- 1619 Barbara Strozzi, Italian singer and composer, baptised in Venice (d. 1677)
- 1651 Johann Michael Zacher, composer
- 1664 Johann Christoph Schmidt, composer
- 1665 Jean-Baptiste Lully fils, French musician and son of Jean-Baptiste Lully, born in Paris, France (d. 1743)
- 1748 Bernhard Haltenberger, composer
- 1858 Albert Fuchs, composer
- 1873 Mary Carr Moore, American composer, born in Memphis, Tennessee (d. 1957)
- 1875 Marcel Labey, composer
- 1883 Francesco Santoliquido, composer
- 1886 Edward Ballantine, American composer and music professor, born in Oberlin, Ohio (d. 1971)
- 1888 Heinrich Schlusnus, German baritone, born in Braubach (d. 1952)
- 1896 Cyril Mockridge, composer
- 1902 Michal Vilec, composer
- 1906 Vic Dickenson, American trombonist (d. 1984)
- 1908 George Singer, composer
- 1908 Svend Erik Tarp, composer
- 1910 Friedrich Schroder, composer
- 1918 Norman Granz, American record producer (Jazz at the Philharmonic; Verve Records), born in Los Angeles, California (d. 2001)
- 1923 Jack Parnell, orchestra leader (Englebert Humperdick Show), born in London, England
- 1925 Leland Smith, composer
- 1929 Mike Elliott, saxophonist, born in Jamaica, West Indies
- 1930 Abbey Lincoln [Anna Wooldridge], African-American civil rights activist, jazz vocalist, songwriter and actress (Nothing But a Man), born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 2010)
- 1937 Baden Powell de Aquino, Brazilian guitarist (d. 2000)
- 1937 Paul Griffin, American session musician and pianist, born in Harlem, New York (d. 2000)
- 1937 Charlie [Charles Edward] Haden, American jazz double-bassist (Liberation Music Orchestra), born in Shenandoah, Iowa (d. 2014)
- 1939 William "Sonny" Sanders, US singer (Rayber Voices)
- 1941 Doris Ernestine Hays, composer
- 1946 Allan Holdsworth, British guitarist, born in Bradford (d. 2017)
- 1952 Ton Scherpenzeel, Dutch rock keyboardist (Kayak, Earth & Fire), born in Hilversum, The Netherlands
- 1952 Vinnie Vincent, heavy metal rocker (Solo-Ashes to Ashes)
- 1953 Pat MacDonald, rocker (Timbuk 3)
- 1954 Elma Miller, Canadian composer, born in Toronto
- 1958 Randy DeBarge, rock vocalist/bassist (Debarge), born in Grand Rapids Michigan
- 1958 Simon Francken, Dutch bassist (Ivy Green)
- 1959 Joyce Sims, rocker (All & All)
- 1965 Yuki Kajiura, Japanese composer
- 1969 Elliott Smith, American musician (d. 2003)
Geri Horner
1972 Geri Horner [Halliwell], British pop singer "Ginger Spice" (Spice Girls), born in Watford, England
Geri Horner
- 1980 Wilber Pan, American/Taiwanese singer
August in History
![The Strange, Mysterious Story of the Balloon Expedition to the North Pole]()
The Strange, Mysterious Story of the Balloon Expedition to the North Pole
The discovery of Swedish engineer S. A. Andrée's tragic, long-lost polar expedition in 1930 led to more questions than answers.
August 5, 1930![A Pill to Cure All Ills]()
A Pill to Cure All Ills
Not well? Take a Beecham’s Pill was often the advice. So popular was it that nobody doubted it’s extravagant claim in the world’s first advertising slogan.
August 6, 1859![Why Mata Hari Was Not the Spy You Thought She Was]()
Why Mata Hari Was Not the Spy You Thought She Was
The controversial life and death of Mata Hari, the glamorous WWI double agent, executed in 1917, has recently been reassessed in the light of new evidence.
August 7, 1876![Ship Of Gold Sails Into Oblivion]()
Ship Of Gold Sails Into Oblivion
A frigate with more than 150 souls on board, as well as nearly three tons of gold, sailed out of Melbourne on this day – never to be seen again.
August 12, 1853
