- 1786 Friedrich Schwindl, Dutch composer, dies at 49
- 1798 Johann Gottlieb Sollner, composer, dies at 65
- 1846 Johann Christian Heinrich Rinck, composer, dies at 76
- 1893 Alfredo Catalani, Italian operatic composer, dies at 39
- 1913 David Popper, composer, dies at 70
- 1914 Boleslaw Dembinski, composer, dies at 81
- 1924 Camille Zeckwer, American composer, dies at 49
- 1959 Armas Launis, Finnish composer, dies at 75
- 1960 Vaino Hannikainen, composer, dies at 60
- 1967 Max Branch, music/radio commentator, dies at 75
- 1967 Max [Marcus] Tak, Dutch violinist and radio commentator, dies at 75
- 1969 Joseph Kosma, composer, dies at 63
- 1969 Russ Morgan, American orchestra leader (Welcome Aboard), dies at 65
- 1972 Joi Lansing [Joyce Brown], American model, film and television actress, and nightclub singer (Touch of Evil, Bob Cummings Show), dies of cancer at 43
- 1978 Franz Alphons Wolpert, German composer, dies at 60
- 1984 Esther Phillips, American singer (What a Difference a Day Makes), dies at 48
- 1991 Billy James, comedian/singer (Women at Play, Lusty Business), dies
- 1992 Titti Sotto, Cuban composer (La Esquina Habanera), dies
- 1993 Roy Budd, English jazz pianist/composer (Paper Tiger), dies at 46
- 2009 Mike Seeger, American folk musician (b. 1933)
- 2011 Marshall Grant, American bassist (Johnny Cash's Tennessee Two), dies at 83
- 2017 David Henry Maslanka, American composer, dies at 73
August in History
The Strange, Mysterious Story of the Balloon Expedition to the North Pole
The discovery of Swedish engineer S. A. Andrée's tragic, long-lost polar expedition in 1930 led to more questions than answers.
August 5, 1930A Pill to Cure All Ills
Not well? Take a Beecham’s Pill was often the advice. So popular was it that nobody doubted it’s extravagant claim in the world’s first advertising slogan.
August 6, 1859Why Mata Hari Was Not the Spy You Thought She Was
The controversial life and death of Mata Hari, the glamorous WWI double agent, executed in 1917, has recently been reassessed in the light of new evidence.
August 7, 1876Ship Of Gold Sails Into Oblivion
A frigate with more than 150 souls on board, as well as nearly three tons of gold, sailed out of Melbourne on this day – never to be seen again.
August 12, 1853
