Musicians Who Died on June 23

  • 1771 Jean-Claude Trial, French composer, dies at 38
  • 1801 [Benedikt] Bendix Friedrich Zinck, Danish violinist, keyboardist, and composer, dies at 58
  • 1817 Otto Carl Erdmann Kospoth, Prussian composer, dies at 63
  • 1833 Nikolaus Paul Zmeskall, composer, dies at 73
  • 1888 Emil Naumann, German composer, dies at 60
  • 1891 Francis Henry Brown, American teacher and composer (popular pre civil war composer), dies at 73
  • 1895 Joseph Paul Skelly, Irish-American composer ("Keep The Horseshoe Over The Door"), dies at 44
  • 1901 Charles Kensington Salaman, British pianist and synagogue music composer, dies at 87
  • 1924 Cecil Sharp, British collector of English folk music and dance, dies at 64
  • 1928 Thomas H. Rollinson, American composer, conductor and bandleader, dies at 84
  • 1951 Armin Knab, German composer (Wunderhorn), dies at 70
  • 1956 Reinhold Glière, Russian-Soviet composer, dies at 81
  • 1958 Edvard Armas Jarnefeldt, composer, dies at 88
  • 1959 Boris Vian, French writer and musician (b. 1920)
  • 1959 Jean Gallon, French composer, dies at 80
  • 1971 Walter Schulthess, Swiss composer, dies at 76
  • 1972 Elton Britt, American country singer-songwriter, and guitarist (Saturday Night Jamboree), dies of a heart attack at 58
  • 1981 Zarah Leander, Swedish/German singer/actress (Gabriela), dies at 79
  • 1991 Bill Buysman, Dutch guitarist/singer (Kilima Hawaiians), dies
  • 1994 Alan Frank, English composer and music publisher, dies at 83
  • 1995 Jack Schroer, American rock saxophonist (Van Morrison's The Caledonia Soul Orchestra), dies at 51
  • 2000 Jerome Richardson, an American jazz saxophonist, flute, clarinet, and piccolo player (Quincy Jones; Charles Mingus; Earl Hines), dies of heart failure at 79
  • 2010 Allyn Ferguson, American orchestra leader (Andy Williams Show), and TV theme composer (Barney Miller; Charlie's Angels), dies at 85
  • 2010 Pete Quaife, English bassist (The Kinks, 1963-69 -"Sunny Afternoon"), and cartoonist, dies of kidney failure at 66
  • 2013 Bobby "Blue" Bland, American blues an soul singer ("Call on the Drummer"), dies at 83
  • 2015 Magali Noël [Guiffray], French actress and singer, dies at 83
  • 2016 Ralph Stanley, American bluegrass musician, dies at 89
  • 2019 Dave Bartholomew, American R&B, rock, and jazz musician, composer, producer, and songwriter ("I Hear You Knocking"; "Ain't That A Shame"; "Walkin' To New Orleans"), dies at 100
  • 2020 Margarita Pracatan [Figueroa], Cuban-American novelty singer (BBC's Saturday Night Clive), dies at 89
  • 2020 Ryan Anthony, American trumpet player (Canadian Brass, 2000-03; Dallas Symphony, 2006-20), dies of cancer at 51
  • 2021 Ellen McIlwaine, American blues singer-songwriter, and slide guitarist ("Honky Tonky Angel"; “In My Time of Dying"), dies of esophageal cancer at 75
  • 2023 Betta St John [Betty Jean Striegler], American-English stage and screen actress, singer and dancer (Dream Wife; Carousel; Corridors of Blood), dies at 93
  • 2023 Jesse McReynolds, American singer and mandolinist (Grand Ole Opry), dies at 93 [1]

Sheldon Harnick (1924-2023)

American musical theater lyricist (Fiorello; Fiddler on the Roof), dies at 99 [1]