Musicians Who Died on March 21

  • 1734 Gunther Jacob Wenceslaus, composer, dies at 48
  • 1793 Johann Michael Schmidt, composer and theologian, dies at 51
  • 1801 Andrea Lucchesi, Italian composer, dies at 59
  • 1894 Jacob Rosenhaim, Jewish-German composer, dies at 80
  • 1934 Franz Schreker [Schrecker], Austrian conductor, composer (Die Gezeichneten; Der ferne Klang), teacher, and administrator dies of a heart attack at 55
  • 1936 Alexander Glazunov, Russian pianist, composer (Chopiniana; Stenka Razin), and educator (St Petersburg Conservatory, 1899-1930), dies at 70
  • 1939 Evald Aav, Estonian composer, dies at 39
  • 1954 Harry Lawrence Freeman, African-American composer, dies at 84
  • 1970 Manolis Chiotis, Greek bouzouki virtuoso and Greek rebetiko and laiko songwriter, dies of heart problems on his 49th birthday
  • 1971 Nan Wynn [Masha Vatz], American radio and big-band singer (Rudy Vallée; Teddy Wilson), actress (Pardon My Sarong), and singing voice for Rita Hayworth, dies of cancer at 55 [1]
  • 1973 Antoni Szałowski, Polish-French composer (The Resurrection of Lazarus; 2 Pieces for Ondes Martenot), dies of a heart attack at 65
  • 1975 Berend Giltay, composer, dies at 64
  • 1978 Louis Cottrell Jr., Creole-American jazz clarinetist and tenor saxophonist (Heritage Hall Jazz Band), dies at 67
  • 1980 Gideon Fagan, South African conductor and composer, dies at 75
  • 1982 King Pleasure [Clarence Beeks], American jazz singer and bebop vocalese master, dies at 59
  • 1985 Salvador Ley, composer, dies at 78
  • 1987 Dean Paul Martin, Jr, American singer (Dino, Desi & Billy), and actor (Misfits of Science), dies in a military aircraft crash at 35
  • 1987 Robert Preston [Meservey], American stage and screen actor and singer (The Music Man; Mame; The Last Starfighter), dies of lung cancer at 68
  • 1991 Leo Fender, American inventor, and electric guitar designer (Telecaster; Stratocaster; Precision Bass), dies from Parkinson's disease complications at 81
  • 1992 Natalie Sleeth, American composer, dies at 61
  • 1995 Norman Schwartz, record Producer, dies at 66
  • 1998 Galina Ulanova, Russian ballet dancer considered one of the greatest ballerinas of the 20th century (Bolshoi Theatre), dies at 88
  • 2001 Anthony Steel, British actor and singer (Malta Story, The Wooden Horse), dies from lung cancer at 80
  • 2004 Ludmilla Tchérina, French prima ballerina, artist, actress, choreographer and author (Sins of Rome), dies at 79
  • 2005 Bobby Short, American cabaret singer and pianist, dies at 80
  • 2008 Patti Bown, American jazz pianist and composer (Gene Ammons, Quincy Jones), dies at 77
  • 2010 Wolfgang Wagner, German opera director (b. 1919)
  • 2011 Pinetop Perkins, Member of the Blues Hall of Fame (b. 1913)
  • 2015 Jackie Trent, English singer-songwriter (Neighbours theme) and actress, dies at 74
  • 2021 Trisutji Kamal, Indonesian classical pianist and composer (Prayer of Redemption), dies at 84