Music Almanac: April 17
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| Pete Shelley of the Buzzcocks |
- 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)
- 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)
- 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)
- 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)
