Musicians Who Died on Their Birthday: Merle Haggard & More

An exceedingly rare phenomenon occurred three times in recent history within the world of music: three prominent producers died on their birthdays. Merle Haggard, Sidney Bechet and Mel Street each passed away on the same date they were born, a cosmic coincidence that appears to be uniquely uncommon in the music industry.

Merle Haggard, born April 6, 1937, in Oildale, California, died on April 6, 2016, in Palo Cedro, California, at the age of 79. Haggard was a central figure in the Bakersfield sound, a subgenre of country music, and enjoyed a career spanning over five decades. He achieved 38 number one hits on the U.S. Country charts, including well-known songs like “Okie from Muskogee” and “If We Make It Through December.” According to reports, Haggard’s death was attributed to complications from pneumonia.

Sidney Bechet, a pioneering jazz saxophonist and clarinetist, was born May 14, 1897, in New Orleans, Louisiana, and died on May 14, 1959, in Garches, France, at the age of 62. Bechet was among the first significant soloists in jazz, predating even Louis Armstrong in recorded performances. Despite his early influence, Bechet’s career faced a decline as musical tastes shifted, and he did not receive widespread critical acclaim until later in his life. He succumbed to lung cancer.

Mel Street, a country singer, was born October 21, 1933, in Grandy, Virginia, and died on October 21, 1978, in Hendersonville, Tennessee, at the age of 45. Street had a successful run in the 1970s, charting 13 songs in the U.S. Top 20. He died on his birthday after a prolonged struggle with clinical depression.