July 21, 2024 ~ Ellen Lucille Thomas, commonly known as Hi-NRG, disco singer Evelyn Thomas, passed away ~ Discovered by British producer Ian Levine, who was scouting the USA for gospel and soul singers to promote in the UK. Thomas has recorded four albums from the late-1970s through the mid-1980s and is known for songs such as Weak Spot, Masquerade, the Supremes-cover Reflections, Standing At The Crossroads, and perhaps her best known High Energy, the latter a 1984 club hit on both sides of the Atlantic ~ Thomas was born in 1953
July 21, 2023 ~ Rock bassist Neal Langford passed away ~ Member of indie rock outfit the Shins during the early-2000s, present on the band's Oh Inverted World debut album released in 2001. Langford had also worked with the band's 1990s predecessor Flake Music ~ Langford was born ca.1973
July 21, 2023 ~ Anthony Dominick Benedetto, commonly known as singer Tony Bennett, passed away in New York, New York, USA ~ Enjoyed a career spanning eight decades, singing both pop and jazz. Has released over 70 albums including the acclaimed The Beat Of My Heart, Count Basie Swings Tony Bennett Sings with Count Basie, and I Left My Heart In San Francisco. Well-known hits include Because Of You, Cold Cold Heart, and Rags To Riches. Later on in life would rejuvenate his career through collaborations with Amy Winehouse and Lady Gaga, extending his appeal to younger generations ~ Benedetto was born in 1926
July 21, 2021 ~ Pianist, arranger, songwriter, producer Clarence McDonald passed away ~ Perhaps best known for co-writing Silly of Deniece Williams' 1981 My Melody album. In-demand session musician since the late-1960s, working with Diana Ross, Gladys Knight, and the Jackson 5 (I Want You Back). Present on James Taylor's Gorilla, In The Pocket and JT albums. Co-produced the Emotions' 1977 Rejoice album with Maurice White. Keyboardist and co-arranger on the Grammy Award-winning Ray Charles- Gladys Knight duet Heaven Help Us All of Charles' Genius Loves Company album. Has also worked with Monica, Erykah Badu, Barbra Streisand, Justin Timberlake, Carole King, Ella Fitzgerald, and Boz Scaggs ~ McDonald was born in 1945
July 21, 2020 ~ Annabelle McCauley Allan Short, commonly known as singer, actress Annie Ross, passed away in New York, New York, USA ~ At age 14, Ross won a songwriting contest with her composition Let's Fly, the song would be recorded by Johnny Mercer. She would go on to form the vocal jazz trio Lambert Hendricks & Ross with Dave Lambert and Jon Hendricks, with whom she recorded half a dozen albums through the early-1960s. Pianist Count Basie was so impressed with the trio's 1957 Sing A Song Of Basie debut album, featuring vocal renditions of Basie standards, that he happily joined them for their Sing Along With Basie sophomore album released the next year. The trio would be voted Best Vocal Group by readers of Down Beat for four consecutive years, starting in 1959, and are especially acclaimed for their 1961 High Flying With Lambert Hendricks & Ross album, which earned them a Grammy Award for Best Performance by a Vocal Group. After Ross's departure in 1962, the two remaining members would seek a replacement in Yolande Bavan, renaming themselves to Lambert Hendricks & Bavan. Any hopes of a reunion of the original trio ended with Lambert's death in a road accident in 1966 ~ Short was born in 1930
July 21, 2020 ~ Highland Ralph Dobson, commonly known as reggae, rocksteady singer Dobby Dobson, passed away in Coral Springs, Florida, USA ~ Dubbed “the Loving Pauper” after one of his best known songs. First gained attention as co-founder, frontman of Dobby Dobson & the Deltas, scoring the 1959 self-penned hit Cry A Little Cry. Would go on to work with acts such as the Virtues and the Sheiks before venturing out on his own, scoring hits such as That Wonderful Sound and Endlessly. Would serve as producer for the Meditations, producing the late-1970s albums Message From The Meditations and Wake Up before semi-retiring from music ~ Dobson was born in 1942
July 21, 2020 ~ Michelle Jacqueline Jeanne Fricault, commonly known as lyricist, songwriter Michelle Senlis, passed away in Paris, France ~ Wrote or co-wrote songs such as C'Est Un Jour A Naples for Dalida, Rachel for Juliette Gréco and Quatre Cents Enfants Noir for Christine Sevres. Others who recorded her songs include Edith Piaf, Leo Ferré, Marguerite Monnot, Jean Ferrat, Fabienne Thibeault, Hugues Aufray, Noëlle Cordier, Mireille Mathieu, Regine Zylberberg and Jacques Hustin ~ Senlis was born in 1933
July 21, 2020 ~ Art rock, progressive rock, post-punk singer, guitarist, keyboardist, flutist, percussionist Tim Smith, full name Timothy Charles Smith, passed away ~ Best known for fronting indie rock outfit the Cardiacs, which he co-founded with his brother bassist Jim Smith. The band would earn a cult following with their cassette-only releases and oddball performances, and is best known for Is This The Life of their 1988 A Little Man And A House And The Whole World Window album, and especially acclaimed for their 1989 On Land And In The Sea album. Smith has also recorded as a solo artist, collaborated with Joanne Spratley, and served as producer for the likes of Levitation, Monsoon Bassoon, Oceansize, and the Scaramanga Six ~ Smith was born in 1961
July 21, 2019 ~ Contemporary composer Ben Johnston, full name Benjamin Burwell Johnston Jr, passed away in Deerfield, Wisconsin, USA ~ Regarded as one of the premier microtonal composers. Known for works such as Quintet For Groups, Sonnets Of Desolation, Sonata For Microtonal Piano and Suite For Microtonal Piano ~ Johnston was born in 1926
July 21, 2018 ~ Singer, songwriter Don Sanders passed away ~ Sometimes described as “folk humorist&tdquo for his witty songwriting. Enjoyed some popularity in the 1960s and 1970s on the Houston folk scene, associating with artists such as Jerry Jeff Walker, Guy Clark, Townes Van Zandt and with Lyle Lovett, yet never broke through nationally. Would focus on work as a radio DJ and teacher by the end of the 1970s, providing a more stable income, yet continued to record well into the 2000s ~ Sanders was born in 1943
July 21, 2017 ~ Rock band Linkin Park cancel their upcoming tour ~ The day after Chester Bennington's suicide, the band cancel their upcoming tour and set up a tribute page on their website with resources for suicide prevention
July 21, 2017 ~ Rock singer Kenny Shields passed away in Winnipeg, Canada ~ Lead singer of Streetheart. The band is best known for their 1979 disco-hybrid the Rolling Stones-cover Under My Thumb. Other well known songs include Action, Hollywood, Look In Your Eyes, and What Kind Of Love Is This ~ Shields was born in 1947
July 21, 2016 ~ Bassist Lewie Steinberg, full name Lewie Polk Steinberg, passed away in Memphis, Tennessee, USA ~ Best known as the original bassist for Booker T & the MG's, present on the single Green Onions b/w Behave Yourself, and the albums Green Onions and Soul Dressing. Steinberg was replaced by Donald Duck Dunn in 1965 ~ Steinberg was born in 1933
July 21, 2015 ~ Actor, folk singer, guitarist Theodore Bikel, full name Theodore Meir Bikel, passed away in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Co-founded the Newport Folk Festival. Has recorded over 30 albums as a folk singer, guitarist starting in the mid-1950s. As an actor known for roles in Moulin Rouge, My Fair Lady, The Defiant Ones, earning an Academy Award-nomination for his role in the latter. As a musical actor best known for his role as Captain Von Trapp in the original Broadway production of The Sound Of Music ~ Bikel was born in 1924
July 21, 2009 ~ Country singer Brad Paisley performs at the White House ~ Paisley performs at the White House, playing his song Welcome To The Future which was inspired by Barack Obama's election
July 21, 2007 ~ Rock drummer, guitarist, songwriter Brett Ford, full name Brett Taylor Ford, passed away ~ Co-founding member of Lubricated Goat, remaining with the band through 1989. Has also worked with the Kryptonics, X, the Punjabbers, and Rattlesnake Shake ~ Ford was born in 1959
July 21, 2007 ~ Harry Levy, commonly known as music manager, agent, label executive Don Arden, passed away in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Father of Sharon Osbourne. Dubbed “the Yiddish Godfather” for his aggressive and sometimes illegal business tactics. Represented artists such as Air Supply, the Small Faces, the Move, Black Sabbath and the Electric Light Orchestra ~ Levy was born in 1926
July 21, 2006 ~ Singer Herbie Kalin passed away ~ Half of the Kalin Twins, the other half being his twin brother Harold Kalin, known for their 1958 When hit, reaching top 10 on both sides of the Atlantic. The follow-up single Forget Me Not, released shortly thereafter, also reached top 20 Billboard Hot 100. The siblings continued to record regularly through the early-1960s, but were unable to repeat their success ~ Kalin was born in 1934
July 21, 2005 ~ John William Baldry, commonly known as singer Long John Baldry, passed away in Vancouver, Canada ~ Worked with Rod Stewart, Elton John, Alexis Korner, Cyril Davies, Steampacket, and Caleb Quaye. Known for songs such as Let The Heartaches Begin and Don't Try To Lay No Boogie Woogie On The King Of Rock & Roll ~ Baldry was born in 1941
July 21, 2001 ~ Singer Lauryn Hill tapes her MTV Unplugged TV special ~ Following her smash hit album The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill, Hill tapes an unplugged set at MTV. Released as an album the next year, the album was initially met with mixed reviews. However, over time it has earned the singer critical acclaim, some critics later commenting Hill's socially conscious, politically themed songs from the set list, especially I Find It Hard To Say (Rebel), predated the BLM movement
July 21, 1999 ~ Country singer Charley Pride receives a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame ~ Pride was most successful in the early to mid-1970s, racking up some 50 Billboard Country top 10 hits including the No.1 hits I'd Rather Love You, I'm Just Me, Kiss An Angel Good Morning and It's Gonna Take A Little Bit Longer. Pride passed away in 2020
July 21, 1994 ~ Marjorie Chandler, commonly known as singer, actress Dorothy Collins, passed away in Watervliet, New York, USA ~ As a singer known for a number of mid-1950s singles, notably 1955's My Boy (Flat Top) and 1956's Seven Days. Also noted for her performance in a 1971 Broadway-production of Follies portraying Sally Durant Plummer, a one-time showgirl trapped in a disappointing marriage ~ Chandler was born in 1926
July 21, 1990 ~ Singer, bassist, guitarist Roger Waters performs the Pink Floyd work The Wall in Berlin, Germany ~ Featuring a wide array of special guests, Pink Floyd co-founder Waters performs a live set of The Wall at the site of the Berlin wall, which came down eight months earlier
July 21, 1989 ~ Fingerstyle guitarist Mike Dawes born in Guildford, UK ~ Influenced by Michael Hedges, Pierre Bensusan, Eric Roche. First gained attention with his 2012 Gotye-cover of Somebody That I Used To Know. Would release his full-length What Just Happened debut album the following year. Has also worked with Nik Mystery, Justin Hayward, Flux Conduct, and others
July 21, 1989 ~ Indie folk, psychedelic rock, blues rock singer, guitarist, songwriter Ryley Walker born in Rockford, Illinois, USA ~ Virtuoso fingerstyle guitarist drawing from a wide array of idioms including folk, rock, avant-garde, jazz, and experimental music. Critically compared to Glenn Jones, John Renbourn, Davey Graham, and Martin Carthy. About a dozen albums to his name since the mid-2010s including collaborations with guitarist Bill MacKay, jazz drummer Charles Rumback, and psychedelic rock outfit Kikagaku Moyo. Walker is especially noted for the albums Primrose Green and SpiderBeetleBee, the latter a collaborative effort with MacKay
July 21, 1988 ~ Kevin Elijah Burgess, commonly known as Christian hip-hop rapper KB, born in St Petersburg, Florida, USA ~ Discovered by Lecrae. Initially an excellent student on a path to a scholarship, Burgess would suffer from severe depression and dabble in drugs. He would, however, find faith and burst onto the Christian hip hop scene with his highly acclaimed Weight & Glory debut album in 2012 and has recorded to critical acclaim since. Well known songs include 100, Sideways, Hold Me Back, and Graves. Over the course of his career, Burgess has collaborated with some of Christian hip hop's finest, including DJ Official, Pro, Tedashii, 116 Clique, and J'son
July 21, 1984 ~ In its tenth week on the charts, Legs by ZZ Top peaks at No.8 Billboard Hot 100 ~ Aided by heavy rotation on MTV, Legs would become the band's first of two top 10 hits, its successor Sleeping Bag also peaking at No.8 the following year. Feminist groups would criticize Legs for objectifying women, although the band been releasing songs with sexually charged lyrics for years. Their first hit was Tush in 1975, which was probably more offensive but the band was less popular so it drew fewer protests
July 21, 1981 ~ Paloma Faith Blomfield, commonly known as singer Paloma Faith, born in London, UK ~ Released her Do You Want The Truth Or Something Beautiful debut album in 2009. The album would reach double Platinum status in the UK. Best known for songs such as Stone Cold Sober, New York, Picking Up The Pieces, Only Love Can Hurt Like This, Lullaby with Sigala. Has also collaborated with Adam Deacon, Sigma, DJ Spoony,
July 21, 1981 ~ Lawrence Leo Mosley, commonly known as jazz trombonist Snub Mosley, passed away in Harlem, New York, USA ~ Perhaps best known for inventing the slide saxophone, a horn which had both a saxophone mouthpiece and a slide, an instrument most prominently featured on Mosley's 1940 recording of The Man With The Funny Little Horn. However, Mosley was primarily a trombonist, active since his mid-teens and first gaining serious attention as a soloist with Alphonso Trent from the mid-1920 through the early-1930s. Subsequently Mosley has played with the Jeter-Pillars Orchestra, Claude Hopkins, Fats Waller, Louis Armstrong, Luis Russell, and Stuff Smith ~ Mosley was born in 1905
July 21, 1978 ~ Reggae fusion, hip hop singer, rapper Damian Marley, full name Damian Robert Nesta Marley, born in Kingston, Jamaica ~ Youngest son of reggae icon Bob Marley. Member of supergroup Superheavy alongside Mick Jagger, Joss Stone and AR Rahman. As a solo artist best known for his 2005 single Welcome To Jamrock. Featured vocalist on Jay-Z's 2017 Bam single
July 21, 1977 ~ Singer Linda Ronstadt joins the Rolling Stones on stage at a Tucson, Arizona, concert ~ Having just released her cover of the Stones Tumbling Dice, Ronstadt joins the band at a Tucson concert to perform the song together
July 21, 1976 ~ Pop, axe, samba singer, actress, songwriter Emanuelle Araújo born in Salvador, Brazil ~ Rose to prominence as lead singer of Banda Eva from 1999 through 2002, present on hits such as Pra Lá E Pra Cá, Quem Ama and My Love. Founded samba-rock band Moinho with Lan Lan and Toni Costa in 2004. Released her O Problema E Va Velocidade solo album in 2016
July 21, 1975 ~ Nu metal, industrial metal drummer John Sankey, full name John Gerard Sankey, born in Australia ~ Co-founding member of Divine Heresy. Co-founding member of Devil You Know, with whom he recorded the albums The Beauty Of Destruction and They Bleed Red. The band, sans Sankey, would later evolve to Light The Torch while Sankey returned to his native Australia where he joined legendary Australian nu metal group Superheist
July 21, 1975 ~ Shoegaze, ambient, dream pop singer, guitarist, bassist Mark Peters born in Liverpool, UK ~ Best known as co-founder, frontman of the Engineers, with whom he has recorded since the mid-2000s. The acclaimed dream pop group draws from ambient, pscyhedelic, and folk influences and is especially known for their 2014 Always Returning album. Peters is also closely associated with electronic musician Ulrich Schnauss, with whom he has recorded the collaborative albums Underrated Silence, Tomorrow Is Another Day, and Destiny Waiving. Peters has also recorded as a solo artist, noted especially for Innerland released in 2017, and guested on recordings by Elliot Ireland, Salt Rush, and Clem Leek
July 21, 1972 ~ Rock, alternative rock, post-grunge singer, guitarist, songwriter Ian Thornley born in Toronto, Canada ~ Lead singer of Big Wreck, known for songs such as The Oaf (My Luck Is Wasted), That Song and Under The Lighthouse. After the band disbanded in the early-2000s would session with artists such as Nickelback, Sarah Harmer and Stephen Fearing before forming his own Thornley band. Auditioned for supergroup Velvet Revolver yet did not feel comfortable being a lead singer without playing guitar, the position would eventually be given to Scott Weiland
July 21, 1972 ~ Country singer, songwriter Paul Brandt born in Calgary, Canada ~ Active since the mid-1990s, his first three albums all topping the Canadian country charts. All four singles of his 1996 Calm Before The Storm debut album would top the Canadian country charts, the singles My Heart Has A History and I Do would also reach top 10 on the American Billboard Country charts. Other well known songs include A Little In Love, Outside The Frame, That's The Truth, The Sycamore Tree, Didn't Even See The Dust, I'm An Open Road with Jess Moskaluke, and All About Her
July 21, 1971 ~ Singer, songwriter, actress Charlotte Gainsbourg, full name Charlotte Lucy Gainsbourg, born in London, UK ~ Daughter of actress Jane Birkin and singer Serge Gainsbourg. Best known as an actress. Released an album, 1986's Charlotte For Ever, at age 15 aided by her father. Debuted as a solo singer and songwriter in 2006 with the critically acclaimed 5:55 and has recorded from time to time since
July 21, 1970 ~ Indie pop singer, keyboardist Michael Fitzpatrick, full name Michael Sean Fitzpatrick, born in Montlucan, France ~ Best known as lead singer for Fitz & the Tantrums, critically acclaimed for their 2010 Pickin' Up The Pieces debut album. Was previously a member of Band Of Merrymakers. Fitzpatrick has also recorded as a solo artist and guested on recordings by LL Cool J, Flo Rida, and Weezer
July 21, 1969 ~ Jazz pianist, bandleader Duke Ellington performs Moon Maiden on ABC ~ The day after the Apollo 11 moon landing, marking the first time men walked on the moon, Ellington performs Moon Maiden on ABC covering the historic event
July 21, 1968 ~ Singer, guitarist, songwriter, producer Emerson Hart born in South Orange, New Jersey, USA ~ Lead singer, songwriter of alternative rock band Tonic, best known for Open Up Your Eyes, You Wanted More and perhaps their best known If You Could Only See, the latter reaching the Billboard Hot 100 top 20 in 1997. Hart released his Cigarettes & Gasoline solo debut album in 2007
July 21, 1962 ~ Composer, bandleader Maceo Pinkard passed away in New York, New York, USA ~ Perhaps best remembered for co-penning Sweet Georgia Brown, a No.1 hit for Ben Bernie in 1925. The song has since become a jazz standard recorded by over an estimated 1,000 artists including Cab Calloway, Art Tatum, Charlie Parker, Anita O'Day, Nancy Sinatra, Roberta Flack, and Danny Gatton. Other songs written or co-written by Pinkard include Those Draftin' Blues (Arthur Collins, Skeets Tolbert), Pile Of Logs And Stone (Clarence Williams), Give Me A Little Kiss (Will Ya Huh) (Ed Smalle, Jean Goldkette, Louis Prima), Sugar (Ethel Waters, Alberta Hunter, Peggy Lee), I'll Be A Friend With Pleasure (Bix Beiderbecke, Eddie Condon), and Them There Eyes (Hal Kemp, Billie Holiday, Frankie Avalon) ~ Pinkard was born in 1897
July 21, 1961 ~ Alternative metal, funk metal, heavy metal guitarist Jim Martin, full name James Blanco Martin, born in Hayward, California, USA ~ Best known as guitarist of Faith No More from 1983 through 1993. Also worked with Fang, Die Krupps, Metallica (Reload), Voodoocult, Primus, Flybanger, and Echobrain
July 21, 1960 ~ Pop singer Brian Hyland appears as a guest on the TV game show To Tell The Truth ~ Best known for his single Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polkadot Bikini released the previous month and eventually a Billboard Hot 100 charttopper, Hyland appears as a guest on the popular TV game show
July 21, 1959 ~ Pop, jazz singer Rossana Casale born in Milan, Italy ~ First gained attention in the early-1970s as a backing singer for Albero Motore. Following musical studies in Milan, Italy, Casale set out on her own, venturing into pop, jazz, and world music fusion. Has since recorded about a dozen albums, notably Strani Frutti released in 2000. Casale has also ventured in acting for stage and film, with several of her songs also used in the accompanying soundtracks, and is an in-demand duet singer for the likes of Alberto Fortis, Zucchero, Toquinho, Giorgio Conte, Kaballà, Mario Amici, Sergio Endrigo, and Renato Zero
July 21, 1956 ~ Jazz drummer, bandleader, composer Franklin Kiermeyer born in Montreal, Canada ~ First gained attention in 1994 with his Solomon's Daughter album, featuring renowned saxophonist Pharoah Sanders. Has also worked with Tony Scherr, John Stubblefield, Drew Gress, John Esposito, Azar Lawrence, Michael Cuscuna, and others
July 21, 1955 ~ Howard Norman Epstein, commonly known as bassist, guitarist, mandolinist, singer Howie Epstein, born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA ~ Best known for his tenure with Tom Petty for some two decades starting in 1982, including on the Billboard Hot 200 top 10 albums Long After Dark, Southern Accents, Full Moon Fever, and Wildflowers. Epstein was romantically involved with singer Carlene Carter in the early-1990s, and produced Carter's I Fell In Love album, for which he also co-wrote the title track. An in-demand collaborator and session musician, Epstein has also appeared on albums by John Hiatt (Two Bit Monsters), Cher, Stevie Nicks, Bob Dylan (Empire Burlesque), the Textones, Warren Zevon, Roy Orbison, John Prine, Johnny Cash (Unchained), Carl Perkins, John Fogerty (Blue Moon Swamp), and Linda Ronstadt ~ Epstein passed away in 2003
July 21, 1953 ~ Jazz percussionist Daniel Ponce born in Havana, Cuba ~ Exiled from Cuba by the early-1980s, Ponce would emerge from the New York Latin jazz scene as a renowned sideman. To mainstream audiences perhaps best known for playing the bata drums on Herbie Hancock's 1983 Rockit hit single. Ponce has also collaborated with artists such as Paquito d'Rivera, José Fajardo, Eddie Palmieri, Celia Cruz, Laurie Anderson, Mick Jagger, and Yoko Ono ~ Ponce passed away in 2013
July 21, 1951 ~ Actress, singer Lillias White born in Brooklyn, New York, USA ~ Well known for her performances in a number of Broadway musicals, including portraying the role of Sonja in a production of Cy Coleman's The Life, which earned White both a Tony Award and a Drama Desk Award. White has been active since the early-1980s, making her Broadway debut in the musical Barnum. Other notable credits include Cats, Once On This Island, How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying, Carrie, and the jukebox musical Fela based on music and lyrics by the Nigerian singer Fela Kuti
July 21, 1951 ~ Improv, avant-garde jazz trumpeter Pino Minafra born in Ruvo di Piagla, Italy ~ Founding member of the Italian Instabile Orchestra. Has also worked with Gianluigi Trovesi, Mario Schiano, Han Bennink, Ernst Reijseger, Willem Breuker, Michel Godard, and others
July 21, 1948 ~ Pianist, conductor, arranger, composer Anders Berglund born in Stockholm, Sweden ~ Member of Blue Swede, best known for their 1971 BJ Thomas-cover Hooked On A Feeling which reached No.1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100. In Sweden also known as longtime conductor of Melodifestivalen, the selection finals for the Eurovision Songfestival. Film composer, notably for the 1997 Pippi Longstocking feature film
July 21, 1948 ~ Steve Demetre Georgiou, commonly known as folk-pop, pop singer, guitarist, bassist, keyboardist, songwriter Cat Stevens, born in London, UK ~ Penned The First Cut Is The Deepest, first recorded by PP Arnold in 1967 and notably covered by Rod Stewart, Dawn Penn and by Sheryl Crow. As a solo artist active since the late-1960s. Best known for the Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hits Peace Train, Morning Has Broken, Oh Very Young and Another Saturday Night
July 21, 1948 ~ Keyboardist, accordionist Lars Hollmer, full name Lars Gustav Gabriel Hollmer, born in Linköping, Sweden ~ Active in numerous genres, ranging from traditional folk to progressive rock and jazz. Noted for his irregular time signatures, complex polyrhytms and vocal improvisation including the use of non-sensical lyrics. Best known for his 1999 Andetag album. Has worked with Samla Mammas Manna, Ramlösa Kvällar, Fem Söker & Skatt, the Looping Home Orchestra, the Accordion Tribe, SOLA, Fanfare Pourpour, Lindsay Cooper, Fred Frith, Gianni Gebbia, and others ~ Hollmer passed away in 2008
July 21, 1946 ~ Drummer Barry Whitwham born in Manchester, UK ~ Co-founding and sole constant member of Herman's Hermits, known for 1960s hits such as Can't You Hear My Heartbeat, Silhouettes, Mrs Brown You've Got A Lovely Daughter, I'm Henry VIII I Am, Listen People, and perhaps their best known No Milk Today
July 21, 1945 ~ Singer Rosie Hamlin, full name Rosalie Mendez Halin, was born in Klamath Falls, Oregon, USA ~ Fronted Rosie & the Originals, best known for their 1961 hit Angel Baby. The song would later be covered by several artists including perhaps most notably by Linda Ronstadt and by John Lennon. Hamlin would be the first Latina to be honored by the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame on their Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Of One Hit Wonders, as well as the first Latina to appear on American Bandstand in 1961 ~ Hamlin passed away in 2017
July 21, 1943 ~ Guitarist Henry McCullough born in Portstewart, Northern Ireland ~ Co-founding member of Eire Apparent, with whom he opened for Jimi Hendrix. Co-founding member of Sweeney's Men. Member of Spooky Tooth. Backed Joe Cocker on his 1969 With A Little Help From My Friends debut album and on tour, including at the famed the Woodstock Music and Art Fair festival. Also closely associated with Paul McCartney, present on albums such as Ram and Band On The Run. Has also appeared on albums by Donovan, Andy Fairweather Low, Frankie Miller, Roy Harper (Bullinamingvase), Ronnie Lane, and Eric Burdon. McCullough has recorded over half a dozen albums as a solo artist, starting with Mind Your Own Business released in 1975 ~ McCullough passed away in 2016
July 21, 1942 ~ Francisco Saverio Guarente, commonly known as jazz trumpeter, bandleader Frank Guarente, passed away in New York, New York, USA ~ Active since the 1910s in New Orleans, eventually reaching popularity leading his own ensemble by the early-1920s. Has worked with Charles Edward Kerr, Eddie Lang, Arthur Schutt, Chauncey Morehouse, Paul Specht, Victor Young, Jimmy Dorsey, Tommy Dorsey, Jack Teagarden, Bing Crosby, and with the Boswell Sisters. Retired from music in 1937 for health reasons ~ Guarente was born in 1893
July 21, 1933 ~ Robert Caldwell Hicks, commonly known as bluegrass banjoist, mandolinist, fiddler Bobby Hicks, born in Newton, North Carolina, USA ~ Member of Bill Monroe's quintessential unit the Blue Grass Boys for most of the 1950s, rejoining on occasion in later years. Hicks backed Porter Wagoner in the early-1960s, and subsequently served as bandleader for Judy Lynn through 1970. Also closely associated with Ricky Skaggs, with whom he played for some two decades including on the albums Sweet Temptation, Highways & Heartaches, and Country Boy. Regarded as one of the finest fiddlers, once cited by Monroe as “the truest fiddler he had ever heard”, Hicks has recorded as a solo artist, notably Texas Crapshooter released in 1977, and was an in-demand collaborator and sideman present on recordings by Doyle Lawson, Kenny Baker, Michael Martin Murphey, Tony Rice (Cold On The Shoulder), the Lost And Found, the Bluegrass Album Band, David Grisman, the Seldom Scene, the Reno Brothers, Rhonda Vincent, Herschel Sizemore, and Eddie Adcock ~ Hicks passed away in 2024
July 21, 1932 ~ Charles A Hedges, commonly known as jazz clarinetist Chuck Hedges, born in Chicago, Illinois, USA ~ Somewhat overlooked veteran clarinetist equally at home in swing and Dixieland. Perhaps best known for his association with George Brunies for most of the 1950s, and for spearheading the Dixieland revival during the 1960s. Over half a dozen albums to his name as a leader, specifically noted for Skylark released in 1983. A valued sideman, Hedges has appeared on albums by Barrett Deems, Betsy Kaske, Tom Saunders (Exactly Like You), Rick Fay, the Magnificent VII, Duane Thamm, toured with trumpeter Dick Ruedebusch, and frequently worked with Wild Bill Davison ~ Hedges passed away in 2010
July 21, 1931 ~ Saxophonist Plas Johnson, full name Plas John Johnson Jr, born in Donaldsonville, Louisiana, USA ~ Perhaps best known for his sax solo on Henry Mancini's The Pink Panther Theme. In-demand session musician, present on albums by Charles Brown, BB King, Johnny Otis, Maxwell Davis, Peggy Lee, Nat King Cole, Glen Gray, Frank Sinatra, Ricky Nelson, Bobby Vee, Larry Williams, Bobby Day, Richard Berry, the Beach Boys (Pet Sounds), Chet Baker, Marvin Gaye (Let's Get It On), Dr John (Gris Gris), Maria Muldaur, Ry Cooder (Paradise & Lunch), Rita Coolidge, Teena Marie, Boz Scaggs, Joni Mitchell, Elton John, Liza Minnelli, Les Baxter, Linda Ronstadt, Tom Waits (Heartattack And Vine), Benny Carter, Bette Midler, Rod Stewart, Etta James, and Minnie Riperton
July 21, 1931 ~ Conrad Yeatis Clark, commonly known as hard bop pianist Sonny Clark born in Herminie, Pennsylvania, USA ~ Leader and sideman. Worked with Buddy DeFranco, Kenny Burrell, Donald Byrd, Paul Chambers, John Coltrane, Dexter Gordon, Art Farmer, Curtis Fuller, Grant Green, Philly Joe Jones, Clifford Jordan, Jackie McLean, Hank Mobley, Art Taylor, Wilbur Ware, Charles Mingus, Sonny Rollins, Billie Holiday, Stanley Turrentine, Lee Morgan, and others ~ Clark passed away in 1963
July 21, 1921 ~ Music journalist, musician Franciszek Walicki born in Lödz, Poland ~ Seen as founder of Polist beat and rock, calling them big-beat as rock & roll was unacceptable for communist authorities. Organized jazz festivals. Founded a number of quintessential polish bands including Rhythm & Blues, considered the first Polish rock & roll band, as well as Czerwono Czarni and Breakout ~ Walicki passed away in 2015
July 21, 1918 ~ Scriptwriter, lyricist Arnold B Horwitt born in Richmond, Indiana, USA ~ Wrote scripts and lyrics for plays, songs and Broadway shows including Make Mine Manhattan, The Girls Against The Boys, and Plain & Fancy. The latter would include Young & Foolish introduced in the show by David Daniels and Gloria Marlowe. The song, co-written with Albert Hague, would become a standard covered by over 150 artists including the McGuire Sisters, Gogi Grant, the Lettermen, Tony Bennett, and Lesley Gore ~ Horwitt passed away in 1977
July 21, 1917 ~ Blues singer, guitarist, bassist, songwriter Floyd Jones born in Marianna, Arkansas, USA ~ Known for a number of late-1940s, early-1950s sides considered pivotal to the development of Chicago blues, including notably Stockyard Blues, Hard Times, Schooldays, and On The Road Again. The latter would later serve as the basis for a song of the same name by Canned Heat, which reached top 10 in the UK, top 20 on the American Billboard Hot 100. Over the course of his career, Jones has worked with Little Walter, Jimmy Rogers, Snooky Pryor, Moody Jones, Johnny Man Young, David Honeyboy Edwards, Sunnyland Slim, Big Walter Horton, and Kansas City Red. Jones remained active until his death at age 72 ~ Jones passed away in 1989
July 21, 1915 ~ Arthur Stanley Reid, commonly known as producer, label executive Duke Reid, born in Portland, Jamaica ~ Influenced by American jazz, blues and soul and in particular by Fats Domino. Alongside Coxsone Dodd, Reid dominated the Jamaican music scene of the 1960s as founder and producer for his Treasure Isle and Dutchess labels. Though Reid initially disliked ska, he eventually embraced the genre, his 1960s productions epitomizing the peak of the style, his work characterized by symphonic sounds and dense arrangements. Over the course of his career, Reid has produced recordings by some of the most notable ska and rocksteady artists including Stranger Cole, the Techniques, Justin Hinds, Alton Ellis, the Paragons, the Jamaicans, the Melodians, U-Roy, and Dennis Alcapon ~ Reid passed away in 1975
July 21, 1910 ~ Carl Ravazza, commonly known as violinist, singer, bandleader Carl Ravell, born in Alameda, California, USA ~ Best known for his 1937 version of So Rare written by Jerry Herst and Jack Sharpe, presumed to be the first recorded version of what was to become a standard later recorded by over 50 artists including Guy Lombardo, Don Cherry, Ella Fitzgerald, and most notably Jimmy Dorsey ~ Ravazza passed away in 1968
July 21, 1902 ~ Jazz clarinetist, saxophonist Omer Simeon, full name Omer Victor Simeon, born in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA ~ Considered one of the most technically skilled reed players to come out of New Orleans, Louisiana. First gained attention in the mid-1920s working with Jelly Roll Morton, including on classic tracks such as Black Bottom Stomp, The Chant, Doctor Jazz, and notably playing the bass clarinet solo on Someday Sweetheart. Simeon would go on to work with King Oliver, Luis Russell, Erskine Tate, extensively with Earl Hines for most of the 1930s, as well as briefer stints with Horace Henderson, Walter Fuller, Coleman Hawkins, Jimmie Lunceford, Kid Ory, and Wilbur de Paris ~ Simeon passed away in 1959
July 21, 1898 ~ Sara Elizabeth Dougherty, commonly known as country guitarist, singer Sara Carter, born in Copper Creek, Virginia, USA ~ Married to AP Carter until 1936. Member of the Carter Family, singing lead on most of the band's 1920s and 1930s recordings, the family act considered one of the earliest and most influential acts in the history of country music. Carter wrote or co-wrote several of the band's songs, including My Foothills Home, The Dying Soldier, Lonesome Pine Special, Farther On, and Railroading The Great Divide ~ Dougherty passed away in 1979
July 21, 1896 ~ Composer Jean Rivier, full name Alexis Fernand Félix Jean Rivier, born in Villemomble, France ~ Best known for his flute compositions, though Rivier has composed over two hundred works including symphonies, chamber music, concertos, choral music, and works for solo instruments. A neo-classical composer active until his death, Rivier's music was often eclipsed by increasingly avant-garde compositions of more progressive French composers. Rivier also served as professor of composition at the Paris Conservatory, Paris, from 1948 until his retirement nearly two decades later, notable students include Gareth Walters, Pedro Ipuche Riva, and Gerd Boder ~ Rivier passed away in 1987
July 21, 1858 ~ John Chancellor Olcott, commonly known as singer, actor, songwriter Chauncey Olcott, born in Buffalo, New York, USA ~ Sang in minstrel shows and Broadway shows. As a lyricist and composer especially known for Irish musicals such as Sweet Iniscare, Garrett O'Magh and The Old Limerick Town. Olcott retired from music in 1925 for health reasons ~ Olcott passed away in 1932