On This Day in Music: February 21

On February 21 in music history, 49 artists were born, 25 died and 11 other milestones happened, among them Nina Simone (1933), The Beatles (1964) and BTS (2020).

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Highlights

February 21

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Standout moments for this date.

Nina Simone

Nina Simone, [Eunice Waymon], Tyron NC, vocalist/pianist (Porgy) was born

The Beatles

UK flies 24,000 rolls of The Beatles wallpaper to US

BTS

BTS released the album 'Map of the Soul: 7'

Bette Midler

32nd Grammy Awards: 'Wind Beneath My Wings' by Bette Midler wins record of the year

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Born on February 21

Andres Segovia

Andres Segovia, Linares Spain, classical guitarist, (d. 1987) was born

Armand Preud'homme

Armand Preud'homme, Flemish organist/poet was born

Bob [Hijman] Scholte

Bob [Hijman] Scholte, Dutch vocalist [or 1909] was born

Bowie Tsang

Bowie Tsang, Taiwanese singer and TV host was born

Chantal Claret

Chantal Claret, American musician was born

Charles Scribner

Charles Scribner, US, music publisher (Scribner Catalog) was born

Charles-Marie Widor

Charles-Marie Widor, Lyons France, composer/prof (Paris Conservatory) was born

Charlotte Church

Charlotte Church, Welsh singer was born

Christoph Stoltzenberg

Christoph Stoltzenberg, composer was born

Corbin Bleu

Corbin Bleu, American actor and singer was born

Duncan Swift

Duncan Swift, jazz pianist was born

Eduard Rappoldi

Eduard Rappoldi, composer was born

Emil Hartmann

Emil Hartmann, composer was born

Eric Fogg

Eric Fogg, composer was born

Eric Wilson

Eric Wilson, American musician was born

Francisco Manuel da Silva

Francisco Manuel da Silva, composer was born

Fritz Cortolezis

Fritz Cortolezis, composer was born

George G F van Renesse

George G F van Renesse, Dutch pianist/music director was born

Heri Joensen

Heri Joensen, Faroese musician was born

James Dean Bradfield

James Dean Bradfield, Welsh musician was born

Jean-Jacques Brunel

Jean-Jacques Brunel, rock bassist (Stranglers-Dreamtime) was born

Jerry Harrison

Jerry Harrison, Milwaukee, rock keyboardist (Talking Heads) was born

Johann Augustin Kobelius

Johann Augustin Kobelius, composer was born

Johann Wenzel Kalliwoda

Johann Wenzel Kalliwoda, composer was born

José María Cano

José María Cano, Spanish musician was born

Lucille Bremer

Lucille Bremer, Amsterdam, New York, American actress/dancer (Meet Me in St. Louis, Ziegfeld Follies) was born

Léo Delibes

Clement-Philibert-Leo Delibes, composer was born

Mary-Chapin Carpenter

Mary-Chapin Carpenter, Princeton NJ, country vocalist (This Shirt) was born

Nicolo Gabrielli

Nicolo Gabrielli, composer was born

Nikita Magaloff

Nikita Magaloff, Russian/Swiss pianist (Arkadia 598-Schubert) was born

Nina Simone

Nina Simone, [Eunice Waymon], Tyron NC, vocalist/pianist (Porgy) was born

Otto Hermann Kahn

Otto Hermann Kahn, Banker, organized Metropolitan Opera Co was born

Paul Newton

Paul Newton, rock bassist was born

Pierre Breville

Pierre Breville, composer was born

Pierre Mercure

Pierre Mercure, composer was born

Randy Blythe

Randy Blythe, American musician was born

Ranking Roger

Ranking Roger, rock vocalist (English Beat-Drowning) was born

Seo Taiji

Seo Taiji, Korean musician was born

Sethus Calvisius

Sethus Calvisius, composer was born

Steve Wynn

Steve Wynn, American singer ( was born

Tiziano Ferro

Tiziano Ferro, Italian singer was born

Tommy Hendricks

Tommy Hendricks, rocker was born

Uros Krek

Uros Krek, composer was born

Vassily Vainonen

Vassily Vainonen, Russian ballet dancers/choreographer (Gayaneh) was born

Vince Welnick

Vince Welnick, rock keyboardist (Tubes) was born

Vincenzo Lavigna

Vincenzo Lavigna, composer was born

Wendy James

Wendy James, London England, vocalist (Transvision Vamp-Velveteen) was born

Wish Bone

Wish Bone, American rapper, (Bone Thugs-N-Harmony) was born

Zvi Zeitlin

Zvi Zeitlin, Dubrovnik Yugoslavia, violinist/prof (Eastman School) was born

Died on February 21

Adolph Weiss

Adolph Weiss, composer, dies at 79

Albert Huybrechts

Albert Huybrechts, composer, dies at 39

Alfred Baldwin Sloan

Alfred Baldwin Sloan, composer, dies at 52

Ara Berberian

Ara Berberian, American opera singer (b. 1930)

Bronislava Nijinska

Bronislava Nijinska, Polish-Russian ballet dancer (b. 1891)

Edwin Franko Goldman

Edwin Franko Goldman, composer, dies at 78

Ernest Walker

Ernest Walker, composer, dies at 78

Ernie Andrews

Ernie Andrews died

Eva A Jessye

Eva A Jessye, US singer/actress (Eva Jessye Choir), dies at 97

Florence Ballard

Florence Ballard, rocker (Supremes), dies at 32

Frederick Archibald Lamond

Frederick Archibald Lamond, composer, dies at 80

Giovanni Bolzoni

Giovanni Bolzoni, composer, dies at 77

Gwen McCrae

Gwen McCrae died

Henry John Gauntlett

Henry John Gauntlett, composer, dies at 70

Jane Pickens Langley Hoving

Jane Pickens Langley Hoving, singer, dies at 83

Johann Friedrich Kloffler

Johann Friedrich Kloffler, composer, dies at 64

John Pike Hullah

John Pike Hullah, composer, dies at 71

Khalil Fong

Khalil Fong died

Micheline Presle

Micheline Presle died

Morton Gould

Morton Gould, composer, dies at 82

Murray "the K" Kaufman

Murray "the K" Kaufman, NYC DJ (5th Beatle), dies at 60

Ray Whitley

Ray Whitley, composer, dies

Salvatore Auteri Manzocchi

Salvatore Auteri Manzocchi, composer, dies at 78

Willie Colón

Willie Colón died

Wojciech Zywny

Wojciech Zywny, composer, dies at 85

Releases & milestones on February 21

Allie X

Allie X released the album 'Cape God'

BTS

BTS released the album 'Map of the Soul: 7'

Bette Midler

32nd Grammy Awards: 'Wind Beneath My Wings' by Bette Midler wins record of the year

Bonnie Raitt

32nd Grammy Awards: 'Nick of Time' by Bonnie Raitt wins album of the year

Franz Lehar

Franz Lehar's opera "Zarewitsch" premieres

Grimes

Grimes released the album 'Miss Anthropocene'

Ozzy Osbourne

Ozzy Osbourne released the album 'Ordinary Man'

Sam Fender

Sam Fender released the album 'People Watching'

Shelby Lynne

43rd Grammy Awards: Beautiful Day, Shelby Lynne wins

Tate McRae

Tate McRae released the album 'So Close to What'

The Beatles

UK flies 24,000 rolls of The Beatles wallpaper to US

More standout moments in February →