On This Day in Music: January 21

On January 21 in music history, 48 artists were born, 34 died and 9 other milestones happened, among them Billy Ocean (1950), Cat Power (Chan Marshall) (1972) and Edwin Starr (1941).

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Highlights

January 21

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Standout moments for this date.

Billy Ocean

Billy Ocean, [Leslie S Charles], Trinidad, singer (Caribbean Queen) was born

Cat Power (Chan Marshall)

Cat Power (Chan Marshall), American musician was born

Edwin Starr

Edwin Starr, [Charles Hatcher], US singer (War) was born

Fela Kuti

Nigerian singer Fela Kuti arrested on suspicion of murder

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Born on January 21

Alex Ubago

Alex Ubago, Spanish-Basque singer-songwriter was born

Alexandre Edouard Goria

Alexandre Edouard Goria, composer was born

Alfred Henry Ackley

Alfred Henry Ackley, composer was born

Andy Lee

Andy Lee, Korean singer (Shinhwa) was born

Antoni Wincenty Rutkowski

Antoni Wincenty Rutkowski, composer was born

Avery Claflin

Avery Claflin, composer was born

Billy Ocean

Billy Ocean, [Leslie S Charles], Trinidad, singer (Caribbean Queen) was born

Bob Brill

Bob Brill, NYC, drummer (Berlin-You Take My Breath Away) was born

Brian Brockless

Brian Brockless, English organist (d. 1995) was born

Cat Power (Chan Marshall)

Cat Power (Chan Marshall), American musician was born

Chris Britton

Chris Britton, rocker (Troggs-Rock & Roll Goldmine) was born

Coffin Joe

Coffin Joe, English drummer ( The Horrors) was born

Cordell Crockett

Cordell Crockett, rocker (Ugly Kid Joe-Mad Man, Too Bad) was born

Edwin Starr

Edwin Starr, [Charles Hatcher], US singer (War) was born

Emma Lee Bunton

Emma Lee Bunton, "Baby Spice", Finchley London, vocalist (Spice Girls) was born

Eua Sunthornsanan

Eua Sunthornsanan, Thai composer and bandleader (d. 1981) was born

Franco Evangelisti

Franco Evangelisti, Italian composer was born

Gillian Chung Yan-tung

Gillian Chung Yan-tung, Hong Kong singer (Twins) was born

Giuseppe Antonio Silvani

Giuseppe Antonio Silvani, composer was born

Henri Duparc

Henri Duparc, French composer was born

Jimmy Ibbotson

Jimmy Ibbotson, Penn, country singer (Nitty Gritty Dirt Band) was born

Johann Gottfried Eckard

Johann Gottfried Eckard, composer was born

Josephus Andreas Fodor

Josephus Andreas Fodor, composer was born

Lola Flores

Lola Flores, Cadiz Spain, singer/actress (Kuma Ching, Faraona) was born

Mac Davis

Mac Davis, Lubbock, Texas, American country music singer-songwriter, actor (Mac Davis Show, North Dallas 40) was born

Manuel Garcia

Manuel Garcia, composer was born

Mark Trojanowski

Mark Trojanowski, American musician (Sister Hazel) was born

Mary Ellen McAnally

Mary Ellen McAnally, Illinois, poet (Dance of the Zygotes) was born

Michel Jonasz

Michel Jonasz, French singer and composer was born

Nana Mizuki

Nana Mizuki, Japanese voice actress and singer was born

Neely Bruce

Neely Bruce, composer was born

Nikolay Semyonovich Golovanov

Nikolay Semyonovich Golovanov, composer was born

Placido Domingo

Placido Domingo, Madrid Spain, opera tenor (Pinkerton-Mme Butterfly) was born

Pye Hastings

Pye Hastings, English singer and musician (Caravan) was born

Ramon Vilanova y Barrera

Ramon Vilanova y Barrera, composer was born

Richie Havens

Richie Havens, Bkln, folk singer (Here Comes the Sun), (d. 2013) was born

Richie Ranno

Richie Ranno, rocker was born

Rick Ross

Rick Ross, American rapper was born

Spider Loc

Spider Loc, American rapper, member of G-Unit was born

Tamir "Nokio" Ruffin

Tamir "Nokio" Ruffin, American Singer was born

Thomas Attwood Walmisley

Thomas Attwood Walmisley, composer was born

Timothy Mather Spelman

Timothy Mather Spelman, composer was born

Todor Popov

Todor Popov, composer was born

Todor Skalovski

Todor Skalovski, composer was born

Torsten Nilsson

Torsten Nilsson, composer was born

William Johansson

William Johansson, Swedish composer was born

Yasunori Mitsuda

Yasunori Mitsuda, Japanese composer was born

[JW] Al James Woodie exander

[JW] Al James Woodie exander, songwriter/vocalist was born

Died on January 21

Anton Emil Titl

Anton Emil Titl, composer, dies at 72

Auguste Franchomme

Auguste Franchomme, composer, dies at 75

B.G., the Prince of Rap

B.G., the Prince of Rap died

Barbara Cowsill

Barbara Cowsill, rocker (Cowsills), dies of emphysema

Billy Tipton

Billy Tipton, American musician (b. 1914)

Calixa Lavallee

Calixa Lavallee, composer, dies at 48

Charles Brown

Charles Brown, American blues singer and pianist (b. 1920)

Domenico Mazzocchi

Domenico Mazzocchi, composer, dies at 72

Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari

Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari, composer, dies at 72

Felicia Donceanu

Felicia Donceanu died

Felix Blumenfeld

Felix Blumenfeld, composer, dies at 67

Frank Mitchell

Frank Mitchell, actor (Music is Magic, Prairie Gunsmoke), dies

Garth Hudson

Garth Hudson died

Gottfried Kirkhoff

Gottfried Kirkhoff, composer, dies at 60

Guem

Guem died

Guillaume Jean Joseph Nicolas Lekeu

Guillaume Jean Joseph Nicolas Lekeu, composer, dies at 24

Gustav Albert Lortzing

Gustav Albert Lortzing, composer, dies at 49

Henryk Opienski

Henryk Opienski, Polish composer/musicologist/conductor, dies at 72

Herbert Baumann

Herbert Baumann died

Ignazio Donati

Ignazio Donati, Italian composer (c. 1570)

Jackie Wilson

Jackie Wilson, US singer (I Get the Sweetest Feeling), dies at 49

Jacopo Tomadini

Jacopo Tomadini, composer, dies at 62

John Dowland

John Dowland, English composer (In Darkness We Dwell), dies at 62

John Joseph Becker

John Joseph Becker, composer, dies a day before 75th birthday

John Vincent

John Vincent, composer, dies at 74

Lamar Stringfield

Lamar Stringfield, composer, dies at 61

Otakar Sini

Otakar Sini, composer, dies at 61

Paul Quarrington

Paul Quarrington, Canadian novelist, playwright, screenwriter, filmmaker, musician and educator (b. 1953)

Peggy Lee

Peggy Lee, American singer (b. 1920)

Petr Hannig

Petr Hannig died

Reza Rooygari

Reza Rooygari died

Stephan Hale Alonzo Marsh

Stephan Hale Alonzo Marsh, composer, dies at 83

William T "Champion Jack" Dupree

William T "Champion Jack" Dupree, US boxer/pianist, dies at 81

Zoltan Vasarhelyi

Zoltan Vasarhelyi, composer, dies at 76

Releases & milestones on January 21

AURORA

AURORA released the album 'The Gods We Can Touch'

B.B. King

BB King donates his 7,000 record collection to U of Mississippi

Billy Talent

Billy Talent released the album 'Crisis of Faith'

Charles Gounod

1st national opera broadcast from a US opera house (Gounod's 'Faust', Chicago)

Fela Kuti

Nigerian singer Fela Kuti arrested on suspicion of murder

Leoš Janáček

Leos Janacek's opera "Jenufa," premieres in Brno

Minnie

Minnie released the album 'Her'

Victor Borge

"Comedy in Music (Victor Borge)" closes at Golden NYC after 849 perfs

Years & Years

Years & Years released the album 'Night Call'

More standout moments in January →