List of accordionists

Main article: Accordion

This is an alphabetized list of notable accordionists who have their own main articles or belong to a notable band.

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

Contents

• A
• B
• C
• D
• E
• F
• G
• H
• I
• J
• K
• L
• M
• N
• O
• P
• Q
• R
• S
• T
• U
• V
• W
• X
• Y
• Z

A

• Benny Andersson (born 1946) – Swedish songwriter, member of best-selling pop group ABBA
• Lydie Auvray (born 1956) – French/German accordionist, composer
• Slavko Avsenik (1929–2015) – Slovenian songwriter, the founder of Ansambel bratov Avsenik
• Ramon Ayala (born 1945) – Mexican accordionist, composer
• Nick Ariondo (born 1949) – American accordionist, composer

B

• Alan Bern (born 1955) – member of the Klezmer band Brave Old World
• Bratko Bibič (born 1957) – Slovene accordionist
• Ronald Binge (1910–1979) – British accordionist and member of the Mantovani Orchestra
• Gary Blair (born 1945) - Scottish Accordionist Classical, Folk, Continental
• Renato Borghetti (born 1963) – Brazilian musician
• Franko Božac (born 1974) – Croatian classical and concert accordionist
• Jeffery Broussard (born 1967) – American zydeco musician
• Smiley Burnette (1911–1967) – American accordionist

C

• Manuela Josefa Cabrera (born 1943) - Dominican merengue accordionist
• Carmen Carrozza (1921–2013) – classical and concert accordionist
• Nico Carstens (1926–2016) – South African accordionist and songwriter, composer of the hit song "Zambezi"
• Boozoo Chavis (1930–2001) – American zydeco musician
• Clifton Chenier (1925–1987) – American zydeco musician
• Dick Contino (1930–2017) – appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show a record 48 times
• Gianni Coscia (born 1931) – jazz accordionist
• Charles Thomas Cozens (born 1952) – Canadian classical and classical crossover accordionist
• James Crabb (born 1967) – Scottish classical accordion player
• Egidio Cuadrado (1953–2024) – Colombian Vallenato accordionist
• Phil Cunningham (born 1974) – Scottish folk accordionist
• Andy Cutting (born 1969) – English folk accordionist

D

• Jackie Daly (born 1945) – Irish traditional musician
• Robert Davine (1924-2001) - Professor of Accordion & Music Theory - University of Denver: Lamont School of Music^[1]
• Pietro Deiro (1888–1954) – pioneer of the accordion
• Geno Delafose (born 1971) – American zydeco musician
• John Delafose (1939–1994) – American zydeco musician
• Vladimir Denissenkov (born 1956) – Russian Bayan
• Dennis DeYoung (born 1947) – American member of Styx, played on "Boat on the River"
• Orlando DiGirolamo (1924–1998), American
• Wolfgang Dimetrik (born 1974), Austrian
• Henry Doktorski (born 1956) – American classical and concert accordionist
• Dominguinhos (1941–2013) – Brazilian music
• Wilf Doyle (1925–2012) – traditional musician from Newfoundland
• Alejo Durán (1919–1989) – Colombian Vallenato accordionist, singer, composer
• Finbarr Dwyer (1946–2014) – Irish traditional musician

E

• Mogens Ellegaard (1935–1995) – father of the avant-garde accordion movement
• Jack Emblow (born 1930) – with Cliff Adams Singers
• Keith Emerson (1944–2016)
• John Evan (born 1948) – of Jethro Tull

F

• Joe Falcon (1900–1965) – Cajun accordion player who recorded with his wife Cléoma Breaux, mainly in French
• Jeff Fatt (born 1953) – member of The Wiggles
• James Fearnley (born 1954) – member of The Pogues
• Myron Floren (1919–2005)
• Connie Francis (born 1937)
• Preston Frank (born 1947) – American zydeco musician
• Keith Frank (born 1972) – American zydeco musician
• Dominic Frontiere (1931–2017)
• Pietro Frosini (1885–1951)

G

• Benny Gallagher (born 1945) – Scottish singer-songwriter; member of Gallagher and Lyle, McGuinness Flint and Ronnie Lane's Slim Chance
• Anthony Galla-Rini (1904–2006) – American accordionist, arranger, composer, conductor, author and teacher
• Richard Galliano (born 1950) – French jazz accordionist
• Krency Garcia – Dominican merengue tipico accordionist, better known as El Prodigio
• Régis Gizavo (1959–2017) – accordionist from Madagascar
• Luiz Gonzaga (1912–1989) – the King of Baião
• Martin Green (born 1980) – English composer and accordionist, member of the folk trio Lau
• Josh Groban (born 1981) – learned the accordion to play the role of Pierre Bezukhov in the musical Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
• Michael Guerra (born 1981) – member of The Mavericks
• Alfredo Gutiérrez (born 1940) – Colombian Vallenato musician

H

• Joe Hall – American la la and Cajun musician
• Frode Haltli (born 1975) – Norwegian accordionist
• Daniel Handler (born 1970), aka Lemony Snicket
• Rolf Harris (1930–2023)
• Kevin Hearn (born 1969) – zydeco musician of Barenaked Ladies
• Tatico Henríquez (1943–1976) – Dominican Merengue típico accordionist
• Matt Hensley – of Flogging Molly
• Harry Hibbs (1942–1989) – Canadian musician
• David Hidalgo (born 1954) – member of Los Lobos
• Lars Hollmer (1948–2008) – Swedish accordionist
• Bruce Hornsby (born 1954)
• Nihad Hrustanbegovic (born 1973)
• Alexander Hrustevich (born 1983) - Ukrainian bayanist
• Garth Hudson (born 1937) – member of The Band
• Rob Hyman (born 1950) – member of The Hooters

I

• Gary Innes (born 1980) – member of Scottish group Mànran

J

• Bengan Janson (born 1963) – Swedish jazz- and folk music player
• Ryan Jarman (born 1980) – member of The Cribs
• Jean-Michel Jarre (born 1948)
• Flaco Jiménez (born 1939)
• Santiago Jiménez Jr. (born 1944)
• Beau Jocque (1953–1999) – zydeco musician
• Billy Joel (born 1949)
• Pete Jolly (1932–2004) – American jazz pianist and accordionist
• Brian Jones (1942–1969) – member of The Rolling Stones
• Steve Jordan (1939–2010)
• Tyler Joseph (born 1988) – lead singer of Twenty One Pilots
• Kepa Junkera (born 1965) – Basque musician and composer

K

• Boris Karlov (1924–1964) – Bulgarian accordionist, born in Sofia into a Romani family.
• James Keane (born 1948) – Irish traditional musician
• John Kirkpatrick (born 1947)
• Guy Klucevsek (born 1947) – American musician and composer
• Yasuhiro Kobayashi (born 1959)

L

• Gabby La La (born 1979)
• Isidro Larrañaga (died 2022)^[2]
• Lead Belly (1889–1949) – American folk and blues musician
• Don Lee (1930–2015) – musician who had the 1957 hit "ECHO, Echo echo"
• Yuri Lemeshev (born 1954) – member of Gogol Bordello
• John Linnell (born 1959) – member of They Might Be Giants
• Nils Lofgren (born 1951)
• Radoslav Lorković (born 1958) – Croatian pianist and accordionist
• Todd Lumley (born 1968)
• Ramon Ayala (born 1928)

M

• Charles Magnante (1905–1986) – pioneer of the accordion
• Frank Marocco (1931–2012) – jazz accordionist
• Mat Mathews (1924–2009) – Dutch jazz accordionist
• Bear McCreary (born 1979) – American film composer
• Loreena McKennitt (born 1957) – Canadian musician, composer, harpist, accordionist and pianist
• Johnny Meijer (1912–1992) – Dutch jazz accordionist
• Dionisio Mejia (1911–1978) – Dominican merengue tipico accordionist, better known as Guandulito
• Colacho Mendoza (1936–2003) – Colombian Vallenato accordionist
• Lisandro Meza (1937–2023) – Colombian musician
• Andrew Micallef (born 1969) – Maltese chromatic button accordionist
• Alessandra Mignacca (born c.1977/78) – Italian accordion player, teacher
• Joey Miskulin (born 1949) American accordionist, also member of western music and comedy group Riders in the Sky
• Brian Mitchell – member of Fatboy Kanootch, Levon Helm Band
• Aniceto Molina (1939–2015) – Colombian musician
• Bonifacio Mauricio III (born 1966) Tejano/Conjunto

N

• Maria Ney (1890–1959/61) – German cabaret performer
• Franz Nicolay (born 1977) – member of The World/Inferno Friendship Society
• Krist Novoselic (born 1965) – bassist in Nirvana

O

• Pauline Oliveros (1932–2016) – avant garde performer
• Walter Ostanek (born 1935)

P

• Nejc Pačnik (born 1990) – Slovenian accordionist, twice accordion world-champion and accordion teacher
• Esa Pakarinen (1911–1989) – Finnish accordionist and actor
• Willard A. "Bill" Palmer (1917–1996) – inventor of the quint system which was later patented by Titano as used in their line of "converter" (or "quint") bass accordions
• Zeena Parkins (born 1956) – American accordionist
• Van Dyke Parks (born 1943) – composer, arranger, and accordionist
• Don Peachey (born 1933) – American musician and recording artist
• Cory Pesaturo (born 1986) – eclectic accordionist
• Joseph Petric (born 1952) – Canadian concert accordionist
• Celso Piña (1953–2019) – cumbia musician
• Kimmo Pohjonen (born 1964) – experimental Finnish accordionist

R

• Matti Rantanen (born 1952) – classical accordionist
• Juancho Rois (1958–1994) – Colombian Vallenato musician
• Israel Romero (born 1954) – Colombian Vallenato musician
• Saul Rose (born 1973) – English melodeon player
• Roberto Ruscitti (born 1941) – Venezuelan accordionist

S

• Johnny Sansone (born 1957)
• William Schimmel (born 1946) – accordionist, composer and philosopher
• John Serry Sr. (1915-2003) – classical and concert accordionist, free-bass accordionist
• Alexander Sevastian (1976–2018) – Russian-Canadian classical, concert, and classical crossover accordionist
• Jimmy Shand (1908–2000) – Scottish accordionist, made famous by his unique Scottish Country Dance Band and popularity for dances.
• Sharon Shannon (born 1968) – Irish accordionist
• Sivuca (1930–2006) – Brazilian musician
• Chango Spasiuk (born 1968) – Argentine folk musician of Ukrainian descent
• John Spiers (born 1975) – English melodeon player
• Will Starr (1922–1976) – Scottish accordionist, technically a genius and a true master of the button key accordion, famous for his expertise at playing every genre of music. Described as the true "Master of the Button Key Accordion"

T

• Natalia Tena (born 1984)
• Judy Tenuta comedienne (born 1949)
• Matt Thiessen (born 1980) – member of Relient K
• Yann Tiersen (born 1970) – French composer and multi-instrumentalist
• Aslan Tlebzu (born 1981) – Adyghe folk musician
• Lee Tomboulian (born 1960)
• Arthur Tracy (1899–1997) – American accordionist and ballad singer
• Karen Tweed (born 1963)

U

• Brendon Urie (born 1987) – member of Panic! at the Disco

V

• Kristín Anna Valtýsdóttir (born 1982)
• Art Van Damme (1920–2010)
• Tim Van Eyken (born 1978)
• Mika Väyrynen (born 1967)
• Eddie Vedder (born 1964) – member of Pearl Jam
• Aníbal Velásquez (born 1936) – Colombian Vallenato musician
• Julieta Venegas (born 1970)
• Travis Vengroff (born 1987) – member of Random Encounter
• Emir Vildić (born 1984) – Bosnian accordionist and accordion teacher
• Gus Viseur (1915–1974) – French accordionist

W

• Cedric Watson (born 1983) – American Creole musician
• Jason Webley (born 1974) – American musician
• Lawrence Welk (1903–1992)
• Martin White – British cover artist
• Minnie White (1916-2001) – Newfoundland's "First Lady of the Accordion"
• Wix Wickens (born 1956)
• Bill Wilkie (1922–2017)
• Gwenda Wilkin (1933–2020)
• Dave Willey (born 1963)
• Patrick Wolf (born 1983)
• Richard Wright (1943–2008) – member of Pink Floyd

Y

• Frankie Yankovic (1915–1998) – polka musician
• "Weird Al" Yankovic (born 1959) – song parodist, comedian
• Max Yankowitz (1875–1945) - klezmer musician

Z

• Jimmy Zambrano (born 1966) – Colombian Vallenato accordionist
• Joe Zawinul (1932–2007)
• Vladislav Zolotaryov (1942–1975)
• Emiliano Zuleta (1912–2005) – Colombian Vallenato accordionist, composer

See also

• Music portal

• List of banjo players
• List of cellists
• List of didgeridoo players
• List of euphonium players
• List of flautists
• List of guitarists
• List of harmonicists

References

1. Robert Davine Obituary on accordions.com
2. Vasco, El Diario (2022-12-22). "Tolosa: Adiós sentido al acordeonista tolosarra Isidro Larrañaga". El Diario Vasco (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-07-08.