Musicians Born on December 1

  • 1671 Francesco Stradivari, Italian violin maker and son of Antonius, born in Cremona, Duchy of Milan, Holy Roman Empire (d. 1743)
  • 1709 Franz Xaver Richter, Austro-Moravian composer, singer and conductor, born in Holleschau, Moravia (d. 1789) [probable place of birth]
  • 1712 Bernhard Christian Weber, German composer, born in Wolferschwenda (d. 1758)
  • 1724 Dismas Hatas, Czech composer, born in Vysoké Mýto (d. 1777)
  • 1729 Giuseppe Sarti, Italian composer, born in Faenza, (d. 1802)
  • 1779 Pyotr Ivanovich Turchaninov, Russian church composer and choirmaster, born in Kiev, Russian Empire (d. 1856)
  • 1781 Charles Philippe Lafont, French composer and violinist, born in Paris, France (d. 1839)
  • 1784 Castil-Blaze [Francois Henri Joseph Blaze], French composer and music critic, born in Cavaillon, France (d. 1857)
  • 1787 Pavel Ivanovich Dolgorukov, Russian composer, born in Moscow (d. 1845)
  • 1810 Joseph Gungl, Austro-Hungarian bandleader and composer of dances and marches, born in Zsámbék, Hungary (d. 1889)
  • 1814 August Rockel, German composer, born in Graz (d. 1876)
  • 1823 Ernest Reyer, French opera composer, born in Marseilles, France (d. 1909)
  • 1844 Alfred Cellier, British conductor (Glibert and Sullivan) and composer (Dorothy), born in South Hackney, London (d. 1891)
  • 1847 Agathe Backer Grøndahl, Norwegian pianist, composer, and teacher, born in Holmestrand, Norway (d. 1907)
  • 1850 Peter Lange-Müller, Danish composer and pianist, born in Frederiksberg, Denmark (d. 1926)
  • 1874 Dominicus Johner, German composer and scholar, born in Waldsee (d. 1955)
  • 1883 Romanos Melik'yan, Armenian composer, born in Kizlyar, (d. 1935)
  • 1885 Guy de Lioncourt, French composer, born in Caen, France (d. 1961)
  • 1896 Petko Staynov, Bulgarian composer, born in Kazanlak, Bulgaria (d. 1977)
  • 1901 Dorothy James, American composer (Paola and Francesca; Patterns), and educator, born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 1982)
  • 1901 Ilona Fehér, Hungarian-Israeli violinist, and teacher, born in Budapest, Hungary (d. 1988)
  • 1905 Ida Carroll, English double bassist, educator, administrator (Northern School of Music, 1956-72), and composer, born in West Didsbury, England (d. 1995)
  • 1906 Jean Cartan, French composer, born in Nancy (d. 1932)
  • 1908 Georgios Kasassoglou, Greek violinist, composer (Four Preludes on The Return from The Front; Clouds), educator and arts advocate, born in Athens, Greece (d. 1984)
  • 1910 Alicia Markova, English ballerina and choreographer (Diaghilev's Ballet sRusses 1925-32), born in London (d. 2004)
  • 1912 Terence Beckles, English pianist and teacher, born in Bushey, England (d. 1995)
  • 1915 Johnny Johnston, American singer (Make that Spare), born in St Louis, Missouri (d. 1996)
  • 1919 Ike Isaacs, Burmese-English jazz guitarist, born in Rangoon, Burma (d. 1996)
  • 1919 Lurlean Hunter, American jazz singer, born in Clarksdale, Mississippi (d. 1983)
  • 1921 John Bunch, American jazz pianist (New York Swing Trio), born in Tipton, Indiana (d. 2010)
  • 1925 Jaime Mendoza-Nava, Bolivian-American composer and conductor, born in La Paz, Bolizia (d. 2005)
  • 1927 Grant Beglarian, Armenian-American composer (Of Fables, Foibles, and Fancies), educator (University of Southern California, 1969-86), and arts administrator, born in Tiflis, Georgia (d. 2002)
  • 1929 Leon Biriotti, Uruguayan composer and oboist, born in Montevideo, Uruguay (d. 2020)
  • 1930 Matt Monro [Terence Parsons], English pop singer ("Softly As I Leave You"), born in Shoreditch, London (d. 1985)
  • 1931 Jim Nesbitt, American country music singer, born in Bishopville, South Carolina (d. 2007)
  • 1931 Jimmy Lyons, American jazz saxophonist and composer (Cecil Taylor), born in Jersey City, New Jersey (d. 1986)
  • 1933 Lou Rawls, American soul singer-songwriter and producer ("You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine", "Natural Man"), born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 2006)
  • 1933 Violetta Verdy, French ballerina and teacher, born in Pont-l'Abbé, Brittany (d. 2016)
  • 1934 Billy Paul [Paul Williams], American singer ("Me & Mrs. Jones"), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 2016)
  • 1937 Gordon Crosse, British contemporary classical composer (Grace of Todd; Purgatory; Changes), and educator, born in Bury, England (d. 2021)
  • 1938 Sandy Nelson, American rock drummer ("Teen Beat"; "Let There Be Drums"), born in Santa Monica, California (d. 2022)
  • 1939 Dianne Lennon, American singer (Lennon Sisters), born in Los Angeles, California
  • 1944 Eric Bloom, American rock vocalist/guitarist (Blue Öyster Cult), born in Brooklyn, New York
  • 1944 John Densmore, American drummer (The Doors - "Light My Fire"; "L.A. Woman"), born in Los Angeles, California

Bette Midler (78 years old)

1945 American singer ("The Rose"; "Wind Beneath My Wings"), and actress (Ruthless People; Beaches), born in Honolulu, Hawaii

  • 1946 (Raymond) "Gilbert" O'Sullivan, Irish singer-songwriter ("Alone Again Naturally"), born in Waterford, Ireland
  • 1947 Alain Bashung, French singer-songwriter (Gaby oh Gaby), born in Paris, France (d. 2009)
  • 1950 Richard Keith [Thibodeaux], American actor (I Love Lucy - "Little Ricky"), and drummer, born in Lafayette, Louisiana
  • 1951 Jaco Pastorius, American jazz musician and bass guitarist (Weather Report; Word of Mouth), born in Norristown, Pennsylvania (d. 1987)
  • 1956 Julee Cruise, American singer (Falling) and stage actress, born in Creston, Iowa (d. 2022)
  • 1958 Lisa Fischer, American vocalist and songwriter ("How Can I Ease the Pain"), born in Brooklyn, New York
  • 1959 Billy Childish [Steven John Hamper], English painter, poet, writer, singer and guitarist (Pop Rivets; Three Milkshakes), born in Chatham, England
  • 1965 Chantal Chamberland, Canadian jazz guitarist and vocalist ("The Other Woman"), born in Quebec
  • 1973 Jon Theodore, American drummer (Queens of the Stone Age), born in Baltimore, Maryland
  • 1974 David Ludwig, American classical composer (Pictures from the Floating World; Paganiniana), and pedagogue (Curtis Institute, 2010-21; Juilliard School, 2021- ), born in Bucks County, Pennsylvania
  • 1974 Ikey Owens ,American keyboardist (The Mars Volta; Jack White), and producer, born in long Beach, California (d. 2014)
  • 1977 Brad Delson, American rock guitarist (Linkin Park), born in Agoura, California
  • 1978 Mat Kearney, American singer and songwriter, born in Eugene, Oregon
  • 1981 Marcus Johnson, American jazz keyboard and piano player, born in Columbus, Ohio
  • 1982 Rizwan "Riz" Ahmed, British-Pakistani actor (The Night Of), rapper (Swet Shop Boys) and activist, born in Wembley, London
  • 1984 Yolandi Visser, South African rapper (Die Antwoord), born in Port Albert, South Africa

Janelle Monáe (38 years old)

1985 American singer-songwriter (Dirty Computer) and actress (Hidden Figures), born in Kansas City, Kansas