Langston Hughes (1902-1967)
American poet (Weary Blues), playwright (Mulatto), and librettist (Troubled Island), dies at 65
- 1971 Frank Ottersen, Norwegian jazz violinist and saxophonist (Ding, Dong, Dang), dies at 50
- 1977 Marius Monnikendam, Dutch choir composer, dies at 80
- 1978 Bjarne Brustad, Norwegian composer, dies at 83
- 1987 Mario Zafred, Italian composer, and opera director dies at 65
- 1989 Steven DeGroote, South African classical pianist, dies from multiple organ failure due to AIDS at 36
- 1992 Gyorgy Ranki, Hungarian composer, dies at 84
- 1993 Mieczyslaw Horszowski, Polish-American pianist, dies at 100
- 1998 Milton Banana [Antônio de Souza], Brazilian bossa nova jazz drummer (João Gilberto and Stan Getz), dies at 63
- 2001 Lorez Alexandria, American jazz and gospel singer (Alexandria the Great), dies at 71
- 2005 Thurl Ravenscroft, American voice actor (Tony the Tiger), and bass singer ("You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch"), dies from prostate cancer at 91
- 2006 Jack Fallon, Canadian-British jazz double and electric bass player, fiddler (The Beatles - "Don't Pass Me By"), and concert promoter, dies at 90
- 2011 Ze'ev Wolfgang Steinberg, Israeli violist and composer, dies at 92
- 2013 Henri Dutilleux, French composer (Tout un monde lointain, L'arbre des songes), dies at 97
- 2017 (Granville) "Mickey" Roker, American jazz drummer (Art Farmer; Milt Jackson; Dizzy Gillespie), dies suffering from diabetes and lung cancer at 84
- 2017 Barbara Smith Conrad, American operatic mezzo-soprano singer, and educator (Wagner Theater), dies at 79
- 2020 Mory Kanté, Guinean singer and kora harp player (Yé ké yé ké), dies at 70
Assassination
Drug Overdose
Gunshot Wound
Murder
Plane Crash
Suicide