April 9

Births

1926: Hugh Hefner

1932: Carl Perkins (Singer & Guitarist)

1953: Hal Ketchum (Country Artist)

1961: Mark Kelly (Keyboards for Marillion)

1969: Kevin Martin (Singer for Candlebox)

1977: Gerard Way (Vocals for My Chemical Romance)

1980: Albert Hammond Jr (Guitar for The Strokes)

1987: Jesse McCartney (Singer)

2000: Jackie Evancho (Singer)

Events

1956: Gene Vincent recorded the classic rock 'n roll song 'Be Bop-A-Lula', which went on to be a US & UK Top 20 hit in this year.

1965: Bruce Johnston joined the Beach Boys as the permanent replacement for Brian Wilson.

1966: Jeff Beck collapsed on stage during a Yardbirds gig in Marseilles, France.

1966: Percy Sledge's "When A Man Loves A Woman" was released.

1967: The Doors and The Jefferson Airplane appeared at Cheetah, Santa Monica Pier, Venice, California. This was the largest show The Doors had played to date with a crowd of over 3,000.

1970: Paul McCartney announces official split of Beatles.

1973: Newly signed to EMI Records, Queen played a showcase gig for their new record label at the Marquee Club, London.

1976: American folk singer songwriter Phil Ochs, hung himself at his sisters home in Queens, New York.

1981: The Sam Goody record chain and a top company executive were convicted of trafficking pirated tapes.

1983: David Bowie was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with the title track from his latest album 'Let's Dance', his fourth UK No.1 and featuring blues guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan. A US No.1 hit, it was Bowie’s first single to reach number one on both sides of the Atlantic.

1988: Dave Prater of soul duo Sam & Dave was killed when his car left the road and hit a tree in Syracuse, Georgia, on his way to his mother's house in Ocilla. He was 50.

1988: American singer and songwriter Brook Benton died of pneumonia at age 56. Scored over 20 US top 40 singles, in the late 1950s and early 1960s, he scored hits such as ‘It's Just A Matter Of Time’ and ‘Endlessly’, and made a comeback in 1974 when he had the No.4 hit 'Rainy Night In Georgia.'

1989: Rolling Stone Bill Wyman announced his forthcoming marriage to 19-year old Mandy Smith. He revealed the couple had been dating for six years.

1990: World's largest bunny hop at Radio City Music Hall.

1991: Record producer Martin Hannett died. He worked with many Manchester acts including The Smiths, New Order, Joy Division, Happy Mondays, Magazine as well as U2 and The Psychedelic Furs.

1994: Pantera entered the US album chart at No.1 with 'Far Beyond Driven'.

1994: R. Kelly started a four week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Bump N' Grind', his first US No.1.

1994: Singer Wayne Newton (52) weds attorney Kathleen McCrone (30).

1997: Songwriter Mae Boren Axton died aged 82 after drowning in her bath at her home in Hendersonville, Tennessee after an apparent heart attack. Known as the 'Queen Mother of Nashville' she wrote over 200 songs including a co-writing credit on the Elvis Presley hit 'Heartbreak Hotel'. She was also the Mother of country singer / songwriter Hoyt Axton.

1997: A&M Records issued a press release stating that the members of Soundgarden have mutually and amicably decided to disband.

2000: Craig David went to No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Fill Me In'. At 18 years 11 months he became the youngest UK male solo artist to write and sing a UK No.1.

2000: NSYNC started a seven week run at No.1 on the US album chart with ‘No Strings Attached’ the Boybands first US No.1.

2002: Eminem agreed to pay $100,000 minus attorney's fees to a man who had filed a civil lawsuit against him for allegedly hitting him in the head and face with an unloaded handgun. The man, John Guerra, had kissed Eminem's wife Kim.

2003: Paul McCartney played his first Manchester show in 24 years when he appeared at the MEN Arena as part of the UK leg on the 'Back In The World Tour 2003.'

2004: A man was arrested for allegedly stalking Avril Lavigne. James Speedy, 30, from Seattle, Washington, was arrested after police searched his home, he was later released on $5,000 bail. Mr. Speedy had been under investigation since last summer for allegedly sending harassing letters and e-mails to the 19-year-old singer. He was later charged with stalking the singer.

2007: Country and western singer Tanya Tucker was sued by her manicurist for $300,000 over claims the star's dog attacked and injured her. Danielle Hobbs stated in court papers that she was bitten by Bella at the singer's Nashville home and also claimed that the alleged attack had left her with painful and disfiguring scars on her leg. She stated that Tucker's assistant told her the dogs were "just babies" and said "they will not hurt you".

2008: Elton John's benefit concert at Radio City Music Hall raises two and a half million dollars for Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign.

2009: Randy Cain, a founding member of US soul group The Delfonics died at his home in Maple Shade, New Jersey at the age of 63.

2009: Bay City Rollers manager Tam Paton died in the bath at his Edinburgh home of a suspected heart attack. The 70-year-old, who had suffered two previous heart attacks and a stroke in recent years, was found dead in his luxury mansion. Paton had made millions through the success of the band in the 1970s, but was a far more controversial figure in recent years. He was convicted of sex offences against two boys aged 16 and 17 in 1982, and was convicted of drug dealing in 2004 after $40,000 worth of cannabis was found at his home, but was cleared on appeal.