Musicians Born on December 8

Jean Sibelius (1865-1957)

Finnish composer (Valse Triste, Finlandia), born in Tavastehus, Finland

1877 Paul Ladmirault, French composer, born in Nantes, France (d. 1944)
1882 Manuel Ponce, Mexican composer (Estrellita), born in Fresnillo, Zacatecas, Mexico (d. 1948)
1887 Vicente Emilio Sojo, Venezuelan composer, born in Guatire, Miranda state, Venezuela (d. 1974)
1890 Bohuslav Martinů, Czech, composer (Hry o Marti), born in Polička, Bohemia (d. 1959)
1897 Leslie Heward, English composer, born in Liversedge, Yorkshire (d. 1943)
1899 James "Pigmeat" Jarrett, American pianist, born in Cordele, Georgia (d. 1995)
1903 Zoltán Székely, Hungarian violinist and composer, born in Kocs, Hungary (d. 2011)
1905 Charles Cushing, American composer, born in Oakland, California (d. 1982)
1905 Ernst Hermann Meyer, German composer, born in Berlin (d. 1988)
1906 (Lloyd) "Slim" Andrews, American comic actor (Buffalo Bill in Tomahawk Territory), and singer-songwriter, born in Gravette, Arkansas (d. 1992) [1]
1906 Leo Shuken, American film music composer and arranger (Stagecoach; The Fabulous Dorseys; The Unsinkable Molly Brown), born in Los Angeles, California (d. 1976)
1907 Tony Aubin, French composer (Actaeon; Sinfonie Romantique), conductor, and educator (Paris Conservatory, 1944-77), born in Paris (d. 1981)
1909 Cleo Brown, American jazz pianist, born in Meridian, Mississippi (d. 1995)
1911 Nikos Gatsos, Greek poet and lyricist, born in Asea, Greece (d. 1992)
1917 Rufo I Wever, Aruban pianist and composer (Ca'i Organ), born in Oranjestad, Aruba (d. 1977)
1918 Gérard Souzay, French baritone, born in Angers, France (d. 2004)
1919 Hans-Dieter Hosalla, German composer, born in Erfurt, Germany (d. 1995)
1919 Mieczysław Weinberg [Moisey Samuilovich Vaynberg], Polish-Soviet composer, born in Warsaw, Poland (d. 1996)
1921 Terence Weil, British cellist (Melos Ensemble), born in London (d. 1995)
1922 Jean Ritchie, American folk singer, born in Viper, Kentucky (d. 2015)
1925 Jimmy Smith, American jazz musician and organist (Walk on the Wild Side), born in Norristown, Pennsylvania (d. 2005)

Sammy Davis Jr. (1925-1990)

American vaudeville, stage, and screen singer ("The Candy Man"), dancer, actor (Ocean's 11), and Rat Pack member, born in New York City

1929 Ali Bongo [William Oliver Wallace], British comedy musician and magician (President of The Magic Circle - Shriek of Araby), born in England (d. 2009)
1930 Alain Weber, French composer, born in Château-Thierry (d. 2019)
1931 Rudolf Komorous, Czech-born Canadian composer, born in Prague, Czechoslovakia
1936 Malcolm Forsyth, South African-Canadian trombonist and composer (Atayoskewin), born in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, (d. 2011)
1939 James Galway, Irish classical flutist known as "The Man With the Golden Flute", born in Belfast, Northern Ireland
1939 Jerry Butler, American soul vocalist (The Impressions; "Never Give You Up"), born in Sunflower, Mississippi
1942 (Frederick) "Toots" Hibbert, Jamaican singer-songwriter (The Maytals - "Pressure Drop"), born in May Pen, Jamaica (d. 2020)
1942 Bobby Elliott, British rock drummer (The Hollies), born in Burnley, Lancashire

Jim Morrison (1943-1971)

American singer-songwriter (The Doors) and poet, born in Melbourne, Florida

1944 George Baker [Johannes Bouwens], Dutch singer and songwriter (Paloma Blanca, Little Green Bag), born in Hoorn, Netherlands
1946 John Rubinstein, American stage and screen actor, and singer (Pippin; Family: Grumpy Old Men (The Musical)), born in Los Angeles, California
1947 Geoff Daking, American rock drummer (Blue Magoos), audio engineer, and recording studio designer, born in the USA
1947 Gregg Allman, American Hammond organist, guitarist and vocalist (The Allman Brothers Band - "Whipping Post"), born in Nashville, Tennessee (d. 2017)
1949 Ray Shulman, Scottish progressive rock bassist, songwriter (Gentle Giant), and record producer (The Sugarcubes), born in Portsmouth, England (d. 2023)
1950 Dan Hartman, American musician, singer-songwriter, and producer (Edgar Winter Group - "Free Ride; solo- "I Can Dream About You"; James Brown -"Living In America"), born in West Hanover, Pennsylvania (d. 1994)
1950 Jimmy Farrar, American rock vocalist (Molly Hatchet), born in LaGrange, Georgia
1950 Wah-Wah Watson [Melvin Ragin], American session soul & funk guitarist (Motown's Funk Brothers; Temptations - "Papa Was A Rollin' Stone"; Pointer Sisters; Herbie Hancock), born in Richmond, Virgina (d. 2018)
1951 Jan Eggum, Norwegian pop-rock singer-songwriter, born in Bergen, Norway
1952 Ric Sanders, British folk-rock, jazz violinist (Fairport Convention; Stomu Yamash'ta; Soft Machine), born in Birmingham, England
1952 Richie Morales, American jazz-fusion drummer (Spyro Gyra. 1983-90 - "Morning Dance"), and college professor (SUNY, 2000-21), born in New York City
1953 (James) "Mingo" Lewis, American session and touring jazz fusion and rock percussionist (Santana; Al DiMeola; The Tubes), born in New York City
1953 Stan Harrison, American rock and jazz saxophonist and woodwind player (Mud Music Ensemble; Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
1955 Kasim Sulton, American session and touring bass guitarist (Utopia; Todd Rundgren; Meatloaf), born in Staten Island, New York
1955 Nathan East, American jazz, R&B, and rock session and touring bass player (Fourplay; Phil Collins), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
1956 Pierre Pincemaille, French organist, composer, and pedagogue, born in Paris (d. 2018)
1956 Warren Cuccurullo, American rock guitarist (Frank Zappa, 1977-80; Missing Persons, 1980-86; Duran Duran, 1986-2001), born in Brooklyn, NYC
1957 Phil Collen, English heavy-metal guitarist (Def Leppard - "Love Bites"), born in London, England
1958 Bird McIntyre [Albert Thongchai McIntyre], Thai pop singer, luk thung musician, and actor, born in Bangkok, Thailand
1959 Marty Raybon, American singer (Shenandoah-Sunday in the South), born in Sanford, Florida
1959 Paul Rutherford, British rock vocalist (Frankie Goes to Hollywood - "Relax"), born in Liverpool, England
1962 Marty Friedman, American heavy metal guitarist (Megadeth), born in Washington, D.C.
1962 Rodolfo Saglimbeni, Venezuelan conductor (Municipal Symphony Orchestra of Caracas, 2003-present), born in Barquisimeto, Venezuela
1964 James Blundell, Australian country singer ("Way Out West", "This Road"), born in Stanthorpe, Queensland, Australia
1965 Carina Lau, Hong Kong actress and singer (Days of Being Wild), born in Suzhou, China

Sinead O'Connor (1966-2023)

Irish singer-songwriter (Nothing Compares 2 U), born in Glenageary, Ireland

1973 Corey Taylor, American rock singer (Slipknot, Stone Sour), born in Des Moines, Iowa
1974 Cristian Castro, Mexican pop singer, born in Mexico City
1974 Nick Zinner, American guitarist (Yeah Yeah Yeahs), born in Massachusetts
1976 Naimee Coleman, Irish singer and songwriter, born in Dublin, Ireland
1979 Ingrid Michaelson, American folk-pop singer-songwriter (Lights Out), born in New York City
1982 Chrisette Michele [Payne], American R&B and soul singer-songwriter ("Be OK"; "Epiphany"), born in Central Islip, New York,

Nicki Minaj (41 years old)

1982 Trinidadian-American rapper and singer (Super Bass, Starships), born in Saint James, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago

1984 Sam Hunt, American country pop singer (Take Your Time), born in Cedartown, Georgia
1986 Kate Voegele, American folk-pop-rock singer songwriter, guitarist, and mandolin player, born in Bay Village, Ohio
1990 Jakub Józef Orliński, Polish operatic countertenor singer, and break-dancer, born in Warsaw, Poland