Musicians Born on January 26

  • 1613 Johann Jakob Wolleb, Swiss organist, theologian and composer, born in Basel, Switzerland (d. 1667)
  • 1708 William Hayes, British composer and organist, baptized in Gloucester, England (d. 1777)
  • 1742 Johann Friedrich Ludwig Sievers, German composer, born in Hanover, Electorate of Hanover, Holy Roman Empire (d. 1806)
  • 1748 Emanuel Aloys Förster, Bohemian composer and music teacher, born in Niederstaina, Kingdom of Prussia (now Ścinawka Dolna, Poland) (d. 1823)
  • 1852 Frederick Corder, British composer (The Nabob's Pickle), born in Hackney, London, England (d. 1932)
  • 1855 Arthur Hervey, Irish orchestral and operatic composer, and musicologist, born in Paris, France (d. 1922)
  • 1900 Karl Ristenpart, German conductor, born in Kiel, Germany (d. 1967)
  • 1901 Ervin Major, Hungarian composer, born in Budapest, Austro-Hungarian Empire (d. 1967)
  • 1905 Maria Augusta von Trapp, Austrian singer who inspired "The Sound of Music", born in Vienna, Austro-Hungarian Empire (d. 1987)
  • 1907 Eddie Ballantine, American orchestra leader (Don McNeill TV Club), born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 1995)
  • 1908 Stéphane Grappelli, French jazz violinist (Quintette du Hot Club de France), born in Paris, France (d. 1997)
  • 1910 Marijan Lipovsek, Slovenian pianist, composer, and teacher, born in Ljubljana, Austria-Hungary (now Slovenia) (d. 1995)
  • 1911 Norbert Schultze, German composer, primarily of film scores, born in Brunswick, Saxony, Germany (d. 2002)
  • 1913 Jimmy Van Heusen [Edward Chester Babcock], American Acadeny and Emmy Award-winning composer and songwriter ("All The Way"; "Love & Marriage"; "Come Fly With Me"), born in Syracuse, New York (d. 1990) [1]
  • 1916 Lothar Jensch, German medical doctor, and composer, born in Höchst, Germany (d. 2004)
  • 1921 Frantisek Chaun, Czech composer, born in Kaplice, Bohemia, Austrian Empire (now Czechia) (d. 1981)
  • 1921 Johannes Driessler, German organist and composer, born in Friedrichsthal, Germany (d. 1988)
  • 1923 Anne Jeffreys [Carmichael], American singer and actress (Dick Tracy; Topper; General Hospital), born in Goldsboro, North Carolina (d. 2017)
  • 1923 Talib Dawud [Alfonso Rainey], Antiguan-American jazz trumpeter (Dizzy Gillespie Big Band), born in Antigua (d. 1999)
  • 1924 Alice Babs [Nilson], Swedish jazz singer (The Swe-Danes; Duke Ellington's Sacred Concerts), and actress (Swing It, Teacher!), born in Västervik, Sweden (d. 2014)
  • 1924 Warren Frank Benson, American composer (The Leaves Are Falling), and educator (Eastman School, 1967-1993), born in Detroit, Michigan (d. 2005)
  • 1926 Fritz Spiegl, Austrian-British classical flautist, broadcaster, composer, and wit, born in Zurndorf, Austria (d. 2003)
  • 1926 Ronnie Hilton, British radio presenter and singer (Moonraker), born in Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, England (d. 2001)
  • 1930 Wim Statius Muller, Curaçaoa conductor, pianist, and composer, born in Curaçao (d. 2019)
  • 1932 Clement "Sir Coxsone" Dodd, Jamaican record producer, born in Kingston, Jamaica (d. 2004)
  • 1934 Huey "Piano" Smith, American R&B pianist ("Rockin' Pneumonia & Boogie Woogie Flu"; "Having a Good Time"), born in New Orleans, Louisiana (d. 2023) [1]
  • 1935 Peter Ronnefeld, German composer and conductor (Die Nachtausgabe), born in Dresden, Germany (d. 1965)
  • 1935 Zbigniew Penherski, Polish composer (Little Music for the End of Century), born in Warsaw, Poland (d. 2019)
  • 1938 Bill Wurtzel, American jazz and classical guitarist (Count Basie), born in Forestburgh, New York
  • 1939 Marshall Leib [Leibovitz], American pop singer (Teddy Bears - "To Know Him Is To Love Him"), and record producer, born in Los Angeles, California (d. 2002)
  • 1943 Jean Knight [Caliste], American soul, funk, and R&B singer ("Mr. Big Stuff"), and nurse, born in New Orleans, Louisiana (d. 2023) [1]
  • 1943 Peter Kenton Winkler, American pianist, symphonic and theatrical composer, born in Los Angeles, California
  • 1943 Thom Bell, American session musician, arranger and Grammy Award-winning "Philadelphia soul" producer (Delfonics; Stylistics; The Spinners), born in Kingston, Jamaican (d. 2022)
  • 1945 Ashley Hutchings, British folk-rock bassist, vocalist, songwriter, and record producer (Fairport Convention. 1967-69; Steeleye Span, 1969-72; Albion Band), born in Southgate, London, England
  • 1945 Jacqueline du Pré, British concert cellist, born in Oxford, England (d. 1987)
  • 1945 Marti Caine [Lynne Stringer], British comedienne, singer and television host, born in Sheffield, England (d. 1995)
  • 1947 Michel Sardou, French pop singer and songwriter, born in Paris, France
  • 1948 (Laurence) "Corky" Laing, Canadian rock drummer and songwriter (Mountain; Cork), born in Montreal, Quebec
  • 1949 Derek Holt, British rock guitarist (Curved Air; Climax Blues Band - "Couldn't Get It Right"), born in Stafford, England
  • 1951 Andy Hummell, American rock bassist (Big Star, 1971-73), born in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania (d. 2010)
  • 1951 Christopher North, American rock keyboardist (Ambrosia - "The Biggest Part Of Me"), born in San Francisco, California
  • 1951 David Briggs, Australian rock guitarist (Little River Band, 1976-81 - "Lonesome Loser"), born in Melbourne, Australia
  • 1953 Bert Heerink, Dutch rock vocalist, born in Utrecht, Netherlands
  • 1953 Lucinda Williams, American roots singer-songwriter ("Passionate Kisses"; "Car Wheels On A Gravel Road"), born in Lake Charles, Louisiana

Eddie Van Halen (1955-2020)

Dutch-American rock guitarist (Van Halen - "You Really Got Me"; "Jump"), born in Amsterdam, Netherlands

  • 1955 Lucia Mendez, Mexican actress and singer (Lucia es Luna Moreno), born in León, Guanajuato, Mexico
  • 1956 Lisa Boray [Schulte Nordholt], Dutch jazz singer ("Lovers Until the End"), born in Breda, Netherlands

Anita Baker (66 years old)

1958 American jazz and soul singer ("Giving You the Best That I Got"; "Sweet Love"), born in Toledo, Ohio

  • 1958 B. James Lowry, American country session guitarist and producer (The Boys Band), born in Pensacola, Florida
  • 1958 Norman Hassan, British reggae percussionist, and trombone player (UB40 - "Red Red Wine"; "I Got You Babe"), born in Birmingham, England
  • 1960 Charlie Gillingham, American rock Hammond B-3 organ, accordion, piano, and keyboard player (Counting Crows - "Accidentally In Love"), born in Torrance, California
  • 1961 Neil Taylor, British touring and session guitarist (Tears For Fears - "Everybody Wants To Rule The World"; Robbie Williams), born in Bristol, England
  • 1962 Laura Elise Schwendinger, American composer (Magic Carpet Music; Artemisia), born in Mexico City
  • 1962 Tom Keifer, American rock guitarist and vocalist (Cinderella - "Coming Home"), born in Springfield, Pennsylvania
  • 1963 Andrew Ridgeley, British pop guitarist, songwriter and producer (Wham - "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go"), born in Windlesham, Surrey, England
  • 1963 Jazzie B [Beresford Romeo], English rapper (Soul II Soul - "Feel Free"), born in Hornsey, London, England
  • 1964 Susannah Melvoin, American songwriter and vocalist (The Revolution), born in Los Angeles, California
  • 1964 Wendy Melvoin, American Emmy Award-winning songwriter and guitarist (Wendy & Lisa - "Nurse Jackie Theme"; The Revolution, 1980-86), born in Los Angeles, California
  • 1967 Pradip Somasundaran, Indian playback singer, born in Thrissur, India
  • 1970 Kirk Franklin, American gospel singer, choir director, and 16 time Grammy Award-winner, born in Fort Worth, Texas
  • 1971 Benjamin Jaffe, American jazz tuba and double bass player, creative director (Preservation Hall Jazz Band), born in New Orleans, Louisiana
  • 1974 Rokia Traoré, Bambara-Mali-French Afro-beat and folk singer-songwriter, and guitarist (Tchamantché; Né So), and arts patron (Foundation Passerelle), born in Kolokani, Mali
  • 1976 Willie Adler, American rock guitar player (Lamb Of God), born in Richmond, Virginia
  • 1977 Leandro Fresco, Argentine ambient-electronic musician, born in Buenos Aires, Argentina
  • 1981 Gustavo Dudamel, Venezuelan Spanish conductor (Los Angeles Philharmonic), born in Barquisimeto, Venezuela
  • 1981 Reminisce [Remilekun Khalid Safaru], Nigerian singer-songwriter and rapper (Vibes & Insha Allah), born in Kaduna, Nigeria
  • 1986 Matt Heafy, American-Japanese musician (Trivium), born in Iwakuni, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan
  • 1988 Mia Rose, British-Portuguese pop singer, born in Wimbledon, London
  • 1998 Moonbin [Moon Bin], South Korean K-pop singer and actor, born in Cheongju, Chungbuk, South Korea (d. 2023)