June 1954 in Music History

Events in Music

Jun 12 "Girl in Pink Tights" closes at Mark Hellinger NYC after 115 performances

Music Single

Jun 12 Bill Haley & His Comets release the hit single "Rock Around the Clock"

Musical Finale

Jun 24 Musical revue "John Murray Anderson's Almanac", starring Harry Belafonte, Hermione Gingold, and Orson Bean, closes at Imperial Theatre, NYC, after 229 performances and a Tony Award win

Birthdays in Music

Jun 1 Wiktor Łyjak, Polish organist, historian, instrument restorer, educator, and author, born in Skierniewice, Poland
Jun 2 Michael Steele, rocker (Bangles - "Eternal Flame"; "Walk Like an Egyptian")
Jun 3 Dan Hill, Canadian pop singer and songwriter ("Sometimes When We Touch"; "Can't We Try"), born in Toronto, Ontario
Jun 4 Mikey Dread [Michael Campbell], Jamaican reggae singer, producer ("Rocker's Delight"), and broadcaster (BBC), born in. Port Antonio, Jamaica (d. 2008)
Jun 4 Raphael Ravenscroft, British session saxophone player (Gerry Rafferty - "Baker Street"; Maxine Nightingale; Roger Waters), born in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England (d. 2014)
Jun 4 Scott Earl Holman, American jazz pianist, and composer, born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Jun 5 Michael "Nicko" McBrain, English heavy metal drummer (Iron Maiden - "Bring Your Daughter To The Slaughter"), born in London, England
Jun 5 Peter Erskine, American jazz drummer (Weather Report, 1978-82; Jaco Pastorious, 1982-87; Bob Mintzer; Elaine Elias), born in Somers Point, New Jersey
Jun 9 Pete Byrne Bath, English rocker (Naked Eyes), born in Bath, Somerset
Jun 10 Raul Rekow, American percussionist and conguero (Santana, 1976-2013), born in San Francisco, California (d. 2015)
Jun 10 Richard "Rich" Hall, American comedian, writer, and musician (Saturday Night Live, Fridays, Not Necessarily the News), born in Alexandria, Virginia
Jun 11 Johnny Neel, American musician, singer and songwriter (The Allman Brothers Band; Gov't Mule; Dickey Betts), born in Wilmington, Delaware
Jun 13 (Guillermo) "Jorge" Santana, Mexican rock guitarist (Malo - "Suavecito"), born in Autlán de Navarro (d. 2020)
Jun 13 (Robert) "Bo" Donaldson, American rock vocalist (The Heywoods - "Billy Don't Be a Hero"), born in Cincinnati, Ohio
Jun 13 Rita Cadillac, Brazilian dancer and singer, born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Jun 15 Terri Gibbs, American blind country music singer ("Somebody's Knockin'"), born in Miami, Florida

Jun 16 Doane Perry, American musician, composer, and author (Jethro Tull), born in Mt. Kisco, Westchester County, New York
Jun 16 Gary Roberts, Irish guitarist (Boomtown Rats - "I Don't Like Mondays"), born in Dublin, Ireland
Jun 18 William Beard, American session and touring rock drummer (Face To Face; Sessions Americana), born in Boston, Massachusetts
Jun 20 Michael Anthony [Sobolewski], American rock bassist/singer (Van Halen - "Pretty Woman"), born in Chicago, Illinois
Jun 22 Bobby Valentino, rocker (Fabulous Poodles)
Jun 22 Julius Williams, American contemporary classical composer (Midnight Tolls), conductor, and music educator (Berklee), born in The Bronx, NYC
Jun 23 Kevin Locke [Tȟokéya Inážiŋ], Lakota Native American flute player, storyteller, educator, and cultural ambassador, born in Southern California (d. 2022)
Jun 25 David Paich, American rock keyboardist (Toto - "Rosanna"; "Africa"), born in Los Angeles, California
Jun 25 Ric Browde, American record producer (Ted Nugent; Poison; Joan Jett; W.A.S.P.), born in the USA
Jun 28 Ava Barber, American country singer (Lawrence Welk Show), born in Knoxville, Tennessee
Jun 30 Bryn Burrows, British rock drummer (Fabulous Poodles - "Mirror Star"), born in England

Deaths in Music

Jun 10 Will Rossiter, British-American songwriter and music publisher, dies at 87
Jun 13 Nikolai Obukhov, Russian composer, dies at 62
Jun 17 Donato "Danny" Cedrone, American guitarist and bandleader (The Esquires; Bill Haley & His Comets - "Rock Around The Clock"), died of broken neck suffered falling down a staircase at 33
Jun 27 Francis L Casadesus, French violinist, composer and conductor, dies at 83

On This Day