April 18

Births

1882: Leopold Stokowski (Conductor)

1924: Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown (Blues Guitarist)

1938: Hal Galper (Jazz Pianist)

1946: Skip Spence (Guitar for Moby Grape & Jefferson Airplane)

1958: Les Pattinson (Bass for Echo And The Bunnymen)

1960: Mick Sweda (Vocals & Guitar for The Bulletboys)

1961: Kelly Hansen (Vocals for Hurricane and currently for Foreigner)

1963: Conan O'Brien (Talk show host)

1964: Mark 'Bez' Berry (Dancer for Happy Mondays)

1970: Greg Eklund (Drums for Everclear)

1974: Mark Tremonti (Guitar for Creed & Alter Bridge)

Events

1957: Buddy Knox is inducted into the Army Reserve, leading his record label to rush him into the studio to record no less than twenty follow ups to his hit "Party Doll." None make the charts.

1969: Lulu marries Maurice Gibb of the Bee Gees at St. James' Church, Buckinghamshire, England, a marriage that will last four years. 3,000 fans attend, as do John Lennon's wife, Cynthia, and producer Mickie Most.

1970: While on stage with Led Zeppelin in Phoenix, lead singer Robert Plant collapses from "exhaustion."

1970: Steel Mill (featuring Bruce Springsteen) played in the Main Gym at Ocean County College in New Jersey. Tickets cost $2.00.

1971: The Diana Ross television musical special Diana, featuring guest stars Jackson 5, Bill Cosby, and Danny Thomas, airs on ABC.

1975: The Alice Cooper television special ‘Welcome To My Nightmare’ airs on ABC.

1975: An entire crowd of Bay City Rollers fans attempt to swim across a nearby lake to meet the band at a BBC Radio-sponsored event in Mallory Park racetrack, Leicestershire, England. 39 fans are brought to the hospital, four of whom are admitted.

1981: Yes bassist Chris Squire and drummer Alan White begin rehearsals with the remaining members of Led Zeppelin, leading to rumors of the death of Yes and the beginning of a new band dubbed XYZ (Ex-Yes and Zeppelin). The rumored band never materializes, and Yes reforms under their old name for the hit 1983 album 90125.

1984; Michael Jackson underwent surgery in a Los Angeles hospital to repair damage done after his hair caught fire during the filming of a Pepsi commercial.

1985: Liberace breaks his own record at Radio City Music Hall, pulling in two million dollars for his latest engagement.

1985: Wham! Became the first-ever Western pop act to have an album released in China.

1987: Aretha Franklin scores a #1 US hit with "I Knew You Were Waiting For Me," a duet with George Michael of Wham! Her first Number One in 19 years and ten months, it breaks the record for the longest span between #1 hits.

1988: The accused murderer of reggae legend Peter Tosh, Dennis "Leppo" Lobban, goes on trial in Jamaica.

1995: Oasis drummer Tony McCarrol was told by phone that he was being fired from the group. McCarrol sued the Manchester group for millions in unpaid royalties and in 1996 Oasis agreed to pay him a one-off sum of $935,000.

1996:  Nile Rodgers was named JT Superproducer of the Year in Japan, and was invited to perform there with Chic in April of that year. Just before the concert at the Budokan Arena in Tokyo, Bernard Edwards fell ill, but despite Rodgers' insistence, he refused to cancel the gig. He managed to perform but had to be helped at times. After the concert he retired to his hotel room where he was later found dead by Rodgers. The cause of death was ruled to be pneumonia.

2003: Etta James received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

2005: Reebok pulled a UK TV ad featuring 50 Cent after a mother whose son was shot dead complained it glamorized gun crime. Lucy Cope, from London went to the Advertising Standards Authority about the campaign featuring the US rapper. The ASA had been investigating 54 other complaints from viewers over a reference to the rapper having been shot nine times.

2009: The Black Eyes Peas started a 12 week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘Boom Boom Pow’. The single was knocked off the No.1 position by the bands next single ‘I Gotta Feeling’.

2012: Dick Clark died after suffering a heart attack following a medical procedure at Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, California. He was 82.

April 17

Births

1934:  Don Kirshner (Music Producer)

1943:  Roy Estrada (Bass for Frank Zappa band & Little Feat)

1948:  Jan Hammer (Keyboard for Mahavishnu Orchestra & Solo)

1954:  Michael Sembello (Guitarist & Singer)

1955:  Pete Shelley (Guitar & Vocals for The Buzzcocks & Solo)

1964:  Maynard James Keenan (Singer for Tool & A Perfect Circle)

1967:  Liz Phair (Singer & Guitarist)

1970:  Redman (Reginald "Reggie" Noble) (Rapper)

1974:  Victoria Adams (Posh Spice in The Spice Girls)

1974: Mikael Åkerfeldt (Lead Singer & Guitarist for Opeth)

Events

1960: Touring in the UK, 21-year-old US singer Eddie Cochran was killed when the taxi he was traveling in crashed into a lamp post on Rowden Hill, Chippenham, Wiltshire, (where a plaque now commemorates the event). Songwriter Sharon Sheeley and singer Gene Vincent survived the crash. Cochran's current hit at the time was 'Three Steps to Heaven'. The taxi driver, George Martin, was convicted of dangerous driving, fined $100, disqualified from driving for 15 years, and sent to prison for six months.

1964: After an extensive investigation of the hit song "Louie Louie," and its supposedly filthy lyrics, the FBI issues a report claiming the words of the Kingsmen's famous version are incomprehensible.

1964: An 18-year-old Van Morrison makes his first concert appearance with Them on the stage of the Maritime Hotel in Belfast.

1969: Bob Dylan's former backing group, which has come to be known simply as "The Band," plays its first show alone and under its own name at the Winterland Auditorium in San Francisco.

1970: Johnny Cash played at the White House for President Nixon, who requested that he played 'A Boy Named Sue.'

1970: Paul McCartney's 1st solo album "McCartney" is released.

1972: Keith Richards (The Rolling Stones) Girlfriend Anita Pallenberg gave birth to their second child, daughter Dandelion.

1973: Tito and John Jackson from The Jackson Five were arrested for buying stolen TV and stereo equipment.

1974: Vinnie Taylor (guitarist with US rock 'n roll revival band Sha Na Na) was found dead in a Holiday Inn hotel room in Charlottesville, Virginia from a drug overdose.

1975: Elvis Presley bought a Convair 880 Jet formally owned by Delta Airlines for $250,000, which he re-christened Lisa Marie. Presley spent a further $600,000 refurbishing the Jet to include personal quarters, a meeting area and a dance floor.

1982: Afrika Bambaataa And The Soul Sonic Force release the groundbreaking break dance single “Planet Rock” on Tommy Boy Records. The song sampled Kraftwerk’s song “trans Europa Express”.

1983: Felix Pappalardi, producer and bass player with American rock band Mountain was shot dead by his wife Gail Collins during a jealous rage. Collins was convicted of criminally negligent homicide and sentenced to four years in prison.

1987: Reggae drummer and percussion player Carlton Barrett of The Wailers was shot dead outside his house in Kingston, Jamaica. He Joined Bob Marley and The Wailers in 1970, wrote the Marley song ‘War.’ Barrett was the originator of the one-drop rhythm, a percussive drumming style.

1991: Nirvana appeared at the OK Hotel in Seattle, Washington, where they played a new song, ‘Smell’s Like Teen Spirit’, live for the first time.

1993: Former Bangles leader Susanna Hoffs married screenwriter M. Jay Roach in Los Angeles.

1998: Linda McCartney died after a long battle against cancer. She Married Paul McCartney in 1969 when she was working as a photographer.

2003: Earl King the New Orleans Blues guitarist died aged 69.

2004: Kurt Cobain's Mark IV-style Mosrite Gospel guitar sold for $100,000 at the Icons of 20th Century Music auction held in Dallas, Texas. Other items sold included Elton John and Bernie Taupin's song writing piano which sold for $140,000 and a 1966 Rickenbacker guitar owned by The Byrds Roger McGuinn's sold for $99,000.

2007: Bryan Ferry was forced to make an apology after praising Nazi iconography in a German magazine. Talking to Welt am Sonntag, he said the Nazis "knew how to put themselves in the limelight and present themselves...I'm talking about the films of Leni Riefenstahl and the buildings of Albert Speer and the mass marches and the flags. Just amazing - really beautiful." British MPs asked shoppers to think twice about shopping in Marks and Spencer asking for Ferry to be dropped as the face of the M&S Autograph menswear collection. Ferry said he was "deeply upset" by the publicity surrounding the interview.

2008: Danny Federici, the longtime keyboard player for Bruce Springsteen and a member of The E Street Band, died of cancer at the age of 58. Federici had worked with Springsteen for over 40 years, starting with Steel Mill and Child with Springsteen.

2009: Morrissey walked off stage during his set at the Coachella festival in California after declaring he could "smell burning flesh". The committed vegetarian took offence to the smell coming from nearby barbecues. Sir Paul McCartney, The Killers and The Cure also appeared at the event.

2009: Brad Paisley and Kimberly Williams-Paisley welcome their second son, Jasper Warren Paisley, at a Nashville hospital.

April 16

Births

1924: Henry Mancini (Composer)

1924: Rudy Pompilli (Saxophone for Bill Haley and His Comets)

1930: Herbie Mann (Jazz Flutist)

1935: Bobby Vinton (Singer)

1939: Dusty Springfield (Mary Isobel Catherine Bernadette O'Brien) (Singer)

1943: Lonesome Dave Peverett (Guitar & Singer for Foghat)

1947: Gerry Rafferty (Singer / Songwriter)

1951: John Bentley (Bass for Squeeze)

1955: Kool Herc (Hip-Hop DJ)

1962: Ian MacKaye (Singer for Minor Threat & Fugazi)

1964: Dave Pirner (Lead Vocals & Guitar for Soul Asylum)

1965: Gerardo (Rapper)

1971: Selena Quintanilla-Pérez (best known as Singer Selena)

Events

1955: A young Roy Orbison sees Elvis for the first time, performing at the Sportatorium in Dallas, TX.

1964: The Rolling Stones released their first Album “The Rolling Stones” .  It charted for 40 weeks, 11 weeks at #1.

1964: The Beatles filmed the "chase scenes" for A Hard Days Night with actors dressed as policemen in the Notting Hill Gate area of London. In the evening they recorded the title track for the film, ‘A Hard Day's Night’ at Abbey Road. John and Paul had the title first, and had to write a song to order, completing the track in nine takes.

1965: The Hollies make their US stage debut at New York's Paramount Theatre.

1969: The Elektra label drops Detroit's MC5 from their roster after an infamous ad in a local music zine, complete with Elektra logo, advised buyers to "Stay alive with the MC5 -- and f*** Hudson's." Hudson's was a Michigan record chain that had refused to stock the band's latest album Kick Out The Jams, due to the lyric "Kick out the jams, m************!"

1971: The Rolling Stones released 'Brown Sugar' the first record on their own label, Rolling Stones Records, which introduces the infamous licking- tongue and lips logo.

1972: Electric Light Orchestra make their live debut at Croydon, England's Fox and Greyhound pub.

1973: Paul McCartney's first television special, James Paul McCartney, airs on ABC, featuring a few Beatles songs, new Wings tracks, sketches, and a final performance of a song called "Gotta Sing, Gotta Dance," originally written for Twiggy.

1974: Queen make their US live debut at Regis College in Denver, CO.

1976: Boz Scaggs goes to visit friend Bobby "Blue" Bland backstage at the famed Antone's in Austin, TX, and is beaten unconscious by two bouncers.

1977: Stevie Wonder becomes the proud father of his second child, son Kieta, by Yolanda Simmons.

1977: David Soul one half of TV cop show "Starsky & Hutch", went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Don't Give Up On Us', his only US hit.

1990: Neil Young, Natalie Cole, Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt, Peter Gabriel, Lou Reed, Tracy Chapman, Simple Minds, and more take part in the concert Nelson Mandela: An International Tribute for a Free South Africa, an "international reception" for the famed civil-rights leader, who had just been released from a 27-year prison sentence.

1993: David Lee Roth was arrested in New York's Washington Square Park for allegedly buying a $10 bag of marijuana.

1993: Paul McCartney headlined a concert at the Hollywood Bowl to celebrate 'Earth Day' along with Ringo Starr, Don Henley and Steve Miller.  McCartney had last performed there as a member of the Beatles in 1965.

1993: Billy Burnette announced that he was leaving Fleetwood Mac to concentrate on recording country music.

1994: Toby Keith breaks his right ankle during the last play of a University of Oklahoma alumni football game.

1994: Prince had his first UK No.1 with 'The Most Beautiful Girl In The World', (his 37th single release). It was his first release since changing his stage name to an unpronounceable symbol.

1994: Singer Harry Connick Jr weds model Jill Goodare.

1995: Bob Seger becomes the proud parent of his second child, daughter Samantha Char, by his second wife, Annette Sinclair.

1996: At tonight's Grammy Awards ceremonies in New York, KISS, back again in full makeup, announce their reunion and upcoming tour, the first time all four original members have taken the stage together since 1981.

1996: Judy Collins marries her second husband, designer Louis Nelson.

1997: Elton John is awarded an honorary membership to his old alma mater, Britain's Royal Academy of Music.

1997: R&B Singer Mark Morrison was convicted with threatening a police officer with an illegal 23,000-volt electric stun gun. The singer left Maryebone Magistrates' Court in tears after being warned he was likely to be sent to prison.

1999: Skip Spence (Jefferson Airplane, Moby Grape) died from lung cancer, two days before his 53rd birthday. He had also battled schizophrenia and alcoholism.

2002 : Sony Music Entertainment filed a complaint against the Dixie Chicks for breach of contract.

2003: After suffering a stroke in his Manhattan apartment, Luther Vandross is admitted to a local hospital.

2003: Jerry Lee Lewis files for divorce from his sixth wife, former Jerry Lee Lewis fan club president Kerrie McCarver.

2008: Barbra Streisand donates $5 million to the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles for a women's heart education and research program.