Musicians Who Died in 1995

Deaths 1 - 200 of 265

  • Jan 1 Jess Stacy, American jazz pianist (Benny Goodman, 1935-39; the Great Gatsby), dies at 90
  • Jan 1 Ted Hawkins, American singer and guitarist (The Next Hundred Years), dies of a stroke at 58
  • Jan 3 Al Duncan, American blues drummer, dies at 68
  • Jan 4 Eduardo Mata, Mexican conductor (Improvisaciones), dies in air crash at 52
  • Jan 4 Leonard Hirsch, British violinist and conductor (BBC Empire Orchestra), dies at 92
  • Jan 5 Francis Lopez, Basque-French chanson and operetta composer (La Belle de Cadiz; Andalousie; The Three Musketeers), dies at 78
  • Jan 6 James Clay, American jazz tenor saxophonist, dies at 59
  • Jan 7 Arthur Leavins, British violinist, dies at 77
  • Jan 10 Fred Böhler, Swiss jazz bandleader, pianist, and early proponent of the Hammond organ, dies at 82
  • Jan 11 Josef Gingold, Russian-American violinist (Primrose Quartet; Cleveland Orchestra, 1947-60) and pedagogue (Indiana University, 1960-95), dies following a heart attack at 85
  • Jan 14 Alexander Gibson, British conductor and founder of the Scottish Opera, dies at 68
  • Jan 14 Ruby Starr [Constance Henrietta Mierzwiak], American rock singer (Black Oak Arkansas), dies of a brain tumor at 44
  • Jan 15 Sollie McElroy, American R&B singer (The Flamingos. 1953-54 - "Golden Teardrops"), dies at 61
  • Jan 16 William Dillard, American jazz trumpeter and Broadway singer dies from complications of Lupus, at 83 [1]
  • Jan 18 Charles Baskerville, American pop vocalist (Shep and the Limelites - "Daddy's Home"), dies at 54
  • Jan 19 Gene MacLellan, Canadian singer-songwriter ("Snowbird"; "Put Your Hand in the Hand"), takes his own life at 56
  • Jan 22 Christopher Francis Palmer, British composer, orchestrator, and musicologist, dies of AIDS complications 48
  • Jan 23 Bill Horton, American doo-wop singer (The Silhouettes - "Get A Job"), dies at 65
  • Jan 24 David Cole, American songwriter ( C+C Music Factory - "Gonna Make You Sweat"), and record producer (Mariah Carey, Aretha Franklin, James Brown), dies at 32
  • Jan 26 Geoffrey Parsons, Australian piano accompanist, dies at 65
  • Jan 27 Geoffrey Parsons, Australian-British concert pianist, accompanist, and harpsichord player. dies of cancer at 65
  • Jan 29 Chris de Marigny, British dance administrator, dies at 52
  • Jan 29 Kuldar Sink, Estonian composer, dies at 52
  • Jan 30 George James, American jazz saxophonist, dies at 88
  • Feb 3 Turner Fodrell, American blues and folk singer, and guitarist, dies at 66
  • Feb 4 Betty Davis, British dance teacher of Dame Margot Fonteyn, dies
  • Feb 6 Art Taylor, American jazz drummer (Bud Powell, Red Garland, John Coltrane, Donald Byrd), bandleader (Taylor's Wailers), and writer (Notes and Tones), dies at 65
  • Feb 7 William Harry "Billy" Jones, American rock guitarist (The Outlaws), dies of self-inflicted gunshot at 45
  • Feb 12 Earring George Mayweather, American blues harmonica player, dies of liver cancer at 66
  • Feb 12 Terence Beckles, English pianist and teacher, dies at 82
  • Feb 12 Tony Secunda, English rock band manager (The Moody Blues), dies at 54
  • Feb 13 Wilton "Bogey" Gaynair, Jamaican jazz saxophonist, dies at 68
  • Feb 17 Uta Graf, German born American singer and teacher, dies at 80
  • Feb 18 Dennis "Denny" Cordell, British rock music and record producer (The Moody Blues, Leon Russell), dies of lymphoma at 51
  • Feb 18 John Rhea "Yank" Lawson, American jazz trumpeter (Dogtown Blues, Stormy Weather), dies of a heart attack at 84
  • Feb 18 Robert "Bob" Stinson, American rock guitarist (The Replacements), dies of organ failure at 35
  • Feb 23 Melvin Franklin (né English), American R&B bass vocalist (The Temptations, 1960-94 - "Ball of Confusion"), dies of heart failure at 52
  • Feb 24 Richard Nicholson, musician, dies at 89
  • Feb 25 Terence Weil, British cellist (English Chamber Orchestra; Melos Ensemble), dies at 73
  • Feb 26 Frank O’Keefe, American southern rock bassist (The Outlaws, 1968-76), dies of pain medication overdose at 44
  • Feb 26 Willie Johnson, American electric blues guitarist (Howlin' Wolf's "How Many More Years"), dies at 71
  • Feb 28 (Herman) "Ace" Wallace, American St. Louis blues guitarist and singer, dies at 69
  • Feb 28 Max Rudolf, German-American conductor (Cincinnati Symphony, 1958-70), and pedagogue (Curtis Institute, 1970-73 and 1980-95), dies at 92
  • Mar 2 Hugo Cole, British composer and critic, dies at 77
  • Mar 4 Eden Ahbez [George Aberle], American songwriter ("Nature Boy"; "Lonely Island), dies in a car accident at 86
  • Mar 5 (Victor) "Vivian" Stanshall, British singer and comic songwriter (Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band - "I'm The Urban Spaceman"; Magical Mystery Tour), dies in a fire at his home, at 51
  • Mar 6 Delroy Wilson, Jamaican ska and reggae singer ("Cool Operator"), dies from cirrhosis of the liver at 46
  • Mar 7 John Lambert, English composer, teacher and organist, dies at 69
  • Mar 8 Ingo Schwichtenberg, German heavy metal drummer (Helloween), commits suicide by jumping in front of a train at 29
  • Mar 10 Alexander Hyatt King, English musicologist and Mozart scholar, dies at 84
  • Mar 10 Hendrik van Leeuwen, Dutch musician, dies at 79
  • Mar 11 Carel Birnie, found Utrecht Opera/Dutch Dance Theater, dies at 69
  • Mar 13 Lorraine Macleod, American dancer (Girls Just Want to Have Fun), dies at 65
  • Mar 14 Gerard Victory, Irish composer, dies at 73
  • Mar 16 Sydney Simone, bandleader, dies at 80
  • Mar 17 Sunnyland Slim, American jazz, blues singer and pianist (Delta Blues), dies at 87
  • Mar 18 Charles Drain, American soul singer, dies at 65
  • Mar 18 Fred Ramsey, American jazz writer, dies at 80
  • Mar 18 Heinrich Sutermeister, Swiss opera composer (Romeound Julia; Raskolnikov; Das Flaschenteufel), dies at 84
  • Mar 19 Kenneth Loveless, British priest, concertina player, and folk dancer, dies at 83
  • Mar 21 Norman Schwartz, record Producer, dies at 66
  • Mar 23 Alan Barton, English singer (Smokie, Black Lace), dies in a bus crash at 41
  • Mar 23 Danny Apolinar, American composer and songwriter, dies at 61
  • Mar 23 Ripley L. Ingram, American singer, dies at 65
  • Mar 24 Joey Long, American blues and cajun guitarist, dies at 62
  • Mar 26 Eazy-E [Eric Lynn Wright], American rapper (N.W.A.), dies from AIDS-related illness at 30
  • Mar 27 Chet Gierlach, American music publisher, jazz and popular song composer ((The Funniest Bird I've Heard of) The Kiwi (Kee Wee) Bird), dies at 75
  • Mar 29 Jimmy McShane, Irish singer (Baltimora - "Tarzan Boy"), dies of AIDS at 37
  • Mar 30 Paul A. Rothchild, American record producer (Janis Joplin - Pearl), dies at 59
  • Mar 30 Rozelle Claxton, American jazz pianist and arranger, dies at 82
  • Mar 31 Carl Story, American bluegrass musician (Rambling Mountaineers), dies at 78
  • Mar 31 Selena [Quintanilla-Pérez], Mexican-American singer-songwriter known as the Queen of Tejano music (Grammy-1994), killed by a fan at 23
  • Apr 1 Francisco Moncion, American dancer, dies at 73
  • Apr 2 Julius Hemphill, American jazz saxophonist, and composer, dies from complications of diabetes at 57
  • Apr 2 Leo LeBlanc, American country musician and pianist who was legally blind, dies of cancer at 55
  • Apr 7 Peter Brinson, British ballet and dance writer, lecturer, and promoter (Ballet For All), dies at 75
  • Apr 8 Andrej Očenáš, Slovak composer, dies at 84
  • Apr 12 Chris Pyne, British jazz, touring, and session trombonist (Mike Gibbs; Ronnnie Scott; Humphrey Lyttelton), dies at 56
  • Apr 14 Burl Ives, American folk singer ("A Little Bitty Tear"; "Silver And Gold"), actor (Cat On A Hot Tin Roof), and snowman (Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer), dies from complications of mouth cancer at 85
  • Apr 14 James Daniel "Danny" Turner, American jazz saxophonist, dies at 75
  • Apr 15 Cleo Brown, American jazz pianist, dies at 85
  • Apr 19 "King" Herbert Whitaker, American R&B tenor saxophonist, dies at 66
  • Apr 22 Don Pullen, American pianist and composer, dies at 53
  • Apr 23 Lonesome Sundown [Cornelius Green III], American blues singer and guitarist, dies at 66

Ginger Rogers (1911-1995)

Apr 25 American vaudeville, stage and screen dancer, singer (Top Hat), and Academy Award-winning actress (Kitty Foyle; Stage Door), dies at 83

  • May 4 Louis Krasner, Ukrainian-American violinist, dies at 91
  • May 5 Thomas Eden Binkley, musician, dies at 63
  • May 6 Clarence Paul [Pauling], American songwriter, and record producer (Motown; Stevie Wonder - "Fingertips"), dies at 67
  • May 6 Leonard "Red" Truss, American R&B singer (The Steelers - "Get It From The Bottom"), dies at 47
  • May 7 Ray McKinley, American orchestra leader and jazz drummer (Glenn Miller Time), dies at 84
  • May 8 Carroll Best, American bluegrass banjo player and educator, shot to death by his brother at 64
  • May 8 Teresa Teng [Li-chun], Taiwanese pop singer ("Aijin"; "The Power Of Love"; "Airport"), and actress, dies from a severe asthma attack at 42
  • May 9 Marshall Royal, American jazz alto saxophonist & clarinetist (Count Basie Orchestra), dies at 82
  • May 10 Jimmy Raney, American jazz guitarist, dies at 67
  • May 11 Tibor Sarai, Hungarian composer, dies at 76
  • May 12 Marcel Rubin, Austrian composer, dies at 89
  • May 15 Johnny Van Derrick, British jazz violinist (Pink Panther Theme), dies at 68
  • May 15 Perry Lederman, American folk and blues singer and guitarist, dies at 52
  • May 16 Lola Flores, Spanish singer, dancer and actress (Kuma Ching, Faraona), dies at 70
  • May 17 Nathan "Dambuza" Mdledle, South African singer (Manhattan Brothers) and actor, dies at 72
  • May 18 Alexander Godunov, Russian-American ballet dancer (Bolshoi Ballet, 1971-79), and actor (Witness; Die Hard), dies of hepatitis and alcoholism at 45 (exact date estimated)dies at 45
  • May 18 André-François Marescotti, Swiss organist and composer, dies at 93
  • May 18 Gordon Reynolds, English organist and master of the Choristers at the Chapel Royal, Hampton Court Palace, dies at 74
  • May 23 Keith Humble, Australian composer, dies at 67
  • May 23 Mick Pyne, British touring and session jazz pianist (Tubby Hayes; Georgie Fame: Charlie Watts), dies at 54
  • May 25 Dick Curless, American country music singer-songwriter (A Tombstone Every Mile), dies of stomach cancer at 63
  • May 26 Ron Weatherburn, British jazz pianist, dies at 61
  • May 27 C W Stubblefield, music promoter, dies at 64
  • May 27 László Kalmár, Hungarian composer (Triangles), dies at 63
  • May 27 Ulysses Kay, American neoclassical composer (Of New Horizons: Overture), dies of Parkinson's disease complications at 78
  • May 28 Henning Kronstam, Danish dancer, dies at 60
  • May 31 Pavel Sivic, Slovenian composer, dies at 87
  • Jun 1 Prudence Hyman, English dancer, dies at 80
  • Jun 2 Harper MacKay, American orchestra leader (NBC Follies), dies at 73
  • Jun 4 Ernest Borneman, German sexual researcher, psychotherapist, musician and writer (Bang, You're Dead), dies at 80
  • Jun 5 Bettina Vernon, Austrian 'Bodenwieser' dancer, dies at 75 [1]
  • Jun 5 Jan Decadt Flemish composer, dies at 81
  • Jun 7 "Sheikh" Imam [Eissa], Egyptian folk and protest singer-songwriter, dies at 76
  • Jun 9 Frank Chacksfield, English easy listening pianist, arranger and orchestra leader ("Ebb Tide"), dies from complications of Parkinson's disease at 81
  • Jun 11 Lovelace Watkins, American singer known as "The Black Sinatra" (The Big, Big Voice of Lovelace Watkins), dies of leukemia at 58
  • Jun 12 Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli, Italian classical pianist, dies at 75
  • Jun 13 David Parry, British-Canadian folk musician (Friends of Fiddler's Green), storyteller (Canadian Museum of Civilization), actor, stage director, and teacher (University of Toronto), dies of a heart attack at 53
  • Jun 14 Els Aarne, Estonian composer, dies at 78
  • Jun 14 Rory Gallagher, Irish rock guitarist (See Here), dies at 47
  • Jun 19 Murray Dickie, Scottish opera singer and director, dies at 71
  • Jun 20 Dennis Gomm, British composer and musician, dies at 84
  • Jun 23 Jack Schroer, American rock saxophonist (Van Morrison's The Caledonia Soul Orchestra), dies at 51
  • Jun 27 Efrem Kurtz, Russian conductor (Houston Symphony, 1948-54), dies at 94
  • Jun 27 Prez "Kidd" Kenneth, American blues singer and guitarist, dies at 61
  • Jun 30 Jorge Peixinho, Portuguese pianist, composer, and conductor, dies at 45
  • Jun 30 Phyllis Hyman, American jazz singer (Prime of My Life), commits suicide at 45
  • Jul 3 Brad Lee Sexton, American blues-rock bassist (Little Charlie & the Nightcats. 1990-93), dies at 47
  • Jul 4 Eva Gabor, Hungarian-born American actress (Green Acres'"Lisa";, Gigi), comedian, singer and socialite, dies at 76
  • Jul 6 Ivor Keys, British organist, musicologist, and academic (University of Nottingham; University of Birmingham), dies at 76
  • Jul 8 Günter Bialas, German composer and music educator, dies at 87
  • Jul 12 Alan David Marks, American concert pianist, dies of cancer at 49
  • Jul 12 Earl Coleman, American jazz singer, dies of cardiac arrest at 69
  • Jul 12 Ernie Furtado, American jazz double-bassist, dies at 72
  • Jul 15 Willie George "Bill" Woodruff Sr, vocalist, dies at 66
  • Jul 16 Charles Bruck, Hungarian-French-American conductor (Dutch Opera, 1950-54; Strasbourg Philharmonic, 1955–65), and Orchestre Philharmonique de l'ORTF, 1965–70), dies of cancer at 83
  • Jul 16 Travis Kemp, British ballet dancer and teacher, dies at 91
  • Jul 17 Carlos Sánchez Málaga, Peruvian composer, dies at 91
  • Jul 17 Rainer Kunad, German composer, dies at 58
  • Jul 19 Sydney Lipton, British dance band bandleader, dies at 89
  • Jul 20 Natalia Dmitrevna Shpiller, Czech-Russian lyric soprano, dies at 85
  • Jul 21 Edwin "Russell" House, American saxophonist, dies at 65
  • Jul 22 Dave Clark, American blues music promoter, and songwriter ("Why I Sing The Blues"), dies at 86
  • Jul 22 Percy Humphrey, American jazz trumpet player and bandleader in New Orleans, Louisiana, dies at 90
  • Jul 23 Floyd McDaniel, American blues singer and guitarist, dies at 80
  • Jul 24 Jerry Lordan, English singer and composer (Wonderful Land), dies at 61
  • Jul 25 Charlie Rich, American country singer ("Behind Closed Doors"; "The Most Beautiful Girl"), dies of a pulmonary embolism at 62
  • Jul 25 Osvaldo Pugliese, Argentine musician and composer, dies at 89
  • Jul 26 Laurindo Almeida, Brazilian classical, jazz and Latin guitarist and composer (developed bossa nova), dies of leukemia at 77
  • Jul 27 Doris Mae Akers, American gospel singer-songwriter (Sky Pilot Choir - "Sweet, Sweet Spirit"), dies at 72
  • Jul 27 Miklós Rózsa, Hungarian-American classical and film music composer (Spellbound; A Double Life; Ben-Hur), dies at 88
  • Jul 30 Biggie Tembo [Rodwell Marasha], Zimbabwean musician (Bhundu Boys), takes his own life at 36
  • Aug 1 Robert L. "Bob" Talley, American jazz and blues pianist and composer, dies at 75
  • Aug 2 Irwin Bazelon, American composer (Duo for Viola), dies at 73
  • Aug 3 Carl Donnell "Kansas" Fields, American jazz drummer, dies at 79
  • Aug 6 André Fleury, French organist and composer, dies at 92
  • Aug 6 Youly Algaroff, Russian-French ballet dancer, dies at 77

Jerry Garcia (1942-1995)

Aug 9 American rock and bluegrass guitarist, singer-songwriter (Grateful Dead - "Uncle John's Band"; "Ripple"; "Brokedown Palace"), and painter, dies of a heart attack at 53

  • Aug 10 Peter Lancelot Williams, English dance journalist, dies at 81
  • Aug 11 (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
  • Aug 11 Herbert Sumsion, British organist (Gloucester Cathedral, 1928-67), conductor, and composer, dies at 96
  • Aug 15 Erbie Bowser, American blues and jazz pianist, dies at 77
  • Aug 15 Jesse Thomas 'Babyface', American blues singer, dies at 84
  • Aug 16 Robert "Bobby" Debarge, R&B Musician, dies of AIDS at 39
  • Aug 17 "Wild Bill" Davis, American jazz pianist, organist, and arranger, dies at 76
  • Aug 19 Pierre Schaeffer, French electronics engineer and composer, dies at 85
  • Aug 20 John Gilmore, American jazz tenor saxophonist, clarinetist, percussionist, and bandleader (Sun Ra Arketsra), dies of emphysema at 63
  • Aug 20 Orville "Red" Rhodes, American session pedal steel guitarist, dies at 64
  • Aug 20 Paul Foster, American gospel singer (The Soul Stirrers), dies at 75
  • Aug 21 Anatole Fistoulari, Ukrainian conductor, dies at 88
  • Aug 21 James Truitte, American ballet dancer (Lester Horton; Alvin Ailley), dies at 72
  • Aug 23 Dwayne Goettel, Canadian keyboardist and industrial-electronic music composer (Skinny Puppy), dies of a heroin overdose at 31
  • Aug 24 Gary Crosby, American singer (with Bing -"Play a Simple Melody"), and actor (The Bill Dana Show -"Eddie"; Mardi Gras), dies of lung cancer at 62
  • Aug 25 Doug Stegmeyer, American rock bassist (Billy Joel Band, 1976-87), dies of a self-inflicted gun wound at 43
  • Aug 25 R B Hudmon, R&B/Soul Singer, dies at 41
  • Aug 26 Ronnie White, American singer (The Miracles - "Shop Around"), dies of leukemia at 57
  • Aug 27 Marty Paich, American jazz pianist, conductor, producer and arranger (Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand, Ella Fitzgerald, Aretha Franklin, Michael Jackson), dies of colon cancer at 70
  • Aug 29 Pierre Max Dubois, French composer (Turlututu; Voulez-vous jouer au cirque?), conductor, and music educator, dies at 65
  • Aug 30 Sterling Morrison, American musician (Velvet Underground), dies at 53
  • Sep 1 Benay Venuta [Benvenuta Rose Crooke], American actress, singer and dancer (Annie Get Your Gun; Call Me Mister), dies of lung cancer at 84
  • Sep 2 Vaclav Neummann, Czech conductor, dies at 74
  • Sep 4 Chuck Greenberg, new age musician (Shadowfax), dies at 45
  • Sep 5 James "Pigmeat" Jarrett, American pianist, dies at 95
  • Sep 9 Ida Carroll, English double bassist, educator, administrator (Northern School of Music, 1956-72), and composer, dies at 89
  • Sep 12 Larry Gales, American jazz double-bassist, dies of leukemia at 59
  • Sep 19 Mr. Bo [Louis Collins], American electric blues guitarist and singer, dies at 63
  • Sep 21 Vernell Townsend, American blues and gospel singer, dies at 64
  • Sep 22 (Dorothy) "Dolly" Collins, British folk songwriter, arranger, piano player, and composer, dies at 62
  • Sep 23 Lawrence "Booker T." Laury, American boogie-woogie and blues pianist and singer, dies at 81
  • Sep 24 Lauri Saikkola, Finnish violinist (Viipuri Symphony, 1923–34; Helsinki Philharmonic, 1934–65), and composer (Laulusarja; Unen kaivo), dies at 89
  • Sep 25 Dorothy Dickson, American actress and dancer (Paying the Piper, Danny Boy), dies at 102
  • Sep 27 Alexander "Sasha" Argov [Abramovich], Israeli composer, dies at 80
  • Sep 27 Christopher Shaw, British composer, dies at 71
  • Sep 28 Allen Johnson, American doo-wop baritone vocalist (The Marcels - "Blue Moon"), dies of cancer at 55
  • Sep 29 Seger Ellis, American jazz pianist, pop vocalist, songwriter, and bandleader, dies at 91 [1]
  • Oct 5 Dick Henry Jurgen, American swing bandleader, and songwriter ("Elmer's Tune"), dies of cancer at 85