October 1945 in Music History

Events in Music

Music History

Oct 3 Elvis Presley's 1st public performance, at age of 10, singing "Old Shep" in youth talent contest Mississippi-Alabama Fair and Dairy Show, in Tupelo, Mississippi; contest is broadcast over WELO Radio, he wins fifth prize - $5.00 in fair ride tickets

Oct 18 Paul Robeson wins Spingarn Medal for singing & acting achievements
Oct 27 "Carib Song" closes at Adelphi Theater NYC after 36 performances

Birthdays in Music

Oct 1 Donny Hathaway, American singer-songwriter ("Where Is The Love?"), born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 1979)
Oct 2 Don McLean, American singer and songwriter ("American Pie"; "Vincent"), born in New Rochelle, New York
Oct 3 Antonio Martinez, Spanish rock guitarist (Los Bravos - "Black Is Black", born in Madrid, Spain (d. 1990)
Oct 4 Clifton Davis, American actor (That's My Mama; Amen) and singer-songwriter ("Never Can Say Goodbye"), born in Chicago, Illinois
Oct 5 Brian Connolly, Scottish rock singer (Sweet, 1968-79- "The Ballroom Blitz"), born in Glasgow, Scotland (d. 1997)
Oct 5 Geoff Leigh, British saxophonist and flute player (Henry Cow), born in Manchester, England
Oct 7 Kevin Godley, English rock drummer, vocalist, and producer (10cc - "I'm Not On Love"), born in Manchester, England
Oct 8 Joseph Rescigno, American opera conductor (Florentine Opera Company of Milwaukee, 1981-2019), born in Flushing, New York
Oct 8 Ray Royer, English rock guitarist (Procol Harum - "A Whiter Shade Of Pale"), born in The Pinewoods, Essex
Oct 9 Taiguara [Chalar da Silva], Brazilian singer and songwriter, born in Montevideo, Uruguay (d. 1996)
Oct 10 Alan Cartwright, British rock bass player (Procol Harum, 1972-77), born in London, England (d. 2020)
Oct 13 Christophe [Daniel Bevilacqua], French singer (Aline), born in Juvisy-sur-Orge, Paris
Oct 13 Karen Akers, American singer (On Stage at Wolf Trap), born in NYC, New York
Oct 14 Colin Hodgkinson, English musician (Whitesnake), born in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire
Oct 16 Allan Zavod, Australian classical and jazz pianist and composer, born in Melbourne (d. 2016)
Oct 16 Roger Hawkins, American session drummer (the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section - Wilson Pickett, Aretha Franklin), born in Mishawaka, Indiana (d. 2021)

Oct 19 Gloria Jones, American R&B and rock singer-songwriter ("Tainted Love"), theater actress (Hair), and keyboardist (T. Rex, 1973-77), born in Cincinnati, Ohio
Oct 19 Jeannie C. Riley (née Stephenson), American Grammy and CMA Award-winning pop-country and gospel singer ("Harper Valley P.T.A."), born in Stamford, Texas
Oct 19 Keith Reid, British poet and lyricist (Procol Harum - "A Whiter Shade of Pale"), born in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, England (d. 2023) [1]
Oct 20 Ric Lee, British blues-rock drummer (Ten Years After - "Love Like a Man"), born in Mansfield, England
Oct 20 Thomas Pasatieri, American opera composer (Frau Margot), born in New York City
Oct 21 Kathy Young, rocker (Thousand Stars in the Sky)
Oct 22 Eddie Brigati, American rock vocalist, and songwriter (The Young Rascals, 1964-70 - "Groovin'"; "People Got to Be Free"), born in Garfield, New Jersey
Oct 22 Leslie West [Weinstein], American rocker (Mountain-Mississippi Queen), born in NYC, New York (d. 2020) [1] [2]
Oct 23 Ernie Watts, American jazz, R&B, and pop session and touring soprano and tenor saxophonist (Charlie Haden's Quartet West; Carole King; Frank Zappa; The Rolling Stones), born in Norfolk, Virginia
Oct 23 Kim Larsen, Danish rock singer ("In the Middle of the Night"), born in Copenhagen (d. 2018)
Oct 28 Wayne Fontana [Glyn Geoffrey Ellis], British rocker (The Mindbenders - "The Game Of Love"), born in Manchester, England (d. 2020)
Oct 29 Melba Moore [Beatrice], American singer and actress (Ellis Island), born in NYC, New York
Oct 30 Pamelo Mounk'a, Congolese musician, born in Ouesso, Brazzaville (d. 1996)
Oct 31 John "Moon" Martin, American rockabilly singer-songwriter and guitarist ("Bad Case Of Loving You"), born in Altus, Oklahoma (d. 2020) [1] [2]
Oct 31 Rik Kenton, British musician (Roxy Music; Woody Kern), born in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire
Oct 31 Russ Ballard, British English rock singer, songwriter and guitarist (Argent - "Liar"; "Hold Your Head Up"; "You Can Do Magic"), born in Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire, England