September 5th

09-05-1946 – 11-24-1991 Freddie Mercury – Born Farrokh Bulsara in Stone Town, Sultanate of Zanzibar ( now Tanzania). He was a British singer, songwriter, and producer, best known as the lead singer and lyricist for rock band Queen. As a performer, he was known for his flamboyant stage persona and powerful vocals over a four-octave range. In the early 1970s, Mercury had a long-term relationship with Mary Austin. By the mid-1970s, the singer had begun an affair with a male American record executive at Elektra Records. It ended his relationship with Mary Austin. During the early-to-mid-1980s, he was romantically involved with Barbara Valentin, an Austrian actress. By 1985, he began another long-term relationship with hairdresser Jim Hutton. Hutton lived with Mercury for the last six years of his life. Mercury died of bronchopneumonia brought on by AIDS on November 24, 1991, one day after publicly acknowledging he had the disease. In 1992 he was posthumously awarded the Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to British Music. As a member of Queen, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001.

09-05-1912 – 08-12-1992 John Cage – Born in Los Angeles, California. He was an American composer, music theorist, writer, and artist. He was a pioneer of indeterminacy in music, electroacoustic music, and non-standard use of musical instruments. Cage was one of the leading figures of the post-war avant-garde. Critics have called him one of the most influential American composers of the 20th century. He was also instrumental in the development of modern dance, mostly through his association with choreographer Merce Cunningham, who was also Cage’s romantic partner for most of their lives. Photo of John Cage, on the left, and his lover, Merce Cunningham on the right.

09-05-1989 Elena Delle Donne – Born in Wilmington, Delaware. At 6 feet 5 inches, she is a U.S. professional basketball player for the Chicago Sky in the WNBA. On September 16, 2015, she was named the WNBA MVP for the 2015 season. In 2014 and in 2016 she played in the NBA All-Star Celebrity Games. In 2016, Delle Donne’s engagement to long-time girlfriend Amanda Clifton was announced in Vogue magazine. It was the first public acknowledgment of her sexuality, although many photos of the two have appeared on social media.