Musicians Who Died on December 20

  • 1539 Johannes Lupi, Flemish composer dies at 33
  • 1783 Antonio Soler, Spanish Catalan composer (Fandango), dies at 54
  • 1793 Joseph Legros, French singer and composer who was the most prominent haute-contres (operatic tenor) of his generation, dies at 54
  • 1799 David Traugott Nicolai, German composer, dies at 66
  • 1819 Louis-Luc Loiseau de Persuis, French composer, dies at 50
  • 1821 Gian Francesco Fortunati, Italian opera composer and maestro di cappella of Parma, dies at 75
  • 1903 Gavriil Musicescu, Romanian composer of choral music, conductor, and musicologist, dies at 56
  • 1909 Benjamin Ipavec, Slovene composer (Tičnik), dies at 79
  • 1916 Manuel Giro, Spanish composer, dies at 68
  • 1916 William Wallace Gilchrist, American composer, dies at 70
  • 1942 Jean Gilbert [Max Winterfeld], German composer, dies at 63
  • 1954 Emilis Melngailis, Latvian choral composer, folklorist, and conductor (Latvian Song and Dance Festival), dies at 80
  • 1957 Walter Page, American jazz double bassist, baritone saxophonist, tuba player, and bandleader (Blue Devils; Count Basie Orchestra), dies at 57
  • 1961 Luis Abraham Delgadillo, Nicaraguan composer, conductor, and educator, dies at 75
  • 1962 Erik William Gustav Leidzen, Swedish American composer, dies at 68
  • 1963 Paul Constantinescu, Romanian composer (Ballad of the Outlaw for cello and orchestra), and pedagogue, dies at 54
  • 1968 Max Brod, Czech-born Israeli composer, writer and biographer of Kafka, dies at 84
  • 1973 Bobby Darin [Walden Robert Cassotto], American singer ("Mack the Knife"; "Splish-Splash"; "Beyond the Sea"), and actor, dies of a heart attack at 37
  • 1974 André Jolivet, French composer (Jeune France, Mana), dies at 69
  • 1982 Artur Rubinstein, Polish-American concert pianist, dies in Geneva at 95
  • 1982 Milan Ristić, Serbian composer, dies at 76
  • 1990 (William) Elmo Tanner, American big band singer, whistler (Ted Weems Orchestra - "Heartaches"), bandleader, and DJ, dies at 86
  • 1995 Adone Zecchi, Italian composer and conductor (Corale Euridice; Orchestra Bolognese de Camera), dies at 91
  • 1999 [Clarence] Hank Snow, Canadian country singer ("I'm Moving On"; "I Went To Your Wedding"), dies of heart failure at 85
  • 2000 Adrian Henri, British poet and founder of poetry-rock group (Liverpool Scene), dies at 68
  • 2004 (Frank) "Son" Seals, American blues musician ("Nothing But the Truth"), dies from diabetes complications at 62
  • 2008 Dorothy Sarnoff, American operatic soprano, Broadway actress (Rosalinda), author and pioneer of the self-help movement (Speech Can Change Your Life, Speech Dynamics), dies at 94
  • 2009 (Amada) "Amy" Santos Ocampo, Filipina pianist and composer, dies at 84
  • 2009 James Gurley, American rock lead guitarist (Big Brother and the Holding Company), dies of a heart attack at 69
  • 2009 Tony Ayre, Northern Irish rock bass player (The Adventures - "Broken Land", "Drowning in the Sea of Love"), dies at 51
  • 2010 Jean-Louis Martinet, French composer, dies at 98
  • 2010 John Alldis, English choral master, and conductor (Duke Ellington’s Third Sacred Concert), dies at 81
  • 2011 (Thomas) "Sean" Bonniwell, American rock guitarist and singer-songwriter (The Music Machine - "Talk, Talk"), dies of lung cancer at 71
  • 2012 Jimmy McCracklin, American pianist, dies from diabetes and hypertension at 91
  • 2020 Chad Stuart [David Stuart Chadwick], English pop-rock vocalist and guitarist (Chad & Jeremy), songwriter, and producer, dies of pneumonia at 79
  • 2020 Fanny Waterman, English concert pianist and teacher (Leeds International Piano Competition), dies at 100 [1]
  • 2023 Torben Ulrich, Danish tennis player, musician, writer, filmmaker, and father of Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich, dies at 95