Musicians Who Died on September 15

  • 1747 Johann Gotthilf Ziegler, German baroque composer and organist, dies at 59
  • 1750 Charles Theodore Pachelbel, German-American composer (son of Johann Pachelbel, one of the first European composers to emigrate to America), dies at 59
  • 1840 Franz Pecháček, Austrian-German composer, dies at 47
  • 1841 Alessandro Rolla, Italian violin and viola player and composer, teacher of Paganini, dies at 84
  • 1842 Pierre Baillot, French violinist and composer, dies at 70
  • 1875 Louise Farrenc (née Dumont), French pianist, composer and only female professor at the Paris Conservatory during the 19th century, dies at 71
  • 1880 William Hauser, American minister and composer, dies at 67
  • 1885 Juliusz Zarębski, Polish pianist, composer, and pedagogue, dies of tuberculosis at 31
  • 1895 Jan Kleczyński Sr., Polish pianist and composer, dies at 58
  • 1916 Isidore Legouix, French composer, dies at 82
  • 1923 Sayed Darwish, Egyptian singer-songwriter and "father of Egyptian popular music" (Ana Haweet), dies at 31
  • 1924 Anthony Johnson Showalter, American gospel composer, dies at 66
  • 1925 Leonard Borwick, English concert pianist, dies at 57
  • 1932 Charles H. Gabriel, American gospel composer, dies at 76
  • 1934 David Vaughan Thomas, Welsh musician and composer, dies at 61
  • 1945 Anton von Webern, Austrian composer, dies at 61 after being shot by an American soldier on patrol
  • 1950 Vojtěch Říhovský, Czech composer, dies at 79
  • 1951 Jacinto Guerrero, Spanish musician and composer, dies at 56
  • 1953 Jacques Thibaud, French violinist, dies at 72
  • 1956 Henry Clough-Leiter, American composer, dies at 82
  • 1965 Steve Brown, American jazz musician, dies at 75
  • 1967 Hans Haug, Swiss classical composer, dies at 67
  • 1972 Ulvi Cemal Erkin, Turkish pianist, composer - one of "The Turkish Five" (Köçekçe - Dance Rhapsody for Orchestra), and pedagogue, dies from a stroke at 66
  • 1973 Victor Jara, Chilean folk singer-songwriter, and political activist, killed by Augusto Pinochet's military interrogators at 40
  • 1979 Tommy Leonetti [Tomaso Lionetti], American singer ("Free"), songwriter ("My City of Sydney"), and actor (Gomer Pyle, USMC), dies of cancer at 50
  • 1980 Bill Evans, American jazz pianist ("Peace Piece"; "Waltz For Debbie"), dies of a bleeding ulcer at 51
  • 1981 (Charles) "Chick" Bullock, American jazz and dance band vocalist (Chick Bullock and His Levee Loungers), dies at 82
  • 1983 Johnny Hartman, American jazz ballad singer (John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman - "My One And Only Love"), dies of lung cancer at 60
  • 1983 Prince Far I [Michael Williams], Jamaican reggae deejay, producer and Rastafarian, killed during a robberya t his home at 38-ish
  • 1983 Willie Bobo [Correa], American jazz percussionist ("Evil Ways"), dies of cancer at 49
  • 1985 (Charles) "Cootie" Williams, American jazz, jump-blues, and R&B trumpeter (Duke Ellington Orchestra, 1929-40 & 1962-74), dies of kidney problems at 74
  • 1986 Virginia Gregg, American radio and screen actress, singer and double bassist, dies of lung cancer at 70
  • 1989 Jan DeGaetani, American contemporary classical concert mezzo-soprano, dies of leukemia at 56
  • 1991 Sulkhan Tsintsadze, Georgian composer, dies at 66
  • 1993 (Nii Moi) "Speedy" Acquaye, Ghanaian drummer, percussionist and fire-eater (Tubby Hayes; Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames; Ginger Baker's Airforce), dies of cancer at 62
  • 1993 Frits Noske, Dutch musicologist (Tie Musikwerk), dies at 72
  • 1994 (Frank) Haywood Henry, American jazz and session baritone saxophone player, dies at 81
  • 1994 Earl George, American composer and pedagogue, dies at 70
  • 1996 Joan Perry [Elizabeth Rosiland Miller], American film actress, model, and singer (Hands of a Stranger), dies at 85
  • 2003 Jack Brymer, British classical clarinetist (Royal Philharmonic; BBC Symphony; London Symphony), and teacher, dies at 88

Johnny Ramone (1948-2004)

American punk rock guitarist and songwriter (Ramones - "I Wanna Be Sedated"), dies of prostate cancer at 55

  • 2007 Aldemaro Romero, Venezuelan pianist, composer, arranger, and orchestral conductor, dies at 79
  • 2007 Gordon "Specs" Powell, American jazz and studio drummer and percussionist (Red Norvo; Teddy Wilson; CBS Orchestra, 1943-72), dies of kidney disease at 85
  • 2008 Richard Wright, British progressive rock keyboardist, arranger, composer, and occasional vocalist (Pink Floyd - "Time"; "Echoes"; "The Art Of Conversation"), dies of cancer at 65
  • 2010 Arrow [Alphonsus Cassell], Montserratian soca singer-songwriter ("Hot, Hot, Hot"), dies of cerebral cancer at 60
  • 2010 Guido Turchi, Italian composer (Invettiva), dies at 93
  • 2012 George Hurst, British conductor (BBC Northern Orchestra. 1958-68; Bournemouth Sinfonietta. 1968-74), and educator, dies at 86
  • 2013 Jackie Lomax, British singer-songwriter (Is This What You Want?; Sour Milk Sea)), dies at 69

Harry Dean Stanton (1926-2017)

American actor (Lucky; Alien; Cool Hand Luke; The Godfather Part II), musician, and singer, dies at 91

  • 2019 Phyllis Newman, American Tony Award-winning actress (Subways Are for Sleeping: Coming of Age), and singer, dies of lung disease at 86
  • 2019 Ric Ocasek [Otcasek], American rock singer-songwriter (The Cars - "Best Friend's Girl"; "Shake It Up"; "You Are The Girl"), found dead at 75
  • 2020 Caroline Kaart (neé Raitt0, Scottish-Dutch alto singer, and TV and radio presenter, dies at 88
  • 2020 Jan Krenz, Polish conductor and composer, dies at 94 [1]
  • 2021 Norman Bailey, British operatic bass-baritone (Flying Dutchman), dies at 88