Musicians Who Died in 2016

David Bowie

Jan 10 David Bowie [David Robert Jones], English singer-songwriter (Major Tom, Ziggy Stardust), dies of cancer at 69

Jan 11 Gilberto Mendes, Brazilian composer, dies at 93
Jan 14 René Angélil, Canadian music executive, actor and director (Omertà, L'apparition), and husband of Céline Dion, dies of throat cancer at 73
Jan 16 Gary Loizzo, American rock guitarist and singer (American Breed - "Bend Me, Shape Me"), dies of pancreatic cancer at 70
Jan 17 Dale "Buffin" Griffin, English rock drummer (Mott The Hoople - "All Young Dudes"), dies at 67

Glenn Frey

Jan 18 Glenn Frey, American singer-songwriter (The Eagles), dies at 67

Jan 24 Yvonne Chouteau, Native American dancer (one of the "five Moons" of Oklahoma), dies at 86
Jan 25 Denise Duval, French soprano (music of Francis Poulenc), dies at 94
Jan 25 Leif Solberg, Norwegian organist, choral conductor and composer, dies at 101
Jan 26 Colin Vearncombe, English singer-songwriter (Black-Wonderful Like), dies after a road accident at 53

Jan 28 Paul Kantner, American rock singer and guitarist (Jefferson Airplane), dies following a heart attack at 74
Jan 28 Signe Toly Anderson, American singer, founding member of Jefferson Airplane, dies of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease at 74
Jan 29 Aurèle Nicolet, Swiss flautist (Berlin Philharmonic), and educator, dies at 90
Feb 3 Saulius Sondeckis, Lithuanian violinist, conductor, orchestra leader (Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra, 1960-2004), dies at 87
Feb 4 Maurice White, American singer-songwriter (Earth, Wind & Fire), dies at 74
Feb 4 Leslie Bassett, American classical composer (Variations for Orchestra - Pulitzer Prize 1966), and educator (University of Michigan, 1952-92), dies at 93
Feb 4 Jimmie Haskell [Sheridan Pearlman], American arranger (Ricky Nelson, Chicago, Sheryl Crow), and film and television score composer, dies at 89
Feb 4 Ulf Söderblom, Finnish conductor (Finnish National Opera, 1973-93), dies at 85
Feb 6 Dan Hicks, American singer and songwriter (Dan Hicks and his Hot Licks), dies at 74
Feb 8 Violetta Verdy, French ballerina and teacher, dies at 82
Feb 14 Steven Stucky, American composer (Los Angeles Philharmonic), dies of cancer at 66
Feb 15 Denise Matthews "Vanity", singer (Prince protege) and actress (52 Pick Up), dies at 57
Feb 15 George Gaynes, Dutch-American singer, actor and voice artist (Tootsie, Police Academy, General Hospital), dies at 98
Feb 15 Louis Lane, American conductor (Akron, 1959-83; Lake Erie Opera, 1964-72), and educator (Cleveland Institute, 1982-2004) dies at 72
Feb 16 Gwyneth George, Welsh cellist and teacher, dies at 95
Feb 21 Pascal Bentoiu, Romanian composer, dies at 88
Feb 22 Sonny James [James Loden], American country music singer-songwriter (Young Love), dies at 87
Feb 23 Lenny Baker, American musician (Sha Na Na), dies at 69
Feb 24 Miguel Ángel Coria, Spanish composer of classical music, dies at 78
Feb 25 John Chilton, English jazz trumpeter (Feetwarmers), dies at 83

Feb 26 Howard Quilling, American classical composer (From Quiet Beginnings), and educator, dies at 80
Mar 1 Martha Wright, American actress & singer (South Pacific, The Martha Wright Show), dies at 92
Mar 5 Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Austrian conductor (Early Music Movement), dies at 86

George Martin

Mar 8 George Martin, British record producer (The Beatles), dies at 90

Mar 9 Robert Horton [Meade Howard Horton Jr.], American actor and singer (Kings Row, Wagon Train, Arena), dies at 91
Mar 10 Keith Emerson, English rock musician (Emerson, Lake & Palmer), commits suicide at 71
Mar 10 Gogi Grant [Myrtle Audrey Arinsberg], American singer (The Wayward Wind), dies at 91
Mar 10 Ernestine Anderson, American jazz vocalist and blues singer, dies at 87
Mar 14 Peter Maxwell Davies, British composer (Prolation, Taverner), dies at 81
Mar 16 Frank Sinatra, Jr. , American singer and bandleaderr, dies at 72
Mar 20 Peter Williams, British organist and musicologist, dies at 78
Mar 22 Phife Dawg [Malik Taylor] American rapper (A Tribe called Quest), dies from diabetes complications at 45
Mar 26 David Baker, American composer (Reflections) and educator, dies at 84
Mar 30 Gianmaria Testa, Italian singer-songwriter, dies of cancer at 57
Mar 30 Bram Beekman, Dutch organist, composer and teacher (Brabants Conservatory, 1980-2012), dies at 66
Mar 30 Howard Cable, Canadian conductor, arranger, and composer, dies at 95
Apr 2 Gato Barbieri, Argentinian Latin jazz musician (Last Tango in Paris), dies at 83
Apr 2 Mike Gibbons, American rocker (Bo Donaldson & the Heywoods-Billy Don't be a Hero), dies at 71
Apr 3 Donald "Don" Francks, Canadian actor, singer and musician (Terminal Choice, Finian's Rainbow), dies at 84
Apr 4 Carlo Mastrangelo, Italian-American rocker (Dion & The Belmonts), dies of cancer at 78
Apr 5 Leon Haywood, American funk and soul singer, and keyboardist ("It's Got To Be Mellow"; "I Want'a Do Something Freaky To You"), dies at 74

Merle Haggard

Apr 6 Merle Haggard, American country music singer (Death Valley Days), dies at 79

Apr 6 Dennis Davis, American drummer (David Bowie), dies of cancer at 66
Apr 11 Emile Ford, Caribbean-born British singer and engineer (first black male singer to top UK charts), dies at 78
Apr 12 Alan Loveday, New Zealand and British violinist, dies at 88

Apr 16 Peter Tolson, English rock guitarist (Pretty Things), dies at 64
Apr 18 [Julia Liane] Aleah Stanbridge, South African metal musician (Trees of Eternity), dies of cancer at 39

Prince Rogers Nelson

Apr 21 Prince [Rogers Nelson], American singer-songwriter and musician (1999, Purple Rain), dies at 57

Apr 21 Lonnie Mack, American rocker (Baby What's Wrong), dies at 74
Apr 24 Papa Wemba, Congolese singer, dies at 66
Apr 24 Billy Paul [Paul Williams], American singer (Me & Mrs Jones), dies at 81
Apr 24 Jan Henrik Kayser, Norwegian concert pianist (Grieg Prize, 1978), dies at 83
Apr 30 Phil Ryan, Welsh keyboardist and composer (Man, Pete Brown), dies at 69
May 4 Ursula Mamlok, German-American avant-garde composer, and teacher, dies at 93
May 12 Julius La Rosa, American singer (fired by Arthur Godfrey on the air), dies at 86
May 17 Guy Clark, American country singer (Heartbroke), dies at 74
May 21 Nick Menza, American musician and drummer (Megadeth), dies at 51
May 31 Corry Brokken, Dutch pop singer (1957 Eurovision), dies at 83
Jun 2 Freddie Wadling, Swedish actor and musician (The Leather Nun, Fleshquartet), dies at 64
Jun 5 Phyllis Curtin, American soprano (NYC Opera), dies at 94
Jun 10 Christina Grimmie, American singer and contestant on "The Voice", dies of a gunshot wound at 22
Jun 11 Alberto Remedios, British opera and concert singer, dies at 81
Jun 13 Oleg Karavaichuk, Russian pianist and composer, dies at 88
Jun 13 Ofelya Hambardzumyan, Armenian folk singer, dies at 91
Jun 14 Henry McCullough, Irish guitarist (Wings), dies at 72
Jun 17 Prince Be [Attrell Cordes], American rapper (PM Dawn), dies from diabetes complications at 46
Jun 20 Bill Ham [Billy Mack Ham], American music impresario and manager (ZZ Top), dies at 79
Jun 21 Wayne Lamar Jackson, American soul and R&B trumpeter ( Mar-Keys, The Memphis Horns), dies of congestive heart failure at 74
Jun 23 Ralph Stanley, American bluegrass musician, dies at 89
Jun 24 Bernie Worrell, American keyboardist (Funkadelic-Cosmic Slop), dies at 72
Jun 27 Mack Rice, American musician and songwriter (Mustang Sally), dies at 82
Jun 28 Scotty Moore, American guitarist (for Elvis), dies at 84
Jun 28 Sergei Cortez, Chilean-Belarusian composer (Jubilee and The Bear; Giordano Bruno), dies at 81
Jul 4 Geoffrey Shovelton, English opera singer, dies at 80
Jul 5 Alirio Díaz, Venezuelan guitarist, composer, and musicologist, dies at 92

Jul 7 Rokusuke Ei, Japanese author and lyricist (Sukiyaki), dies at 83
Jul 12 Gregg Smith, American choral conductor and composer, dies at 84
Jul 16 Bonnie Brown, American country singer (The Browns), dies at 77
Jul 17 Gary S. Paxton [Larry Wayne Stevens], American musician and songwriter (Monster Mash, Alley Oop), dies at 77
Jul 20 Wayne Carson, American country musician and songwriter (Always On My Mind), dies at 73
Jul 24 Marni Nixon, American singer (for Audrey Hepburn, Natalie Wood & Deborah Kerr), dies at 86
Jul 26 Einojuhani Rautavaara, Finnish composer (Kaivos), dies at 87
Jul 30 Gloria DeHaven, American musical actress (Step Lively), dies at 91
Aug 6 Pete Fountain, American jazz clarinetist (Lawrence Welk 1957-59), dies at 86
Aug 15 Bobby Hutcherson, American jazz vibraphone and marimba player ("Little B's Poem"; SFJAZZ Collective), dies of emphysema at 75
Aug 20 Irving Fields [Yitzhak Schwartz], American lounge pianist and composer (Ilona Massey Show; Bagels & Bongos), dies at 101
Aug 20 Matt Roberts, American rock guitarist (3 Doors Down - "When I'm Gone") dies of prescription drug overdose at 38
Aug 22 Toots [Jean-Baptiste] Thielemans, Belgian-American jazz musician and composer, dies at 94
Aug 25 Rudy Van Gelder, American recording engineer (Miles Davis, John Coltrane), dies at 91
Aug 28 Juan Gabriel [Alberto Aguilera Valadez], Mexican singer, dies at 66
Aug 31 Jacques Leduc, Belgian composer, dies at 84
Sep 1 Raymond Daveluy, Canadian organist (St. Joseph's Montreal, 1960-2002), composer and educator, dies at 89
Sep 8 Prince Buster [Cecil Bustamente Campbell], Jamaican-born reggae musician and producer (Madness), dies at 78
Sep 10 Knut Wiggen, Norwegian computer music pioneer and composer, dies at 89
Sep 21 John D. Loudermilk, American country singer and songwriter (Tobacco Road), dies at 82
Sep 24 Buckwheat Zydeco [Stanley Dural, Jr.], American B-3 organist, accordionist and singer (Where There's Smoke, There's Fire), dies of lung cancer at 68
Sep 25 Jean Shepard, American country singer (Ozark Jubilee), dies of Parkinson's disease at 82
Sep 30 Oscar Brand, Canadian-born American folk vocalist (Draw Me a Laugh), dies at 96
Oct 2 Neville Marriner, English conductor and violinist (Academy of St Martin in the Fields), dies at 92
Oct 2 Thomas Round, British tenor (Gilbert and Sullivan For All), dies at 100
Oct 4 Donald H. White, American composer (Lyric Suite for Euphonium and Winds; Tuba Sonata) and educator, dies at 95
Oct 13 Gerhard Wimberger, Austria composer (Glove), dies at 93
Oct 19 Yvette Chauviré, French ballerina, dies at 99
Oct 24 Pete Burns, English singer (Dead or Alive, "Spin Me Round"), dies of a cardiac arrest at 57
Oct 24 Bobby Vee, American pop singer (Night has a Thousand Eyes), dies at 73

Oct 29 Roland Dyens, French classical guitarist, composer, and arranger (Libra Sonatine), dies at 61
Nov 3 Kay Starr [Katherine Starks], American singer (Wheel of Fortune), dies at 94
Nov 4 Eddie Harsch [Edward Hawrysch], Canadian keyboardist (Bulldog, The Black Crowes), dies at 59
Nov 6 Zoltan Kocsis, Hungarian pianist and conductor, dies of cancer at 64

Leonard Cohen

Nov 7 Leonard Cohen, Canadian writer and singer-songwriter (Death of Ladies Man), dies at 82

Nov 9 Al Caiola, American guitarist (Bonzanza theme), dies at 96
Nov 11 Raynoma Singleton [Gordy], music producer and singer-songwriter (Motown), dies at 79
Nov 13 Leon Russell, American musician and singer-songwriter (Carny), dies at 74
Nov 14 Holly Dunn, American country singer (Daddy's Hands), dies of cancer at 59
Nov 15 Mose Allison, American jazz and blues piano player, singer, and composer ("Everybody's Cryin Mercy"; "Your Mind Is on Vacation"), dies at 89
Nov 15 Milt Okun, American music producer, conductor, and arranger (John Denver; Peter, Paul and Mary), dies at 92
Nov 15 Jules Eskin, American cellist (Boston Symphony, 1964-2016), dies of cancer at 85 [1]
Nov 18 Sharon Jones, American soul singer (Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings), dies of cancer at 60
Nov 24 Pauline Oliveros, American composer (Sound Patterns), dies at 84
Nov 24 Florence Henderson, American actress and singer (Carol in The Brady Bunch), dies at 82
Nov 25 Russell Oberlin, American countertenor (Pro Musica Antiqua, 1952-66) and educator (Hunter, 1966-94), dies at 88 [1]
Nov 25 Alexander Yossifov, Bulgarian conductor and composer (Back To The Beginning), dies at 76
Nov 28 Allan Zavod, Australian classical and jazz pianist and composer, dies of brain cancer at 71
Nov 28 Mark Taimanov, Russian pianist, dies at 90
Dec 1 Elisabeth Carron, American soprano ("The Saint of Bleecker Street"; New York City Opera, 1958-73), dies at 94
Dec 3 Antonio Membrado, Spanish-French classical guitarist and composer, dies at 81
Dec 3 Gigliola Frazzoni, Italian operatic soprano, dies at 93
Dec 4 Radim Hladík, Czech guitarist (The Blue Effect), dies from lung illness at 69
Dec 7 Greg Lake, English rock vocalist and bassist (King Crimson, Emerson, Lake & Palmer), dies of cancer at 69
Dec 7 Junaid Jamshed, Pakistani singer (Vital Signs 1), dies in a plane crash at 52
Dec 13 Alan Thicke, Canadian actor, singer-songwriter (Thicke of the Night, Growing Pains), dies at 69
Dec 14 Karel Husa, Czech-American Pulitzer prize winning composer (Trojan Women), dies at 95
Dec 21 Weston Noble, American music educator and conductor (Luther College, 1948-2005), dies at 94
Dec 23 Heinrich Schiff, Austrian cellist and conductor, dies at 65
Dec 24 Jack Philip Cannon, British composer, dies at 87

George Michael

Dec 25 George Michael [Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou], English singer-songwriter and pop superstar (Wham!, I Want Your Sex), dies of suspected heart failure at 53

Dec 25 Alphonse Mouzon, American jazz musician (Weather Report, Tenacious Records), dies from cancer at 68
Dec 25 Valery Khalilov, Russian military conductor and composer, dies in a plane crash in the Black Sea, near Sochi, at 64
Dec 26 George S. Irving [Shelasky], American broadway singer and actor (Dumplings), dies at 94

2015
Deaths in Music
2017

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