Year 1949 in Music History

Events in Music

• Jan 8 "Make Mine Manhattan" closes at Broadhurst Theater NYC after 429 performances
• Jan 8 "My Romance" closes at Shubert Theater NYC after 95 performances

• Jan 8 "Small Wonder" closes at Coronet Theater NYC after 134 performances
• Jan 13 "Along 5th Avenue" opens at Broadhurst Theater NYC for 180 performances
• Jan 16 "Rape of Lucretia" closes at Ziegfeld Theater NYC after 23 performances
• Jan 22 "All for Love" opens at Mark Hellinger Theater NYC for 121 performances
• Feb 1 RCA releases 1st single record ever (45 rpm)

• Feb 12 "Annie Get Your Gun" closes at Imperial Theater NYC after 1147 performances

• Feb 19 "Inside USA" closes at Century Theater NYC after 339 performances
• Apr 7 "South Pacific" opens at Majestic Theater NYC for 1928 performances
• May 14 "Love Life" closes at 46th St Theater NYC after 252 performances
• Jun 18 "Along Fifth Avenue" closes at Broadhurst Theater NYC after 180 performances
• Jul 2 "High Button Shoes" closes at Century Theater NYC after 727 performances


• Jul 7 "Cabatgata (A Night in Spain)" opens at Broadway NYC for 76 performances

• Jul 15 "Miss Liberty" opens at Imperial Theater NYC for 308 performances
• Aug 7 "All after Love" closes at Mark Hellinger Theater NYC after 121 performances
• Aug 18 Ralph Flanagan & his orchestra records "You're Breaking My Heart"
• Sep 10 "Cabatgata (A Night in Spain)" closes at Broadway NYC after 76 performances

• Oct 9 English ballerina Margot Fonteyn debuts in America with her performance of Sleeping Beauty at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York
• Oct 13 "Touch & Go" opens at Broadhurst Theater NYC for 176 performances

• Oct 31 "Regina" opens at 46th St Theater NYC for 86 performances
• Nov 25 "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer" appears on music charts
• Nov 28 "Texas, Li'l Darlin'" opens at Mark Hellinger NYC for 293 performances
• Dec 8 Jule Styne's "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" opens at Ziegfeld Theater NYC for 740 performances

• Dec 17 "Regina" closes at 46th St Theater NYC after 86 performances

Birthdays in Music

Birthdays 1 - 100 of 302

• Jan 1 Daniel E Gawthrop, American composer
• Jan 2 Michael "Chick" Churchill, British blues-rock keyboardist (Ten Years After - "I'm Going Home"), born in Ilkeston, Derbyshire, England
• Jan 5 George Brown, American rock drummer (Kool & the Gang-Celebration), born in Jersey City, New Jersey
• Jan 6 Chris Laurence, British classical, jazz and session double bassist, born in London
• Jan 7 Marshall Chapman, American country singer, born in Spartanburg, South Carolina
• Jan 11 Tom Netherton, singer (Lawrence Welk Show), born in Munich. Germany
• Jan 11 [Frederick] Dennis Greene, American singer (Sha Na Na), born in New York, (d. 2015)
• Jan 11 Daryl Braithwaite, Australian pop singer (Sherbert), born in Melbourne
• Jan 12 Wayne Wang, American film director (Chan is Missing, Slamdance), born in Hong Kong
• Jan 12 Kentaro Haneda, Japanese composer, born in Tokyo, Japan (d. 2007)
• Jan 13 Frank Ricotti, British jazz and session vibraphonist and percussionist, born in London, England
• Jan 14 Lamar Williams, American musician (The Allman Brothers Band), born in Gulfport, Mississippi (d. 1983)
• Jan 14 Maurice T. "Maury" Muehleisen, American musician and songwriter (Jim Croce), born in Trenton, New Jersey (d. 1973)
• Jan 18 Christian Blackshaw, British concert pianist, born in Cheshire, England
• Jan 19 Robert Palmer, English singer-songwriter (Power Station), born in Batley, United Kingdom (d. 2003)
• Jan 22 James "J.P." Pennington, American country-pop singer and guitarist (Exile), born in Berea, Kentucky
• Jan 22 Steve Perry, American rock vocalist (Journey, 1977-87; 95-97 - "Don't Stop Believin'"; "Open Arms"), born in Hanford, California
• Jan 22 Vini "Mad Dog" Lopez, American drummer (E Street Band, 1972-74), born in Neptune, New Jersey
• Jan 24 John Belushi, American comedian & actor (SNL: Animal House: Blues Brothers), born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 1982)
• Jan 26 Derek Holt, British rock guitarist (Curved Air; Climax Blues Band - "Couldn't Get It Right"), born in Stafford, England
• Jan 28 Gene McFadden, American singer, songwriter, and record producer (Philadelphia International Records; McFadden & Whitehead - "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now"), born in Olanta, South Carolina (d. 2006) [1]
• Jan 28 Eddie Bayers, American session drummer, based in Nashville, born in Patuxent, Maryland
• Jan 29 Tommy Ramone [Tamás Erdélyi], Hungarian-American rock drummer and bassist (Ramones), born in Budapest, Hungary (d. 2014)
• Feb 2 Jetty Weels, Surinamese/Dutch vocalist (Mai Tai)
• Feb 2 Ross Valory, rock bassist (Journey - "Don't Stop Believin'"; "Open Arms"), born in San Francisco, California
• Feb 2 Tom Tripplehorn, American jazz and rock session and touring guitarist (Gary Lewis & Playboys - "This Diamond Ring"), born in Tulsa, Oklahoma (d. 2019)
• Feb 3 Oscar Benton, Dutch blues vocalist/guitarist (Ze is Zoals Jij)
• Feb 3 Arthur Kane, American musician (New York Dolls), born in NYC, New York (d. 2004)
• Feb 4 Roy Yeager, American musician (Atlanta Rhythm Section), born in Greenwood, Mississippi
• Feb 4 Ludger Rémy, German harpsichordist, conductor (Les Amis de Philippe), and musicologist, born in Kalkar, Germany (d. 2017)
• Feb 6 Mike Batt, British director, actor, composer, and former Deputy Chairman (British Phonographic Industry), born in Southampton, England
• Feb 7 Alan Lancaster, English bassist (Status Quo, 1967-85), born in London, England
• Feb 10 Nigel Olsson, British rock touring and session drummer and backing vocalist (Elton John's Band), born in Wallasey, Cheshire, England
• Feb 10 Maxime Le Forestier, French pop and folk singer-songwriter, born in Paris, France
• Feb 12 Stanley Knight, American southern rock guitarist (Black Oak Arkansas - High on the Hog), born in Little Rock, Arkansas (d. 2013)
• Feb 13 Judy Dyble, British folk singer-songwriter (Fairport Convention), born in London (d. 2020)
• Feb 14 Jimmy Randell, rocker
• Feb 15 Christopher Rouse, American composer (1993 Pulitzer Prize for Music), born in Baltimore, Maryland (d. 2019)
• Feb 15 Hans Graf, Austrian conductor, and educator, born in Marchtrenk, Austria
• Feb 17 Fred Frith, English guitarist, violinist and bassist (Skeleton Crew), born in Heathfield, England
• Feb 19 Eddie Hardin, English rock pianist and singer (Spencer Davis Group), born in London, England
• Feb 21 Jerry Harrison, American rock keyboardist (Talking Heads), and record producer (Kenny Wayne Shepherd; The String Cheese Incident), born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
• Feb 23 Larry Demps, American soul singer (Dramatics - "In the Rain"; "Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get"), born in Detroit, Michigan
• Feb 23 Terry "Tex" Comer, English bassist and guitarist (ACE), born in Burnley, England
• Feb 23 Barbara York, Canadian composer (A Butterfly in Time), born in Winnipeg, Manitoba (d. 2020) 
• Feb 24 Manuel De Sica, Italian composer, chiefly of film scores, born in Rome (d. 2014)
• Feb 26 Emma Kirkby, English soprano, born in Surrey, England
• Feb 28 Arthur "T-Boy" Ross, American songwriter ("I Want You"), brother of Diana, born in Detroit, Michigan (d. 1996)
• Mar 1 Sido Martens, Dutch guitarist/singer/mandolin player (Fungus)
• Mar 2 Alain Chamfort [Le Govic], French singer, born in Paris, France
• Mar 3 Richie Cannata, American music producer, multi-instrumentalist and studio owner, born in Brooklyn, New York
• Mar 4 Carroll Baker, Canadian country singer and songwriter, born in Bridgewater, Nova Scotia
• Mar 6 Donald York, rocker (Sha Na Na)
• Mar 9 Kalevi Aho, Finnish composer, born in Forssa, Finland
• Mar 9 Tapani Kansa, Finnish singer, born in Hamina, Finland
• Mar 11 Richard de Bois, Dutch drummer/producer
• Mar 12 Bill Payne, American rock keyboardist (Little Feat-Time Loves a Hero), born in Waco, Texas
• Mar 12 Mike Gibbins, Welsh musician & drummer (Badfinger), born in Swansea, Wales (d. 2005)
• Mar 13 Julia Migenes, American soprano, born in NYC, New York
• Mar 16 Elliott Murphy, American singer/songwriter
• Mar 18 Starr Danias, American ballerina (Turning Point), born in NYC, New York
• Mar 18 Åse Kleveland, Norwegian singer and politician
• Mar 20 Marcia Ball, American blues singer and pianist (Presumed Innocent), born in Orange, Texas
• Mar 21 Eddie Money [Mahoney], singer/guitarist (Take Me Home Tonight), born in Brooklyn, New York (d. 2019)
• Mar 24 Steve Lang, rock bassist (April Wine), born in Montreal, Quebec
• Mar 24 Nick Lowe, England, rock vocalist (Rockpile-Cruel to be Kind)
• Mar 25 Neil Jones, musician (Bend Me Shape Me)
• Mar 25 Bob Ezrin, Canadian music producer and keyboardist, born in Toronto, Canada
• Mar 26 Fran Sheehan, American rock bassist (Boston- "More Than A Feeling"), born in Boston, Massachusetts
• Mar 27 Poul Ruders, Danish organist and composer (Four Compositions; Manhattan Abstraction), born in Ringsted, Denmark
• Mar 28 Milan Williams, American keyboardist (Commodores-Three Times a Lady), born in Okolona, Mississippi
• Mar 29 Michael Brecker, American jazz saxophonist (Brecker Brothers), born in Cheltenham, Pennsylvania (d. 2007)
• Mar 30 Dana [Richenda Antoinette de Winterstein] Gillespie, English actress and singer (Jesus Christ Superstar), born in Surrey, England
• Mar 30 Lene Lovich, English-American singer, songwriter and musician (Lucky Number), born in Detroit, Michigan
• Apr 1 Gill Scott-Heron, American writer and singer (Whitey on the Moon), born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 2011)
• Apr 2 Joseph "Joe" Vitale, American singer, songwriter, composer and multi-instrumentalist (Roller Coaster Weekend), born in Canton, Ohio
• Apr 3 Jan Keizer, Dutch singer (BZN-Rhythm of My Heart), born in Volendam, Netherlands
• Apr 3 Richard Thompson, English vocalist and guitarist (Shoot Out the Lights), born in Notting Hill Gate, London
• Apr 3 Greg Calbi, American mastering engineer (associated with Eric Carmen, John Lennon, David Bowie, and Bruce Springsteen), born in Yonkers, New York
• Apr 3 Eric Kloss, American jazz saxophonist, born in Greenville, Pennsylvania
• Apr 4 Larry Lingle, American rock guitarist (The Four Seasons, 1979-93), born in Kansas City, Missouri
• Apr 4 Michael Fennelly, American musician (The Millennium, Crabby Appleton), born in New York, New York
• Apr 7 Patricia [Anglaia Margareth Paaij] Paay, Dutch singer (You Are Not Hip), born in Rotterdam, Netherlands
• Apr 7 John Oates, American rock guitarist/vocalist (Hall & Oates-Rich Girl), born in NYC, New York
• Apr 9 Chico [David-Allen] Ryan, American rock vocalist (Sha Na Na), born in Arlington, Massachusetts (d. 1998)
• Apr 9 Steve Gadd, American jazz drummer ('Late In The Evening', '50 Ways To Leave Your Lover'), born in Irondequoit, New York
• Apr 10 Eric Troyer, American musician (ELO Part II, The Orchestra), born in Elkhart, Indiana
• Apr 14 Sonja Kristina [Shaw], English songwriter and actress (Hair, Curved Air), born in Brentwood, England
• Apr 15 Alla Pugacheva, Russian singer, born in Moscow
• Apr 18 Andrew Powell, British composer, performer, and music producer (Donovan, Kate Bush- "The Kick Inside"), born in Surrey, England
• Apr 21 Patti LuPone, actress/singer (Evita, Life Goes On), born in Northport, New York
• Apr 23 John Miles, British vocalist and musician (John Miles Band-Rebel, Zaragon), born in Jarrow, County Durham, England
• Apr 24 Véronique Sanson, French singer and songwriter, born in Boulogne-Billancourt, Paris
• Apr 25 Watermelon Slim [William Homans], American blues musician (The Wheel Man), born in Boston, Massachusetts
• Apr 25 Michael Brown, American musician and songwriter (Don't Walk Away Renee), born in New York City (d. 2015)
• Apr 26 Jimmy Hall, American rocker (Wet Willie), born in Birmingham, Alabama
• May 1 Tim Hodgkinson, English composer and musician (Henry Cow)
• May 1 James "Jim" Clench, Canadian bassist and songwriter (April Wine and Bachman-Turner Overdrive), born in Canada (d. 2010)
• May 2 Joey Phillips, percussionist (Atlantic Starr-Touch a 4 Leaf Clover)
• May 4 Zal Cleminson, Scottis guitarist (Alex Harvey Band), born in Glasgow

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Weddings in Music

Divorces in Music

Deaths in Music

• Jan 9 Amilcare Zanella, Italian composer and conductor, dies at 75
• Jan 14 Joaquín Turina, Spanish pianist and composer (Rima), dies at 66
• Jan 25 Emil Axman, Czech composer, dies at 61
• Jan 27 Boris Asafiev, composer, dies at 64
• Jan 28 Gustaf Lazarus Nordqvist, Swedish organist and composer, dies at 62
• Feb 1 Herbert Stothart, American composer, dies at 63
• Feb 5 Juozas Tallat-Kelpsa, composer, dies at 50
• Feb 8 Franco Leoni, Italian composer, dies at 81
• Feb 8 Leonid Alexeyevich Polovinkin, Russian composer, dies at 54
• Feb 9 Poul Schierbeck, Danish organist and composer, dies at 60
• Feb 19 Auguste Jean Maria Charles Serieyx, composer, dies at 83
• Feb 21 Ernest Walker, British composer, dies at 78
• Feb 28 Stanley Marchant, English composer, dies at 65
• Mar 11 Juan Lamonte de Grignon, composer, dies at 76
• Mar 28 Grigoras Dinicu, Romanian violin virtuoso and composer, dies at 59
• Apr 3 Basil Harwood, English composer, dies at 89
• May 6 Kunihiko Hashimoto, Japanese composer, violinist, conductor, and musical educator, dies of gastric cancer at 44
• May 22 Hans Pfitzner, German composer (Palestrina), dies at 80
• Jun 2 Dynam-Victor Fumet, French composer, dies at 82
• Jul 7 Bunk Johnson, American musician (b. 1879 or 1889)
• Jul 8 Riccardo Pick-Mangiagalli, Italian composer, dies at 66
• Jul 9 Fritz Bennicke Hart, composer, dies at 75
• Jul 18 Vítězslav Novák, Czech composer, dies at 78
• Aug 11 Karl Weigl, Austrian-American composer, dies at 68
• Aug 18 Paul J Mares, US jazz trumpetist/composer (Tin Roof Blues), dies at 49
• Aug 21 Gerhard von Keussler, German composer, dies at 75
• Aug 31 Paul Hoffer, German composer, dies at 53

• Sep 11 Henri Rabaud, French composer/conductor (L'ete), dies at 75
• Sep 12 Harry Burleigh, African American composer (Springarn Medal), dies at 82
• Sep 20 Nikolaos Skalkottas, composer, dies at 45
• Sep 24 Pierre de Bréville, French composer, author and professor (Une histoire du théâtre lyrique en France), dies at 88
• Oct 4 Edmund Eysler, Austrian composer, dies at 75
• Oct 9 Viktor Alexandrovich Uspensky, composer, dies at 70
• Oct 16 Hale A. VanderCook, American composer, dies at 85
• Oct 24 Joaquin Nin y Castellanos, composer, dies at 70
• Oct 27 Ginette Neveu, French violinist (b. 1919)

• Dec 17 David Stanley Smith, American composer (Merrymount), dies at 72