On This Day in Music: December 21

On December 21 in music history, 51 artists were born, 16 died and 5 other milestones happened, among them Frank Zappa (1940), The Beatles (1961) and Albert King (1992).

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Highlights

December 21

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Standout moments for this date.

Frank Zappa

Frank Zappa, Baltimore, rocker (Mothers of Invention, Catholic Girls) was born

The Beatles

Beatles record "Sweet Georgia Brown" & "Ready Teddy"

Albert King

Albert King, US blues singer/guitarist (Crosscut Saw), dies at 71

Paco de Lucía

Paco de Lucía, Spanish musician was born

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Born on December 21

Albert Lee

Albert Lee, rocker was born

Andras Schiff

Andras Schiff, Budapest Hungary, pianist (Tchaikovsky-1974) was born

Betty Wright

Betty Wright, US gospel/singer/TV hostess (Little Miss Broadway) was born

Blagoje Bersa

Blagoje Bersa, Croatian composer (d. 1934) was born

Brett Scallions

Brett Scallions, American singer (Fuel, The X's) was born

Carl Dean Wilson

Carl Dean Wilson, Hawthorne California, rock vocalist (Beach Boys-Barbie) was born

Carla Thomas

Carla Thomas, US singer (Let Me Be Good to You) was born

Caroline Kaart

Caroline Kaart, [Paterson Raitt], Dutch alto singer was born

Christopher Keene

Christopher Keene, Berkeley California, conductor (La Traviata) was born

Christy Forester

Christy Forester, Lookout Mt Ga, country singer (Forester Sister-Men) was born

David Baker

David Baker, Indianapolis Indiana, composer (Reflections) was born

Ed Jongsma

Ed Jongsma, Dutch pop bassist (Sleeze Beez-Look Like Hell) was born

Edward Everett Rice

Edward Everett Rice, composer was born

Ernst Pauer

Ernst Pauer, composer was born

Erwin Schrott

Erwin Schrott, Uruguayan opera singer was born

Frank Zappa

Frank Zappa, Baltimore, rocker (Mothers of Invention, Catholic Girls) was born

Gabrielle Glaser

Gabrielle Glaser, musician (Luscious Jackson) was born

George Norman Peterkin

George Norman Peterkin, composer was born

Hermann Friedrich Raupach

Hermann Friedrich Raupach, composer was born

Ilja Zeljenka

Ilja Zeljenka, composer was born

Jack Philip Cannon

Jack Philip Cannon, composer was born

Joan Dickson

Joan Dickson, cellist was born

John Herbert McDowell

John Herbert McDowell, composer was born

John Winter Thompson

John Winter Thompson, composer was born

Karmen Stavec

Karmen Stavec, German-born Slovenian singer was born

Kazuyuki Sekiguchi

Kazuyuki Sekiguchi, Japanese musician was born

Lee Roy Parnell

Lee Roy Parnell, Abilene Texas, country singer (Oughta be a Law) was born

Leroy Robertson

Leroy Robertson, composer was born

Lillebjørn Nilsen

Lillebjørn Nilsen, Norwegian singer-songwriter was born

Louis Demetrius Alvanis

Louis Demetrius Alvanis, London-based pianist was born

Ludwig Schuncke

Ludwig Schuncke, composer was born

Lynda Thomas

Lynda Thomas, Mexican singer was born

Mathieu Chedid

Mathieu Chedid, French musician was born

Michael Tilson Thomas

Michael Tilson Thomas, Los Angeles California, conductor (NY Phil Young People) was born

Miklos Kocsar

Miklos Kocsar, composer was born

Paco de Lucía

Paco de Lucía, Spanish musician was born

Paloma Herrera

Paloma Herrera, Argentine ballet dancer was born

Paul

Paul, [Ray Hildebrand], Tx, singer (Hey Paula) was born

Paul Burkhard

Paul Burkhard, composer was born

Paul Hoffer

Paul Hoffer, composer was born

Pietro Andrea Ziani

Pietro Andrea Ziani, composer was born

Reinhard Mey

Reinhard Mey, German singer was born

Rita Reys

Rita Reys, [Maria Reijs], Dutch jazz singer, (d. 2013) was born

Ryuji Sasai

Ryuji Sasai, Japanese composer was born

Samuel Friedrich Capricornus

Samuel Friedrich Capricornus, composer was born

Thomas Anton Kunz

Thomas Anton Kunz, composer was born

Thomas Rajna

Thomas Rajna, composer was born

Tuva Novotny

Tuva Novotny, Swedish actress and singer was born

Werner von Trapp

Werner von Trapp, member of the Trapp Family Singers (d. 2007) was born

Willi Resetarits

Willi Resetarits, Austrian musician was born

Zdenek Fibich

Zdenek Fibich, composer was born

Died on December 21

Adalbert von Goldschmidt

Adalbert von Goldschmidt, composer, dies at 58

Albert King

Albert King, US blues singer/guitarist (Crosscut Saw), dies at 71

Bilqees Khanum

Bilqees Khanum died

Carmen Barros

Carmen Barros died

Caspar Ruetz

Caspar Ruetz, composer, dies at 47

Charles-Francois Dumonchau

Charles-Francois Dumonchau, composer, dies at 45

Claude Adonai Champagne

Claude Adonai Champagne, composer, dies at 74

Eric Coates

Eric Coates, composer, dies at 71

George Alexander Albrecht

George Alexander Albrecht died

Jan Cikker

Jan Cikker, composer, dies at 78

John Newton

John Newton, English cleric and hymnist (b. 1725)

K. T. Oslin

K. T. Oslin died

Karl Denver

Karl Denver, Scottish singer (b 1931)

Niels Vilhelm Gade

Niels Vilhelm Gade, Danish composer, dies at 73

Philipp Hyacinth Lobkowitz

Philipp Hyacinth Lobkowitz, composer, dies at 54

William Henry Fry

William Henry Fry, composer, dies at 51

Releases & milestones on December 21

Cole Porter

Cole Porte's musical "Out of this World" premieres at New Century Theater NYC for 157 perfs

Henry Krieger

Musical "Tap Dance Kid" opens at Broadhurst Theater NYC for 669 performances

Jerome Kern

Jerome Kern/BG DeSylva's musical "Sally" premieres in NYC

Kento Masuda

Kento Masuda released the album 'Kentoverse'

The Beatles

Beatles record "Sweet Georgia Brown" & "Ready Teddy"

More standout moments in December →