Events in Music
The Wizard of Oz
Nov 3 1939 film "The Wizard of Oz" televised for 1st time - hosted by Bert Lahr and 10 year old Liza Minnelli, as the finale of the Ford Star Jubilee series (CBS-TV)
Television Debut
Nov 5 "The Nat King Cole Show" debuts on NBC, the first variety program to be hosted by an African-American
Music Premiere
Nov 10 Gene de Paul and Johnny Mercer's musical "Li'l Abner", based on the hillbilly comic strip, opens at the St. James Theatre, NYC; runs for 693 performances
- Nov 15 "Li'l Abner" opens at St James Theater, NYC; runs for 693 performances
Film Premiere
Nov 15 "Love Me Tender" (The Reno Brothers) film with Elvis Presley in his debut premieres in the US
Music Premiere
Nov 29 Jule Styne, Betty Comden and Adolph Green's musical "Bells Are Ringing", starring Judy Holiday, opens at Shubert Theater, NYC; runs for 924 performances, wins 2 Tony Awards
Birthdays in Music
- Nov 4 James Honeyman-Scott, British rock guitarist (The Pretenders - "Brass in Pocket"), born in Hereford, Herefordshire, England (d. 1982)
- Nov 4 Jordan Rudess, American progressive rock keyboardist (Dream Theater), born in New York
- Nov 5 Helen O'Hara [Bevington], British rock violinist (Dexys Midnight Runners - "Come On Eileen"), born in Bristol, England
- Nov 5 Jeff Watson, American rock guitarist (Night Ranger, 1982–89 & 1996–2007 - "Sister Christain"), born in Sacramento, California
- Nov 5 Rob Fisher, British rock keyboardist (Naked Eyes - "Always Something There to Remind Me"), born in Bath, England (d. 1999)
- Nov 7 Denise Jannah [Zeefuik], Suriname-Dutch jazz singer (Farmer's Market), born in Paramaribo, Suriname
- Nov 7 Judy Tenuta, American stand-up comedienne and accordion player, born in Oak Park, Illinois (d. 2022)
- Nov 9 Eve de Castro-Robinson, New Zealand classical composer (Other Echoes; A Chaos Of Delight), music director (Karlheinz Company), and educator (University of Auckland), born in London, England
- Nov 9 Kevin Savigar, British session and touring keyboard player, songwriter, and record producer (Rod Stewart), born in London, England
- Nov 10 Scott Columbus, American heavy metal drummer (Manowar, 1983–91 & 1994–2008), born in USA (d. 2011)
- Nov 11 Billy Smith, American country singer (Billy & Terry Smith), born in Reidsville, North Carolina
- Nov 11 Ian Craig Marsh, British rock keyboardist (The Human League - "Don't You Want Me"; Heaven 17), born in Sheffield, England
- Nov 13 Aldo Nova, Canadian rocker (Blood on the Bricks), born in Montreal, Quebec
- Nov 17 Enzo Favata, Italian jazz saxophonist and composer, born in Alghero, Sardinia, Italy
- Nov 18 Laura Lynch, American bluegrass and country musician and songwriter (Dixie Chicks, 1989-95), born in El Paso, Texas
- Nov 19 Ik-Hwan Bae, South Korean-American violinist (Bargemusic, 1982-95) and educator (Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, 1999-2014), born in Seoul, South Korea (d. 2014)
- Nov 20 Dan Powers, American rock guitarist (Michael Stanley Band, 1983-87), born in Cleveland, Ohio
- Nov 22 Lawrence Gowan, Scottish-Canadian rock keyboard player and singer (Styx, 1999-), born in Glasgow, Scotland
- Nov 28 David Van Day [David Paul Day], British pop singer (Dollar - "Loves Gotta Hold On Me"), born in Brighton, Sussex, England
- Nov 28 Kristine Arnold, American country singer (Sweethearts of Rodeo - "Midnight Girl"), born in Torrance, California
- Nov 29 Hinton Battle, American Tony Award-winning singer, dancer, and actor (The Wiz), born in Neubrücke, Hoppstädten, West Germany
Deaths in Music
- Nov 2 Jacob Weinberg, Russian-born Jewish composer, dies at 77
- Nov 5 Art Tatum, American jazz pianist and composer, dies from complications of uremia at 47
- Nov 7 Una Mae Carlisle, American jazz pianist and singer ("Walkin' By The River"), dies of pneumonia at 40
- Nov 10 Victor Young, American violinist, arranger, orchestra leader, and composer ("Street of Dreams"; "Love Letters"; "I Don't Stand a Ghost of a Chance with You"), dies of a cerebral hemorrhage at 57
- Nov 22 Theodore Kosloff, Russian-born actor, ballet dancer and choreographer, dies at 74
- Nov 24 Guido Cantelli, Italian conductor, dies in a plane crash at Orly Airport, Paris at 36
Tommy Dorsey (1905-1956)
Nov 26 American trombonist and big band leader ("Opus No. 1"; "I'll Never Smile Again"; "Yes, Indeed!"), dies at 51
