October 1959 in Music History

Events in Music

Music Concert

Oct 4 Dmitri Shostakovich's 1st Cello concert premieres in Leningrad

Oct 7 "Happy Town" opens at 84th St Theater NYC for 5 performances

Film Release

Oct 7 "Pillow Talk" film directed by Michael Gordon and starring Doris Day and Rock Hudson is first released

Oct 8 Michael Flanders and Donald Swann's musical review "At the Drop of a Hat" opens at John Golden Theater, NYC; runs for 216 performances
Oct 10 "Happy Town" closes at 84th St Theater NYC after 5 performances
Oct 17 "Billy Barnes Revue" closes at John Golden Theater NYC after 87 performances
Oct 22 Bob Merrill's musical "Take Me Along" opens at Shubert Theater, NYC; runs for 448 performances
Oct 24 US premiere of Dmitri Shostakovich's 1st Cello concert

Birthdays in Music

Youssou N'dour (63 years old)

Oct 1 Senegalese singer ("Shaking The Tree"), born in Dakar, Senegal

Oct 3 Jack Wagner, American actor (General Hospital; Melrose Place) and pop singer ("All I Need"), born in Washington, Missouri
Oct 4 Chris Lowe, English rock keyboardist (One Under The Eight, Pet Shop Boys), born in Blackpool, Lancashire, England
Oct 5 Troy Luccketta, American rock drummer (Tesla - "Psychotic Supper"), born in Lodi, California
Oct 8 Gavin Friday [Fionán Martin Hanvey], Irish singer (Virgin Prunes), born in Dublin, Ireland
Oct 9 Thomas Wydler, Swiss drummer (Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds), born in Zurich, Switzerland
Oct 10 Kirsty MacColl, English singer and songwriter (Electric Landlady), born in Croydon, Surrey, England (d. 2000)
Oct 13 Gerry Darby, British jazz-soul drummer (Carmel - "Bad Day"), born in England
Oct 13 Marie Osmond, American pop singer ("Paper Roses"), and actress (Goin' Coconuts), born in Ogden, Utah
Oct 14 A.J. Pero, American drummer (Twisted Sister - "We're Not Gonna Take It"), born in Newark, New Jersey (d. 2015)
Oct 16 Erkki-Sven Tüür, Estonian composer (Architectonics; Magma), born in Kärdla, Hiiumaa, Estonia
Oct 16 Gary Kemp, British rock guitarist and lyricist (Spandau Ballet - "True"), born in Smithfield, London
Oct 20 Vasti Jackson, American electric blues guitarist, music director, and record producer, born in McComb, Mississippi
Oct 22 Marc Shaiman, American film and Broadway composer (When Harry Met Sally; Hairspray), born in Newark, New Jersey

Weird Al Yankovic (63 years old)

Oct 23 American accordionist and parody singer-songwriter ("Eat It"; "Another One Rides The Bus"), and actor (UHF; Naked Gun), born in Downey, California

Oct 25 Chrissy Amphlett, Australian singer-songwriter (Divinyls - "I Touch Myself"), born in Geelong, Victoria, Australia (d. 2013)
Oct 25 Luc Brewaeys, Belgian pianist, conductor, and composer, born in Mortsel, Belgium (d. 2015)
Oct 25 Marina Minkin, Israeli harpsichordist and teacher (Ad Libitum Ensemble), born in Ukraine
Oct 28 Neville Henry, British rock saxophonist (Blow Monkeys - "Wicked Ways")

Deaths in Music

Oct 7 Mario Lanza [Alfredo Arnold Cocozza], Italian-American actor and singer (Great Caruso, Toast of New Orleans), dies of a heart attack at 38
Oct 13 Rudolf Mengelberg, Dutch composer and musicologist (Concert Amsterdam), dies at 67
Oct 19 Stanley Bate, English composer, dies at 45
Oct 28 Egon Kornauth, Austrian classical pianist, composer, and teacher, dies at 68