Musicians Who Died on June 6

  • 1735 Georg Osterreich, German Baroque composer, dies at 71
  • 1747 Jean Barriere, French composer and cellist, dies at 40
  • 1785 Johann Michael Demmler, German composer, dies at 36
  • 1852 Tommaso Marchesi, Italian composer, dies at 79
  • 1878 Gottfried Herrmann, German violinist, organist, Kapellmeister, and composer, dies at 70
  • 1881 Henri Vieuxtemps, Belgian violin prodigy, composer, and teacher (Brussels Conservatory), dies at 61
  • 1883 Ciprian Porumbescu, Romanian composer, dies at 29
  • 1917 Iacob MureČ™ianu, Romanian composer, dies at 59
  • 1922 Lillian Russell, American actress and operetta singer, dies at about 60
  • 1926 Henry Tate, Australian composer and poet, dies at 52
  • 1928 Heinrich Gottlieb Noren, Austrian violinist and composer, dies at 67
  • 1935 Jacques Urlus, Dutch dramatic tenor (Opera of Leipzig, 1900-14; Tristan und Isolde; Song of the Earth), dies at 68
  • 1955 Vernon Isley, American rock singer (The Isley Brothers), dies from injuries sustained when he is struck by a car while riding his bicycle at 13
  • 1958 Lily Strickland, American composer and artist, dies at 71
  • 1966 Claudette Orbison, wife of singer Roy, dies in a motorcyle crash at 27
  • 1971 Arnold Elston, American composer, and educator, dies at 63
  • 1978 D. H. Th. Vollenhoven, Dutch composer and philosopher, dies at 85
  • 1978 Lester "Shad" Collins, American jazz trumpet player, composer and arranger (Chick Webb; Lester Young: Cab Calloway), dies at 67

Jack Haley (1898-1979)

American vaudevillle and screen actor, singer, and dancer (The Wizard of Oz -"Tin Man"; Higher and Higher), dies of a heart attack at 81

  • 1991 Larry Kert, American actor (West Side Story - "Tony"), dies of AIDS at 60
  • 1991 Stan Getz [Stanley Gayetski], American big band, bebop, cool jazz, and bossa nova tenor saxophonist (Woody Herman; Getz/Gilberto), dies of liver cancer at 64
  • 1994 Johnny Downs, American stage and screen actor, dancer, singer, and TV host, (Our Gang; Swing, Sister, Swing!; The Mad Monster), dies of cancer at 80
  • 1994 Willie Humphrey, American jazz clarinetist, dies at 93
  • 1998 Jan Seidel, Czech composer, dies at 89
  • 1998 Svend Simon Schultz, Danish composer, dies at 84
  • 2001 Douglas Lilburn, New Zealand composer (A Song Of Islands) and educator (Victoria University, 1949-80), dies at 85
  • 2002 Robbin Crosby, American heavy metal rock guitarist and vocalist (Ratt - "Round & Round"), dies at 42
  • 2003 Dave Rowberry, English rocker (The Animals -"House of the Rising Sun"), dies at 62

Billy Preston (1946-2006)

American rock and soul pianist, organist, singer-songwriter ("Nothing From Nothing"; "You Are So Beautiful"; "Outa-Space"), 5th Beatle ("Get Back"), and touring musician (Little Richard, Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton) dies following long-term health issues at 59

  • 2006 Hilton Ruiz, Puerto Rican-American bebop and Afro-Cuban jazz pianist, dies from injuries sustained in a fall at 54
  • 2010 Jack Beeson, American classical pianist and opera composer (Lizzie Borden; Captain Jinks of the Horse Marines), dies at 88
  • 2010 Marvin Isley, American rock bassist, and songwriter (The Isley Brothers, 1969-84 & 1991-97 - "Fight The Power"), dies from complications of diabetes at 56
  • 2014 Lee Hyla, American contemporary classical composer (Mythic Birds of Saugerties; Pre-Pulse Suspended), and music professor (New England Conservatory; Northwestern University), dies of pneumonia at 61
  • 2015 Ronnie Gilbert, American folk singer (The Weavers - "Kisses Sweeter Than Wine"), dies at 88
  • 2017 Paul Zukofsky, American violinist and conductor (Cappricio), dies from non-Hodgkin lymphoma at 73
  • 2017 Sandra Reemer, Indo-Dutch pop singer ("As Love Goes"), and television presenter, dies of breast cancer at 66

Dr. John (1941-2019)

American singer and piano player ("Right Place, Wrong Time"), dies at 77

  • 2022 Jim Seals, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and fiddler (Seals & Crofts - "Summer Breeze"; "Diamond Girl"), dies at 79
  • 2023 Tony McPhee, British blues-rock guitarist and singer (The Groundhogs), dies from complications of a fall at 79