Births
1920 Bert Weedon, (1959 UK No.10 single 'Guitar Boogie Shuffle'. Published the 'Play In A Day' guitar tutor. Worked with Tommy Steele, Cliff Richard, Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett.
1935 Larry Williams, US singer, The Beatles and The Jam covered his songs. (1957 US No.5 & UK No. 21 single 'Short Fat Mannie'). Williams died from gunshot wounds on 2nd January 1980 aged 45.
1938 Henry Fambrough, vocals, Detroit Spinners, (1980 UK No.1 & US No.2 single 'Working My Way Back To You').
1941 Danny Rapp, Danny and the Juniors, (1958 US No.1 & UK No.3 single 'At The Hop'). Rapp shot himself dead on 5th April 1983.
1944 Jackie Lomax, UK singer, first act to be signed to The Beatles Apple Records. George Harrison wrote his single 'Sour Milk Sea'.
1946 Donovan, UK singer, songwriter, (1966 US No.1 & 1967 UK No.2 single 'Sunshine Superman').
1946 Graham Gouldman, UK singer, songwriter, guitarist, High Spots, The Crevattes, 10CC, (1975 UK No.1 & US No.2 single 'I'm Not In Love', plus 10 other UK Top 30 hits including 2 No.1's), Wax, (1987 UK No.12 single 'Bridge To Your Heart'). Wrote hits for Herman's Hermits, The Hollies & The Yardbirds.
1947 Dave Mason, guitar, Traffic, (1967 UK No.2 single 'Hole In My Shoe'), Solo, (1977 US No.12 single 'We Just Disagree'). Worked with Eric Clapton, Delaney and Bonnie, George Harrison.
1947 Vic Elmes, Christie, (1969 UK No.2 single 'I'm Gonna Make You Mine').
1947 Jay Ferguson, Spirit, 1969 US No.25 single 'I Got A Line On You'), Jo Jo Gunne, (1972 UK No.6 & US No. 27 single 'Run Run Run').
1952 Lee Brilleaux, Dr Feelgood, vocals, harmonica, (1979 UK No.9 single 'Milk And Alcohol'). He died of cancer on 7th April 1994.
1952 Sly Dunbar, session drummer, as Sly and Robbie worked with Peter Tosh, Robert Palmer, Jimmy Cliff, Grace Jones, Joe Cocker, (1987 UK No.12 single 'Boops Here To Go').
1957 John Ritchie (Sid Vicious), bass, vocals, *** Pistols, 1977 UK No.2 single 'God Save The Queen', and 1977 UK No.1 album 'Nevermind The Bollocks, Here's The *** Pistols'). Vicious died of a heroin overdose on 2nd February 1979.
1957 Karl Hyde, vocals, guitar, Underworld, (1996 UK No.2 single 'Born Slippy').
1960 Paul Hewson, (Bono), vocals, guitar, U2, (1984 UK No.3 single 'Pride, In The Name Of Love' plus over 25 other UK Top singles, 1987 UK and worldwide No.1 album 'The Joshua Tree' spent 156 weeks on the UK chart. Scored five consecutive US No.1 albums from 1987.)
1967 Young MC, (Marvin Young), 1989 US No.7 single 'Bust A Move'.
1968 Richard Patrick, guitarist, Filter, Army of Anyone, also worked with Nine Inch Nails.
1985 Ashley Poole, Dream, (2001 US No.3 & UK No.17 single, 'He Loves You Not').
Deaths
1999 Country singer, songwriter Shel Silverstein died of a heart attack aged 57. Wrote, 'A Boy Named Sue' for Johnny Cash and 'Sylvia's Mother' for Dr Hook.
Events
1963 The Rolling Stones recorded the Chuck Berry song 'Come On', at Olympic Studios, London, Decca Records reject the recordings as 'dreadful.'
1964 Bob Dylan arrived in Britain for his first UK tour.
1964 Dusty Springfield made her U.S. television debut on the "Ed Sullivan Show."
1965 The Rolling Stones produced their very first recordings when they recorded "Come On" and "I Wanna Be Loved" from the album "Out of Our Heads."
1967 Mick Jagger and Keith Richards appeared at Chichester Crown Court, Sussex, charged with being in possession of drugs, they elect to go to trial pleading not guilty and were granted ?1,000 bail.
1967 This week's UK Top 5 singles: No.5, Lulu, 'The Boat That I Row', No.4, The Tremeloes, 'Silence Is Golden', No.3, Frank and Nancy Sinatra, 'Somethin' Stupid', No.2, Mamas and the Papas, 'Dedicated To The One I Love', and No.1, Sandie Shaw, 'Puppet On A Sting.'
1968 Jim Morrison (Doors) incited a riot during a Chicago concert.
1969 Led Zeppelin made their first appearance on the UK album chart when the bands debut album charted at No.6, going on to spend 71 weeks on the UK chart. It entered the US chart the following week at No.10. Now considered one of the most important debuts in rock, creating an entirely new interpretation of the rock and roll genre because of the groundbreaking music and recording techniques. The album was recorded in 36 hours.
1969 The Turtles and the Temptations played the White House upon the request of Tricia Nixon. Mark Volman fell off the stage 5 times.
1969 Frank Sinatra's version of 'My Way' made the British top ten for the first time, over the next 3 years it re-entered the top 50 singles chart eight times.
1969 The Moody Blues started a two week run at No.1 on the UK album chart with 'On The Threshold Of A Dream' (their first No.1 album)
1969 Appearing at an open air Festival at Nottingham County Football ground, The Tremeloes, The Move, Georgie Fame, Jethro Tull, Status Quo and Marmalade.
1972 Slade started their first major headlining tour in Bradford, supported by Status Quo.
1974 The Who sold out Madison Square Gardens, New York for four nights selling 80,000 tickets.
1974 Eric Clapton recorded "I Shot the Sheriff."
1975 Stevie Wonder and his band Wonderlove played for 125,000 people at the Washington Monument as part of Human Kindness Day.
1975 Apple Records was dissolved.
1976 The Rolling Stones kicked off a 12-date UK tour at the Apollo Theatre, Glasgow.
1977 Adam And The Ants made their live debut when they played at the ICA, London.
1983 Metallica began recording the album "Kill 'Em All" in New York. They finished on May 27, 1983.
1985 All Girl group The Go-Go's announced they were breaking up. Ex members went on to enjoy solo success, the band reformed in the late 90's.
1986 Falco was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Rock Me Amadeus.'
1986 The Pet Shop Boys went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'West End Girls', the duo's first US No.1, also a No.1 in the UK.
1986 Tommy Lee (Motley Crue) and Heather Locklear were married.
1991 Bushwick Bill (Geto Boys) lost his right eye after being shot by his girlfriend.
1994 Tupac Shakur began serving a 15-day county jail term for attacking director Allen Hughes on a video set.
1997 Barbara Mandrell launched her "Country Sentiments" line of jewelry on the QVC cable TV channel.
1997 Former Take That singer Gary Barlow scored his 2nd UK No.1 solo single with 'Love Won't Wait.'
1997 The Hillsborough Benefit gig took place at Liverpool's Anfield Stadium with The Beautiful South, Manic Street Preachers, Dodgy, Space, Stereophonics and The Lightning Seeds.
1999 Marti Pellow announced that he had quit Wet Wet Wet and had signed a solo deal with Sir Elton John's former manager John Reid.
1999 Marti Pellow announced that he had quit Wet Wet Wet and had signed a solo deal with Sir Elton John's former manager John Reid.
2000 Bobby Brown was arrested at Newark airport, New Jersey for breaking his probation order. He had been wanted in Florida since 1999 when his probation officer reported that a urine test proved positive for cocaine use.
2003 Steven Tyler (Aerosmith) was given an honorary doctorate degree in music by the Berklee College of Music.
2005 Seal married German supermodel Heidi Klum in a low-key ceremony on a beach in Mexico near the singer's home on the luxurious Costa Careyes.
2007 US hip-hop artist Akon apologised after footage of him dancing provocatively on stage with a teenage girl was posted on the internet. It led to telecommunications company Verizon pulling out as a sponsor of his US tour with Gwen Stefani. The incident took place on 12 April in Trinidad, where Akon was performing at a nightclub. It was later reported that the girl was just 14. In a statement Akon said he didn't know the girl was underage. He said: "I want to sincerely apologise for the embarrassment and any pain I've caused to the young woman who joined me on stage, her family and the Trinidad community for the events at my concert.”
