Musicians Who Died on December 24

  • 1453 John Dunstable, English composer, dies at approximately 63
  • 1823 Philipp Christoph Kayser, German pianist and composer, dies at 68
  • 1862 Joseph Funk, early American composer, dies at 84
  • 1898 Eugeniusz Pankiewicz, Polish composer, dies at 41
  • 1908 François-Auguste Gevaert, Belgian composer (Le diable au moulin), dies at 80
  • 1930 Oskar Nedbal, Czech composer, dies at 56
  • 1932 Eyvind Alnæs, Norwegian pianist, organist, choral director, and composer, dies at 60
  • 1935 Alban Berg, Austrian composer (Wozzeck; Lulu), dies of sepsis at 50
  • 1940 Rudolf Piskáček, Czech composer, dies at 56
  • 1941 Siegfried Alkan, German composer, dies at 83
  • 1942 Friedrich Klose, German-Swiss composer (König Elf), dies at 80
  • 1944 Joseph Gustav Mraczek, German violinist, conductor, composer (Max und Moritz) and pedagogue, dies at 66
  • 1945 Francisco Pujol, Catalan singer, choirmaster (Orfeó Català), composer, and musicologist, dies at 67
  • 1961 Guy de Lioncourt, French composer, dies at 76
  • 1966 Gaspar Cassadó, Spanish cellist and composer, dies at 69
  • 1967 Karl Ristenpart, German conductor, dies of a heart attack at 67
  • 1970 Gideon Nxumalo, South African jazz pianist, marimba player, and composer (Jazz Fantasia), dies at 41
  • 1975 Bernard Herrmann [Maximillian Herman], American radio and Academy Award-winning film score composer (Mercury Theatre on the Air; Citizen Kane; Vertigo; Psycho; Taxi Driver), and conductor, bdies of a heart attack at 64
  • 1980 Alec Wilder, American classical, jazz, and pop music composer (The Churkendoose), and musicologist (American Popular Song: The Great Innovators, 1900-1950), dies at 73 [1]
  • 1980 Siggie Nordstrom, American singer (The Nordstrom Sisters), dies at 87
  • 1992 Bobby LaKind, American conga player, vocalist, songwriter and occasional backup drummer (The Doobie Brothers), dies from terminal colon cancer at 47
  • 1994 Buddy Ace, [Jimmie Lee Land] American Texas blues singer, dies of a heart attack while performing at 57
  • 1994 Nathan I. Daniel, American inventor (Danelectric and Silvertone guitars), dies of a heart attack at 82
  • 1997 Alan Fluck, Scottish musical educator, dies at 69
  • 1999 Zeke Carey, American R&B singer (The Flamingos - "Goodnight Sweetheart"; "I Only Have Eyes For You"), dies of a heart attack at 66
  • 2000 Nick Massi [Macioci], American bass vocalist, vocal arranger, and bassist (The Four Seasons, 1960-65 - "Sherry"; "Rag Doll"), dies of cancer at 65
  • 2002 Luciano Chailly, Italian opera composer (L'Idiota) and artistic director (La Scala), dies at 82
  • 2004 Jan van Vlijmen, Dutch composer, dies at 69
  • 2006 Braguinha [Carlos Alberto Ferreira Braga], Brazilian songwriter, dies at 99
  • 2006 Kenneth Sivertsen, Norwegian singer, poet, comedian, and composer, dies of complications from epilepsy at 66
  • 2009 Tim Hart, British folk-rock singer, guitarist, mandolin and dulcimer player (Steeleye Span, 1969-82 - "All Around My Hat"; "Gaudete"), dies of lung cancer at 61
  • 2010 Eino Tamberg, Estonian composer (Joanna tentata), dies at 80
  • 2012 Hugh Atkin, American composer, dies at 88
  • 2012 Ray Collins, American rock vocalist (Mothers of Invention), dies at 76
  • 2012 Richard Rodney Bennett, English pianist, classical and film score composer (Four Weddings And A Funeral), dies at 76
  • 2014 Boniface "Buddy" DeFranco, Italian-American jazz clarinetist and bandleader (Glenn Miller Orchestra), dies at 91
  • 2015 William Guest, American singer (Gladys Knight Show), dies at 74
  • 2016 Jack Philip Cannon, British composer, dies at 87
  • 2016 Rick Parfitt, British pop guitarist and singer (Status Quo - "Wanderer"; "Pictures of Matchstick Men"), dies at 68
  • 2020 Geoff Stephens, English songwriter and record producer ("The Crying Game"; The New Vaudeville Band - "Winchester Cathedral", "There's a Kind of Hush"), dies of complications from COVID-19 at 86
  • 2020 Ivry Gitlis, Israeli classical violin virtuoso, dies at 98
  • 2021 J.D. Crowe, American bluegrass banjo player and bandleader (The New South), dies at 84
  • 2023 Ron Nelson, American composer, and pedagogue (Brown University, 1973-93), dies at 94