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)