- 1594 Giovanni Perluigi da Palestrina, Italian composer, dies at 68
- 1673 Kaspar Förster, German composer, dies at 56
- 1750 Johann Graf, German composer, dies at 65
- 1779 Georg Philipp Kress, German violinist and composer, dies at 59
- 1789 Armand-Louis Couperin, French composer and organist (Notre Dame), dies at 63
- 1822 Jean-Baptiste Davaux, French classical composer, dies at 79
- 1827 Johann Nepomuk Kalcher, German organist, composer, and teacher of Carl Maria von Weber, dies at 62
- 1878 Josip Runjanin, Croatian Serb composer (Croatian National Anthem) and soldier, dies at 56
- 1882 Fabio Campana, Italian composer and opera director, dies at 63
- 1902 Emanuil Manolov, Bulgarian composer (Siromahkinia - 1st Bulgarian opera), dies at 42
- 1919 Xavier Henry Napoleon Leroux, French composer, dies at 55
- 1921 Luigi Mancinelli, Italian conductor, cellist and composer, dies at 72
- 1934 Ernesto Nazareth, Brazilian pianist dance and classical music composer, dies at 70
- 1952 Johann Babtist Thaller, German composer, dies at 79
- 1953 Gustav Strube, German-American composer and conductor (Baltimore Symphony Orchestra), dies at 85
- 1954 Theodor Rogalski, Romanian composer, dies at 52
- 1960 Jeno Huszka, Hungarian composer, dies at 84
- 1961 Adolf Vogl, German composer, dies at 87
- 1965 Richard Würz, German composer, and music critic, dies at 79
- 1969 Giovanni Martinelli, Italian operatic spinto tenor singer (New York Metropolitan Opera, 1913-45), dies at 83
- 1970 Dave Franklin, American composer (The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down), dies at 74
- 1970 Jaroslav Vogel, Czech composer and conductor (Brno Philharmonic, 1959-62; Ostrava Orchestra 1919- 43), dies at 76
- 1974 Jean Absil, Belgian organist and composer (Benedictions; Peau d'Ane), dies at 80
- 1976 Erling Kjellsby, Norwegian organist, educator and composer, dies at 75
- 1976 Maurice Jacobson, British concert pianist, composer, and music publisher, dies at 80
Sid Vicious (1957-1979)
English musician and bassist (Sex Pistols), dies of a heroin overdose at 21
- 1983 Sam Chatmon, American Delta blues guitarist, banjo player, and singer (The Mississippi Sheiks), dies at 86
- 1987 Patrick "Spike" Hughes, British jazz musician (Cinderella), dies at 78
- 1993 Alexander Schneider, Lithuanian violinist (Budapest String Quartet), dies at 84
- 1994 John Littlejohn, American blues guitarist and singer, dies at 62
- 1994 Willie Mae "Mother" Smith (née Ford), American gospel singer, evangelist, and folk artist, dies at 89
- 1994 Zilner Randolph, American jazz trumpeter, arranger, and music educator, dies at 95
Gene Kelly (1912-1996)
American dancer, singer, actor, choreographer and film director (An American in Paris; On The Town; Singin' in the Rain), dies of a stroke at 83
- 1996 Minao Shibata, Japanese composer and musicologist, dies at 79
- 1997 Chico Science [Francisco Franca], Brazilian musician (manguebeat), dies in a car accident at 30
- 1998 Roger L. Stevens, American real estate magnate, Broadway theater producer (West Side Story) and fundraiser (John F. Kennedy Center), dies at 87 [1]
- 1999 David McComb, Australian singer-songwriter, and guitarist (The Triffids, 1976-89; The Blackeyed Susans, 1989–93), dies after unsuccessful heart transplant at 38
- 2000 Todor Popov, Bulgarian composer, dies at 79
- 2002 Paul Baloff, American singer (Exodus) (b. 1960)
- 2003 Lou Harrison, American composer (La Koro Sutro), dies of a heart attack at 85
- 2007 Billy Henderson, American pop and R&B singer (The Spinners, 1954-2004 - "The Rubberband Man"), dies from complications of diabetes at 67
- 2007 Eric von Schmidt, American folk/blues singer-songwriter (b. 1931)
- 2007 Joe Hunter, American pianist and bandleader of Motown's house band - The Funk Brothers (1959-64), dies at 79
- 2015 Joseph Alfidi, American classical prodigy pianist, composer and conductor, dies at 65
- 2020 Ivan Král, Czech-American bass player, songwriter, record producer (Patti Smith; Iggy Pop; John Waite), dies of cancer at 71
- 2021 Danny Ray, American MC, stage manager, valet and "cape man" for soul singer James Brown, dies at 85
- 2024 Wayne Kramer [Kambes], American guitarist (MC5 - "Kick Out The Jams"), and record producer, dies of pancreatic cancer at 75 [1]
- 2024 Wilhelmenia Wiggins Fernandez, American operatic soprano, and actress (Diva), dies of cancer at 75 [1]
Assassination
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Gunshot Wound
Murder
Plane Crash
Suicide