Music Almanac: November 4

Birthdays

• 1938 - Harry Elston (Friends of Distinction) (74)
• 1940 - Chuck Mangione (72)
• 1940 - Delbert McClinton (72)
• 1944 - Scherrie Payne (Supremes) (68)
• 1947 - Mike Smith (Amen Corner) (65)
• 1953 - Van Stephenson (Blackhawk) (59)
• 1954 - Chris Difford (Squeeze) (58)
• 1956 - Jordan Rudess (Dream Theater) (56)
• 1956 - James Honeyman-Scott (Pretenders) (d. 1982)
• 1960 - Kim Forester (Forester Sisters) (52)
• 1965 - Wayne Static (born Wayne Wells) (Static-X) (47)
• 1965 - Jeff Scott Soto (Talisman, Journey) (47)
• 1966 - Kool Rock-Ski (born Damon Wimbley) (Fat Boys) (46)
• 1969 - Sean Combs (aka P. Diddy, Diddy, Puff Daddy) (43)
• 1971 - Shawn Rivera (Az Yet) (41)
• 1974 - Cedric Bixler-Zavala (Mars Volta, At the Drive-In) (38)
• 1974 - Louise Redknapp (Eternal) (38)
• 1977 - Kavana (born Anthony Kavana) (35)

Deaths

• 1969 - Ivory “Deek” Watson (Ink Spots) (60)
• 1975 - Audrey Williams (first wife of Hank Williams, mother of Hank Williams, Jr. & Holly Williams) - Heart failure (52)
• 1986 - Bobby Nunn (Robins, Coasters) - Heart attack (61)
• 1994 - Fred "Sonic" Smith (MC5) - Heart failure (45)

On This Day

• 1955 - Roy Acuff & Kitty Wells opened a show on Broadway that played for one week.
• 1963 - The Beatles were the main attraction at The Royal Variety Show in London in front of the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret. During the show, John Lennon made the statement “In the cheaper seats you clap your hands. The rest of you, just rattle your jewelry.” 
• 1964 - Your Cheatin' Heart, the biopic of Hank Williams with George Hamilton, premiered in Montgomery, AL.
• 1973 - Pink Floyd and Soft Machine played a benefit concert for Soft Machine drummer Robert Wyatt who was paralyzed in a fall.
• 1977 - The movie The Last Waltz, chronicling the final concert by the Band with a long list of guest stars, premiered in New York.
• 1978 - Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young were sued by former bass player Del Reeves who said he was owed $1 million in royalties from the album Deja Vu.
• 1978 - Boston played the city of Boston for the first time.
• 1980 - Bob Marley was baptized in Kingston, Jamaica, switching to Christian Rastafarian and being renamed Berhane Selassie. 
• 1984 - Prince opened the North American portion of his Purple Rain tour with seven nights at Joe Lewis Arena in Detroit, MI.
• 1989 - Elton John charted his 50th record in the U.K., a total only previously reached by Elvis Presley and Cliff Richard.
• 1991 - The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announced they would be inducting Bobby Blue Bland, Booker T. & the M.G.'s, Johnny Cash, the Isley Brothers, the Jimi Hendrix Experience, Sam and Dave and the Yardbirds. 
• 1992 - Elton John and Bernie Taupin singed with Warner/Chappell Music for $39 million.
• 1993 - Martin Gore from Depeche Mode was arrested for refusing to turn down the music volume in his Denver hotel room.
• 1995 - Bryan White debuted at the Grand Ole Opry.
• 1996 - Michael Jackson announced that he and friend Debbie Rowe were expecting a child. 
• 1998 - Liam Gallagher of Oasis was arrested after a pub fight with a photographer.
• 1999 - Elton John's photography went on display at the Atlanta High Museum of Art.
• 2002 - Elton John and Bernie Taupin were named one of the greatest songwriting teams of all-time with the awarding of the Music Industry Trusts Award.
• 2004 - LL Cool J canceled the balance of his North American tour after being hit with a bout of “abdominal illness.”

Marriages

• 2000 - Richard Jones (Stereophonics) and Gail Middleditch

Recorded

• 1944 - Spade Cooley had his first session for Columbia Records.
• 1964 - Beatles For Sale - Beatles (final session for album)
• 1968 - Point Me at the Sky, Careful With That Axe, Eugene - Pink Floyd
• 1970 - George Jackson - Bob Dylan

Released

• 1967 - I Second That Emotion - Smokey Robinson & the Miracles (single)
• 1978 - Take Me to the River - Talking Heads (single)
• 2003 - Blood in My Eye - Ja Rule

Awards

• 2010 - Billboard Touring Awards
• Legends of Live Award - Rush

Broadcasts

• 2010 - Oprah (Syn) - Backstreet Boys (first performance in four years)