Composers born on April 17

Take a focused look at the composers born on April 17. Dive into curated bios, achievements, and cultural milestones verified by our editors.

• 1929 James Last

  James Last was a renowned German composer and big band leader, best known for his 'happy music' and orchestral arrangements that sold millions of records worldwide. He was highly influential in the easy listening genre and gained a large international audience throughout his decades-long career. [bio]