Musicians Who Died on December 11

Sam Cooke (1931-1964)

American singer and entrepreneur described as "the inventor of soul music" ("You Send Me"; "A Change Is Gonna Come"), shot to death at 33

1967 Richard Stöhr, Austrian composer, dies at 93
1967 Victor De Sabata, Italian conductor and composer (II Macigno), dies at 75
1975 Lee Wiley, American jazz singer (Night in Manhattan), dies at 67
1977 Bodi Rapp [Johanna Goetmakers], Dutch mezzo-soprano and teacher, dies at 1977
1980 Ignacio Prieto [Arrizubieta], Spanish composer, dies at 80
1983 Szymon Laks, Polish composer (head of prisoners orchestra at Auschwitz), dies at 82
1992 Andy Kirk, American jazz saxophonist, tuba player, and bandleader (Clouds Of Joy - "I Won't Tell a Soul (I Love You)"), dies at 94
1995 Arthur Mullard, English actor, comedian and singer (Romany Jones), dies at 82
1995 John Heawood, Canadian actor, singer and choreographer (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang), dies at 75
1995 Robert Shelton [Shapiro], American born music and film critic, dies at 69
1998 [James] Lynn Strait, American singer (Snot), dies in a car accident at 30
1999 Charles Earland, American jazz Hammond organist, and bandleader, dies of heart failure at 58
2002 Lou Stein, American pianist (Tonight! America After Dark), dies at 80
2004 M.S. [Madurai Shanmukhavadivu] Subbulakshmi, Indian singer (1st singer to be awarded the Bharat Ratna), dies at 88
2004 Margaret Fay Shaw, American photographer, folklorist, and ethnomusicologist, known for her work in the Scottish Hebrides, dies at 101
2007 Christie Hennessy, Irish singer (b. 1945)

Bengali Brahmin sitar master and Indian classical music composer (West Meets East; Concert for Bangladesh), dies at 92

2014 Hans Wallat, German opera conductor, dies at 85
2021 Galina Samsova [Samtsova], Russian ballerina (London Festival Ballet, 1964-73), and artistic director, dies at 84
2022 Angelo Badalamenti, American Grammy Award-winning film composer (Twin Peaks; The Straight Story; Blue Velvet; Mulholland Drive), dies at 85 [1]
2023 Essra Mohawk [Sandra Hurvitz], American singer-songwriter, dies of cancer at 75 [1]
2023 Jeffrey Foskett, American session and touring singer and guitarist (The Beach Boys; Brian Wilson; Wondermints), dies of thyroid cancer at 67
2023 Zahara [Bulelwa Mkutukana], South African singer-songwriter and guitarist (Loliwe), dies of an illness at 36 [1]