April 23

Births

1936: Roy Orbison (Guitarist & Singer)

1947: Glenn Cornick (Bass for Jethro Tull)

1952: Narada Michael Walden (Producer)

1960: David Gedge (Vocals & Guitar for The Wedding Present)

1960: Steve Clark (Guitarist with Def Leppard)

1968: Stan Frazier (Drummer for Sugar Ray)

1974: Carlos Dengler (Bass for Interpol)

1975: Jón Þór Birgisson (Singer for Sigur Ros)

1983: Taio Cruz (R&B Singer & Producer)

Events

1943: The Earl "Fatha" Hines Band, featuring then-unknowns Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, and a vocalist named Sarah Vaughan, begins a series of engagements at the Apollo in Harlem.

1956: High on his recent successes, and at the insistence of Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis Presley begins a disastrous concert stint at the Frontier Hotel in Las Vegas where he opens for comedian Shecky Greene. The middle-aged audience, miles removed from Elvis' teen fanbase, are completely indifferent to him, and his contract is soon torn up after only one week of a two-week engagement. However, while there, Presley witnesses a band called Freddie Bell and the Bellboys doing a wild rave-up version of Big Mama Thornton's blues hit "Hound Dog." He soon works it into the live act.

1962: The Beatles make their first appearance on record when Tony Sheridan's version of the standard "My Bonnie," featuring the Fab Four as backup, is released by Decca. The single is not a hit.

1963: Jan and Dean recorded "Surf City".

1969: Los Angeles' famed folk and rock club The Ash Grove, launching pad for everyone from Linda Ronstadt to Canned Heat, catches fire and nearly burns to the ground.

1971: The Rolling Stones released their classic album, Sticky Fingers in the UK. The album made No.1 in the UK and the US and was the bands first release on Atlantic records. The cover a pair of jeans with a working zip was designed by Andy Warhol who was paid $30,000 for the art work which featured a photo of actor Joe Dallesandro's crotch clad in tight blue jeans (assumed by many fans to be Mick Jagger).

1974: Just before being scheduled to appear as guest host on NBC-TV's Tonight Show, Mama Cass (Mama’s & The Papa’s) collapses from exhaustion.

1976: The Ramones released their eponymous debut album. On the same day The Sex Pistols played The Nashville Rooms, London supporting The 101'ers who featured Clash vocalist Joe Strummer.

1977: Adam And The Ants made their debut at the Roxy Club, London.

1978: Sex Pistols bass player Sid Vicious filmed his version of 'My Way' for the Sex Pistols' film 'The Great Rock n Roll Swindle.'

1981: Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins join Johnny Cash onstage at his show in Stuttgart, West Germany, performing their hits and some mutual country, blues, and gospel favorites. The concert is later released as the LP The Survivors.

1983: Dexy's Midnight Runners went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Come On Eileen' the group's only US No.1.

1985: Liberace guest-stars as himself on today's episode of NBC-TV's long-running soap Another World.

1987: Carole King sues her former label head and mentor, Lou Adler, for $400,000 in royalties and the publishing rights to some of her older recordings from the late Sixties.

1988: During tonight's Bruce Springsteen concert at the Sports Arena in Los Angeles, CA, Roy Orbison, celebrating his 52nd birthday, is brought onstage so that fans can sing "Happy Birthday" to him.

1988: Whitney Houston smashed a chart record held by The Beatles and The Bee Gees when 'Where Do Broken Hearts Go', became her seventh consecutive US No.1.

1991: Founding member of The New York Dolls Johnny Thunders (John Anthony Genzale, Jr), died of a drug overdose at age 38. He renamed himself Johnny Thunders, after a comic book of the same name. The influential New York Dolls formed in 1972 and made just two albums. A teenage Morrissey acted as president of the UK branch of the New York Dolls fan club. Formed The Heartbreakers with Dolls drummer Jerry Nolan, and Television bassist Richard Hell.

1995: London's Sunday Times reports that Peter Hodgson, whose father once lent Paul McCartney his tape recorder, had found a reel-to-reel of the Beatles' first recordings in his attic. Made in 1959, the tape features sixteen songs, including "Hello Little Girl," written by Lennon and McCartney but given to another band, and Ray Charles' "Hallelujah, I Love Her So."

2008: Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora was sentenced to three years probation after admitting to driving under the influence of alcohol. 48-year-old Sambora who was not at the court hearing would also have to attend first offender alcohol awareness classes. He was arrested in Laguna Beach after his car was seen weaving between traffic lanes.

2008: Amy Winehouse went out on a drink and drug-fuelled spree and hit and head butted two men. After drinking all day, Amy visited the Good Mixer pub in Camden, London with Babyshambles guitarist Mik Whitnall. Inside she allegedly punched Mustapha el Mounmi in the face after he refused to give way to her at the pool table. The singer then left to visit Bar Tok in the early hours and once at the bar shouted “I am a legend get these people out. I want to take drugs.” After leaving the bar a good Samaritan tried to get her a cab, but she reportedly thought he was trying to molest her and allegedly head butted him in the face.