On This Day in Music: June 21

On June 21 in music history, 53 artists were born, 23 died and 6 other milestones happened, among them John Lee Hooker (2001), Andrew Lloyd Webber (1978) and Avril Lavigne (2024).

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Highlights

June 21

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Standout moments for this date.

John Lee Hooker

John Lee Hooker, American musician (b. 1916)

Andrew Lloyd Webber

Andrew Lloyd Webber & Rice's musical "Evita," premiers in London

Avril Lavigne

Avril Lavigne released the album 'Greatest Hits'

Ray Davies

Ray Davies, London, singer/guitarist (Kinks-Come Dancing) was born

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Born on June 21

Albert Herbert Brewer

Albert Herbert Brewer, composer was born

Alexandre Lagoya

Alexandre Lagoya, Greek-Italian classical guitarist (d. 1999) was born

Alois Hába

Alois Hába, Czech composer (d. 1973) was born

Anette Olzon

Anette Olzon, Swedish singer was born

Augustus Pablo

Augustus Pablo, Jamaican musician (d. 1999) was born

Bela Tardos

Bela Tardos, composer was born

Brandon Flowers

Brandon Flowers, American singer and keyboardist (The Killers) was born

Brenda Holloway

Brenda Holloway, US singer/songwriter (When I'm Gone) was born

Cajetan Kolberer

Cajetan Kolberer, composer was born

Charles Boone

Charles Boone, composer was born

Charles Jones

Charles Jones, composer was born

Chris Britton

Chris Britton, England, rock guitarist (Troggs-Wild Thing) was born

Ernst II

Ernst II, duke of Saxon-Coburg-Gotha (1844-93)/composer was born

Frank Scott

Frank Scott, Fargo ND, pianist (Lawrence Welk Show) was born

Giovanni Del Turco

Giovanni Del Turco, composer was born

Gunnar Ek

Gunnar Ek, composer was born

Harold Spina

Harold Spina, American composer (d. 1997) was born

Helene Costello

Helene Costello, dancer/actress (Love Toy) was born

Henry Holden Huss

Henry Holden Huss, composer was born

Hermann Scherchen

Hermann Scherchen, Berlin Germany, conductor (Nature of Music) was born

Jan Decadt

Jan Decadt, composer was born

Joey Kramer

Joey Kramer, NYC, hard rock drummer (Aerosmith-Toys in the Attic) was born

Joey Malland

Joey Malland, Liverpool, rock guitarist (Badfinger-Come & Get It) was born

Johann Christoph Frederic Bach

Johann Christoph Frederic Bach, composer was born

Jon Hiseman

Jon Hiseman, rocker was born

Judith Raskin

Judith Raskin, NYC, soprano (Susanna-Le Nozze di Figaro) was born

Karl Friedrich Curschmann

Karl Friedrich Curschmann, composer was born

Kathy Mattea

Kathy Mattea, country singer (Love at the Five & Dime) was born

Kim Ryeowook

Kim Ryeowook, Korean pop singer was born

Kip Winger

Kip Winger, rocker (Winger-17) was born

Kurt Schwaen

Kurt Schwaen, composer was born

Lalo [Boris] Schifrin

Lalo [Boris] Schifrin, Buenos Aires Argentina, composer was born

Louis Krasner

Louis Krasner, violinist was born

Luis Maria Millet

Luis Maria Millet, composer was born

Manu Chao

Manu Chao, Spanish musician was born

Mark Brzezicki

Mark Brzezicki, rock drummer (Big Country-Wonderland) was born

Miguel Danus

Miguel Danus, Vicens rocker was born

Mike Einziger

Mike Einziger, American musician was born

Neely Jenkins

Neely Jenkins, American musician was born

Nils Lofgren

Nils Lofgren, Chicago, guitarist/singer/songwriter (East Street Band) was born

O C Smith

O C Smith, rocker was born

O.C. Smith

O.C. Smith, American singer (d. 2001) was born

Ocie Lee "OC" Smith

Ocie Lee "OC" Smith, US jazz singer (Little Green Apples) was born

Pavel Haas

Pavel Haas, composer was born

Pete Rock

Pete Rock, American rapper/producer was born

Ray Davies

Ray Davies, London, singer/guitarist (Kinks-Come Dancing) was born

Salomé

Salomé, Spanish singer was born

Sascha Konietzko

Sascha Konietzko, German musician was born

Tim Simenson

Tim Simenson, rocker (Bomb the Bass) was born

Viktor Tsoi

Viktor Tsoi, Russian musician was born

Wally Fawkes

Wally Fawkes, cartoonist/jazz clarinettist was born

Wilhelm Maler

Wilhelm Maler, composer was born

Wilhelm Speyer

Wilhelm Speyer, composer was born

Died on June 21

Adolf Schimon

Adolf Schimon, composer, dies at 67

Alan Hovhaness

Alan Hovhaness, American composer (b. 1911)

Angus Maclise

Angus Maclise, American mystic, shaman, musician, and composer (b. 1938)

Art Prysock

Art Prysock, jazz musician, dies at 68

Assi Rahbani

Assi Rahbani, Lebanese composer and author (b. 1923)

Glauco Velasquez

Glauco Velasquez, composer, dies at 30

Gunnar Ek

Gunnar Ek, composer, dies on 81st birthday

Heinrich Kaminski

Heinrich Kaminski, composer, dies at 59

Heinz Lau

Heinz Lau, composer, dies at 49

James Rado

James Rado died

Joan Pau Verdier

Joan Pau Verdier died

John Lee Hooker

John Lee Hooker, American musician (b. 1916)

Kami

Kami, Japanese drummer (Malice Mizer) (b. 1973)

Kryštof Harant

Kryštof Harant, Polish soldier, writer, and composer (b. 1564)

Mamady Keïta

Mamady Keïta died

Nikolai A Rimski-Korssakov

Nikolai A Rimski-Korssakov, Russian composer (Sheherazade), dies at 64

Nobuo Hara

Nobuo Hara died

Pierre Nartsiss

Pierre Nartsiss died

Polibo Fumagalli

Polibo Fumagalli, composer, dies at 69

Raissa Gbedji

Raissa Gbedji died

Ruth St Denis

Ruth St Denis, ballerina (Dances of the 5 Senses), dies at 91

Seth Bingham

Seth Bingham, composer, dies at 90

Thomas Whitfield

Thomas Whitfield, gospel vocalist, dies of heart attack at 38

Releases & milestones on June 21

Andrew Lloyd Webber

Andrew Lloyd Webber & Rice's musical "Evita," premiers in London

Avril Lavigne

Avril Lavigne released the album 'Greatest Hits'

Gracie Abrams

Gracie Abrams released the album 'The Secret of Us'

Lola Young

Lola Young released the album 'This Wasn't Meant for You Anyway'

Richard Wagner

Wagner's opera "Meistersinger von Nuernberg," premieres in Munich

Vald

Vald released the album 'Q137298585'

More standout moments in June →