Famous 21st Century Pianists

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 1 
John Williams
(One of the Greatest Film Composers of All Time)
John Williams
5
Birthdate: February 8, 1932
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Floral Park, New York, United States

John Williams is an American composer, pianist, trombonist, and conductor. Widely considered the greatest film composer ever, John Williams has played a significant role in the American film industry by composing music for films, such as the Jurassic Park films, Star Wars saga, the Indiana Jones films, and Schindler's List. He has also influenced several other composers like Marcus Paus.

 2 
Aretha Franklin
(One of the Best-Selling Music Artists in the World & 'Queen of Soul')
Aretha Franklin
8
Birthdate: March 25, 1942
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Memphis, Tennessee, United States
Died: August 16, 2018

Widely regarded as the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin was a singer-songwriter, actress, and civil rights activist. Recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, Aretha was ranked number one on Rolling Stone magazine's 100 Greatest Singers of All Time list in 2010. Having sold over 75 million records, she is also one of the best-selling musicians ever.

 3 
Fiona Apple
(Singer-songwriter)
Fiona Apple
6
Birthdate: September 13, 1977
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: New York City, United States
Height: 5'2" (157 cm)
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 4 
Taylor Hawkins
(Musician)
Taylor Hawkins
5
Birthdate: February 17, 1972
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Fort Worth, Texas, USA
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
 5 
Jon Batiste
(Musician)
Jon Batiste
4
Birthdate: November 11, 1986
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Kenner, Louisiana, United States
 6 
Ryan Tedder
(Singer-songwriter)
Ryan Tedder
6
Birthdate: June 26, 1979
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
 7 
Tori Amos
(Musician and Singer)
Tori Amos
7
Birthdate: August 22, 1963
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Newton
Alternative rock singer Tori Amos is known for her songs that highlight issues such as feminism. Amos was the youngest to win a music scholarship to the Peabody Institute. She performed with the group Y Kant Tori Read before going solo. She is associated with RAINN, a sexual abuse helpline. 
 8 
Fats Domino
(Singer-Songwriter, Pianist)
Fats Domino
4
Birthdate: February 26, 1928
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
Died: October 24, 2017
Height: 5'4" (163 cm)
 9 
Herbie Hancock
(Singer-songwriter, Bandleader, Conductor, Jazz musician, Keyboardist, Actor, Musician, Pianist, Film score composer)
Herbie Hancock
4
Birthdate: April 12, 1940
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Chicago
 10 
Dan Fogelberg
(Musician)
Dan Fogelberg
4
Birthdate: August 13, 1951
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Peoria, Illinois, USA
Died: December 16, 2007
 11 
Leon Russell
(American Musician and Singer-Songwriter)
Leon Russell
6
Birthdate: April 2, 1942
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Lawton, Oklahoma, United States
Died: November 13, 2016
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
 12 
André Previn
(Known for His Versatile Orchestral Compositions)
André Previn
5
Birthdate: April 6, 1929
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Berlin, Germany
Died: February 28, 2019
German-American pianist and composer André Previn was a prominent figure in jazz and classical music. He composed tracks for MGM and won four Grammys and four Academy Awards. He was the music director of the Houston Symphony Orchestra and the main conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra, among others.
 13 
Chick Corea
(Jazz musician, Composer)
Chick Corea
5
Birthdate: June 12, 1941
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Chelsea, Massachusetts, United States
Died: February 9, 2021
 14 
Diana Krall
(Jazz Pianist)
Diana Krall
4
Birthdate: November 16, 1964
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Nanaimo, British Columbia

Diana Krall is a Canadian jazz singer and pianist. With several gold and multi-platinum albums under her belt, Krall is regarded as one of the best-selling artists of her generation. In 2009, Billboard called her the second-greatest jazz artist of the 2000–09 decade. In 2004, she was inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame.

 15 
Pat Smear
(Musician)
Pat Smear
5
Birthdate: August 5, 1959
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: West Los Angeles, California, USA
Height: 5'11" (180 cm)
 16 
Ludovico Einaudi
(Italian Pianist and Composer Known for His Albums ‘I Giorni’, ‘Nightbook’ and ‘In a Time Lapse’)
Ludovico Einaudi
4
Birthdate: November 23, 1955
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Turin, Italy

Ludovico Einaudi is an Italian composer and pianist. Although he started his career as a classical musician, Einaudi began incorporating other genres like rock, folk, and pop later in his career. Apart from composing studio and live albums, Ludovico Einaudi also composes the scores for films and TV series. His work in the filn Acquario earned him the prestigious Grolla d'oro award.

 17 
Tom Fletcher
(Musician)
Tom Fletcher
4
Birthdate: July 17, 1985
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: London Borough of Harrow
Tom Fletcher, lead vocalist and guitarist of the band McFly, has also written for several artists and bands, such as Busted, One Direction, and The Vamps. A successful YouTube vlogger, too, he has documented and shared all three pregnancies of his wife, Giovanna. He has also written several children’s books.
 18 
Gil Scott-Heron
(Poet and Singer-songwriter)
Gil Scott-Heron
4
Birthdate: April 1, 1949
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States
Died: May 27, 2011
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
 19 
Rick Wakeman
(English Keyboardist and Composer)
Rick Wakeman
5
Birthdate: May 18, 1949
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Perivale, London, England, United Kingdom

One of the most popular rock keyboardists of the progressive rock genre, Rick Wakeman soared to fame as part of the band Yes and later had an equally successful solo career. He had ditched his initial dream of becoming a pianist to start his career as a session musician.

 20 
Phil Anselmo
(Musician)
Phil Anselmo
5
Birthdate: June 30, 1968
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
 21 
Bruce Randall Hornsby
(Singer)
Bruce Randall Hornsby
3
Birthdate: November 23, 1954
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Williamsburg, Virginia, United States
Height: 6'4" (193 cm)
 22 
Daniel Johnston
(Singer-songwriter)
Daniel Johnston
5
Birthdate: January 22, 1961
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Sacramento, California, USA
 23 
Alan Menken
(Composer best known for his scores and songs for films produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios)
Alan Menken
4
Birthdate: July 22, 1949
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Manhattan, New York City, United States
Height: 5'6" (168 cm)
 24 
Daniel Barenboim
(Pianist, Conductor, Music director)
Daniel Barenboim
4
Birthdate: November 15, 1942
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Buenos Aires

Daniel Barenboim is a pianist and conductor currently serving as the general music director of the Berlin State Opera and the Staatskapelle Berlin. He has previously been the music director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Orchestre de Paris, and La Scala in Milan. He is a recipient of Spain's Prince of Asturias Concord Award among others.

 25 
Andrew W.K.
(Singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who released the single "Party Hard" in 2001)
Andrew W.K.
4
Birthdate: May 9, 1979
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Stanford, California, United States
Height: 6'3" (190 cm)
 26 
Ronnie Milsap
3
Birthdate: January 16, 1943
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Robbinsville, North Carolina, United States
 27 
Al Jardine
(Musician, Singer, Singer-songwriter, Guitarist, Pianist, Record producer)
Al Jardine
3
Birthdate: September 3, 1942
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Lima
 28 
John Tesh
(American Pianist and Composer)
John Tesh
4
Birthdate: July 9, 1952
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Garden City, New York, United States
Height: 6'6" (198 cm)
 29 
Josh Klinghoffer
(Musician)
Josh Klinghoffer
5
Birthdate: October 3, 1979
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Los Angeles
Height: 5'11" (180 cm)
 30 
Taylor Hanson
(Musician)
Taylor Hanson
5
Birthdate: March 14, 1983
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
 31 
Amanda Palmer
(Singer, Street artist, Composer, Pianist, Musician, Playwright, Blogger, Songwriter)
Amanda Palmer
5
Birthdate: April 30, 1976
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: New York City
Height: 5'6" (168 cm)
 32 
Michael W. Smith
(Singer, Songwriter, Composer, Musician, Actor, Pianist)
Michael W. Smith
4
Birthdate: October 7, 1957
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Kenova
 33 
Ryuichi Sakamoto
(Japanese Composer and Pianist Who Influenced and Pioneered a Number of 'Electronic Music' Genres)
Ryuichi Sakamoto
3
Birthdate: January 17, 1952
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Tokyo, Japan

Apart from being a keyboardist and songwriter for the Yellow Magic Orchestra, Japanese pianist and composer Ryuichi Sakamoto has also been a solo artist and composed tracks for films such as The Last Emperor and The Revenant. He now has a Grammy and an Academy Award in his kitty.

 34 
Elton John
(Singer, Pianist and Composer- One of the Best-Selling Artists of All Time)
Elton John
0
Birthdate: March 25, 1947
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Pinner, England
The supremely gifted English singer, songwriter, pianist and composer, Elton John has entertained music lovers globally since the 1970s. His phenomenal talent make him one of the best-selling music artists in the world. Not to forget his tribute to Princess Diana, Candle in the Wind 1997, which till date is one of the best-selling singles in the UK and the US.
 35 
Evgeny Kissin
(Russian-born Composer and Concert Pianist)
Evgeny Kissin
2
Birthdate: October 10, 1971
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Moscow

Evgeny Kissin is a Russian-born composer and concert pianist. He is renowned for his renditions of the works of great musicians like Ludwig van Beethoven, Robert Schumann, and Sergei Rachmaninoff. Over the course of his illustrious career, Evgeny Kissin has won many prestigious musical awards, such as the Grammy Awards, Triumph Award, and Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli Award.

 36 
Kirk Franklin
(Musician)
Kirk Franklin
4
Birthdate: January 26, 1970
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Fort Worth, Texas, USA
Height: 5'5" (165 cm)
 37 
Scott Storch
(Record producer whose most successful solo production hit was)
Scott Storch
5
Birthdate: December 16, 1973
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Long Island, New York, United States
Height: 5'6" (168 cm)
 38 
Michael Penn
(Singer)
Michael Penn
5
Birthdate: August 1, 1958
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: New York City, New York, USA
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
 39 
Jools Holland
(English Singer, Composer, Pianist, Bandleader, and Television Presenter)
Jools Holland
3
Birthdate: January 24, 1958
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Blackheath, London, United Kingdom

Jools Holland is an English singer, composer, pianist, bandleader, and television presenter. He came into prominence in the mid-1970s, when he became part of the rock band Squeeze. His popularity increased when he co-presented the popular music TV show The Tube from 1982 to 1987. Jools Holland is also known for his collaborations with famous artists like Sting and Bono.

 40 
Gavin DeGraw
(Singer-songwriter, Pianist, Guitarist, Musician)
Gavin DeGraw
4
Birthdate: February 4, 1977
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: South Fallsburg
 41 
Jack Savoretti
(British Musician, Singer, and Songwriter)
Jack Savoretti
4
Birthdate: October 10, 1983
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: London, England

Jack Savoretti is a British musician, singer, and songwriter. He achieved popularity in 2015, when he released his fourth studio album, Written in Scars, which peaked at number seven on the UK Albums Chart. In 2019, Jack Savoretti released his sixth album Singing to Strangers, which became his first album to peak at number one on the UK Albums Chart.

 42 
Taj Mahal
(Self-taught Grammy Award-winning blues musician)
Taj Mahal
4
Birthdate: May 17, 1942
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Harlem, New York, United States
 43 
Dennis Edwards
(Singer)
Dennis Edwards
4
Birthdate: February 3, 1943
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Fairfield, Alabama, United States
Died: February 1, 2018
Height: 6'4" (193 cm)
 44 
Keith Jarrett
(Pianist, Composer, Jazz musician, Saxophonist, Songwriter, Musician)
Keith Jarrett
3
Birthdate: May 8, 1945
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Allentown
 45 
Jimmy Webb
(Singer-songwriter, Composer, Songwriter, Pianist, Film score composer)
Jimmy Webb
3
Birthdate: August 15, 1946
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Elk City
 46 
Noah Gray-Cabey
(Pianist, Actor)
Noah Gray-Cabey
4
Birthdate: November 16, 1995
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States
Height: 5'1" (155 cm)
 47 
Krystian Zimerman
(One of the Greatest Pianists of His Generation)
Krystian Zimerman
2
Birthdate: December 5, 1956
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Zabrze, Poland

Polish concert pianist and conductor Krystian Zimerman, noted for his interpretations of Romantic music, is counted by many as one of the greatest pianists of his generation. In 1975 he became the youngest winner of the International Chopin Piano Competition.  A supporter of contemporary music, Zimerman has performed a wide variety of classical pieces, toured widely and made several recordings.

 48 
Randy Newman
(Singer-songwriter & Pianist)
Randy Newman
0
Birthdate: November 28, 1943
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, United States
 49 
John Mayall
(English Blues and Rock Musician, Songwriter and Producer)
John Mayall
3
Birthdate: November 29, 1933
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Macclesfield, United Kingdom
 50 
James Newton Howard
(Composer who has scored over 100 films and is the recipient of a Grammy Award, Emmy Award, and nine Academy Award nominations)
James Newton Howard
3
Birthdate: June 9, 1951
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, United States
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)