On This Day in Music: May 8

1839 Birth

Adolphe-Basile Routhier

Adolphe-Basile Routhier, French Canadian lyricist (O Canada) (d. 1920) was born

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1953 Birth

Alex Van Halen

Alex Van Halen, Amsterdam The Netherlands, Dutch drummer (Van Halen) was born

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1953 Birth

Billy Burnette

Billy Burnette, Memphis Tn, rock guitarist (Fleetwood Mac) was born

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1981 Birth

Björn Dixgård

Björn Dixgård, Swedish guitarist was born

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1745 Birth

Carl Philipp Stamitz

Carl Philipp Stamitz, composer was born

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1853 Birth

Charles Lee Williams

Charles Lee Williams, composer was born

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1931 Birth

Charles M Wilson

Charles M Wilson, composer was born

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1951 Birth

Chris Frantz

Chris Frantz, Ky, rock drummer (Talking Heads, Tom Tom Club) was born

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1971 Birth

Chris Wolf

Chris Wolf, actor/musician (Guys Next Door) was born

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1964 Birth

Dave Rowntree

Dave Rowntree, British musician (Blur) was born

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1906 Birth

David Van Vactor

David Van Vactor, Plymouth Indiana, composer (Chaconne) was born

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1750 Birth

Elias Mann

Elias Mann, composer was born

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1975 Birth

Enrique Iglesias

Enrique Iglesias, Madrid, Spanish singer-songwriter and King of Latin Pop (Bailamos, Hero) was born

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1964 Birth

Eric Brittingham

Eric Brittingham, rocker (Cinderella-Heartbreak Station) was born

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1942 Birth

Euclid "Motorhead" Sherwood

Euclid "Motorhead" Sherwood, rocker (Mothers Of Invention) was born

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1892 Birth

Ezio Pinza

Ezio Pinza, Rome Italy, bass singer (South Pacific, RCA Victor Show) was born

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1947 Birth

Felicity Lott

Felicity Lott, English soprano (We come to the river) was born

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1944 Birth

Gary Glitter

Gary Glitter, [Paul Gadd], England, rocker (Rock & Roll Part II) was born

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1930 Birth

Gary Snyder

Gary Snyder, [Japhy Ryder], beat poet (Rip Rap & Cold Mountain Poems) was born

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1703 Birth

Gottlob Harrer

Gottlob Harrer, composer was born

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1930 Birth

Heather Harper

Heather Harper, soprano was born

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1844 Birth

Hermann Gradener

Hermann Gradener, composer was born

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1976 Birth

Ian "H" Watkins

Ian "H" Watkins, pop singer (Steps) was born

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1905 Birth

Inglis Gundry

Inglis Gundry, composer was born

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1806 Birth

Jan Bedrich Kittl

Jan Bedrich Kittl, composer was born

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1978 Birth

Jang Woo Hyuk

Jang Woo Hyuk, Korean singer was born

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1815 Birth

Jean Delphin Alard

Jean Delphin Alard, French violinist/composer was born

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1886 Birth

Jef van Hoof

Jef van Hoof, composer was born

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1742 Birth

Johann Baptist Krumpholtz

Johann Baptist Krumpholtz, composer was born

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1778 Birth

Johann Gansbacher

Johann Gansbacher, composer was born

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1673 Birth

Johann Valentin Eckelt

Johann Valentin Eckelt, composer was born

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1527 Birth

Johann Walter

Johann Walter, composer was born

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1941 Birth

John Fred

John Fred, rocker was born

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1803 Birth

Joseph Napoleon Ney Moskova

Joseph Napoleon Ney Moskova, composer was born

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1945 Birth

Keith Jarrett

Keith Jarrett, jazz musician/film composer (Nachtfahrer) was born

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1829 Birth

Louis Moreau Gottschalk

Louis Moreau Gottschalk, 1st internationally recognized US pianist was born

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1941 Birth

Mahmoud Ahmed

Mahmoud Ahmed, Ethiopian singer was born

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1966 Birth

Marta Sánchez

Marta Sánchez, Spanish singer was born

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1976 Birth

Martha Wainwright

Martha Wainwright, Canadian musician and songwriter was born

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1910 Birth

Mary Lou Williams

Mary Lou Williams, US jazz pianist/composer (Zodiac Suite) was born

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1983 Birth

Matt Willis

Matt Willis, British singer was born

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1980 Birth

Michelle McManus

Michelle McManus, Scottish singer was born

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1846 Birth

Oscar Hammerstein

Oscar Hammerstein, Germany, opera/playwright (Kohinoor) was born

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1943 Birth

Paul Samwell-Smith

Paul Samwell-Smith, Richmond, Surrey, English bassist (The Yardbirds-For Your Love) was born

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1964 Birth

Peter Gill

Peter Gill, rocker (Frankie Goes to Hollywood-Relax) [or Mar/Jan 8] was born

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1947 Birth

Phil Sawyer

Phil Sawyer, rocker (Spencer Davis Group) was born

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1951 Birth

Philip Bailey

Philip Bailey, rocker (Earth Wind & Fire-Shining Star, Easy Lover) was born

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1905 Birth

Red Nichols

Red Nichols, American musician (d. 1965) was born

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1947 Birth

Rick Zehringer

Rick Zehringer, Ohio, rocker (McCoys) was born

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1911 Birth

Robert Johnson

Robert Johnson, blues singer (King of Delta Blues Singer) was born

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1919 Birth

Sultan Ismail Hajibeyov

Sultan Ismail Hajibeyov, composer was born

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1940 Birth

Toni Tennille

Toni Tennille, American singer was born

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1928 Birth

William Jay Sydeman

William Jay Sydeman, composer was born

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2026 Death

Abdelwahab Doukkali

Abdelwahab Doukkali died

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1948 Death

Alfred Holy

Alfred Holy, composer, dies at 81

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2021 Death

Curtis Fuller

Curtis Fuller died

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2008 Death

Eddy Arnold

Eddy Arnold, Country music star (b. 1918)

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1818 Death

Franz Ignaz Kaa

Franz Ignaz Kaa, composer, dies at 78

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1846 Death

Giacomo Cordella

Giacomo Cordella, composer, dies at 59

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2024 Death

Giovanna Marini

Giovanna Marini died

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1974 Death

Graham Bond

Graham Bond, rocker, dies jumping under a train

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1941 Death

Heinrich Zollner

Heinrich Zollner, composer, dies at 86

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1684 Death

Henri Dumont

Henri Dumont, composer, dies

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1960 Death

Hugo Alfven

Hugo Alfven, Swedish composer (Midsommarvaka), dies at 88

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1991 Death

Jean Langlais

Jean Langlais, composer, dies at 84

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2024 Death

John Barbata

John Barbata died

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1985 Death

Karl Marx

Karl Marx, German composer/conductor, dies at 87

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1993 Death

Kees Deenik

Kees Deenik, singer/conductor

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1967 Death

Laverne Andrews

Laverne Andrews, singer (Andrews Sisters), dies at 51

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1930 Death

Lvar Henning Mankell

Lvar Henning Mankell, composer, dies at 61

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1829 Death

Mauro Giuseppe Sergio Pantaleo Giuliani

Mauro Giuseppe Sergio Pantaleo Giuliani, composer, dies at 47

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1885 Death

Pavel Krizkovsky

Pavel Krizkovsky, composer, dies at 65

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1959 Death

Renato Caccioppoli

Renato Caccioppoli, Italian mathematician/pianist, suicide at 55

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2023 Death

Rita Lee

Rita Lee died

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1995 Death

Teresa Teng

Teresa Teng, singer, dies at 41

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2025 Death

Xatar

Xatar died

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1985 Event

Alabama

20th Academy of Country Music Awards: Alabama & Judds win

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2026 Event

Ashley McBryde

Ashley McBryde released the album 'Wild'

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2026 Event

Broken Social Scene

Broken Social Scene released the album 'Remember the Humans'

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2026 Event

Chiara Oliver

Chiara Oliver released the album 'No fue real'

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2026 Event

Električni Orgazam

Električni Orgazam released the album 'Q139907136'

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2026 Event

Girli

Girli released the album 'It's Just My Opinion'

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2020 Event

Hayley Williams

Hayley Williams released the album 'Petals for Armor'

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2026 Event

India Ramey

India Ramey released the album 'Villain Era'

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2020 Event

Kehlani

Kehlani released the album 'It Was Good Until It Wasn't'

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2026 Event

Kesi

Kesi released the album 'MEN SÅ KOM I MORGEN'

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2020 Event

Lamb of God

Lamb of God released the album 'Lamb of God'

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2026 Event

Lykke Li

Lykke Li released the album 'The Afterparty'

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2026 Event

MUNA

MUNA released the album 'Dancing on the Wall'

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2026 Event

Neil Diamond

Neil Diamond released the album 'Wild at Heart'

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2026 Event

Sayf

Sayf released the album 'Santissimo'

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2026 Event

Social Distortion

Social Distortion released the album 'Born to Kill'

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2026 Event

Stephen Sanchez

Stephen Sanchez released the album 'Love, Love, Love'

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1970 Event

The Beatles

Beatles release "Let it Be" album

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2024 Event

TripleS

TripleS released the album 'Assemble24'

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