Music Almanac: April 30*

Birthdays:

• Willie Nelson (79)
• Richard Shoff (Sandpipers) (78)
• Darrell McCall (Little Dippers, country singer) (72)
• Johnny Farina (Santo & Johnny) (71)
• Bobby Vee (69)
• Wayne Kramer (MC5) (64)
• Des Tong (Sad Cafe) (61)
• Merrill Osmond (Osmonds) (59)

Deaths:

• 1966 - Richard Farina - Motorcycle accident (29)
• 1982 - Lester Bangs (music journalist) - Heart attack (33)
• 1983 - Muddy Waters - Heart failure (70)
• 1999 - Darrell Sweet (Nazareth) - Heart attack (52)
• 2005 - Norma-Jean Wofford (guitarist with Bo Diddley) (~53)

On This Day:

• 1953 - Frank Sinatra and Nelson Riddle teamed up for the first time.
• 1965 - The Kinks began their first tour of the U.K.
• 1965 - Herman's Hermits began their first U.S. tour with the Zombies opening.
• 1968 - The Cilla Black Show debuted on the BBC.
• 1970 - The Allman Brothers road manager, Twigs Lyndon, was arrested for killing a club manager during an argument over a contract. He was eventually acquitted.
• 1976 - It was reported that Keith Moon paid nine cab drivers to block off a New York city street while he through the contents of his hotel room out the window.
• 1980 - The film McVicar, with Roger Daltrey, premiered in London. 
• 1983 - The original members of Manfred Mann reunited in London for a show.
• 1988 - Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd fell out of the Billboard Top 200 after 725 weeks.
• 1999 - Three former members of Spandau Ballet lost a case against songwriter Gary Kemp over unpaid royalties.
• 2001 - An small aircraft carrying Sting, a friend and two pilots slid off the runway in Florence, Italy after the brakes failed.
• 2004 - New child abuse charges were brought against Michael Jackson.
• 2008 - Roger Waters' giant inflatable pig floated away during his show at the Coachella Festival.

Marriages:

• 1995 - Rosanne Cash and John Leventhal

Recorded:

• 1957 - Jailhouse Rock - Elvis Presley
• 1960 - Walking to New Orleans - Fats Domino

Released:

• 1954 - Goodnight, Sweetheart, Goodnight - McGuire Sisters (single)
• 1973 - Red Rose Speedway - Paul McCartney
• 1976 - Silly Love Songs - Wings (single)
• 1985 - Sussudio - Phil Collins (single)
• 1987 - Help!, Rubber Soul & Revolver - Beatles (first release on CD)

Number Ones - U.S. Singles:

• 1955 - Cherry Pink (and Apple Blossom White) - Perez Prado (10 weeks)
• 1966 - Good Lovin' - Young Rascals (1 week)
• 1977 - Southern Nights - Glen Campbell (1 week)
• 1983 - Beat It - Michael Jackson (3 weeks)

Number Ones - U.S. Albums:

• 1960 - Percussive Percussion - Enoch Light/Terry Snyder & the All-Stars (Stereo Chart) (1 week)

Number Ones - U.K. Singles:

• 1954 - Such a Night - Johnnie Ray (1 week)
• 1983 - True - Spandau Ballet (4 weeks)

Number Ones - U.K. Albums:

• 1966 - Aftermath - Rolling Stones (8 weeks)
• 1988 - The Innocents - Erasure (1 week)

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Music Almanac: April 27*

Birthdays:

• Casey Kasem (80)
• Maxine Brown (the Browns) (80)
• Jerry Mercer (April Wine, Mashmakhan) (73)
• Herb Pendersen (68)
• Cuba Gooding (Main Ingredient) (67)
• Ann Peebles (65)
• Gordon Haskel (King Crimson) (65)
• Kate Pierson (B-52's) (64)
• Clive Taylor (Amen Corner) (63)
• Herb Murrell (Stylistics) (63)
• Ace Frehley (Kiss) (61)
• Sheena Easton (53)
• Marco Pirroni (Adam & the Ants) (53)

Deaths:

• 1999 - Al Hirt - Liver Failure (67)
• 2000 - Vicki Sue Robinson - Cancer (45)
• 2002 - Hillus Butrum (Hank Williams' Drifting Cowboys) (74)

On This Day:

• 1957 - Elvis Presley performed at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto, one of his few appearances outside of the U.S.
• 1964 - John Lennon's book, In His Own Write, was published in the U.S.
• 1969 - A network television special starring Jose Feliciano was broadcast. His guests were Glen Campbell and Dionne Warwick.
• 1969 - A court clears erotic lithographs by John Lennon for exhibition, finding them "unlikely to deprave or corrupt."
• 1969 - Joe Cocker makes his TV debut on Ed Sullivan.
• 1972 - New York mayor John Lindsey appealed to the U.S. government to not deport John Lennon.
• 1973 - Opryland opened in Nashville, TN.
• 1976 - David Bowie was detained at the Russia/Poland border when Nazi books and memorabilia was found in his luggage. He said he was researching a movie role on Joseph Goebbels.
• 1979 - Stevie Wonder makes a surprise appearance at a tribute concert to Duke Ellington.
• 1980 - Studio 54 in New York shut down.
• 1990 - David Bowie announced he would play his hits for the last time during the current Sound + Vision tour.
• 1992 - Belinda Carlisle and Morgan Mason became the parents of a son, James Duke Mason.
• 1993 - Prince said he was retiring from recording to concentrate on film and other media.
• 1994 - The Fillmore reopened in San Francisco with Smashing Pumpkins, Ry Cooder & David Lindley and American Music Club.
• 1994 - John Mellencamp and his wife Elaine become the parents of a baby boy.
• 1999 - R.E.M. appears on the series Party of Five.
• 2001 - The A&E network broadcast an edition of Live By Request with the Bee Gees.
• 2003 - Iggy Pop reunited with the Stooges for the first time in years at the Coachella Festival.
• 2004 - Elton John calls American Idol "incredibly racist" after Jennifer Hudson was knocked from the competition.
• 2006 - Keith Richards was admitted to a hospital in Fiji after reportedly falling out of a palm tree.
• 2009 - Aerosmith played a free concert in Hawaii after fans filed a class action lawsuit over a previously cancelled show.

Marriages:

• 1981 - Ringo Starr and Barbara Bach

Recorded:

• 1969 - Ummagumma - Pink Floyd (recorded at Mothers Club in Birmingham, England)

Released:

• 1959 - Personality - Lloyd Price (single)
• 1968 - Mrs. Robinson - Simon & Garfunkel (single)
• 1982 - Valley Girl - Frank Zappa (single)
• 1988 - Open Up and Say...Ahh! - Poison
• 1988 - Operation: Mindcrime - Queensryche

Number Ones - U.S. Singles:

• 1946 - I'm a Big Girl Now - Sammy Kaye (1 week)
• 1963 - I Will Follow Him - Little Peggy March (1 week)
• 1991 - Baby Baby - Amy Grant (2 weeks)

Number Ones - U.S. Albums:

• 1974 - Chicago VII - Chicago (1 week)
• 1985 - We Are the World - U.S.A. for Africa (3 weeks)

Number Ones - U.K. Singles:

• 1967 - Puppet on a String - Sandie Shaw (3 weeks)
• 1968 - What a Wonderful World/Cabaret - Louis Armstrong (4 weeks)
• 1997 - Blood on the Dance Floor - Michael Jackson (1 week)

Number Ones - U.K. Albums:

• 1957 - This is Sinatra - Frank Sinatra (3 weeks, 3 previous weeks at number 1)
• 1979 - Very Best of - Leo Sayer (3 weeks)
• 2003 - American Life - Madonna (1 week)

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Music Almanac: April 26*

Birthdays:

• Francis Lai (80)
• Johnny Mosby (Johnny & Jonie Mosby) (79)
• Duane Eddy (74)
• Maurice Williams (Maurice Williams & the Zodiacs) (74)
• Giorgio Moroder (72)
• Bobby Rydell (70)
• Tony Murray (Troggs) (67)
• Gary Wright (Spooky Tooth) (67)
• Jimmy Hall (Wet Willie) (63)
• Nick Garvey (Motors) (61)
• Noel Davies (Selecter) (60)
• Roger Taylor (Duran Duran) (52)
• Chris Mars (Replacement) (51)

Deaths:

• 1974 - Vernon Tim Spencer (Sons of the Pioneers) (65)
• 1984 - Count Basie - Pancreatic cancer (79)
• 1997 - Ernest Stewart (K.C. & the Sunshine Band) - Asthma attack

On This Day:

• 1960 - The filming for Elvis Presley's movie G.I. Blues began.
• 1964 - The Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Gerry & the Pacemakers, Brian Poole & Cliff Richard appear at the NME poll-winner's concert.
• 1967 - The special Inside Pop: The Rock Revolution aired on CBS.
• 1967 - Mama Cass Elliott gave birth to daughter Owen Vanessa.
• 1977 - Studio 54 opened in New York.
• 1978 - Ringo Starr's version of The Prince and the Pauper, Ringo, aired in the U.S.
• 1980 - The Carpenters' special Music Music Music aired on ABC.
• 1982 - Rod Stewart has his Porsche carjacked on Hollywood Boulevard.
• 1984 - A new statue of the Beatles was unveiled at the Cavern Walks shopping center in Liverpool by Mike McCartney.
• 1988 - Mick Jagger won an acquittal in a lawsuit saying he had stolen the song Just Another Night from reggae singer Patrick Alley.
• 1990 - Danny Wood of New Kids on the Block injured his ankle when he tripped over a toy that had been thrown on stage during a show in Manchester, England.
• 1994 - Grace Slick plead guilty to pointing a gun at a police officer in her California home. She received a sentence of 200 hours of community service and four alcoholic anonymous meetings a week for three months.
• 2003 - David Lee Roth detained a man with a knife who had broken into his Southern California estate.

Recorded:

• 1941 - Walking the Floor Over You - Ernest Tubb 

Released:

• 1980 - Mirror in the Bathroom - The Beat (first digitally recorded single released in the U.K.)

Number Ones - U.S. Singles:

• 1975 - (Hey Won't You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song - B.J. Thomas (1 week)

Number Ones - U.S. Albums:

• 1958 - The Music Man - Original Cast (4 weeks)
• 1969 - Hair - Original Cast (13 weeks)
• 1986 - 5150 - Van Halen (3 weeks)

Number Ones - U.K. Singles:

• 1969 - Get Back - Beatles with Billy Preston (6 weeks)
• 1980 - Call Me - Blondie (1 week)

Number Ones - U.K. Albums:

• 1958 - The Duke Wore Jeans - Soundtrack (2 weeks)
• 1969 - Goodbye - Cream (1 week, 3 previous weeks at number 1)
• 1986 - Street Life: 20 Great Hits - Bryan Ferry & Roxy Music (5 weeks)
• 1997 - Ultra - Depeche Mode (1 week)

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Music Almanac: April 25*

Birthdays:

• Jerry Lieber (d. 2011)
• Chris Augustine (Every Mother's Son) (71)
• Tony Christie (69)
• Charlie Harper (U.K. Subs) (68)
• Björn Ulvaeus (ABBA) (67)
• Stu Cook (Creedence Clearwater Revival) (67)
• Mike Kogel (Los Bravos) (67)
• Ronnie Gilbert (Blues Magoos) (66)
• Michael Brown (Left Banke) (63)
• Steve Ferrone (Average White Band) (62)
• Derek Dick (aka Fish) (Marillion) (54)
• Andy Bell (Erasure) (48)
• Maya Gilder (Furniture) (48)

Deaths:

• 1974 - Pam Courson (companion of Jim Morrison who found his body in 1971) - Drug overdose (27)
• 1988 - Carolyn Franklin (sister of Aretha Franklin) - Breast cancer (43)
• 1999 - Roger Troutman (Zapp) - Shooting (47)
• 2007 - Bobby "Boris" Pickett - Leukemia (69)

On This Day:

• 1961 - Elvis Presley makes his last stage appearance until the comeback special in Hawaii.
• 1967 - The Beatles go back in the studio just a few days after completing Sgt. Pepper to record Magical Mystery Tour.  They also perform All You Need is Love on a global broadcast.
• 1970 - Members of Pacific Gas & Electric were shot at while leaving a club in Raleigh, NC.
• 1974 - Gregg Allman played the last night of a solo tour followed by a surprise 90-minute encore with the rest of the Allman Brothers.
• 1977 - The last recording of Elvis Presley was made during a show in Saginaw, MI.
• 1979 - The Ramones movie, Rock & Roll High School, premiered.
• 1979 - The Police made their debut on the BBC's Top of the Pops.
• 1980 - Hugh Cornwall of the Stranglers was released from prison after a six-week stint for drug possession.
• 1984 - Wings broke up.
• 1985 - Roger Miller's Broadway show, Big River, opens.
• 1988 - Doc McGee, manager of Bon Jovi, was convicted for his part in the smuggling of 40,000 pounds of marijuana into the U.S.
• 1994 - Adam Horovitz of the Beastie Boys was sentenced to 200 hours of community service for attacking a TV cameraman.
• 1994 - Michael Bolton loses in court in a case where his Love is a Wonderful Thing is determined to sound too much like the Isley Brothers song of the same name.
• 1997 - U2's Pop Mart tour started in Las Vegas.
• 1997 - Warren Haynes and Allen Woody quit the Allman Brothers to spend more time on Gov't Mule.
• 2000 - Eric Clapton and Bobby Whitlock are reunited for the first time in 29 years on the BBC's Live with Jools Holland.
• 2003 - Nina Simone was buried in Carry-Le-Rouet, France.
• 2003 - The parents of Jim Morrison sued Ray Manzarek, Robby Krieger and Ian Astbury for misappropriation of the Doors name and logo.
• 2004 - Ringo Starr had an operation for bone spurs in his shoulder.
• 2004 - Billy Joel drove his car into a house on Long Island.
• 2005 - Bruce Springsteen opened his Devils & Dust tour in Detroit, MI

Recorded:

• 1994 - Hell Freezes Over - Eagles

Number Ones - U.S. Singles:

• 1960 - Stuck on You - Elvis Presley (4 weeks)
• 1970 - ABC - Jackson 5 (2 weeks)

Number Ones - U.S. Albums:

• 1987 - The Joshua Tree - U2 (9 weeks)

Number Ones - U.K. Singles:

• 1958 - Whole Lotta Woman - Marvin Rainwater (3 weeks)
• 1987 - La Isla Bonita - Madonna (2 weeks)
• 1993 - Five Live - George Michael & Queen with Lisa Stansfield

Number Ones - U.K. Albums:

• 1999 - Gold: Greatest Hits - ABBA (2 weeks, 1 previous week at number 1)
• 2010 - Iron Man 2 - AC/DC (1 week)

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Music Almanac: April 24

Birthdays:

• 1916 - Eldon Shamblin (Bob Wills & the Texas Playboys) (d. 1998)
• 1933 - Freddie Scott (d. 2007)
• 1942 - Barbra Streisand (70)
• 1943 - Glen Dale (Fortunes) (69)
• 1943 - Richard Sterban (Oak Ridge Boys) (69)
• 1945 - Doug Clifford (Creedence Clearwater Revival) (67)
• 1945 - Robert Knight (67)
• 1947 - Hubert Ann Kelley (Hues Corporation) (65)
• 1950 - Rob Hyman (Hooters) (62)
• 1951 - Nigel Harrison (Blondie) (61)
• 1953 - Porter Carroll, Jr. (Atlantic Starr) (59)
• 1954 - Jack Blades (Night Ranger, Damn Yankees) (58)
• 1957 - David J. (born David Haskins) (Bauhaus) (55)
• 1957 - Boris Williams (Cure) (55)
• 1963 - Billy Gould (Faith No More) (49)
• 1964 - Paul Ryder (Happy Mondays) (48)
• 1967 - Patty Schemel (Hole) (45)
• 1967 - Shannon Larkin (Godsmack) (45)
• 1968 - Aaron Comess (Spin Doctors) (44)
• 1974 - Brian Marshall (Creed, Alter Bridge) (38)
• 1979 - Rebecca Lynn Howard (33)
• 1982 - Kelly Clarkson (30)
• 1984 - Tyson Ritter (All-American Rejects) (28)
• 1992 - Carly Grayson (Girl Authority) (20)

Deaths:

• 1975 - Pete Ham (Badfinger) - Suicide (27)
• 2001 - Al Hibbler (85)
• 2006 - Bonnie Owens - Alzheimer's Disease (76)

On This Day:

• 1959 - The radio program Your Hit Parade airs for the last time after being on the air 24 years.
• 1961 - Bob Dylan recorded a harmonica part for the Harry Belafonte album The Midnight Special.
• 1968 - Apple Records turned down a chance to sign David Bowie.
• 1968 - Keith Moon of the Who drove his Lincoln into a motel swimming pool.
• 1969 - Paul McCartney told the world that he wasn't dead.
• 1970 - Grace Slick and Abbie Hoffman went to a party at the White House where they planned on slipping Tricia Nixon LSD. They didn't go through with it.
• 1976 - Paul and Linda McCartney spent the evening at the home of John Lennon where they almost took a cab to 30 Rock to make a surprise appearance on Saturday Night Live. It was the last time they were together.
• 1977 - Talking Heads begin their first European tour, supporting the Ramones.
• 1977 - Joan Baez and Santana performed for the inmates at Soledad Prison.
• 1979 - Georgia On My Mind was made the state song of Georgia.
• 1984 - R.E.M. started their first full tour of the U.K.
• 1990 - The road crew for Roger Waters were in for a big surprise when they found an unexploded World War II bomb while building The Wall set in Potsdamer Platz, Germany.
• 1991 - Whitney Houston and her brother were accused of assaulting a man in a Lexington, KY hotel.
• 1992 - Wilson Pickett was arrested for running into a 86-year-old man with his car and yelling death threats.
• 1992 - Michael Jackson is sued by the Cleveland Orchestra for using a small part of their recording of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony on his Dangerous album.
• 1993 - Farm Aid VI was held in Ames, Iowa with Arlo Guthrie, The Jayhawks, Jann Arden, Lyle Lovett, Johnny Cash, Neil Young, Ricky Van Shelton, Willie Nelson, Kentucky Headhunters, Marty Stuart, Charlie Daniels Band, Martina McBride, Bruce Hornsby, Bryan Adams, Ringo Starr, Black 47, The Highwaymen and Dwight Yoakam.
• 1996 - Robert DeLeo of the Stone Temple Pilots announced that Scott Weiland was in drug rehab.
• 2002 - Jewel broke her collarbone and a rib when she was thrown from a horse.
• 2003 - Creed were sued by four fans who accused lead singer Scott Stapp of being so intoxicated at a 2002 show in Chicago that he couldn't remember the lyrics to the songs. 
• 2003 - The Dixie Chicks appeared nude on the cover of Entertainment Weekly.
• 2003 - Sinead O'Connor wrote on her website that she was retiring from music.
• 2004 - Suge Knight was released from prison after serving 10 months for breaking parole.

Marriages:

• 1963 - Brenda Lee and Ronnie Shack
• 1984 - Jerry Lee Lewis and Kerrie McCarver (his sixth marriage)
• 1992 - David Bowie and Iman

Recorded:

• 1981 - New Order started recording their first album.

Released:

• 1957 - Teenager's Romance - Ricky Nelson (debut single)
• 1958 - I Wonder Why - Dion & the Belmonts (debut single)
• 1959 - There Goes My Baby - Drifters (single, first rock record with a string section)
• 1972 - Woman is the Nigger of the World - John Lennon (single)
• 1974 - Diamond Dogs - David Bowie
• 1989 - Full Moon Fever - Tom Petty
• 1995 - Some Might Say - Oasis (single)
• 2001 - This is Where I Came In - Bee Gees
• 2001 - Set This Circus Down - Tim McGraw

Broadcast:

• 1992 - Elvis: The Great Performances (CBS)
• 2003 - Late Show with David Letterman (CBS) - White Stripes

Number Ones - U.S. Singles:

• 1961 - Runaway - Del Shannon (4 weeks)
• 1965 - Game of Love - Wayne Fontana & the Mindbenders (1 week)

Number Ones - U.S. Albums:

• 1976 - Wings at the Speed of Sound - Wings (1 week)

Number Ones - U.K. Singles:

• 1953 - I Believe - Frankie Laine (9 weeks)
• 1959 - It Doesn't Matter Anymore - Buddy Holly (3 weeks)
• 1982 - Ebony & Ivory - Paul McCartney & Stevie Wonder (3 weeks)

Number Ones - U.K. Albums:

• 1965 - The Rolling Stones No. 2 - Rolling Stones (1 week, 9 previous weeks at number 1)
• 1976 - Presence - Led Zeppelin (1 week)
• 1982 - 1+9+8+2 - Status Quo (1 week)
• 1993 - Automatic For the People - R.E.M. (1 week)

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Music Almanac: April 23

Taio Cruz

Birthdays:

• 1936 - Roy Orbison (d. 1988)
• 1939 - Ray Peterson (d. 2005)
• 1947 - Glenn Cornick (Jethro Tull) (65)
• 1949 - John Miles (63)
• 1952 - Narada Michael Walden (60)
• 1955 - Captain Sensible (born  Ray Burns) (Damned) (57)
• 1960 - Steve Clark (Def Leppard) (d. 1991)
• 1964 - Gen (born Simon Matthews) (Jesus Jones) (48)
• 1967 - Brent Muscat (Faster Pussycat, L.A. Guns) (45)
• 1968 - Stan Frazier (Suger Ray) (44)
• 1968 - Paul Clifford (Wonder Stuff) (44)
• 1974 - Carlos Dengler (Interpol) (38)
• 1975 - Jón Þór Birgisson (Sigur Rós) (37)
• 1979 - Barry Fratelli (Fratellis) (33)
• 1983 - Taio Cruz (29)

Deaths:

• 1986 - Harold Arlen (81)
• 1991 - Johnny Thunders (New York Dolls) - Drug overdose (38)
• 1995 - Lonesome Sundown (born Cornelius Green) (66)
• 2006 - Phil Walden (founder of Capricorn Records) - Lung cancer (66)
• 2011 - Tom King (Outsiders) - Congestive heart failure (68)
• 2011 - Norio Ohga (president of Sony who initiated development of the CD) (81)

On This Day:

• 1956 - Elvis Presley made his Las Vegas debut at the Frontier Hotel.
• 1963 - The Beatles and the Rolling Stones met for the first time. 
• 1965 - The Rolling Stones started their third North American Tour in Montreal.
• 1969 - The Ash Grove in Los Angeles burned to the ground.
• 1976 - Bob Marley & the Wailers opened their Rastaman Vibration North American and European Tour in Upper Darby, PA.
• 1977 - Adam and the Ants made their first live appearance at the Roxy Club in London.
• 1978 - Sid Vicious filmed his version of My Way for the Sex Pistols' film The Great Rock n Roll Swindle.
• 1981 - Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins performed together in West Germany, eventually becoming the album The Survivors.
• 1983 - U2 started their War North American tour in Chapel Hill, NC.
• 1987 - Carole King sued Lou Adler, claiming he owed her $400,000 in royalties. She also wanted ownership of her recordings.
• 1988 - Whitney Houston passed both the Beatles and the Bee Gees with her seventh straight chart topper, Where Do Broken Hearts Go?
• 1992 - George Michael announced he would donate $500,000 to charity from the single Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me.
• 1995 - A Liverpool native, John Hodgson, found a tape in the attic with twelve Beatles recordings from 1959.
• 1997 - The Four Tops received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
• 1999 - At the Volunteer Jam '99 concert, Charlie Daniels is joined by Garth Brooks, Billy Ray Cyrus, Rhett Akins, Lee Roy Parnell and Johnny Neel.
• 2000 - Johnny Cash was given the Living Legend Award by the Library of Congress.
• 2003 - Bruce Springsteen defended the Dixie Chicks after the backlash from singer Natalie Maines statement about President George Bush.
• 2004 - Green Day is forced to release an official statement to counter rumors that Billie Joe Armstrong had died. 
• 2006 - Take That, who had recently reformed, opened their U.K. tour in Newcastle Upon Tyne.
• 2008 - Richie Sambora of Bon Jovi was sentenced to three years probation for driving under the influence.
• 2008 - Amy Winehouse went out on one of her infamous drug and drinking binges in London with the evening including headbutting two men.
• 2010 - Bret Michaels was admitted to the hospital in critical condition with a brain hemorrhage.

Recorded:

• 1963 - Surf City - Jan & Dean

Marriages:

• 2006 - Joe Don Rooney (Rascal Flatts) and Tiffany Fallon

Released:

• 1954 - Work With Me Annie - Royals (renamed Hank Ballard & the Midnighters)
• 1971 - Sticky Fingers - Rolling Stones
• 1976 - The Ramones - The Ramones (debut album)
• 1985 - We Are the World - Various Artists (album)
• 1988 - Alphabet Street - Prince (single)

Broadcast:

• 1979 - Kenny Everett Video Show (BBC) - David Bowie
• 1989 - The Henderson Kids (U.K.) - Kylie Minogue (first time on British TV)
• 2003 - The Twilight Zone (UPN) - Jessica Simpson

Number Ones - U.S. Singles:

• 1977 - Don't Leave Me This Way - Thelma Houston (1 week)
• 1983 - Come On Eileen - Dexy's Midnight Runners (1 week)
• 1988 - Where Do Broken Hearts Go - Whitney Houston (2 weeks) (Her 7th straight number 1, setting a chart record)

Number Ones - U.S. Albums:

• 1994 - The Division Bell - Pink Floyd (4 weeks)

Number Ones - U.K. Singles:

• 1954 - I See the Moon - Stargazers (1 week)
• 1964 - A World Without Love - Peter & Gordon (2 weeks)

Number Ones - U.K. Albums:

• 1983 - Let's Dance - David Bowie (3 weeks)
• 1988 - Seventh Son of a Seventh Son - Iron Maiden (1 week)

Read more...

Music Almanac: April 20

Johnny Tillotson

Birthdays:

• 1908 - Lionel Hampton (d. 2002)
• 1923 - Tito Puente (d. 2000)
• 1938 - Johnny Tillotson (73)
• 1944 - Doyle Lawson (68)
• 1945 - Jimmy Winston (Small Faces) (67)
• 1947 - Björn Skifs (Blue Suede) (65)
• 1948 - Craig Frost (Grand Funk Railroad, Bob Seger's Silver Bullet Band) (64)
• 1951 - Luther Vandross (d. 2005)
• 1967 - Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater) (45)
• 1969 - Wade Hayes (43)
• 1971 - Mikey Welsh (Weezer) (d. 2011)
• 1972 - Stephen Marley (40)
• 1974 - Tina Cousins (38)

Deaths:

• 1969 - Benny Benjamin (Funk Brothers) - Stroke (43)
• 1984 - Mabel Mercer (84)
• 1991 - Steve Marriott (Small Faces, Humble Pie) - Fire (44)
• 1992 - Johnny Shines (76)
• 2002 - Alan Dale (76)

On This Day:

• 1964 - Elvis Presley's movie Viva Las Vegas premiered.
• 1968 - Deep Purple made their live debut in Tastrup, Denmark
• 1968 - Apple Music ran ads looking for new artists.
• 1979 - Billy Duffy, a lighting director for Kate Bush, died when he fell 20-feet through a trap door on the stage.
• 1980 - George Burns became the oldest person to have a Hot 100 hit when I Wish I Was Eighteen Again charted. He was 84.
• 1981 - John Phillips of the Mamas and the Papas was jailed for five years on drug possession charges. He only served 30 days.
• 1987 - A Callaway, FL record store was closed and a clerk arrested when he sold the album 2 Live is What We Are by 2 Live Crew to a 14-year-old boy. The album had been deemed pornographic.
• 1990 - Janet Jackson received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
• 1992 - The Freddie Mercury tribute concert, A Concert for Life, was held at Wembley Stadium in London.  The lineup included Elton John, Roger Daltrey, Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath), David Bowie, Mick Ronson, James Hetfield, George Michael, Seal, Paul Young, Annie Lennox, Lisa Stansfield, Robert Plant, Joe Elliott and Phil Collen, Axl Rose and Slash.
• 1994 - Barbra Streisand began her first tour in 28 years in London.
• 1996 - Tickets went on sale for the first KISS tour in 15 years where all four original members would participate in full costume.
• 1999 - The Rolling Stones play the final date in their No Security tour.
• 1999 - The Los Angeles police announce that Marion "Suge" Knight was a suspect in the death of the Notorious B.I.G.
• 2001 - A memorial concert was held for Steve Marriott in London. Acts included Peter Frampton, Midge Ure, Chris Farlowe and Humble Pie.
• 2006 - Pete Doherty was arrested for suspected drug possession (again). 

Marriages:

• 1963 - Rick Nelson and Kris Harmon
• 1991 - John Fogerty and Julie Lebiedzinksi

Broadcast:

• 1985 - Grand Ole Opry (TNN) - Debut on the Nashville Network

Recorded:

• 1966 - And Your Bird Can Sing & Taxman - Beatles

Released:

• 1959 - Puppy Love - Dolly Parton (single recorded at age 11, released at 13)
• 1993 - Get a Grip - Aerosmith
• 1993 - Shania Twain - Shania Twain (debut album)
• 1999 - Adios - KMFDM

Number Ones - U.S. Singles:

• 1974 - TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia) - MFSB (2 weeks)

Number Ones - U.S. Albums:

• 1963 - West Side Story - Soundtrack (2 weeks)
• 1974 - Greatest Hits - John Denver (1 week, 2 weeks previously at number 1)

Number Ones - U.K. Singles:

• 1985 - We Are the World - U.S.A. for Africa (2 weeks)
• 2008 - 4 Minutes - Madonna Featuring Justin Timberlake (4 weeks)

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Music Almanac: April 19

Mark Volman

Birthdays:

• 1928 - Alexis Korner (d. 1984)
• 1929 - Don Barbour (Four Freshman) (d. )
• 1934 - Dickie Goodman (d. 1989)
• 1936 - Ruby Johnson (d. 1999)
• 1940 - Genya Ravan (Ten Wheel Drive) (72)
• 1940 - Bobby Russell (d. 1992)
• 1942 - Alan Price (Animals) (70)
• 1943 - Mike Kelly (Duprees) (69)
• 1943 - Eve Graham (New Seekers) (69)
• 1944 - Bernie Worrell (Parliament-Funkadelic) (68)
• 1947 - Mark Volman (Turtles) (65)
• 1953 - Rod Morgenstein (Winger) (59)
• 1955 - Andy Shernoff (Dictators) (57)
• 1957 - Belinda Lipscomb (Midnight Star) (55)
• 1967 - Dar Williams (45)
• 1970 - Luis Miguel (42)

Deaths:

• 1993 - Steve Douglas (born Steven Kreisman) (saxophonist with Phil Spector's Wall of Sound) - Heart failure (55)
• 1994 - Larry Davis - Cancer (57)
• 1997 - El Duce (born Eldon Hoke) (Mentors) - Accidentally hit by train (39)
• 2003 - Cholly Atkins (choreographer for Motown) - Cancer (89)
• 2010 - Guru (born Keith Elam) (Gang Star) - Cancer (48)

On This Day:

• 1956 - Clyde McPhatter is released from the military.
• 1960 - Because of his recent near-airplane crash, Elvis Presley decides to take a train from Memphis to Los Angeles to film G.I. Blues.
• 1965 - The film The T.A.M.I. Show opened in London under the name Teenage Command Performance. Included were performances by The Rolling Stones, Supremes, Four Tops, James Brown, The Beach Boys and Smokey Robinson & The Miracles.
• 1979 - David Lee Roth collapsed from exhaustion at a Spokane, WA Van Halen show.
• 1980 - Brian Johnson replaced Bon Scott in AC/DC.
• 1980 - For the first time, the top five on the U.S. country singles chart were all by female vocalists (Crystal Gayle, Dottie West, Debbie Boone, Emmylou Harris, Tammy Wynette)
• 1980 - R.E.M. played their first show under the name R.E.M.
• 1988 - Sonny Bono was sworn in as mayor of Palm Springs, CA.
• 1990 - ABC aired the film Summer Dreams: The Story of the Beach Boys.
• 1995 - The Stone Roses played their first show in five years in Oslo, Norway.
• 2001 - David Lee Roth said that he had briefly reunited with Van Halen the previous July and wrote some new material.
• 2002 - The body of Layne Staley of Alice in Chains was found. He had been missing for two weeks.
• 2002 - Police investigated the theft of tracks for Oasis' upcoming album, Heathen Chemistry.
• 2004 - Billy Corgan played his first solo acoustic show in Chicago, IL. 

Released:

• 1978 - Because the Night - Patti Smith (single)
• 1991 - Time, Love & Tenderness - Michael Bolton

Broadcast:

• 1990 -  Summer Dreams: The Story of the Beach Boys (ABC)
• 1990 - French & Saunders (BBC) - Mark Knopfler, David Gilmour, Lemmy, Mark King, Gary Moore
• 2006 - The McCartneys vs. the Fur Trade (BBC)

Number Ones - U.S. Singles:

• 1980 - Call Me - Blondie (6 weeks)
• 1986 - Kiss - Prince & the Revolution (2 weeks)

Number Ones - U.S. Albums:

• 2008 - Troubadour - George Strait (1 week)

Number Ones - U.K. Singles:

• 1969 - Israelites - Desmond Dekker & the Aces (1 week)
• 1986 - A Different Corner - George Michael (3 weeks)

Number Ones - U.K. Albums:

• 1969 - Best of the Seekers - Seekers (1 week, 4 previous weeks at number 1)
• 1975 - Best of the Stylistics - Stylistics (2 weeks)
• 1980 - Greatest Hits - Rose Royce (2 weeks)

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Music Almanac: April 18

Hayley Mills

Birthdays:

• 1918 - Tony Mottola (d. 2004)
• 1924 - Clarence Gatemouth Brown (d. 2005)
• 1935 - Paul Rothchild (producer) (d. 1995)
• 1939 - Glen Hardin (Crickets) (73)
• 1940 - Mike Vickers (Manfred Mann) (72)
• 1946 - Hayley Mills (66)
• 1946 - Harvey Kagan (Sir Douglas Quintet) (66)
• 1946 - Skip Spence (Moby Grape) (d. 1999)
• 1947 - Walt Richmond (Tractors) (65)
• 1949 - Kyle Lehning (country producer) (63)
• 1950 - Bill Sudderth III (Atlantic Starr) (62)
• 1952 - Jim Scholten (Sawyer Brown) (60)
• 1954 - Kim Stone (Spyro Gyra, Rippingtons) (58)
• 1958 - Andy Kyriacou (Modern Romance) (54)
• 1958 - Les Pattinson (Echo & the Bunnymen) (54)
• 1961 - Kelly Hansen (Hurricane, Foreigner) (51)
• 1962 - Shirley Holliman (Wham!, Pepsi & Shirley) (50)
• 1964 - Jim Ellison (Material Issue) (48)
• 1964 - Mark "Bez" Berry (Happy Mondays, Black Grape) (48)
• 1970 - Greg Eklund (Everclear) (42)
• 1974 - Mark Tremonti (Creed, Alter Bridge) (38)

Deaths:

• 1936 - Milton Brown (Father of Western Swing) - Car accident (32)
• 1996 - Bernard Edwards (Chic) - Pneumonia (43)

On This Day:

• 1973 - The Neil Young documentary Journey Through the Past debuted at the Dallas Film Festival.
• 1975 - A total of 39 people were treated, including four at a hospital, after they attempted to swim across a lake to meet the Bay City Rollers.
• 1981 - Yes announced they were breaking up.
• 1984 - Michael Jackson had surgery to repair the damage done when his hair caught fire while shooting a Pepsi commercial.
• 1985 - Wham! became the first western artist to have an album released in China.
• 1995 - Tony McCarrol, drummer for Oasis, was told he was fired from the group via a phone call.
• 1998 - Diamond Rio was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry.
• 2003 - Etta James received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
• 2003 - DJ Paul Oakenfold bucked the trend of canceling appearances in China and Hong Kong over the SARS threat when he plays a show in Shanghai. 
• 2004 - Travis Barker of Blink-182 opened the first of his chain of fish taco restaurants.
• 2005 - Reebok was forced to pull an ad from U.K. television that included rapper 50 cent after complaints were received that it glamorized gun crimes.

Marriages:

• 1946 - Earl Scruggs and Louise Certain
• 1969 - Maurice Gibb (Bee Gees) and Lulu

Recorded:

• 1939 - Back in the Saddle Again - Gene Autrey
• 1956 - St. Theresa of the Roses + 6 other sides - Jackie Wilson & the Dominoes (first recording session)

Released:

• 1981 - This Little Girl - Gary U.S. Bonds (single)
• 1988 - Reba - Reba McEntire
• 1989 - Twice Shy - Great White

Broadcast:

• 1964 - Morecambe & Wise (U.K.) - Beatles
• 1971 - Diana - Diana Ross, Jackson 5, Danny Thomas, Bill Cosby
• 1975 -  Welcome To My Nightmare: The Making Of A Record Album - Alice Cooper 

Number Ones - U.S. Singles:

• 1987 - I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me) - Aretha Franklin & George Michael (2 weeks)

Number Ones - U.S. Albums:

• 1981 - Hi Infidelity - REO Speedwagon (3 weeks, 6 previous weeks at number 1)
• 1992 - Adrenalize - Def Leppard (5 weeks)

Number Ones - U.K. Singles:

• 1970 - All Kinds of Everything - Dana (2 weeks)
• 1981 - Making Your Mind Up - Bucks Fizz (3 weeks)

Number Ones - U.K. Albums:

• 1992 - Diva - Annie Lennox (1 week)
• 2004 - Greatest Hits - Guns N' Roses (2 weeks)

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Music Almanac: April 17

Pete Shelley of the Buzzcocks

Birthdays:

• 1929 - James Last (83)
• 1929 - Don Winters (d. 2002)
• 1930 - Chris Barber (82)
• 1931 - David Axelrod (composer, arranger, producer) (81)
• 1934 - Don Kirshner (d. 2011)
• 1936 - Pete Graves (Moonglows) (d. )
• 1940 - Billy Fury (d. 1983)
• 1943 - Roy Estrada (Little Feat, Frank Zappa) (69)
• 1948 - Jan Hammer (64)
• 1954 - Michael Sembello (58)
• 1955 - Pete Shelley (Buzzcocks) (57)
• 1959 - Stephen Singleton (ABC) (53)
• 1964 - Maynard James Keenan (Tool) (48)
• 1967 - Liz Phair (45)
• 1967 - Matt Chamberlain (session drummer, producer, engineer) (45)
• 1970 - Redman (born Reginald Noble) (42)
• 1974 - Victoria Beckham (born Victoria Adams) (Spice Girls) (38)

Deaths:

• 1960 - Eddie Cochran - Car accident (21)
• 1974 - Vinnie Taylor (Sha-Na-Na) - Drug Overdose (25)
• 1983 - Felix Pappalardi (Mountain) - Shot by wife (43)
• 1987 - Carlton Barrett (Wailers) - Shot (36)
• 1992 - Hank Penny - Heart failure (73)
• 1998 - Linda McCartney (born Linda Eastman) - Cancer (56)
• 2002 - James Al Hendrix (father of Jimi Hendrix) - Congestive Heart Failure (82)
• 2003 - Earl King - Diabetes related complications (69)
• 2008 - Danny Federici (E-Street Band) - Cancer (50)

On This Day:

• 1954 - The Diablos signed with Detroit's Fortune Records. They later changed their name to the Miracles and signed with Motown.
• 1964 - The FBI Lab reported they couldn't discern the lyrics in Louie Louie.
• 1964 - Them (with Van Morrison) made their first live performance in Belfast, Ireland.
• 1969 - The Band played their first show as an independent group.
• 1970 - Johnny Cash played at the White House for President Nixon.
• 1973 - Tito and John Jackson were arrested for buying stolen electronics.
• 1975 - Elvis Presley bought a used Convair 880 jet and christened it the Lisa Marie.
• 1986 - Stevie Ray Vaughan cancelled his European tour after he became concerned about reprisals for the American bombing in Libya.
• 1995 - R.E.M. announces the resumption of their Monster tour after the successful surgery on Bill Berry for a brain aneurysm. 
• 2001 - Country singer Johnny Russell had both legs amputated due to complications from diabetes.
• 2001 - A private funeral was held for Joey Ramone.
• 2002 - Tammy Wynette's four daughters reached a confidential settlement with Tammy's doctor over her death.
• 2003 - Tommy Lee is cleared in the death of a four-year-old at his son's birthday party.
• 2007 - Bryan Ferry apologized after praising Nazi iconography in a German magazine.
• 2009 - Morrissey walked off of his show at the Coachella Festival, taking offense to the smell of nearby barbecues.

Marriages:

• 1993 - Susanna Hoffs (Bangles) and M. Jay Roach

Released:

• 1965 - Help Me Rhonda - Beach Boys (single)
• 1973 - Desperado - Eagles

Number Ones - U.S. Singles:

• 1971 - Joy to the World - Three Dog Night (6 weeks)

Number Ones - U.S. Albums:

• 1976 - Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975) - Eagles (1 weeks, 4 previous weeks at number 1)
• 1982 - Chariots of Fire - Vangelis/Soundtrack (4 weeks)
• 1993 - The Bodyguard - Whitney Houston/Soundtrack (3 weeks, 14 previous weeks at number 1)

Number Ones - U.K. Singles:

• 1953 - (How Much is) That Doggie in the Window - Lita Roza (1 week)
• 1982 - My Camera Never Lies - Bucks Fizz (1 week)
• 1994 - The Most Beautiful Girl in the World - Prince (2 weeks)

Number Ones - U.K. Albums:

• 1965 - The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan - Bob Dylan (1 week)
• 1971 - Motown Chartbusters Volume 5 - Various Artists (3 weeks)
• 1993 - Black Tie White Noise - Bob Dylan (1 week)

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