Musicians Who Died on August 11

  • 1563 Bartolomé de Escobedo, Spanish composer, dies at about 63 [birthdate uncertain, circa 1500]
  • 1729 Nicola Francesco Haym, Italian composer, dies at 51
  • 1757 José Pradas Gallén, Spanish composer, dies at 67
  • 1778 Augustus Montague Toplady, British hymn writer (Rock of Ages), dies at 37
  • 1794 Jakob Friedrich Kleinknecht, German composer, dies at 72
  • 1820 János Lavotta, Hungarian violinist and composer, dies at 56
  • 1868 Halfdan Kjerulf, Norwegian composer (Brudefaerden i Hardanger), dies at 52
  • 1872 Lowell Mason, American organist and composer (Zebulo), dies at 80
  • 1940 Alfred Zamara Austrian harpist, composer, and teacher, dies at 77
  • 1942 Richard Heinrich Stein, German composer, and music theorist (La musica moderna), dies at 60
  • 1949 Karl Weigl, Austrian-American pianist, composer (Apocalyptic Symphony), and educator, dies of bone marrow cancer at 68
  • 1951 Ebbe Hamerik, Danish opera composer (Stepan; Marie Grubbe), drowns in a sailing accident at 52
  • 1952 Riccardo Martin, American tenor and composer, dies at 77
  • 1974 Vicente Emilio Sojo, Venezuelan composer, dies at 86
  • 1984 Pat McCauley, Northern Irish rock keyboardist and drummer (Them. 1964-65 - "Here Comes The Night"; The Other Them, 1965-67), dies at 40
  • 1984 Percy Mayfield, American singer (Hit the Road Jack), dies at 63
  • 1988 Jean-Pierre Ponnele, French opera director (Carmina Burana), dies at 56
  • 1991 Helmut Walcha, a blind German organist (church music), dies at 83
  • 1991 Rodolfo Cornejo, Filipino classical pianist, composer, and conductor, dies at 82
  • 1995 (Wonga) Phil Harris], American singer, actor (The Jungle Book; The Aristocrats; Robin Hood), comedian, and orchestra leader (The Jack Benny Program; The Phil Harris-Alice Faye Show), dies of a heart attack at 91
  • 1995 Herbert Sumsion, British organist (Gloucester Cathedral, 1928-67), conductor, and composer, dies at 96
  • 1996 Mel Taylor, American rock drummer (The Ventures, 1962-73 and 1979-96), dies of cancer at 63
  • 1996 Rafael Kubelik, Czech conductor (Cornelia Farooli), dies at 82
  • 1998 Benjamin "Benny" Waters, American jazz saxophonist and clarinetist, dies at 96
  • 2000 Jean Papineau-Couture, Canadian composer, dies at 83

Mike Douglas (1920-2006)

American big band singer (Kay Kyser), and TV talk show host (The Mike Douglas Show, 1961-81), dies on his 86th birthday

  • 2008 Don Helms, American steel guitarist (Hank Williams's Drifting Cowboys), dies at 81
  • 2008 Günther Schifter, Austrian music journalist and radio host, dies at 84
  • 2011 Jani Lane [John Oswald], American heavy metal rock songwriter, and singer (Warrant - "Cherry Pie"), dies of acute alcohol poisoning at 47
  • 2012 Carlo Curley, American classical concert organist dies at 59
  • 2013 Lamberto Puggelli, Italian stage and opera director (Spoleto Festival), dies at 75
  • 2020 Patrick Fairley, Scottish pop rock guitarist (Marmalade, 1961-72 - "Ob La Di, Ob La Da"), and music publisher, dies of throat cancer at 77
  • 2020 Trinidad "Trini" Lopez, American singer and guitarist ("If I Had A Hammer"; "Lemon Tree"), and actor (The Dirty Dozen), dies of COVID-19 at 83 [1]
  • 2021 Roy Gaines, American electric and Texas blues and session guitarist, singer, and songwriter ("A Hell of a Night"), dies at 83
  • 2022 Bill Pitman, American touring and session jazz and rock guitarist (Peggy Lee; The Wrecking Crew, "Be My Baby"), and ukulele player ("Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head"), dies from complications after a fall at 102
  • 2022 Darius Danesh, Scottish pop, opera, and swing singer-songwriter (Colourblind; Live Twice) and stage actor, dies of respiratory arrest at 41
  • 2023 Tom Jones, American musical theatre lyricist (The Fantasticks; 110 In the Shade), dies of cancer at 95 [1]