July 1959 in Music History

Events in Music

Music History

Jul 22 Benjamin Britten's "Missa Brevis" in D premieres

Living' Doll

Jul 31 Cliff Richard and the Shadows have their 1st British No. 1 single with "Living' Doll" (biggest British single of 1959)

Birthdays in Music

Jul 3 Stephen Pearcy, American heavy metal vocalist (RATT - "Round & Round"), born in Los Angeles, California
Jul 4 Bill McCorvey, American country singer (Pirates of Mississippi - "Feed Jake"), born in Montgomery, Alabama
Jul 5 Marc Cohn, American folk rock singer ("Walking in Memphis"), born in Cleveland, Ohio
Jul 6 John Keeble, English rock drummer (Spandau Ballet - "True"), born in London, England
Jul 9 D. H. Peligro [Darren Henley], American punk rock drummer (Dead Kennedys, Red Hot Chili Peppers,1988), born in St. louis, Missouri (d. 2022)
Jul 9 Jim Kerr, Scottish rock singer-songwriter (Simple Minds - "Don't You (Forget About Me)"; "Alive And Kicking"), born in Glasgow, Scotland

Richie Sambora (64 years old)

Jul 11 American rock guitarist and songwriter (Bon Jovi, 1983-2018 - "Livin' on a Prayer"), boyfriend of Cher (1989-90), and husband of Heather Locklear (1994-2007), born in Perth Amboy, New Jersey

Jul 11 Suzanne Vega, American folk-rock singer-songwriter ("Luka"; "Tom's Diner"), born in Santa Monica, California
Jul 15 Shep Pettibone, American record producer, born in Ocean Grove, New Jersey
Jul 16 Doug Herzog, American television executive (Viacom Music and Entertainment Group), born in Paterson, New Jersey
Jul 20 James Irvin, British new wave rock singer (Furniture - "Brilliant Mind"), born in London, England
Jul 20 Radney Foster, American country singer and songwriter (Foster & Lloyd - "Crazy Over You"), born in Del Rio, Texas
Jul 29 John Sykes, English rock guitarist and singer (Thin Lizzy, 1983-2009; Blue Murder), born in Reading, Berkshire,England
Jul 31 Stanley Jordan, American jazz guitarist (Magic Touch), born in Chicago, Illinois

Deaths in Music

Jul 11 (Rossiere) "Shadow" Wilson, American jazz drummer (Thelonious Monk), dies of meningitis at 39

Ernest Bloch (1880-1959)

Jul 15 Swiss-American composer (Schelomo; Israel; Avodath Hakodesh), and educator (UC Berkeley, 1941-52), dies of cancer at 78

Billie Holiday (1915-1959)

Jul 17 American jazz singer ("I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm"; "Strange Fruit"), and songwriter ("God Bless The Child"; "Lady Sings the Blues"), dies of cirrhosis of the liver at 44