Tom Hingley and the Lovers) was born
1948
Birth
Stevie Nicks
Stevie Nicks, American rocker and songwriter (Fleetwood Mac, Bella Donna) was born
1938
Birth
Teresa Stratas
Teresa Stratas, [Anastasia Stratakis], Toronto, soprano (Salome) was born
1944
Birth
Verden "Phally" Allen
Verden "Phally" Allen, keyboardist (Mott the Hoople) was born
1904
Birth
Vlado Perlemuter
Vlado Perlemuter, Polish pianist (d. 2002) was born
1959
Birth
Wayne Hussey
Wayne Hussey, rocker (Mission-Lover for Life) was born
1938
Birth
William Elden Bolcom
William Elden Bolcom, Seattle Washington, composer (Oracles) was born
1937
Birth
Yehuda Yannay
Yehuda Yannay, composer was born
Died on May 26
1871
Death
Aime Maillart
Aime Maillart, composer, dies at 54
2022
Death
Alan White
Alan White died
2022
Death
Andrew Fletcher
Andrew Fletcher died
1950
Death
Antonina Neshdanova
Antonina Neshdanova, Russian soprano (Bolshoi Theater), dies
1873
Death
August Conradi
August Conradi, composer, dies at 51
2026
Death
Bjørn Tidmand
Bjørn Tidmand died
1993
Death
Cor de Great
Cor de Great, pianist/conductor/composer (Vernissage), dies at 78
2020
Death
Federico García Vigil
Federico García Vigil died
1832
Death
Francois-Louis Perne
Francois-Louis Perne, composer, dies at 59
1891
Death
Frederick Bowen Jewson
Frederick Bowen Jewson, composer, dies at 67
2020
Death
Irm Hermann
Irm Hermann died
2007
Death
J Edward Oliver
J Edward Oliver, cartoonist and composer (b. 1942)
1912
Death
Jan Blockx
Jan Blockx, Belgian opera composer (Bride of the Sea), dies at 61
1977
Death
Jim Boles
Jim Boles, actor (Kraft Music Hall, One Man's Family), dies at 63
1933
Death
Jimmie Rodgers
Jimmie Rodgers, country singer, dies at 35
1924
Death
Johann Heinrich Beck
Johann Heinrich Beck, composer, dies at 67
1880
Death
John Curwen
John Curwen, composer, dies at 63
1996
Death
Matima Kinuani Mpiosso
Matima Kinuani Mpiosso, musician, dies at 45
1999
Death
Paul Sacher
Paul Sacher, Swiss conductor (b. 1906)
2023
Death
Reuben Wilson
Reuben Wilson died
2025
Death
Rick Derringer
Rick Derringer died
1995
Death
Ron Weatherburn
Ron Weatherburn, jazz pianist, dies at 61
1703
Death
Samuel Pepys
Samuel Pepys, English marine expert (Diary)/composer, dies at 70
2025
Death
Sherry Bryce
Sherry Bryce died
1924
Death
Victor Herbert
Victor Herbert, Irish/US cellist/composer/conductor, dies at 65
1994
Death
Warren Harding "Sonny" Sharrock
Warren Harding "Sonny" Sharrock, American jazz Guitarist, dies at 53
1968
Death
William E "Little Willie" John
William E "Little Willie" John, US R&B-singer (Fever), dies at 30)
1977
Death
William Powell
William Powell, rocker (O'Jays), dies of cancer at 35
2025
Death
İlhan Şeşen
İlhan Şeşen died
Releases & milestones on May 26
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