April 24

Births

1928: Johnny Griffin (Jazz Saxophonist)

1942: Barbra Streisand (Singer)

1943: Richard Sterban (Bass Singer in The Oak Ridge Boys)

1945: Doug Clifford (Drums in Creedence Clearwater Revival)

1951: Nigel Harrison (Bass for Blondie)

1954: Jack Blades (Bass for Night Ranger & Damn Yankees)

1957: David J (Bass for Bauhaus & Love & Rockets)

1957: Boris Williams (Drums for The Cure)

1963: Billy Gould (Bass for Faith No More)

1963: Joey Vera (Bass for Armored Saint, Fates Warning & Anthrax)

1967: Patty Schemel (Drums for Hole)

1974: Brian Marshall (Bass for Creed)

1982: Kelly Clarkson (Pop Singer)

Events

1954: Keeping an eye on the new trends, an article in this week's Billboard is entitled "Teenagers Demand Music With A Beat - Spur Rhythm And Blues."

1959: After running on Saturday nights on radio for 24 years and TV for the last nine, the final installment of the musical countdown show Your Hit Parade airs on NBC. The final Top Five: Elvis Presley, "I Need Your Love Tonight" (#5), Brook Benton, "It's Just A Matter Of Time" (#4), Ricky Nelson, "Never Be Anyone Else But You" (#3), Dodie Stevens, "Pink Shoe Laces" (#2), and the Fleetwoods at #1 with "Come Softly To Me."

1961: Bob Dylan makes his first recording -- playing harmonica on Harry Belafonte's song "Calypso King." He's paid fifty dollars.

1963: An 18-year-old Brenda Lee marries Ronnie Shacklett, one year her senior, in Nashville a mere six months after meeting him at a Jackie Wilson concert. 49 years later, the two are still together.

1968: The newly-formed Apple Records decides not to sign a young talent named David Bowie.

1969: Paul McCartney says their is no truth to rumors he is dead.

1970: Having been invited to a White House dinner by Tricia Nixon, daughter of US President Richard Nixon, the Jefferson Airplane's Grace Slick brings radical Abbie Hoffman with her, in an attempt to secretly dose Tricia with LSD during the meal. Hoffman is turned away at the door by Secret Service agents, causing Slick to leave as well.

1974: Pamela Courson the long-term companion of the late Jim Morrison died of a drugs overdose. It was Courson who found the Doors singer dead on July 3, 1971 in the bathtub of their apartment in Paris, France.

1975: Pete Ham (Guitar for Badfinger) hanged himself in the garage of his Surrey home, three days before his 28th birthday. At the time of his death his Blood alcohol content was estimated to have been 0.27%.

1976: In a parody of recent public offers, Saturday Night Live producer Lorne Michaels goes on air and offers the Beatles the whopping sum of $3,000 if they agree to reunite on the hits NBC-TV show. And it almost happens: Paul, visiting John in his New York apartment for what would turn out to be the last time, is watching the skit with John, and both consider going across town to the studio live. However, the duo decide they're too tired.

1977: Elvis Presley made the last recordings of his life during a concert at the Saginaw, Michigan Civic Centre. Three songs from the show appeared on the posthumously released Presley album, 'Moody Blue'.

1977: Talking Heads began its first European tour, supporting the Ramones.

1979: The Police made their debut on BBC TV's 'Top Of The Pops' performing 'Roxanne'.

1979: Governor George Busbee of Georgia issues a proclamation declaring Hoagy Carmichael's "Georgia On My Mind" the new official state song. Ray Charles sings his famous version at the ceremony.

1981: New Order started work on their first album at Strawberry studios in Stockport, England.

1982: Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Ebony And Ivory.' This was McCartney's 24th No.1 hit single as a songwriter. The title was inspired by McCartney hearing Spike Milligan say "black notes, white notes, and you need to play the two to make harmony folks!". It was later named as the tenth worst song of all time by Blender magazine and in 2007 was named the worst duet in history by BBC 6 Music listeners.

1984: With questions still lingering about the death of his fifth wife, Shawn Stephens, Jerry Lee Lewis marries his sixth, Kerrie McCarver, the 22-year-old president of his fan club.

1988: Bon Jovi's manager Doc Mcgee was convicted on drug offences arising from the 1982 seizure of 40,000lb of marijuana smuggled into north Carolina from Colombia. McGee was sentenced to a five year suspended prison term and a $15,000 fine.

1990: The Fender Stratocaster that Jimi Hendrix played at the Woodstock festival was auctioned off for a record $295,000.

1990: The road crew for Roger Waters discovered an unexploded World War II era bomb while constructing the set for "The Wall" concert in Potsdamer Platz, Germany.

1992: The Cleveland Orchestra sues Michael Jackson for $7 million after it discovers the singer used part of their recording of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony on his hit album Dangerous.

1992: Kris Kross started an eight week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Jump'. The duo of Chris Smith and Chris Kelly were 12 and 13 when they recorded the song.

1992: David Bowie marries his second wife, model Iman, in Switzerland.

1992: In his hometown of Inglewood, NJ, Wilson Pickett drives his car through the mayor's front yard, yelling death threats at the house and accidentally running over an 86-year-old man. He is later arrested and found with open containers of alcohol in his car.

1994: Adam Horovitz of the Beastie Boys was sentenced to 200 hours of community service for attacking a TV cameraman during the memorial services for actor River Phoenix the previous November.

1996: It was announced that Scott Weiland (Stone Temple Pilots) was in a drug rehab and could not perform causing the cancellation of several shows.

2002: Jewel was thrown from a horse and suffered a broken collarbone and a rib.

2004: Marion "Suge" Knight, the founder of Death Row records was released from Mule Creek State Prison in California after serving 10 months for breaking his parole on a 1997 assault. Knight was sent back to prison on 4 August for a second parole violation after he punched a parking attendant outside a Hollywood night-club in 2003.

2007: US President George W. Bush is denied a luxury suite at the Imperial Hotel in Vienna when Mick Jagger, in town with the Stones on a tour, books it first.

2007: American singer Bobby "Boris" Pickett died of leukemia at the age of 69. Scored the Halloween anthem ‘The Monster Mash’ in 1962. The song had been banned by The BBC in the UK, deemed offensive and wasn’t a hit until 1973. It was a spoof on the dance crazes popular at the time, including the Twist and the Mashed Potato.

2007: Sheryl Crow said a ban on using too much toilet paper should be introduced to help the environment. The singer suggested using "only one square per restroom visit, except, of course, on those pesky occasions where two to three could be required". Crowe made the comments on her website after touring the US on a biodiesel-powered bus to raise awareness about climate change. Crow had also designed a clothing line with what she called a "dining sleeve". The sleeve is detachable and can be replaced with another "dining sleeve" after the diner has used it to wipe his or her mouth.

2009: A man suing rapper Snoop Dogg told a court he received a ‘brutal’ beating from the star's security. Richard Monroe Jr also claimed that the rapper hit him with a microphone after he climb on stage. Mr. Monroe was asking for $22m in damages from the rapper and others. Jurors were told that as the performer started his hit ‘Gin and Juice’, at the White River Amphitheatre in Seattle, Mr. Monroe thought there was an open invitation to go up on stage and party.

2011: Hazel Dickens, a folk singer and bluegrass musician who advocated for coal miners, Die from complications from Pneumonia.