a Phil Brodie Band Info Page
"Births & Deaths"
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APRIL: Charts ~ APRIL: On This Day ~ APRIL: Quiz
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RESPECT - OBITUARIES
2009 .. 2008 .. 2007 .. 2006 .. 2005 .. 2004 .. REQUESTS
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APRIL
SADLY DEPARTED
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MORE BIRTHDAYS & PASSINGS
January . February . March . April . May . June . July
August . September . October . November . December
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APRIL BIRTHDAYS
REGULAR UPDATES

Born ~ April 1st
1981: Hannah Spearritt (singer; S Club 7).
1975: John Butler (Australian guitarist, multi musician, singer-songwriter; John Butler Trio).
1971: Method Man/Clifford Smith (rap artist; Wu-Tang Clan).
1967: Phil Demmel (US guitarist; Machine Head).
1965: Peter O'Toole (Irish bassist, guitar; Hothouse Flowers/Black Velvet Band)?
1964: Leslie Langston (bass, vocals; Throwing Muses).
1962: Phillip Schofield (TV presenter, DJ, Singer, actor).
1961: Mark White (guitar, keyboards; ABC).
1954: Jeff Porcaro (drums, founder of Toto/sessionist)*05.Aug.1992.
1952: Billy Currie (keyboards, violin, piano; Visage/ Ultravox).
1948: Simon Cowe (guitar, mandolin, banjo, vocals; Lindisfarne).
1948: Jimmy Cliff (singer, songwriter, reggae artist).
1947: Robin Scott (UK singer).
1946: Ronnie Lane (UK bassist; Faces/Small Faces/Slim Chance/freelance)*04.Jun.1997.
1946: Arthur Conley (US horn, vocals, songwriter; Arthur & the Corvets/solo)*16.Nov.2003.
1945: John Barbata (US drummer; The Turtles/Jefferson Airplane & Starship/sessionist).
1945: Kenny Buttrey (US session drummer)*12.Sept.2004.
1942: Phil Margo (vocals; Tokens)?
1942: Alan David Blakley (UK drummer, rhythm guitar, keyboards, vocals; Tremeloes)*10.June.1996.
1939: Rudolph Isley (US singer, songwriter; Isley Brothers).
1932: Debbie Reynolds (singer, actress; Tammy).
1927: Amos Milburn (US blues & boogie pianist, singer)*03.Jan.1980.
1906: Carl Martin (conga, percussion, guitar; Own Blues Trio)*10.May.1979.

April 2nd
1979: Jesse Carmichael (keyboards; Maroon 5).
1975: Deedee Magno (US singer; New Mickey Mouse Club/The Party/musicals).
1967: Greg Camp (lead singer, guitarist; Smash Mouth).
1966: Garnett Silk/Garnett Damoin Smith (Jamaican reggae singer)*09.Dec.1994.
1961: Keren Jane Woodward (singer; Bananarama).
1956: Gregory Abbott (US singer).
1953: David Robinson (drummer; The Cars/The Scabs).
1952: Leon Wilkerson (bass, Lynyrd Skynyrd).
1952: Dave Bronze (bass; Robin Trower Band/Procol Harum/Eric Clapton Band/freelance).
1951: Kiyoshiro Imawano (Japanese rock musician, lyricist, producer, composer; )*02.May.2009.
1947: Emmylou Harris (country singer).
1946: Kurt Winter (Canadian guitarist; Guess Who)*14.Dec.1997.
1942: Leon Russell/Claude Russell Bridges(singer,songwriter,m-musician;solo/sessionist)?
1939: Marvin Gaye/Marvin Pentz Gay Jr (US singer, songwriter, pianist, drums; Motown/solo artist)*01.April.1984.
1928: Serge Gainsbourg (French singer, pianist, guitarist)*02.March.1991.
1915: Gica Petrescu (Romanian singer)*18.June.1915.

April 3rd
1970: Matthew Priest (drummer; Dodgy/sessionist).
1968: Sebastian Bach/Sebastian Bierk (singer; Skid Row/Breeder/solo).
1962: Simon Raymonde (bass, producer, mix;Cocteau Twins/solo).
1961: Eddie Murphy (US actor, singer).
1955: Mick Mars/Bob Alan Deal (US guitarist; Mötley Crüe).
1951: Mel Schacher (US bassist; Grand Funk Railroad/? and the Mysterians/Flint).
1949: Richard Thompson (vocals, mandolin, guitar, Dulcimer; Fairport Convention).
1946: Dee Murray (bass, backing vocals; Elton John band)*15.Jan.1992
1944: Barry Pritchard (UK guitar; Fortunes)*11.Jan.1999.
1944: Tony Orlando/Michael Anthony Orlando Cassivitis (US singer; Dawn/solo).
1943: Richard Manuel (Canadian singer, piano; Revols/The Band)*04.Mar.1986.
1942: Wayne Newton (US singer).
1941: Phillipe Wynne (US lead singer, The Spinners/Solo)*14.July.1984
1941: Jan Berry (singer; Jan and Dean)*26.March.2004.
1938: Jeff Barry (singer/songwriter/producer; The Raindrops/The Archies).
1937: Louis Satterfield (US bassist, trombonist; Earth,Wind & Fire/solo)*27.Sept.2004.
1936: Harold Vick (US hard bop and soul jazz saxophonist, flautist; freelance, sessionist)*13.Nov.1987
1936: Jimmy McGriff (US jazz organist; big bands/freelance)*24.May.2008.
1928: Don Gibson (US legendary country singer, guitarist, songwriter)*17.Nov.2003.
1924: Doris Day/Doris von Kappelhoff (US singer/actress).
1919: Ervin Drake (US song writer and musical writer).
1917: Bill Finegan (American jazz bandleader, pianist, arranger, and composer)*04.June.2008.
1886: Arthur "Dooley" Wilson (African American actor and singer)*30.May.1953.

April 4th
1978: Lemar/Lemar Obika (UK R&B solo singer; successful uk fame academy contestant).
1975: Phil A. Jimenez (played multiple instruments with American band Wheatus)?
1974: Andre Dalyrimple (singer; Soul For Real).
1973: Kelly Price (US singer).
1972: Jill Scott (US singer).
1972: Magnus Sveningsson (Swedish bassist; The Cardigans).
1968: Mark Yates (UK guitarist; Terrorvision).
1966: Mike Starr (US bassist; Alice In Chains/Sun Red Sun).
1963: David Gavurin (UK lead guitarist; Sundays).
1962: Craig Adams (UK bassist; Sisters of Mercy/The Cult/Alarm/Spear of Destiny/Theatre of Hate).
1957: Graeme Kelling (Scottish guitarist; Deacon Blue)*10.June.2004.
1952: Gary Moore (Irish guitar virtuoso, singer, songwriter; Thin Lizzy, solo).
1951: Peter John Haycock (guitarist; Climax Blues Band).
1949: Junior Braithwaite (Jamaican singer; co-founder of/first lead singer of The Wailers)*02.June.1999.
1948: Pick Withers (drummer; Dire Straits/freelance).
1948: Berry Oakley (US bassist; co-founder of the Allman Brothers Band)*11.Nov.1972.
1946: Dave Hill (UK guitar, Slade).
1945: Ian "Knox" Carnochan (UK lead singer; Vibrators/solo).
1941: Major Lance (Soul singer, dancer;The Floats/solo)*03.Sept.1994.
1940: Sharon Sheeley (US songwriter)*17.May.2002.
1939: Danny Thompson (UK double bassist; sessionist, John Martyn, Richard Thompson, Roy Orbison etc, etc).
1939: Hugh Masekela (South Africain vocalist, flugelhorn, trumpet; jazzman).
1915: Muddy Waters/McKinley Morganfield (US blues guitarist,singer)*30.April.1983.

April 5th
1973: Pharrell Williams (US singer; Neptunes).
1968: Paula Cole (US singer).
1965: Mike McCready (guitar; Mad Season/Pearl Jam).
1964: Kid/Christopher Reid (half of the hip-hop and comedy duo Kid 'N Play).
1955: Janice Long (Radio broadcaster, DJ)?
1954: Stan Ridgway (singer, multi-musician; Wall of Voodoo/Flesh Eaters/solo).
1953: Christopher Franke (keyboards, synthesizer; Tangerine Dream).
1951: Everett Morton (drums; English Beat)?
1950: Agnetha Faltskog (Swedish pop singer, keyboards, piano; ABBA).
1944: Nicholas Caldwell (singer; The Whispers).
1942: Alan Clarke (vocals, guitar; The Hollies).
1941: Dave Swarbrick (vocals, violin, mandolin, fiddle; Fairport Convention).
1935: Peter Grant(manager,record exec;Yardbirds/Led Zeppelin/Bad Company)*21.Nov.1995.
1939: Ronnie White (singer, producer, songwriter; Chimes/Miracles/Ron&Bill)*26.Aug.1995.
1929: Joe Meek (record producer; Tornados)*3.Feb.1967.
1928: Tony Williams (lead singer; Platters)*14.Aug.1992.

April 6th
1978: Myleene Klass (singer, classical pianist, TV presenter; Hear'Say).
1975: Damon Pampolina (singer, TV presenter; New Mickey Mouse Club/The Party).
1965: Frank Black (guitar, vocals; Pixies/Frank Black and the Catholics).
1962: Stan Cullimore (guitar; Housemartins/music composer for childrens TV).
1958: Selwyn 'Bumbo' Brown (vocals, keyboards; Steel Pulse).
1951: Ralph Cooper (drums; Air Supply).
1947: Tony Connor (drums; Hot Chocolate).
1944: John Stax (bassist; Pretty Things).
1943:Gerry Niewood (American jazz saxophonist; Chuck Mangione Band, freelance)*12.Feb.2009
1943: Julie Rogers (UK singer).
1942: Christopher Franke (keyboard, synthesizers, drums; Tangerine Dream).
1937: Merle Haggard (US country singer, guitar, fiddle; songwriter).
1927: Gerry Mulligan (one of the all time greatest baritone sax players)*20.Jan.1996.
1924: Charlie Rouse (jazz saxophonist; Thelonious Monk Quartet/& greats)*30.Nov.1988.

April 7th
1981: Watanabe Kazuki (Japanese guitarist and of founder Raphael)*31.Oct.2000.
1982: Kelli Young (singer; Liberty X).
1978: Duncan James (singer; Blue/solo)?
1960: Simon Climie (singer, songwriter, producer; Climie Fisher Duo)?
1951: Bruce Gary (drummer; The Knack)*22.Aug.2006.
1951: Janis Ian/Janis Eddy Fink (US singer, guitar, piano, songwriter).
1950: Steve Ellis (vocals; Love Affair).
1949: John Oates (vocals, keyboards, guitar; Hall & Oates).
1948: Carol Douglas (US singer).
1947: Florian Schneider- Esleben (flute; Kraftwerk).
1947: Pat Bennett (singer; The Chiffons).
1946: Bill Kreutzmann (drums; Warlocks/Grateful Dead).
1944: Pat LaBarbera/Pascel Emmanuel (Sax jazzman; solo/guest).
1943: Mick Abrahams (vocals, guitar; Blodwyn Pig/Jethro Tull).
1943: Alan Buck (drummer; Four Pennies/Johnny Kid).
1942: Joel Dorn (US jazz, R&B music producer and record label serial entrepreneur)*17.Dec.2007
1938: Freddie Hubbard (US award winning trumpet player; Jazz artist)*29.Dec.2008.
1938: Spencer Dryden (drums, Jefferson Airplane)*11.Jan.2005.
1937: Charlie Thomas (US singer; Drifters).
1935: Bobby Bare (The All-American Boy country singer).
1918: Percy Faith (easy listening pianist, band leader)*09.Feb.1976.
1915: Billie Holiday (legendary female jazz singer)*17.July.1959.

April 8th
1979: Alexi "Wildchild" Laiho (guitarist; Children of Bodom/Sinergy/Kylähullut).
1975: Anouk Teeuwe (female Dutch rock singer).
1972: Stretch/Randy Walker (US rapper and hip hop producer)*30.Nov.1995
1971: Darren Jessee (drums; Ben Folds Five/Hotel Lights).
1968: Andy Szabo/Andy Sabo (UK singer).
1964: Salt/Cheryl James (US rap, hip-hop artist; Salt n Pepa).
1964: Biz Markie/Marcel Hall (rap artist).
1963: Julian Lennon (UK singer, keyboards, John Lennon's 1st son).
1963: Donita Sparks (guitar, vocals; L7).
1962: Jerry Kelly (guitar; Lotus Eaters).
1962: Izzy Stradlin/Jeffrey Isbell (US guitarist; Guns N' Roses/Izzy Stradlin & the Ju Ju Hounds).
1962: Adam Mole (keyboardist; Pop Will Eat Itself)?
1956: Justin Sullivan (lead singer, guitar, lyricist; New Model Army).
1947: Larry David Norman (US musician, singer, songwriter "father of Christian rock music")*24.Feb.2008.
1947: Steve Howe (guitar; Yes/Flash).
1942: Roger Chapman (vocals; Family).
1978: Jacques Brel (French singer, major world songwriter)*09.Oct.1978.
1929: Walter Berry (Austrian opera singer; Vienna Music Academy)*27.Oct.2000.
1921: Franco Corelli (Italian opera singer; New York's Metropolitan Opera)*29.Sept.2003.
1920: Carmen Mercedes McRae (US international jazz singer, pianist)*10.Nov.1994.
1904: Raoul Jobin/Joseph Roméo (French-Canadian operatic tenor)*13.Jan.1974

April 9th
1987: Jazmine Sullivan (American R&B singer).
1987: Jesse McCartney (US singer, actor) not related to Sir Paul.
1987: Craig Mabbitt (American singer; Escape the Fate).
1986: Brian Larsen (US musician, record producer; Twilight’s Moon + more).
1985: Tomohisa Yamashita (Japanese singer, songwriter, actor; NEWS/Shuuji to Akira/solo).
1984: Linda Chung (Canadian/Hong Kong actress, singer).
1980: Clueso/Thomas Hübner (German singer, rapper, songwriter, producer).
1980: Albert Hammond Jr (US guitar, rhythm guitar, singer, songwriter; Strokes/solo).
1978: Vesna Pisarovic (Croatian singer).
1978: Rachel Stevens (UK pop singer; S Club 7).
1977: Gerard Way (US singer; My Chemical Romance).
1969: Kevin Martin (US vocalist, guitar; Candlebox)?
1964: DJ Alice/Soyo Oka (Japanese composer, musician, author; Nintendo games/more).
1961: Mark Kelly (UK keyboardist, guitar; Chemical Alice/Marillion).
1953: Hal Ketchum (US country music singer, songwriter, guitarist).
1948: Phillip Wright (UK drummer, lead singer; Paper Lace).
1946: Les Gray (UK vocals, Mud)*21.Feb.2004.
1945: Steve Gadd (American international session drummer).
1944: Emil Stucchio (US lead singer; Classics).
1944: Gene Parsons (US drummer; Byrds/Nashville West/The Flying Burrito Brs).
1943: Terry Knight/Richard Terrance Knapp (US producer, promoter, singer; Grand Funk Railroad)*01.Nov.2004.
1941: Kaye Adams (American country singer).
1932: Carl Perkins (US singer, songwriter, guitarist)*19.Jan.1998.
1928: Tom Lehrer (US singer-songwriter, satirist, pianist, mathematician).
1921: George David Weiss (US songwriter, President of the Songwriters Guild of America).
1904: Joseph "Sharkey" Bonano (American jazz trumpeter, band leader, vocalist)*27.March.1972
1898: Paul Robeson (US actor, bass-baritone singer)*23.Jan.1976.

April 10th
1984: Mandy Moore (US singer).
1981: Elizabeth McClarnon (uk singer; Atomic Kitten).
1979: Sophie Ellis-Bextor (uk singer).
1970: Q-Tip/Jonathan Davis (hip-hop mc, actor, hip hop producer; Tribe Called Quest).
1970: Mike Mushok (guitar, songwriter; Staind).
1970: Kenny Lattimore (US singer; Maniquin/solo).
1968: Kenediid Osman (bassist, Sleeper/Candyland).
1964: Reni/Alan John Wren (drums; Stone Roses).
1963: Carlos Varela (Cuban singer, songwriter).
1959: Babyface/Kenneth Edmonds (US singer, keyboards, guitar).
1959: Katrina Leskanich (singer; Katrina & The Waves).
1959: Brian Setzer (singer, guitar; Stray Cats/Brian Setzer Orchestra/solo).
1957: Afrika Bambaataa (US hip hop artist).
1957: Steve Gustafson (bassist; 10,000 Maniacs).
1953: Terre Roche (UK folk singer, songwriter, composer; Roches).
1950: Eddie Hazel (American guitar; Parliament/Funkadelic)*23.Dec.1992.
1950: Dave Peverett (guitar, vocals; Savoy Brown/Foghat)*07.Feb.2000.
1950: Ernest Stewart (bassist, KC and the Sunshine Band)*26.April.1997.
1948: Fred Smith (bassist; Blondie/Television)?
1947: Bunny Livingston (percussion, Bob Marley & Wailers).
1947: Karl Russell (vocals; Hues Corporation).
1940: Ricky Valance/David Spencer (Welsh pop singer).
1936: Bobbie Smith (lead singer; Detroit Spinners/Spinners)?
1934: Paul Brodie (Canadian saxophonist founded the World Saxophone Congress in Chicago)*19.Nov.2007
1932: Nate Nelson (US tenor and lead singer; Flamingos/Platters)*01.June.1984.
1921: Sheb Wooley (US actor, singer)*16.Sept.2003.
1911: Martin Denny (US legendary easy listening pianist)*02.March.2005.

April 11th
1987: Joss Stone/Joscelyn Eve Stoker (UK singer).
1979: Chris Gaylor (American drummer; The All-American Rejects).
1979: Sebastien Grainger (Canadian multi-musician; Death from Above 1979/part owner of Giant Studios).
1978: Brown Tom/Tom Thacker (Canadian singer, guitarist, keyboards; Gob/Summit 41).
1971: Oliver Riedel (German bassist; The Inchtabokatables/Rammstein).
1970: Dylan Keefe (bassist; Marcy Playground).
1970: Delroy Pearson (UK singer; Five Star).
1969: Cerys Matthews/Cerys Elizabeth Philip (Welsh singer; Catatonia).
1969: Chisato Moritaka (Japanese singer).
1966: Lisa Stansfield (UK singer; Blue Zone/solo).
1964: Johann Sebastian Paetsch (American concert cellist).
1964: Steve Azar (US country music singer-songwriter, rhythm guitar).
1963: Nigel Pulsford (Welsh guitarist; Bush/solo).
1961: Doug Hopkins (American guitarist; Gin Blossoms/The Chimeras)*05.Dec.1993.
1958: Stuart Adamson (UK guitar, vocals, songwriter; The Skids/Big Country/Raphaels)*16.Dec.2001.
1956: Neville Staples (singer, producer; Fun Boy Three/Specials/solo).
1951: Paul Fox (British guitarist; The Ruts/Dirty Strangers)*21.Oct.2007
1946: Bob "Whispering" Harris (DJ, radio host; Old Grey Whistle Test/BBC Radio 2).
1943: Tony Victor (singer; Classics)?
1938: Kurt Moll (German Grammy Award winning concert/operatic bassist, celloist, singer).
1935: Richard Berry (American singer, composer, songwriter)*23.Jan.1997
1932: Joel Grey (American singer and actor).
1931: Koichi Sugiyama (Japanese composer).
1926: Victor Bouchard (Canadian pianist and composer).

April 12th
1994: Airi Suzuki (Japanese singer; C-ute/Aa!, Hello!/Project Kids/Buono!).
1987: Brendon Urie (American singer; Panic At The Disco).
1985: Olga Seryabkina (Russian singer; Serebro).
1985: Hangry/Hitomi Yoshizawa (Japanese singer; Morning Musume/Hangry & Angry).
1982: Deen/Fuad Backovic (Bosnian singer; Seven Up/ solo).
1980: Erik Mongrain (Canadian composer, guitarist).
1980: Bryan McFadden (Irish singer; Westlife).
1978: Guy Berryman (UK bassist, Coldplay).
1977: Charles Cooper (US musician, one half of Telefon Tel Aviv)*22.Jan.2009.
1972: Sebnem Ferah (Turkish singer; Volvox/solo).
1970: Nicholas Lofton Hexum (US vocalist, rhythm guitarist; 311/Pepper/Zack Hexum).
1967: Sarah Cracknell (UK lead singer; Saint Etienne).
1967: Mellow Man Ace/Ulpiano Sergio Reyes (Afro-Cuban rapper; Cypress Hill).
1965: Sean Welch (UK bassist; Beautiful South).
1964: Amy Ray (US singer, guitar, mandolin, harmonica; Indigo Girls).
1962: Arthur Paul "Art" Alexakis (US vocalist, guitar; Everclear).
1961: Lisa Gerrard (Australian singer, composer; Dead Can Dance/solo).
1958: Will Sergeant (UK guitarist; Echo & The Bunnymen/Electrafixion).
1958: Les Pattinson (bassist; Echo & The Bunnymen).
1957: Vince Gill (US country singer).
1956: Herbert Grönemeyer (German singer).
1954: Pat Travers (Canadian rock guitarist, keyboardist, singer; Pat Travers Band/guest).
1951: Alexander Briley (singer; G.I.-Military Man Village People)
1950: David Cassidy (US singer, actor; Partridge Family/solo).
1948: Sandra "Lois" Reeves (US singer; Martha Reeves & the Vandellas/Al Green).
1944: John Kay/Joachim Fritz Krauledat (German-Canadian guitarist; Steppenwolf/solo)
1940: Herbie Hancock (US keyboard player, composer; Miles Davis/ bandleader).
1933: Montserrat Caballé (Spanish soprano).
1932: Tiny Tim/Herbert Buckingham Khaury (US singer, ukulele)*30.Nov.1996.
1930: Carol Lindsey Young (vocals; Kaye Sisters).
1919: Billy Vaughn (US singer, multi-instrumentalist, bandleader)*26.Sept.1991.
1917: Helen Forrest/Bonnie Blue/Helen Fogel (American jazz singer)*11.July.1999

April 13th
1982: Nellie McKay (US singer-songwriter, pianist, ukulele player, comic, actress).
1982: Janice Vidal (Hong Kong singer, twin of Jill).
1982: Jill Vidal (Hong Kong singer, twin of Janice).
1979: Toni Lundon (vocals; Liberty X).
1975: Lou Bega/David Loubega (German singer, producer).
1972: Aaron Lewis (US vocalist, acoustic guitar; Staind)
1971: Valensia/Aldous Byron Valensia Clarkson (Dutch singer, multi-musician).
1967: Olga Tañón (Puerto Rican multi-award winning singer).
1966: Marc Ford (US lead guitarist; Black Crowes/Uninvited/freelance).
1962: Hillel Slovak (Israeli guitar, founder member; Red Hot Chili Peppers)*25.June.1988.
1961: Hiro Yamamoto (US rock bassist; Soundgarden/Truly).
1959: Kim McAuliffe (guitar, singer; Girlschool)?
1957: Wayne Lewis (singer, keyboardist; Atlantic Starr)
1955: Louis Johnson (bassist; Brothers Johnson).
1954: Jimmy Destri (keyboards; Blondie/solo).
1951: Max Weinberg (drummer; E Street Band/freelance)
1951: Peabo Bryson (US singer).
1946: Roy Loney (singer, guitar; Flamin Groovies/solo).
1946: Al Green (US soul singer)
1945: Rúnar Júlíusson (Icelandic bassist with Thor's Hammer)*05.Dec.2008.
1945: Lowell George (US singer, songwriter, guitarist; Little Feat)*29.June.1979.
1944: Jack Casady (US bassist; Jefferson Starship/SVT/Jefferson Airplane/Hot Tuna).
1944: Brian Pendleton (UK rhythm guitarist, lead guitar, vocals; Pretty Things/So What)*16.May.2001.
1943: Eve Graham (Scottish singer; New Seekers).
1943: Artie Traum (US folk singer, award-winning guitarist, producer and songwriter)*20.July.2008.
1942: Bill Conti (US singer, producer, conductor, composer).
1940: Lester Chambers (singer; Chambers Brothers).
1936: Tim Field (singer; Springfields)?
1934: Horace Kay (singer; Tams).
1919: Howard Keel/Harry Clifford Leek (US singer, actor)*07.Nov.2004.

April 14th
1984: Adán Sánchez (Mexican-American singer)*27.March.2004. (car crash)
1980: Win Butler (American/Canadian vocalist, mandolin, guitar, keyboards, Bass, songwriter; Arcade Fire).
1976: Christian Älvestam (Swedish singer, multi-musician; Scar Symmetry).
1975: Avner Dorman (Israeli composer of contemporary classical music).
1974: Da Brat/Shawntae Harris (US rap artist).
1973: David Miller (American tenor; Il Divo).
1970: Shizuka Kudo (Japanese singer; Onyanko Club/Ushirogami Hikareta/soloi).
1970: Emre Altug (Turkish singer, actor; TV/Films/Musicals).
1969: Martyn LeNoble (Dutch bassist; Porno For Pyros/The Cult/Jane's Addiction).
1967: Barrett Martin (US drummer, composer; Screaming Trees/Mad Season/solo/sessionist).
1965: Carl Hunter (UK bassist; The Farm).
1965: Sheila Chandra (Indian-British singer; Monsoon/solo).
1962: Joey Pesce (keyboards; 'Til Tuesday)?
1958: Ronnie Grieco (US saxophone player; Joey Dee and the Starlighters/freelance/solo).
1957: Mikhail Pletnev (Russian award winning pianist, conductor, composer).
1951: Julian Lloyd Webber (English cellist; classical, brother of Sir Andrew).
1949: June Millington (vocals, guitar; Fanny)?
1949: Sonja Kristina (vocals; Curved Air/the musical Hair).
1949: Dennis Bryon (Welsh drummer; Amen Corner/Bee Gees/Blue Weaver/freelance)?
1948: Larry Ferguson (keyboards; Hot Chocolate).
1946: Patrick Fairley (bassist, guitar; Marmalade).
1945: Ritchie Blackmore (UK guitarist; Rainbow/Deep Purple/sessionist/freelance).
1942: Tony Burrows (singer; The Kestrels/First Class/sessioned with many bands).
1935: Loretta Lynn (US country singer, songwriter).
1933: Buddy Knox (US singer, guitarist)*14.Feb.1999.
1925: Gene "Jug" Ammons (US jazz saxophonist; Billy Eckstine/Woody Herman/more)*06.Aug.1974
1924: Shorty Rogers/Milton Rajonsky (US jazz trumpeter, flugelhorn)*07.Nov.1994.

April 15th
1978: Francesco Fareri (Italian guitarist, shred guitarist, composer).
1968: Ed O'Brien (guitar, harmony vocals; Radiohead).
1967: Frankie Poullian (bass; Darkness)?
1966: Samantha Fox (model; singer).
1966: Graeme Clark (bassist; Wet Wet Wet/Maggie Pie & The Impostors).
1965: Linda Perry (singer, producer, guitar, engineer; 4 Non Blondes/solo).
1965: Oscar Harrison (drummer, pianiast; Ocean Colour Scene)
1962: Nick Kamen (uk model, singer).
1948: Michael Kamen (US oboe player; film, rock & classical music composer)*18.Nov.2003.
1947: Stuart "Wooly" Wolstenholme (UK organist, banjo, synthesisers; Barclay James Harvest).
1947: Michael Chapman (producer/writer/ Chinnichap productions).
1944: Dave Edmunds (guitar, keyboard, vocals, producer; Love Sculpture/Rockpile).
1940: Clarence "Satch" Satchell (American saxophonist, flutist; Ohio Players)*30.Dec.1995.
1939: Marty Wilde (uk pop singer).
1937: Bob Luman (American country and rockabilly singer)*27.Dec.1978.
1933: Roy Clark (US country singer, guitar, fiddle, banjo).
1930: Herb Pomeroy (US jazz trumpeter;all the greats/own bands)*11.Aug.2007.
1894: Bessie Smith (US blues singer)*26.Sept.1937.

April 16th
1979: Sean Costello (American blues guitarist, singer)*15.April.2008
1976: Sean Maguire (uk actor, singer).
1971: Selena Quintanilla-Pérez (US singer known as "The Queen of Tejano music")*31.March.1995.
1970: Gabrielle/Louise Gabrielle Bobb (UK singer).
1969: Sean Cook (bassist, Spiritualized).
1964: Esbjörn Svensson (Swedish jazz pianist; Esbjörn Svensson Trio aka E.S.T)*14.June.2008.
1964: David Pirner (guitar, vocals, trumpet; Murphy & Pirfinkle/Soul Asylum).
1963: Little Jimmy Osmond (US singer).
1963: Nick Berry (uk singer/actor).
1956: Paul Buchanan (vocals, producer, acoustic guitar; Blue Nile).
1951: John Bentley (bass; Squeeze).
1949: Bill 'Sputnick' Spooner (guitar; Tubes/Folk-Ups).
1947: Lee 'The Bear' Kerslake (UK drummer; The Gods, Toe Fat, The National Head Band, Uriah Heep).
1947: Gerry Rafferty (UK singer, guitar, songwriter; Stealers Wheel/Humblebums/solo).
1945: Stefan Grossman (US guitarist; Even Dozen Jug Band/Fugs/co-founded Kicking Mule Records).
1939: Dusty Springfield/Mary O'Brien (uk husky-voiced soul singer)*02.March.1999.
1936: Šaban Bajramovic (Serbian Romani singer, songwriter)*08.June.2008.
1935: Bobby Vinton/Stanley Robert Vintula (US pop singer).
1930: Herbie Mann (American jazz flutist)*01.July.2003.
1929: Roy Hamilton (US singer)*20.July.1969.
1927: Edie Adams (American singer, Broadway, television and film actress)*15.Oct.2008
1924: Rudy Pompilli (saxophone, clarenet; Bill Haley & His Comets)*05.Feb.1976.
1924: Henry Mancini (US composer and conductor)*14.June.1994.
1889: Charlie Chaplin (English composer, comedy actor, actor, producer)*25.Dec.1977.

April 17th
1974: Posh Spice/Victoria Beckham nee Adams (singer; Spice Girls/solo).
1970: Redman/Reggie Noble (US rapper).
1967: Liz Phair (US singer, guitarist).
1964: Maynard James Keenan (singer; A Perfect Circle/Tool).
1959: Stephen Singleton (saxophone; Vice Versa/ABC/Bleep/Booster).
1957: Afrika Bambaataa/Kevin Donovan (DJ, hip-hop artist).
1955: Pete Shelley (guitar; Buzzcocks)
1954: Michael Sembello (US guitarist, composer; Stevie Wonder band/sessionist/solo)
1948: Jan Hammer (Czechoslovakian keyboard player; Mahavishnu Orchestra/solo).
1943: Roy Estrada (bassist; Frank Zappa/Captain Beefheart)
1941: Billy Fury/Ronald Wycherley (uk singer mega popstar)*28.Jan.1983
1934: Don Kirshner (producer/promoter).
1932: Joe Romano (US jazz saxophonist; Woody Herman/Freelance).
1929: James Last (German orchestra leader).
1923: Gianni Raimondi (Italian international operatic tenor)*19.Oct.2008

April 18th
1974: Mark "Tru" Tremonti (lead guitar; Alter Bridge/Creed).
1970: Greg Eklund (drums; Everclear).
1964: Marky Mark 'Bez' Berry (UK dancer, percussion, mascot; Happy Mondays).
1962: Shirley Holliman (vocals; Pepsi & Shirlie/Wham!).
1958: Andy Kyriacou (drummer; Modern Romance).
1946: Lennie Baker (saxophone; Danny & the Juniors/Sha Na Na).
1944: Alexander "Skip" Spence (drums, guitar; Moby Grape/JeffersonAirplane)*16.Apr.1999
1941: Mike Vickers (saxophone, guitar, flute, clarinet; Manfred Mann/sessoinist/freelane).
1939: Glen D.Hardin (piano, guitar; Crickets/sessionist/freelance).
1924: Clarence 'Gatemouth' Brown (US blues artist, multi musician)*10.Sept.2005.
1882: Leopold Stokowski/Antoni Stanislaw Boleslawowicz (Symphonic conductor)

April 19th
1989: Fiona MacGillivray (Canadian vocalist; The Cottars).
1970: Luis Miguel (Mexican pop singer).
1967: Dar Williams (US singer, guitarist, songwriter).
1966: Julia Neigel (German singer and songwriter).
1953: Rod Morgenstein (US drummer; Winger/Dixie Dregs/sessionist).
1947: Mark Volman/Phlorescent Leech (singer; Turtles/Mothers of Invention/Flo & Eddie).
1944: Bernie Worrell (keyboards, piano, synthesizer, organ; Parliament/Funkadelic).
1942: Alan Price (vocals, piano, keyboards,composer; Animals/Jade Warrior/own band).
1940: Genya Ravan (US vocalist; Goldie & the Gingerbreads/Ten Wheel Drive).
1941: Roberto Carlos Braga (Brazilian Grammy Award-winning MPB singer).
1935: Dudley Moore (UK actor, pianist, comedian, composer)*27.March.2002
1928: Alexis Korner (French jazz, blues guitarist,"the father of British blues")*01.Jan.1984.

April 20th
1972: Carmen Electra (singer, actress; Pussycat Dolls).
1972: Stephen Marley (singer, guitarist; Melody Makers).
1971: Mikey Welsh (bassist, Weezer/The Kickovers).
1951: Luther Vandross (US singer)*01.July.2005.
1948: Craig Frost (keyboardist; Silver Bullet Band/Grand Funk Railroad).
1945: Jimmy Winston (organ, keyboards; the Moments/Small Faces).
1939: Johnny Tillotson (US singer).
1936: William Godvin "Beaver" Harris (American jazz drummer)*22.Dec.1991.
1934: David "Pop" Winans (US gospel singer; Mom & Pop Winans/David & Delores)*08.April.2009.
1929: Bob Braun (US television host)*15.Jan.2001.
1920: Tito Puente (US musician; influential Latin jazz and mambo musician)*31.May.2000.
1908: Lionel Hampton (American jazz vibraphonist, percussionist, bandleader)*31.Aug.2002.

April 21st
1988: Mia Permanto (Finnish pop singer and radio host)*19.March.2008
1963: Johnny McElhone (Scottish bassist; Altered Images/Texas/Hipsway).
1959: Michael Timmins (Canadian guitarist; Cowboy Junkies).
1959: Robert James Smith (guitar, keyboards, vocals; Siouxsie&The Banshees/The Cure).
1951: Nicole Barclay (keyboards, vocals; Fanny/freelance)?
1948: Paul Davis (US singer)*22.April.2008.
1947: John Weider (guitar, bass, violin; Family/The Animals/Stud/sessionist).
1947: Alan Warner (guitar; Foundations).
1947: Iggy Pop/James Newell Osterburg (singer; The Phsycodelic Stooges/Stooges).
1933: Ian Carr (Scottish trumpeter, composer and writer; Nucleus/others/sessionist)*25.Feb.2009.

April 22nd
1980: Ginger Sling/Ginger Reyes/Ginger A. Pooley (US bassist; Smashing Pumpkins/solo).
1979: Daniel Johns (Australian vocalist, composer, pianist, guitarist; Silverchair).
1969: Craig Logan (Scottish singer; member of the trio Bros).
1956: Kenny Lyons (bassist; Lemonheads).
1951: Paul Carrack (singer, keyboardist; Ace/Squeeze/Mike & the Mechanics/solo).
1950: Peter Frampton (guitar, vocals; the Herd/Humble Pie/solo).
1944: Howard Wyeth (drummer, pianist; freelance/sessionist)?
1939: Simon Napier-Bell (manager of Wham! T Rex & Japan +more).
1937: Jack Nitzche (producer, songwriter, composer)*25.Aug.2000.
1936: Glen Campbell (US singer, guitarist, banjo player; Beach Boys/solo).
1929: Erkki Junkkarinen (Finnish singer)*09.April.2008.
1922: Charles Mingus (US jazz musician/bandleader)*05.Jan.1979.
1922: Elden C. 'Buster' Bailey (US percussionist; New York Philharmonic)*13.Apr.2004.
1922: Eugene Smith (US gospel baritone/tenor singer; Roberta Martin Singers/solo)*09.May.2009.

April 23rd
1969: Stan Frazier (drummer; Sugar Ray)?
1968: Paul Clifford (bass, Wonder Stuff)?
1966: Neil Wathey (UK drummer; Bitter Suite/TNT/Suite FA/sessionist).
1964: Simon "Gen" Matthews (drummer, percussion; Jesus Jones).
1960: Steve Clark (UK guitarist; Def Leppard)*08.Jan.1991.
1960: David Gedge (vocals, guitar, producer; Cinerama/The Wedding Present).
1955: Mark Schatz (bassist, banjo; The Bluegrass Album Band/freelance).
1952: Narada Michael Walden (vocals, drums; Mahavishnu Orchestra/freelance).
1949: John Miles (vocalist, guitarist and keyboards; The Influence/solo/freelance).
1947: Stu Middleton (guitar, keyboards; Prisoner/Bitter Suite).
1945: John Allen (guitarist; Nashville Teens).
1939: Patrick Williams (US composer of jazz, popular music, concert music, music for film & television).
1939: Ray Peterson (US pop singer)*25.Jan.2005.
1936: Roy Orbison (US pop and country singer, songwriter)*6.Dec.1988.
1924: Bob Rosengarden (Drums; band leader/Rosengarden & Kraus/Walter Wanderley).
1921: Janet Blair (actress, singer; TV musical specials).
1919: "Little" Benny Harris (US trumpet, composer; many jazz bands and sessionist)*11.May.1975.
1915: Joe Lippman (Jazz pianist, composer; band leader/many big bands)??
1903: Bob Garber (piano; band leader)*06.March.1988.
1895: Jimmy Noone (New Orleans clarinet player; bandleader)*19.April.1944.
1895: Charles "Cow Cow" Davenport (US boogie woogie piano player)*03.Dec.1955

April 24th
1982: Kelly Clarkson (singer; winner of the US TV show Pop Idol).
1973: Brian Marshall (bass guitar; Creed/Alter Bridge).
1968: Aaron Comess (drums; Spin Doctors)?
1967: Patty Schemel (drums; Hole/freelance).
1963: Horacio 'El Negro' Hernandez (Cuban drums/percussion; Yerba Buena)?
1963: Billy Gould (bass; Faith No More).
1960: Paula Yates (music presenter, TV host)*17.Sept.2000.
1957: Boris Williams (French drummmer; Thompson Twins/The Cure).
1957: David Jay Haskins (bass; Bauhaus/The Jazz Butcher/Love & Rockets).
1955: Captain Sensible/Raymond Burns (vocals, guitar, bass; King/The Damned/solo).
1948: Steve York (bass, Manfred Mann/Earth Band)?
1947: Glen Cornick (bassist; Jethro Tull).
1947: Hubert Ann Kelly (singer; Hues Corporation).
1945: TBT ('Tis Me!).
1945: Doug Riley (Canadian keyboardist; Famous People Players)*27.Aug.2007
1945: Doug Clifford (drums;Creedence ClearwaterRevival/Creedence Clearwater Revisited).
1943: Glen Dale/Richard Garforth (guitar/vocals; Fortunes).
1943: Ross Kettle (Australian singer, songwriter, guitar; Singing Kettles)*12.Sept.2007.
1942: Barbra Streisand (US singer, actress).
1937: Joe Henderson (saxophone; Horace Silver/Blood, Sweat & Tears)*30.June.2001.
1937: James "Spanky" DeBrest (bass; Art Blakey/Thelonious Monk/more)*02.March.1973
1933: Freddie Scott (US singer-songwriter: famous for "Hey Girl")*04.June.2007.
1928: John Arnold Griffin III (American bop and hard bop tenor saxophonist)*25.July.2008.
1926: Joe Segal (jazz promoter, owner of 'The Jazz Showcase' nightclub in Chicago).
1923: Albert King/Albert Nelson (Blues guitar virtuoso, composer)*21.Dec.1992.
1922: Samuel Aaron Bell (tuba, bass; Duke Ellington/many jazz bands)*28.July.2003.

April 25th
1980: Jacob Underwood (singer; O-Town).
1965: Eric Avery (bassist; Jane's Addiction/freelance).
1965: Simon Fowler (vocalist, acoustic guitarist Ocean Colour Scene).
1964: Andy Bell (vocals, producer, arranger; Erasure/solo).
1964: Maya Gilder (keyboards; Furniture)?
1960: Paul Baloff (US singer, frontman; Exodus)*02.Feb.2002
1958: Fish/Derek William Dick (singer; Marillion/solo/Radio presenter).
1950: Steve Ferrone (drummer; Average White Band/freelance).
1949: Michael Brown/Michael Lookofsky (US singer, songwriter).
1946: Ron Gilbert (bassist; Blue Magoos)?
1945: Bjorn Ulvaeus (Swedish guitarist, vocals, composer; ABBA).
1945: Stu Cook (bass; Creedence Clearwater Revival/Creedence Clearwater Revisited).
1945: Michael Kogel (singer; Los Bravos, first Spanish rock band with UK & US hit single).
1944: Charlie Harper/David Charles Perez (lead singer; UK Subs)
1943: John Bryson Eulenberg (songwriter/voice box pioneer).
1943: Tony Christie/Antony Fitzgerald (UK singer).
1937: Bubba Groce (US jazz drummer).
1933: Jerry Leiber (Leiber/Stoller songwriting and producing partnership).
1917: Ella Fitzgerald (US legendary jazz singer)*15.June.1996
1913: Earl Bostic (US alto saxophonist; own R&B, soul, jazz bands)*28.Oct.1954

April 26th
1982: Jon Lee (vocals, S Club 7).
1981: Ms Dynamite/Niomi MacLean-Daley (UK rapper, singer).
1976: Jose Pasillas (drummer; Incubus).
1975: Joey Jordison (drums, guitar; Slipknot).
1970: T-Boz/Tionne Tenese Watkins (lead vocals; TLC)
1970: Ruth-Ann Boyle (vocals; Olive/solo).
1961: Mike Francis (Italian pop singer, composer)*30.Jan.2009.
1961: Chris Mars (drums; Golden Smog/The Replacements).
1960: Roger Taylor (drums; Duran Duran/Frebass) not Queen's drummer.
1952: Neol Davies (guitar, vocals, songwriter; The Selecter)
1951: Nick Garvey (lead vocalist, guitarist; Ducks Deluxe/Motors/solo).
1945: Tony Murray (bassist; Troggs/sessionist)?
1943: Gary Wright (singer, keyboards, violin, piano Spooky Tooth/solo/guest).
1942: Bobby Rydell/Robert Louis Ridarelli (US singer).
1940: Giorgio Moroder (Italian producer, disco sound, composer; film music/own studios).
1938: Duane Eddy (legendary US guitarist).
1938: Maurice Williams (lead singer; Royal Charms/Zodiacs).
1936: William Godvin "Beaver" Harris (American jazz drummer)*22.Dec.1990
1924: Teddy Edwards (saxophone, Dexter Gordons/sessionist/freelance)*20.April.2003.
1921: Jimmy Giuffre (American jazz composer, arranger, saxophonist, clarinetist)*24.April.2008
1915: Johnny Shines (Delta Blues Slide Guitar)*20.April.1992.
1894: Charles Edward "Cow Cow" Davenport (US boogie woogie piano player)*03.Dec.1955.

April 27th
1984: Patrick Stump (lead vocals, guitar; Fall Out Boy).
1984: Yonah Higgins (vocals; Cleopatra).
1976: Isobel Campbell (Scottish singer,cello,piano;Gentle Waves/Belle-Sebastian).
1972: Bob Coombes (keyboards; Supergrass).
1969: Mica Paris (UK singer, actress).
1959: Marco Pirroni (guitar; Adam And The Ants).
1959: Scott Robinson (saxophone, flute, clarinet; Jazz musician).
1959: Sheena Easton (Scottish singer).
1951: Paul "Ace" Frehley (guitar, vocals; Kiss).
1949: Clive Taylor (bassist; Amen Corner)?
1948: Kate Pierson (US singer; The B-52's).
1947: Peter Ham (Welsh singer, guitar; Badfinger/The Iveys)*23.April.1975.
1947: Herb Murrell (singer; Stylistics).
1947: Ann Peebles (US soul-rhythm & blues singer).
1946: Gordon Haskell (UK singer, songwriter; Ravens, League of Gentlemen/King Crimson/solo).
1944: Cuba Gooding Sr (singer; Main Ingredient).
1932: Casey Kasem (host of the weekly US Top 40 radio program & many other things).
1927: Sal Mosca (American jazz pianist and educator)*28.July.2007.

April 28th
1969: Mica Paris (UK singer).
1968: Howard Donald (singer; Take That).
1968: Daisy Berkowitz/Scott Mitchell Putesky (bass; Marilyn Manson).
1966: Too Short/Todd Shaw (West Coast rapper).
1957: Wilma Landkroon (Dutch singer)
1955: Eddie Jobson (UK violin, keyboards, synthesizers; Curved Air/Roxy Music/Frank Zappa).
1953: Kim Gordan (bass; Sonic Youth/Ciccone Youth).
1945: John Wolters (drummer; Dr.Hook and the Medicine Show)*16.June.1997.
1940: Phil Guy (American blues guitarist; Raful Neal/Junior Wells/solo)*20.Aug.2008.
1926: Blossom Dearie (American jazz singer and pianist)*07.Feb.2009.

April 29th
1980: Kian Egan (Irish singer; Westlife).
1979: Jo Velda O'Meara (vocals, S Club 7).
1973: Mike Hogan (bass; The Cranberries).
1967/69: Master P/Percy Miller (hip hop, rap artist).
1960: Phil King (bass, sometimes drummer; Lush).
1958: Simon Edwards (guitar; Fairground Attraction)?
1953: Bill Drummond (producer, A&R man, writer, drummer: KLF).
1948: Michael Karoli (German guitarist; Can)*17.Nov.2001
1947: Tommy James (singer; Shondells)
1947: Joel Larson (drums; Grass Roots)
1945: Tammi Terrell (US singer; The Sherrys/Motown)*16.March.1970
1943: Duane Allen (lead singer; Oak Ridge Boys).
1942: Klaus Voorman (German bassist;sessionist/Manfred Mann/Plastic Ono Band/more).
1940: George Rufus Adams (US jazz jazz tenor saxophonist, flute, bass clarinet)*29.April.1940.
1937: Lefty Dizz (US blues guitarist and singer)*07.Sept.1993.
1934: Otis Rush (US blues guitarist, singer).
1931: Lonnie Donegan (UK singer, guitar, banjo, songwiter, composer)*03.Nov.2002.
1929: Ray Barretto (PuertoRican percussion,congas; sessionist/Fania All-Stars)*17.Feb.2006.
1928: Carl Gardner (US singer; The Coasters).
1925: Danny Davis (US country vocalist, bandleader, producer; Nashville Brass)*12.June.2008
1899: Duke Ellington (jazz pianist, bandleader, songwriter, composer)*24.May.1974

April 30th
1987: Nikki Webster (Australian pop singer, entertainer).
1982: Cleo Higgins (vocals; Cleopatra).
1982: Lloyd Banks/Christopher Lloyd (singer, rapper; G-Unit/solo)
1979: Sean Mackin (vocals, violin; Yellowcard)?
1973: Jeff Timmons (singer; 98 Degrees/solo).
1972: J.R. Richards (singer, guitar; Dishwalla/guest).
1971: Chris "Choc" Dalyrimple (singer; Soul For Real).
1971: Darren Emerson (Dance DJ, keyboards, Underworld).
1969: Clark Vogeler (guitarist; The Toadies).
1968: Ben Ayres (guitar, keyboards, tamboura; Cornershop)?
1969: Paulo Jr/Paulo Xisto Pinto Junior (Brazilian bassist; Sepultura)
1967: Turbo B (rap artist; Snap)?
1964: Barrington Levy (Jamaican reggae artist)
1962: Robert Reynolds (bass; The Mavericks).
1953: Merrill Osmond (lead singer; Osmonds).
1951: Des Tong (bass; Sad Cafe)?
1948: Wayne Kramer (vocals, guitar; MC5/solo).
1943: Bobby Vee/Robert Thomas Velline (US singer).
1933: Willie Nelson (counrty singer, guitar, songwriter, actor).
1925: Johnny Horton (US honky tonk singer, guitarist)*05.Nov.1960
1914: Dorival Caymmi (Brazilian songwriter and singer)*16.Aug.2008.
1896: Reverend Gary Davis (US blind blues/gospel singer, guitarist)*05.May.1972.

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LOST THIS MONTH

April 1st
1984: Marvin Gaye/Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. (44) Legendary Motown singer, pianist, drummer, songwriter, with a three-octave vocal range. Starting as a member of the doo-wop group The Moonglows in the late fifties, he ventured into a solo career after the group disbanded in 1960 signing with the Tamla subsidiary of Motown Records. After a year as a session drummer, Marvin ranked as the label's top-selling solo artist during the sixties. Due to solo hits including "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)", "Ain't That Peculiar", "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" and his duet singles with singers such as Mary Wells and Tammi Terrell, he was crowned "The Prince of Motown" and "The Prince of Soul". Notable for fighting the hit-making but restrictive Motown process in which performers and songwriters and producers were kept separate, he proved with albums like his 1971 What's Going On and his 1973 Let's Get It On that he was able to produce music without relying on the system, inspiring fellow Motown artists such as Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson to do the same. (shot dead by his father during a violent argument, the day before his 45 birthday. Gaye's relatives claimed that he had purposely pushed his father to the edge instead of having to commit suicide) b. April 2nd 1939.
1992: Nigel Preston (32) UK drummer; a founding member of The Death Cult and The Cult. He also played and recorded with Sex Gang Children, Theatre of Hate, The Gun Club, and The Baby Snakes. His biggest hit was "She Sells Sanctuary" by The Cult from their "Love" L.P. In March 1985, The Cult recorded their fourth single, "She Sells Sanctuary", which charted at #15 in the UK charts. It re-entered the charts at #56 in September 1986, spending 14 consecutive weeks on the charts. The song was recently voted No.18 in VH1's Indie 100. Preston refused to accept being put on wages after the song became a hit and parted company with the band in June of 1985 (an apparent overdose) b. July 1959
1992: Walter Andreas Schwarz (78) German singer, songwriter, novelist, Kabarettist, author of radio dramas and translator. In 1956, he competed with his own composition "Im Wartesaal zum großen Glück" in the German national final for the Eurovision Song Contest and won. Along with Freddy Quinn, he therefore became the first German entrant in the competition. The song was released as a single but commercially, it was not very successful. Other notable records were not released. He went on to become a successful author of novels and especially radio dramas. One of his last contirbutions was an adaption of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy in 1990 and 1991, which included 17 episodes (?) b. June 2nd 1913.
1998: Rozz Williams/Roger Alan Painter (34) American deathrock vocalist, a pioneer of deathrock, most famous for fronting the bands Christian Death and Shadow Project, the latter with his then wife, Eva O. He took the name of Rozz Williams from a gravestone he found in Pomona cemetery. His first bands were called The Crawlers, The Upsetters, The Asexuals and Daucus Karota before he went on to form Christian Death in late 1979. The band broke up temporarily in 1981, and Rozz formed Premature Ejaculation. Other musical projects he was involved in include Heltir and EXP Premature Ejaculation. He also recorded several solo albums including ''Every King a Bastard Son'', ''The Whorse's Mouth'', ''Live In Berlin'', ''Accept The Gift of Sin'' (Suicide, found by Ryan Wildstar, his roommate of 7 years, hanged to death in their West Hollywood apartment) b. November 6th 1963.
2004: Paul Atkinson (58) UK guitarist for legendary rock band The Zombies along with Rod Argent, Colin Blunstone, Chris White and Hugh Grundy, scoring US hits in the mid- and late-1960s with "She's Not There", "Tell Her No", and "Time of the Season". He later became an artists and repertoire executive, discovering and signing such bands as ABBA, Bruce Hornsby, Mr. Mister, Judas Priest, and Michael Penn. On 25 November, 1997, all five Zombies reunited at the Jazz Cafe in London's Camden Town as part of a solo show by Colin Blunstone, to perform "She's Not There" and "Time of the Season". (died in a Santa Monica, California hospital of a liver and kidney disease) b. March 19th 1946.
2009: Duane Jarvis (51) American guitarist, singer-songwriter; influenced by BB King, The Who, The Kinks, and The Rolling Stones he was part of a blues band and a power pop group while in his teens. He went on to record songs with many rock and roll and country music performers, including Frank Black, Peter Case, Rosie Flores, John Prine, Amy Rigby, Lucinda Williams and Dwight Yoakam. In addition to his collaborations, which included co-writing "Still I Long For Your Kiss", a song on Lucinda Williams's Grammy-winning album "Car Wheels on a Gravel Road", he also released a number of solo albums including "D.J.'s Front Porch", "Far From Perfect" and "Certified Miracle" (colon cancer) b. August 22nd 1957.
2009: Pedro Infante Jr. (59) Mexican actor and singer, son of Pedro Infante (pneumonia) b.??
2009: Margreta Elkins AM (78) Australian mezzo-soprano; she sang at Covent Garden and with Opera Australia, Dublin Grand Opera Company, the Carl Rosa Opera Company and other companies. She made a number of recordings, including singing alongside sopranos such as Maria Callas and Joan Sutherland. She went freelance in 1980 and recorded Elgar's Sea Pictures with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra in 1983, a recording which is often compared favourably with Dame Janet Baker's; 11 June 1984, she was made a Member of the Order of Australia and awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Queensland in 1986. In 1990 she appeared as Azucena in Il trovatore for Queensland Lyric Opera. She returned to the stage once more in 2002, as Mamma Lucia in Cavalleria rusticana for Opera Queensland where she was an honorary life member (cancer) b. October 16th 1930.

April 2nd
1987: Buddy Rich/Bernard Rich (69) American jazz drummer, bandleader and former Marine. He was billed as "the world's greatest drummer" and was known for his virtuoso technique, power, and speed. He began playing drums in vaudeville when he was 18 months old, billed as "Traps the Drum Wonder" and by the time he was 11, he was performing as a bandleader. At the peak of his childhood career, he was reportedly the second-highest paid child entertainer in the world, after Jackie Coogan. He expressed great admiration for, and was influenced by the playing of Chick Webb, Gene Krupa, Dave Tough and Jo Jones among others. He first played jazz in 1937 with Joe Marsala's group, with Bunny Berigan in 1938 and with Artie Shaw 1939. In 1939, Buddy taught drums to a young Mel Brooks, and persuaded Artie Shaw to allow a 13-year-old Mel to attend Shaw's recording sessions in Manhattan. In October 1944, at the Paramount Theatre Rich mentioned to Frank Sinatra that he was interested in starting his own band. Frank wrote him a cheque for $40,000 and said "Good Luck. This'll get you started." Between 1940 to 1966 he played with Tommy Dorsey, Benny Carter, Harry James, Les Brown, Charlie Ventura, and Jazz at the Philharmonic, as well as leading his own band and performing with all-star groups. For most of the period from 1966 until his death, he led a successful big band in an era when the popularity of big bands had waned. He also served as the session drummer on many recordings with the likes of Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstron and Oscar Peterson. He was also a frequent guest on The Steve Allen Show, Johnny Carson's Tonight Show and The Merv Griffin Show, among others. Only a few weeks prior to his death he appeared with his Big Band on Michael Parkinson's British talk show Parkinson (brain tumour) b. September 30th 1917.
1998: Robert 'Rob' Pilatus (32) Afro-German model, stripper, singer of the duo Milli Vanilli. The son of an African American soldier and a German mother, he was later adopted by a German family and raised in Munich. He worked as a model and break dancer before joining Milli Vanilli, a pop/dance music project formed by Frank Farian in Germany in 1988, fronted by Fab Morvan and Rob Pilatus. Their debut platinum album "Girl You Know It's True" became a worldwide hit and produced five hit singles including 3 No.1 hits, "Girl I'm Gonna Miss You", "Baby Don't Forget My Number" and "Blame It On The Rain". The album won them the 1990 Grammy Award for Best New Artist. On November 12th 1990, Frank Farian confessed to reporters that Rob and Fab did not actually sing on the records. As a result of US media pressure, Milli Vanilli's Grammy was withdrawn, their three American Music Awards were never withdrawn, but Arista Records dropped the act from its roster and deleted their album and its masters from their catalog, taking "Girl You Know It's True" out of print. After a failed comeback attempt, Rob turned to a life of crime and in 1996, he served three months in jail for assault, vandalism and attempted robbery. He also spent six months on drug rehabilitation, before returning to Germany. On February 14, 2007, it was announced that Universal Pictures was developing a film based on the story of Milli Vanilli's rise and fall in the music industry (drug overdose) b. June 8th 1965.
2003: Edwin Starr (61) US soul singer (heart attack)
2006: Buddy Blue /Bernard Seigal (48) US guitarist with the legendary San Diego punktry band the Beat Farmers (heart attack).
2009: Bud Shank (82) American alto saxophonist; he began with clarinet, but had switched to saxophone before attending the University of North Carolina. In 1946 he worked with Charlie Barnet before moving on to Kenton and the West coast jazz scene. He also had a strong interest in what might now be termed world music, playing bossa nova in the early 1950s, and in 1962 fusing jazz with Indian traditions in collaboration with Indian composer and sitar-player Ravi Shankar. As well as releasing 12 albums as a leader, the last to date being 2007's Beyond the Red Door, he has also recorded with The Mamas & the Papas, Ravi Shankar and Gene Clarke. In 2005 he formed the Bud Shank Big Band in Los Angeles to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Stan Kenton's Neophonic Orchestra (pulmonary failure) b. May 27th 1926.

April 3rd
1887: Johannes Brahms (63) Austria-Hungarian composer, pianist; his works blend classical tradition with a romantic impulse and include concertos, four symphonies, chamber music, and choral compositions.()
1978: Ray Noble (74) UK bandleader, composer, arranger and actor; became leader of the HMV Records studio band in 1929. The band, known as the New Mayfair Dance Orchestra, featured members of many of the top hotel orchestras of the day. The most popular vocalist with Noble's studio band was Al Bowlly, he also provided music for many radio shows like The Charlie McCarthy Show and Burns and Allen ().
1990: Sarah Vaughan/Sassy (66) US jazz singer, considered one of the most influential jazz vocalists of the 20th Century. (lung cancer)
1999: Lionel Bart (69) UK composer of songs and musicals, best known for Oliver! (died after a long hard struggle with cancer)
2002: Fad Gadget/Frank Tovey (45) An influential British avant-garde electronic musician, he was an exponent of both New Wave and early industrial music (he had suffered from heart problems since his childhood, and died of a heart attack).
2003: Homer Banks (61) African-American songwriter, singer and record producer, best known for his songs for Stax Records in the 1960s and 1970s. Many of the songs he wrote have become contemporary classics (cancer).
2006: Martin Gilks (41) UK drummer for the British band the Wonder Stuff. They backed UK comedian Vic Reeves on a great remake of "Dizzy" in the early 90s. He left the group at the end of 1995 to join his brother "Tank" in forming Furtive Mass Transit Systems, a management company who looked after Reef, Cable, A and Hundred Reasons (motorcycle accident).
2008: Wayne "Frosty Freeze" Frost (44) American B-boy, breakdancer and member of the hip-hop group Rock Steady Crew, known for his comedic, acrobatic and inventive style; his trademark move is known as, "The Suicide", also known as "The Death Freeze Drop" (He was stricken with an undisclosed illness during early 2008, went on life support on March 27).
2009: Charlie Kennedy (81) American alto saxophonist; he played with Louis Prima's big band orchestra in the 1940s. After a brief stint in his own band, he joined Gene Krupa's big band. Over the course of his long career, he played with Terry Gibbs's Dream Band, Charlie Ventura, Flip Phillips, Chico O'Farrill, and Bill Holman among others. In addition to live performances and recordings with big name bands, he also was a frequent studio musician. He played in the orchestras for popular movies including My Fair Lady and West Side Story. In the 1970s, for more stable income to support his family with six children, he gave up his career as a full-time musician, but continued to perform in clubs near his home in Southern California (pulmonary disease) b. July 2nd 1927.

April 4th
1995: Kenny Everett (50) UK radio DJ, TV presenter; he began his show biz career as a DJ for Radio London, a pirate radio station, where he teamed up with Dave Cash for the 'Kenny & Cash Show' one of the most popular programmes on pirate radio (aids)
1997: Gene Ames (74) US singer with The Ames Brothers, they notched up 50 U.S. chart entries and were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1998 (?)
2009: Eduardo Parra (90) Chilean folk singer (septic shock) b. ??

April 5th
1981: Bob Hite (36) lead singer, harmonica with Canned Heat (heart attack)
1983: Danny Rapp (41) front man with his Danny and the Juniors; although his birth certificate states his birth was May 10, he was born at home on May 9 and registered the following day.
(an apparent suicide by gunshot)
1994: Kurt Cobain (27) founder, singer, guitarist of Nirvana (His death was officially ruled a suicide by self-inflicted gunshot wound. Since then, the circumstances surrounding his death have fueled much analysis and debate)
1998: Cozy Powell/Colin Flooks (50) UK drummer; he worked with Rainbow, Whitesnake, and as a soloists, top session player and freelance drummer. Considered to be one of England's best drummers and very much in demand for rock and pop records, Cozy Powell is legendary for his heavy-hitting style that he made to work with many kinds of rock music, whether it be for the thundering pop productions or the softer rock ballads (died in hospital following a car crash, driving his Saab 9000 in bad weather on the M4 motorway near Bristol, while talking to his girlfriend on his mobile phone, he lost control and crashed into the central barriers)
2002: Layne Staley (34) lead guitarist & singer of Alice In Chains (lethal overdose of heroin and cocaine)
2006: Gene Pitney (66) US singer songwriter. (Died peacefully in his sleep at The Hilton Hotel, Cardiff Wales, UK, after a sold out show at St. Davids Hall. An autopsy confirmed the singer died of natural causes)
2009: Nancy Overton (83) American singer; first formed a group with her sister Jean Swain and two college friends, in 1946, touring with orchestra leader Tommy Tucker for 6 months, as Tommy Tucker's Two Timers, and recorded the song "Maybe You'll Be There". They next sang with singer and band leader Ray Heatherton, they were then known as The Heathertones. The Heathertones disbanded in 1953. In 1957, Janet Ertel of The Chordettes, though still recording with the group, elected not to continue touring, Nancy was invited to appear with The Chordettes for live appearances and did so until the group broke up in the early 1960s. After her husband Hall Overton died in 1972, she retired from show business and worked for Prentice-Hall Publishers as an editorial assistant. In the early 1990s, The Chordettes regrouped with Nancy, Doris Alberti, and original members Lynn Evans and Jean Swain, doing shows ranging from a doo wop concert to touring with Eddy Arnold (esophageal cancer) b. February 6th 1926.
2009: Tony D/Anthony Depula (42) American hip hop DJ and musician; He was the first artist to have a record released on Mark Rae's burgeoning British Grand Central Records independent record label, then called Gone Clear Records. His other albums were released on Cha-Ching Records and 4th & B'way Records, and he was a part of the group Crusaders for Real Hip Hop, which released one album on Profile Records. He had also worked as a producer for DJ Muggs, Outsidaz, Scott Lark, Poor Righteous Teachers, Young Zee, King Sun, Blvd Mosse, and Pace Won. He was last reported to be working on a band project called The WBs (car accident) b.??

April 6th
1977: Benny Featherstone (65) Tasmanian drummer, trumpet player (?)
1984: Ral Donner (41) US singer; a most successful Elvis sound-alike, getting a career, a year's worth of charting singles, and years of steady work out of the fact that his singing bore an uncanny resemblance to the King of Rock & Roll's ballad style.(cancer)
1998: Wendy Orlean Williams (48) lead singer; Plasmatics (died in a wooded area near her home of a self-inflicted gunshot wound)
1998: Tammy Wynette (55) Country singer; known as the "First Lady of Country Music" and one of her best-known songs was "Stand by Your Man," which was one of the biggest selling hit singles by a woman in the history of the music genre (cardiac arrythmia)
2006: Augustyn Bloch (75) composer, member of the Polish Composers Union; he was an active concert organist, and wrote music for the Polish Radio Theatre ()
2009: Jan "Tollarparn" Eriksson (69) Swedish jazz pianist (?) b. July 25th 1939.

April 7th
1981: Kit Lambert (45) record producer and the manager for The Who. (died of a cerebral hemorrhage after falling down a flight of stairs at his mother's home in London)
1994: Lee Brilleaux (41) South African singer, harmonica; Dr Feelgood (throat cancer)
2000: Heinz/Heinz Henry Georg Schwartze (57) vocals, bass; Wild Boys/Tornados/solo; born in Germany but raised in Southampton, UK (stroke, effects of motor neurone disease)
2006: Derek Jamerson (39) US drummer and keyboardist very active in the Detroit Techno Music Scene, he is also the son of bassist James Jamerson.(died in the Presbyterian St. Lukes Hospital, Denver, Colorardo).
2008: Phil Urso (82) American jazz tenor saxophonist and composer, sadly he was never well-known, missed by the media, but he backed Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra with the Eliot Lawrence Orchestra and played with Woody Herman, Jimmy Dorsey, Miles Davis, Terry Gibbs, Oscar Pettiford and many others in the late 1940's until the early 70s (?).
2009: Mari Trini/Maria Trinidad Perez Miravete (61) Spanish pop singer and actress; she learned to play guitar and compose songs at a young age. After meeting American film producer Nicholas Ray she moved to London to improve her natural skills and later to Paris in 1963 where she signed her first record deal. In 1969 Mari debuted with the release of a self-titled album featuring songs in both Spanish and French. Amores, Escuchame and Ventanas followed soon after. Her songs "Cuando Me Acaricias," "Canción de Otoño," and "Yo No Soy Esa," became classics in the Latin pop music field. She released 25 albums over her long career, her intensity, with a strong undercurrent of melancholy, expressed in an intimate, slightly rasping voice, brought comparisons with Edith Piaf. (cancer) b. July 12th 1947.

April 8th
1938: Joe "King" Oliver (57) US cornet player; He pioneered in the use of mutes, including the plumber's plunger, derby hat, bottles and cups in the bell of his horn. His recording "WaWaWa" with the Dixie Syncopators can be credited with giving the name wah-wah to such techniques. He gave Louis Armstrong the first cornet that Louis was to own. Louis called Oliver his idol and inspiration all his life.()
1985: John Frederick Coots (87) US songwriter, he wrote over 700 songs including 'Santa Claus Is Coming to Town' a song that became one of the biggest best sellers in American music history.()
1995: Roosevelt "Booba" Barnes (59) US Bluesman, harmonica player, owner of Barnes' Playboy Club on Nelson Street in Greenville, Mississippi were he held court. (lung cancer)
1997: Laura Nyro (49) singer, guitar, piano, songwriter (ovarian cancer)
2008: Cedella Booker (81) Jamaican mother of the great Bob Marley (natural causes).
2009: David "Pop" Winans (74) American gospel singer; the patriarch of the award-winning gospel music family, The Winans. A native of Detroit, he began singing with a gospel quartet at the age of 18. He met his wife Delores while in the Lucille Lemon Choir conducted by James Cleveland. They recorded together as "Mom and Pop Winans" and separately at various times as "Mom", "Pop", "David" or "Delores". They received a Grammy nomination for their CD "Mom & Pop Winans" in 1989 and in 1999, David was nominated for a Grammy for his solo album, "Uncensored". The Winans family gospel group earned six Grammy awards. They were well known for the yearly Christmas concerts they organized at Mercy Hall in which their ten children participated (heart attack) b. April 20th 1934.

April 9th
1976: Phil Ochs (35) US folk singer songwriter (afflicted with serious depression, he hung himself at his sisters home in Queens, New York)
1988: Dave Prater (50) one half of Sam & Dave; most of their hits were penned by Isaac Hayes and Dave Porter. In most recordings they were backed by Hayes on piano with Booker T. & the M.G.'s and the Memphis Horns.(car crash at Syracuse, Georgia).
1988: Brook Benton/Benjamin Franklin Peay (56) Silky smooth US soul singer, rhythm & blues singer (complications from spinal meningitis)
1991: Martin Hannett (42) Record producer, The Smiths, New Order, Joy Division, Happy Mondays, Magazine, and U2, The Psychedelic Furs (discovered dead in his chair, a victim of heart failure)
1997: Mae Boren Axton (82) Known in the music industry as the 'Queen Mother of Nashville'. She was one of the co-writers of the song Heartbreak Hotel, made popular by Elvis Presley. She was an influential member of the Nashville music industry. For decades she used her influence to contribute to the success of many musical careers including Mel Tillis, Reba McEntire, Willie Nelson and Blake Shelton to name only a few. She wrote some 200 songs, 14 of which made the charts (drowned in her hot tub at her home) b. September 14 1914.
1998: Tom Corra (44) American cellist and composer; he made his musical debut as drummer on a local TV program and in the mid-1970s he played guitar for a Washington, D.C. jazz club house band. He took up the cello while at the University of Virginia, during this time he formed his own group, The Moose Skowron Tuned Metal Ensemble and began constructing instruments for it. In 1979 he moved to New York where he worked with Shockabilly guitarist Eugene Chadbourne, introducing the cello to the honky tonk circuits of North America. He performed and/or recorded with John Zorn, Fred Frith, Andrea Centazzo, Butch Morris, Wayne Horvitz, David Moss, Toshinori Kondo and others. He also collaborated with George Cartwright and Bill Laswell which led to the formation of the art rock band Curlew in 1979. In 1982 he and Fred Frith formed Skeleton Crew, touring Europe and Japan and was also a member of the improvising trio Third Person, formed in 1990. Tom performed with a number of other bands, including Nimal and post-rock quartet Roof. In 1990, he played two concerts with Dutch anarcho-punk band, The Ex, and the success of this collaboration resulted in him performing hundreds of concerts with The Ex and appearing on two of their CDs. (malignant melanoma) b. September 14th 1953.
2008: Bob Kames (82) American polka musician, songwriter and is credited with developing and popularizing the modern-day version of the song "Dance Little Bird," which is much better known by its more common name, The Chicken Dance. He is a member of the Wisconsin Area Music Industry's Hall of Fame (prostate cancer).
2008: Erkki Aukusti Junkkarinen (78) Finnish singer; established his musical career in 1950, he helped spread the humppa style of music (?).
2008: Choubeila Rached (75) Tunisian singer, decorated with the insignia of the Order of the National Merit in the cultural sector by President Zine el Abidine Ben Ali (?).
2009: Duke D'Mond/Richard Palmer (66) British singer; founder member and lead singer of 46 years with the The Barron Knights, he retired from performing 4 years ago after a bad fall. The Barron Knights, a British humorous pop group, was originally formed in 1959 as The Knights of the Round Table, they became the Barron Knights on October 5th 1960. They toured with the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Pet Clarke and others. Of their many humorous songs recorded, they achieved 14 chart hits, including "Come to the Dance", "Pop Go the Workers", "Merry Gentle Pops", "Live in Trouble", "The Topical Song", "A Taste of Aggro" and their first and best known hit 1964's "Call Up The Groups", written in response to the end of national service in the UK. (pneumonia - Duke was rushed to a hospital in Oxford with internal bleeding, then went into a coma before having a severe heart attack and developing pneumonia) b. February 25th 1943
2009: Randy Cain/Rudy Cain (63) American singer; soul singer and founder member of the The Delfonics whose hits included “La La Means I Love You”. Randy along with brothers William and Wilbert Hart formed the band while attending Overbrook High School in Philadelphia in the 1960s. The group, one of the earliest to define the smooth, soulful “Philadelphia” sound, won an R&B Grammy in 1970 for its song “Didn’t I (Blow Your Mind This Time). He left the Delfonics in 1971 and later helped form the group Blue Magic, who had a hit in 1974 with the quirky love song "Slideshow", when he brought singer and songwriter Theodore Mills to his production company. He rejoined The Delfonics in the 1980s. The group enjoyed renewed popularity in later decades after their music was sampled by several major hip-hop artists, including Notorious BIG, Missy Elliott and The Fugees. The chorus of Ready or Not by The Fugees, which topped the UK charts in 1996, is based on The Delfonics' song, Ready Or Not, Here I Come (Can't Hide From Love) (died at his home in Maple Shade, New Jersey) b. May 2nd 1945.

April 10th
1958: Chuck Willis/Harold Willis (30) Blues, R&B singer (died suddenly of peritonitis while at the peak of his career)
1970: Rafael "Ralph" Escudero (71) tuba, bowed bass, Puerto Rican Jazzman; valuable rhythm section member in some of the most prominent of the larger classic jazz ensembles, such as the bands of Fletcher Henderson and the popular McKinney's Cotton Pickers.()
1962: Stuart Sutcliff (22) UK bassist for The Beatles; an art school friend of John Lennon and was the original bassist of the The Beatles for two years. He is credited with naming the group after Buddy Holly's band the Crickets. (died of a brain haemorrhage in an ambulance on the way to hospital)
2003: Little Eva/Eva Narcissus Boyd (59) US singer; after the success of "The Loco-Motion", she was unfortunately stereotyped as a dance-craze singer and was given limited material.(died after a two year battle with cervical cancer).
2003: Douglas 'Noel' Fox (63) US bass singer with the country and gospel band The Oak Ridge Boys, he went on to work as booking agent, talent manager and publisher. In 1978, he began managing the Oak Ridge Boys' publishing entity (died after surgery following a series of strokes).
2005: Wally Tax (57) Dutch vocalist, songwriter, composer; Outsiders/Tax Free/solo ()
2007: Dakota Staton (76) American jazz vocalist, who was also known by the Muslim name Aliyah Rabia for a short period. She studied music at the Filion School of Music in Pittsburgh, after which she performed regularly in the Hill District, a jazz hotspot, as a vocalist with the Joe Wespray Orchestra. She next spent several years in the nightclub circuit in such cities as Detroit, Indianapolis, Cleveland and St. Louis. While in New York, she was noticed singing at a Harlem nightclub called the Baby Grand by Dave Cavanaugh, a producer for Capitol Records. She was signed and released several singles, including her 1957 No. 4 hit, "The Late, Late Show". She relocated to England in the mid-1960s, where he continued to record semi-regularly, her recordings taking an increasingly strong gospel and blues influence (?) b. June 3rd 1930

April 11th
2006: Proof / DeShaun Holton (32) US rapper, member of the hip hop groups D12, Promatic, 5 Elementz, and Goon Sqwad. He rose to prominence alongside Eminem and other D12 members, he was a steady hand for Detroit's then up-and-coming hip-hop scene. It was his idea to assemble a collection of Detroit's best hip-hop talent and call it D12. We may never have heard of Eminem if Proof hadn't taken under his wing years ago, it was his hand that helped push Eminem to become one of the world's biggest pop stars, including serving as his on-stage hype man on concert tours. In 2000, Proof toured along with Eminem, Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg in the Up In Smoke Tour. He appeared in Eminem's autobiographical film "8 Mile", after which he was hired to host a national search for the next best battle rapper by Showtime Networks. Proof released his long-in-the-works solo debut, "I Miss the Hip Hop Shop" recorded between 2002 and 2004, which was followed by "Searching for Jerry Garcia" in August 2005 on his own Iron Fist Records. His mother read poetry on the song "Billie Holiday" on the album (shot to death at the Detroit club, C.C.C. on Eight Mile Road) b. October 2nd 1973
2009: Johnny Roadhouse (88) British saxophonist; he joined Teddy Foster's orchestra in 1946, two years later he became leader of the sax section for the BBC Northern Variety Orchestra. In 1953 this was transformed into the Northern Dance Orchestra, he remained a member until its demise in the 1980s. He has also played with the Hallé Orchestra and the Liverpool Philharmonic. As well as his musical performing career, in 1955 he opened "Johnny Roadhouse Music" on Oxford Street, the best-known musical instrument shop in Manchester. Eventually the business grew offshoots, such as a team of specialist instrumental teachers and a band agency. In 2005 he was presented with Lifetime Achievement awards by the Lord Mayor of Manchester and the Variety Club of Great Britain (passed away in his sleep after a short illness) b.January 13th 1921.

April 12th
1963: Herbie Nichols (44) American jazz pianist, composer; his first known work was with the Royal Barons in 1937, where he became friends with fellow pianist Thelonious Monk. After the war he worked in various bands , beginning to achieve some recognition when Mary Lou Williams recorded some of his songs in 1952. He recorded for Blue Note in 1955 and 1956, which led to the issue of three albums. Other tracks from these sessions were not issued until the 1980s. His tune "Serenade" had lyrics added, and as "Lady Sings the Blues" became firmly identified with Billie Holiday. In 1957 he recorded his last album for Bethlehem Records "Love, Gloom, Cash, Love". All of his recordings as leader have been released on CD. In recent years his music has been heavily promoted by Roswell Rudd, who worked with Herbie in the early 1960s. Roswell has recorded or programmed at least three albums featuring Nichols' compositions, including "The Unheard Herbie Nichols" and a book "The Unpublished Works". Obscure during his lifetime, he is now highly regarded by many musicians and critics (leukemia) b. January 3rd 1919.
1967: William "Buster" Bailey (64) American jazz musician specializing in the clarinet, but also well versed on saxophone, he was one of the most respected session players of his era. He started with W.C. Handy’s Orchestra in 1917 when he was 15 years old. In 1919 he joined Erskine Tate’s Vendome Orchestra in Chicago until 1923 when he joined up with Joe "King" Oliver and became friends with Louis Armstrong, who was also a member of that band at the time. In 1924, Armstrong left the band to join Fletcher Henderson’s Orchestra in New York. Within a month Armstrong extended an invitation for Buster to join him as a member of the band, he accepted and moved to New York City. He went on to record and/or tour the US and Europe with many greats including Perry Bradford, Clarence Williams, Noble Sissle’s Orchestra, the John Kirby Band, Edgar Hayes, Dave Nelson, Midge Williams and Her Jazz Jesters, Big Chief Russell Moore, the Mills Blue Rhythm Band, Wilbur de Paris, Henry "Red" Allen, Wild Bill Davison, Saints And Sinners as well as his own band Buster Bailey and His Rhythm Busters. In 1965 he rejoined his old friend Armstrong and became a member of Louis Armstrong and His All-Stars (heart attack) b. July 19th 1902.
1971: Wynton Kelly (39) US jazz pianist; he started his professional career as a teenager, playing with R&B groups. He recorded 14 titles for Blue Note with his trio, and worked with Dinah Washington, Dizzy Gillespie, and Lester Young during 1951-1952. After serving in the military, he worked with Dinah Washington from 1955-1957, Charles Mingus from 1956-1957, and the Dizzy Gillespie big band in 1957. Maybe he was most famous for his work with Miles Davis from 1959-1963, recording such albums as "Kind of Blue", "At the Blackhawk" and "Someday My Prince Will Come". (epileptic fit) b. December 2nd 1931.
1999: Boxcar Willie/Lecil Travis Martin (67) American "hobo music" / country singer; he was the son of a railroad man who used to play his fiddle on the porch while Lecil played guitar. By his teens he was performing in jamborees all over the state until he gave up show business to enlist in the Air Force, where he spent 22 years, logging some 10,000 hours as a flier. He performed under the nickname of "Boxcar Willie" for the first time at a talent contest in San Jose, California, while he was still in the Air Force, he won the first prize of $150. In 1976, Lecil left the Air Force and became a full-time performer, he went on to become a star in country music, selling more than 10 million records worldwide, with hits such as "Lonesome Whistle Blues", and "Wabash Cannonball". In 1981, he achieved a professional landmark by being inducted into the Grand Ole Opry as its 60th member. In 1985, he moved to Branson, Missouri and purchased a theatre on Highway 76 / 76 Country Music Boulevard, calling it the Boxcar Willie Theatre. He opened a museum and had two motels, both bearing his name. The overpass at Interstate 35E and Farm to Market Road 664 in Red Oak, Texas was renamed "Boxcar Willie Memorial Overpass" after a major reconstruction project (leukemia) b. September 1st 1931
2006: June Pointer (52) American Pop/R&B singer and was a founding member of the vocal group The Pointer Sisters. (bone, liver and lung cancer) b.
2009: Ruben "Zeke" Zarchy (93) American jazz trumpet legend; he joined Joe Haymes orchestra in 1934, then played with Benny Goodman in 1936 and Artie Shaw in 1937. From 1937 to 1942, he worked and recorded with the bands of Red Norvo, Bob Crosby, Mildred Bailey, Frank Sinatra, Helen Ward, Judy Garland, Tommy Dorsey, and Ella Fitzgerald. Zeke's trumpet can be heard on recordings such as Benny Goodman's "Bugle Call Rag", Bob Crosby's "South Rampart Street Parade", and Glenn Miller's "Moonlight Cocktails". When World War II broke out, he was chosen by Glenn Miller for what became Miller's Army Air Force Band, officially, the 418th Army Band, where he played lead trumpet and was Master Sergeant from 1942 to 1945. After the war, singer Frank Sinatra invited Zeke to move to Los Angeles, where he became a first-call studio musician. He played on the recordings of hundreds of vocalists, including Louis Armstrong, Tony Bennett, Dinah Shore, and The Mills Brothers. His trumpet is heard in the soundtracks of many classic Hollywood movies, including West Side Story, Dr. Zhivago and the The Glenn Miller Story. During the 1960s and '70s, he played in the house bands of several CBS TV variety shows, including The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, The Danny Kaye Show and The Jonathan Winters Show, and was a member of the NBC Staff Orchestras in Los Angeles and New York. In his later years, Zarchy made many music tours of Europe, South America, and Australia, as well as 32 concert trips to Japan (complications from pneumonia) b. June 12th 1915.

April 13th
2004: Elden C. 'Buster' Bailey (81) American percussionist; he attended the New England Conservatory and graduated from Juilliard. During WW II he was a member of the U.S. Army 154th Ground Force Band. After the war Buster became a member of the New York Philharmonic, a career which would span 42 years and he was also a percussion teacher at Juilliard for 24 years. He was one of the original members of both the Little Orchestra Society and the Sauter-Finegan Orchestra. He wrote two books on percussion instruments and was a member of the Percussive Arts Society’s Hall of Fame. Buster was also an avid fan of circus music and was a member of Windjammers Unlimited, an organization devoted to music of the circus (died after long illness) b. April 22nd 1922

April 14th
1954: Lil Green (34) American blues vocalist noted for superb timing and a distinctively sinuous voice (pneumonia)
1983: Pete Farndon (30) UK bassist in the band The Pretenders (found drowned in his bath due to a drug overdose)
1998: Dorothy Squires (83) UK singer who did most of her work with the orchestra of Billy Reid before launching a solo career (cancer).
1999: Anthony Newley (67) UK singer, actor, composer. (cancer).
2005: John Fred Gourrier (63) Front man with his band John Fred & His Playboy Band (died from complications from a kidney transplant the year previous to his death)
2007: Don Ho/Donald Ho Tai Loy (76) legendary Hawaiin pop singer, keyboard (heart failure)

April 15th
1995: Cleo Brown/C. Patra Brown (85) US jazz singer; made recordings in the '30s and '40s, then entered the studios once again in the late '80s after being rediscovered living in the hinterlands of Colorado (?)
2001: Joey Ramone (49) lead singer of The Ramones; the 1970s band that was credited with beginning the punk rock movement. The Ramones played raw tunes, fast and furious. (lymphatic cancer)
2005: Benny Bailey (79) American bop trumpeter; in the early 1940s he worked with Bull Moose Jackson and Scatman Crothers. He later worked with Dizzy Gillespie and toured with Lionel Hampton. During a European tour with Hampton he decided to stay in Europe (died at home in Amsterdam)
2008: Clifford Davies (59) American musician, former drummer for Ted Nugent and member of the jazz band "If" (died from a self inflicted gun shot wound).
2008: Brian "Blinky"Davison (65) British drummer, former member of progressive rock band The Nice, also played with the Jackson Heights band, the Refugees and the Gong (he had been diagnosed with an inoperable tumor earlier this year) b. May 25th 1942.
2008: Sean Costello (28) American blues guitarist singer and songwriter. He won the Memphis Blues Society's Talent Award aged 14. He released his first album, "Call The Cops" when he was 17 and in 2000, he released his second album "Cuttin' In", earning him a Gold Record before his 21st birthday. Tinsley Ellis called him ‘the most gifted young Blues guitarist on the scene. He toured widely in the USA and Europe and his reputation as a brilliant live performer enabled him to play alongside blues luminaries such as Buddy Guy, B. B. King and Hubert Sumlin. (found dead in his Atlanta hotel room, died from an overdose of drugs that included prescribed anti-anxiety medication) b. April 16th 1979.

April 16th
1999: Alexander "Skip" Spence (52) drums, guitar; Moby Grape and Jefferson Airplane (lung cancer)

April 17th
1960: Eddie Cochran (21) Singer/songwriter, multi-musician, one of the greatest, and the most talented of the early pop stars (car crash near Swindon, UK, on the way to London Airport after his successful UK tour)
1974: Vinnie Taylor (24) lead guitarist with Sha Na Na (heroin overdose after a concert at University Hall at the University of Virginia)
1983: Felix Pappalardi (43) producer, bassist, Mountain (shot dead by his wife Gail Collins during a jealous rage)
1987: Carlton Barrett (36) bassist with the Impact All-Stars, Bob Marley & the Wailers, The Wailers, The Upsetters; furnished the rock steady rhythm section of Bob Marley And The Wailers from 1969 until Marley's death in 1981.(shot dead outside his house in Kingston)
1998: Linda McCartney (56) vocals and keyboardist in Wings and other Paul McCartney projects; not only performed with her husband but was also an acclaimed photographer as well as a prominent advocate of vegetarianism and animal rights.(breast cancer)
2003: Earl King (69) New Orleans Blues guitarist, international songwriter (complications of diabetes in New Orleans)
2008: Danny Federici (58) American musician; life long friend and over 40 years as keyboardist with Bruce Springsteen in bands Child, Steel Mill and The E Street Band (melanoma).

April 18th
1973: Willie "The Lion" Smith (79) American jazz pianist; one of the masters of the stride style. Duke Ellington stated "Willie The Lion was the greatest influence of all the great jazz piano players who have come along. He has a beat that stays in the mind." ().
1996: Bernard Edwards (42) producer, also bassist with Chic, ABC, Power Station and Rod Stewart (died in a Tokyo Hotel room after complaining that he was feeling ill)
2008: Peter Howard/Howard Weiss (80) American musical theatre arranger, conductor and pianist. He served as the conductor and dance music arranger for the original Broadway productions of Hello, Dolly!, 1776 and Annie, and and served as the dance music arranger for many original Broadway productions (Parkinson's Disease).
2009: Bruno Adams (46) Australian singer, songwriter, guitarist born in Bacchus Marsh, and moved to Melbourne in 1978. There, he became part of the embryonic Punk/New Wave scene, playing with musicians from The Saints, Crime & The City Solution, and Laughing Clowns. In 1984 he formed his own band Once Upon A Time. They played Melbourne's clubs from 1985 to 1988, building a reputation for apocalyptic live shows with their avantgarde psychedelic blues sound. They moved to Berlin, Germany in 1989 and supported Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds throughout Europe on "The Good Son"- Tour of 1990. A European tour supporting Swans followed in the early 1990's. They recorded 3 CDs "Once Upon A Time", "In The Blink Of An Eye" and "Don't Look Down" before braking up in 1996. Since then they have done reunion concerts in Berlin and Prague in 2004 and 2005 () b. 1963.

April 19th
1944: Jimmy Noone (48) New Orleans clarinet/leader; considered one of the three top New Orleans clarinetists of the 1920s, with a smoother tone than his contemporaries that appealed to players of the swing era (died suddenly of a heart attack while in L.A. California)
1993: Steve Douglas (54) US saxophone, flute, clarinet, drums; one of the most sort after session musicians in L.A, a member of The Wrecking Crew, who worked with Phil Spector, Brian Wilson and The Beach Boys. He can be heard on records by Duane Eddy, Aretha Franklin, Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, BB King, Ike & Tina Turner, Bobby Darin and so many others (heart failure)
2003: Conrad Leonard (104!) pianist, composer; The oldest working musician in Britain. At 99 years old, his doctor advised him to "ease up a bit", and he accordingly cut his engagements to 75 gigs a year. Until the age of 103 years, he played the piano every Thursday at lunchtime in the Plantation Cafe at Squire's Garden Centre in Twickenham.
2005: Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen (58) Danish double bassist; known for his impressive technique and an approach that could be considered an extension of the innovative work of Scott LaFaro.(heart failure)
2005: Bryan Ottoson (27) German born lead guitarist with the US nu-metal/industrial metal band American Head Charge from Minneapolis, Minnesota; he had also played in the bands Black Flood Diesel and A:POD (he was battling walking pneumonia with prescribed penicillin and pain medication, but was found dead in a bunk of their tour van as a result of these two drugs; his death was tragically accidental)
2009: Tilahun Gessesse (68) Ethiopian singer; regarded as one of the most popular of his country's "Golden Age" in the 1960s. During the 1960s he became famous throughout the country, nicknamed "The Voice". He raised money for aid during the famines of the 1970s and 1980s and earned the affection of the nation, being awarded a doctorate by the University of Addis Adaba and also winning a lifetime achievement award from the Ethiopian Fine Art and Mass Media Prize Trust. In his later years he suffered from diabetes (He died in Addis Adaba shortly after returning from America. Tilahun was honoured with a state funeral attended by tens of thousands of his fellow citizens) b. September 29th 1940.

April 20th
1920: Tony Jackson (44) jazz pianist; a legend from the ragtime years who unfortunately never recorded, remembered primarily because of Jelly Roll Morton's words of praise and due to his composition "Pretty Baby" becoming a standard. (syphilis).
1969: Benny Benjamin/Papa Zita (43) main drummer for the Motown studio band known as The Funk Brothers, noted for his dynamic style. Motown record producers, including Berry Gordy, refused to work on sessions unless Benjamin was the drummer and James Jamerson was the bassist.(He died from a stroke)
1932: Ronnie Boykins (44) US jazz bass player, freelance; most noted for his work with the Sun Ra Arkestra in the 1950s and 1960s ()
1991: Steve Marriott (44) UK singer-songwriter and guitarist; best remembered for his powerful singing voice which belied his small stature and for his guitar play in groups the Small Faces and Humble Pie. At 13, he appeared as the Artful Dodger in Lionel Bart's musical Oliver!, (he lost his life in a house fire at his home in Essex).
1992: Johnny Shines (76) Delta Blues slide guitarist; best known as a traveling companion of Robert Johnson, but his own contributions to the blues have often been unfairly shortchanged, simply because Johnson's own legend casts such a long shadow.(heart complications)
2001: Giuseppe Sinopoli (54) Italian conductor and composer; best known for his intense and sometimes controversial interpretations of opera, especially works by Italian composers and Richard Strauss (died of a heart attack while conducting Giuseppe Verdi's Aïda at the Deutsche Opera in Berlin)
2002: Alan Dale/Aldo Sigismondi (76) US singer, own TV & radio show during the 50's; he was placed second to Frank Sinatra in a radio poll, Battle of The Baritones, in 1948. His baritone was heard on Perez Prado's million-selling 1955 hit, "Cherry Pink And Apple Blossom White", while his tune, "Sweet And Gentle", introduced the cha-cha-cha to North America.(?)
2003: Teddy Edwards (78) American jazz saxophonist, a top L.A. sessionist and highly sort after freelance player, some people consider him to be one of the most influential saxophonists in American history. Born in Jackson, he learned to play at a very early age, first on alto sax and then clarinet. His first professional job was with The Royal Mississippians with Doc Parmley. Teddy relocated to Los Angeles, which became his city of residence. He got a job playing at Club Alabam on Central Ave, and went on to become an A list session player, playing with many Jazz notables, including his personal friend Charlie Parker, Roy Milton, Wynonie Harris, Vince Guaraldi, Joe Castro and Ernie Andrews. A classic 1947 recording with Dexter Gordon, The Duel, helped set him up as a legend, a status he liked to maintain by challenging other worthy sax players to similar duels whenever possible, including a recording with Houston Person. One such memorable duel took place in the 1980s at London's 100 Club with UK tenor Dick Morrissey. In 1964, Edwards played with Benny Goodman at Disneyland, and at the 1964 New York World's Fair. Teddy also did a lot of work with Tom Waits, appearing on albums and toured with him on the Heart Attack and Vine tour (prostate cancer) b. April 26th 1924.
2008: Orish Grinstead (27) Irish-American rhythm and blues singer, member of the platinum-selling and multi award winning female R&B trio 702 (cancer and kidney failure).
2008: VL Mike/Michael Allen (32) American rapper, had been portraying himself as a gangster for years through his music when he wasn't (shot to death in New Orleans).

April 21st
1978: Sandy Denny (31) UK folk singer, piano, guitar; Fairport Convention (died after falling down a flight of stairs at a friend's house)
1999: Charles "Buddy" Rogers (94) American actor and jazz musician (natural causes)
2000: Neal Matthews (70) singer in the Jordanaires and the The Oak Ridge Boys ; he backed nearly ever early rock n roll star (heart attack)
2008: Aaron Shearer (88) American classical guitarist; has several publications including his well known Classical Guitar Technique method books. His former students include Manuel Barrueco, Ricardo Cobo, David Tanenbaum, and David Starobin (?).
2008: Al Wilson (68) American soul singer best known for the hit song "Show and Tell" and "The Snake", which has been very popular on the Northern Soul music circuit in the UK and is currently being featured in a Lambrini advert on British TV (kidney failure).

April 22nd
1980: Jane Froman (72) American singer, actor; she moved to New York in 1933 where she appeared on Chesterfield's "Music that Satisfies" radio program with Bing Crosby. She also joined the Ziegfeld Follies... lavish revues, between alater Broadway show and a more elaborate high class Vaudeville variety show. By the time she was 27, she had become the top-polled "girl singer." She is credited with three films.. Kissing Time, Stars Over Broadway and Radio City Revels. From 1952 to 1955, she hosted her own TV show on the CBS network, "The Jane Froman Show". "I Believe", was written for Jane by the show's musicians, Ervin Drake, Irvin Graham, Jimmy Shirl, and Al Stillman and earned her a gold record in 1953.She performed on stage, radio and television despite chronic injuries that she sustained from a 1943 plane crash. The 1952 film, With a Song in My Heart, is based on her life (cardic arrest) b. November 10th 1907.
1996: Arthur 'T-Boy' Ross (46) US songwriter, brother of Diana Ross; he and Leon Ware wrote hits for acts such as Michael Jackson, The Miracles and Marvin Gaye. (T-Boy and his new wife Patricia Robinson, were found murdered in a basement of a house in Detroit's Oak Park area, the double murder is still unsolved).
2003: Felice Bryant/ Matilda Genevieve Scaduto (77) US songwriter; one half of the wife and husband country music songwriting team who were also at the forefront of the evolution of pop music. With her husband, Boudleaux, they wrote numerous Everly Brothers' hits including "All I Have to Do Is Dream" and "Bye Bye Love". Their prolific and quality compositions would produce hit records for many stars from a variety of musical genres including Tony Bennett, Bob Moore, Simon and Garfunkel, Sonny James, Eddy Arnold, Charley Pride, Nazareth, Jim Reeves, Leo Sayer, Sarah Vaughan, Roy Orbison, Buddy Holly, the Grateful Dead, Elvis Costello, Count Basie, Dean Martin, Ray Charles, Bob Dylan among many others. They formed one of the most potent songwriting teams in country history (cancer) b. August 7th 1925.
2006: Kay Finegan/Vivian Blessing (95) Amerian singer and arranger of the big band era who later became one of New York's top caterers; she began singing in speakeasies of the 1920's, using the name Kay Ray. In her music career she worked with Benny Goodman, the Dorsey Brothers, Glenn Miller, Ted Fioritto and any others. She called herself the hyphen in the Sauter-Finegan Orchestra, of which her husband, Bill Finegan, was a co-founder. After her divorce she reinvented herself and became one of New York's top caterers; she was one of the first to popularize take-out meals (old age) b. March 1st 1911.
2008: Monna Bell/Nora Escobar (70) Chilean singer; reportedly one of Juan Gabriel's muses. She enjoyed a successful career in Spain, Mexico and other parts of Latin America. She moved to Mexico in the 1970s after launching a successful career in Spain (stroke) b. January 22 1938.
2008: Paul Davis (60) American singer and songwriter, best known for his radio hits and solo career which started worldwide in 1970. His career encompassed soul, country and pop music, and he wrote many memorable country music hits. Best known for hits like "I Go Crazy," "'65 Love Affair," "Cool Night" (heart attack just one day after his 60th birthday) b. April 21st 1948.

April 23rd
1975: Peter Ham (27) Welsh singer, songwriter and guitarist, best known as the leader of the group Badfinger and is often credited as being one of the earliest purveyors of the power pop genre. He formed a local rock group in Swansea called The Panthers around 1961. This group underwent several name and lineup changes before it became The Iveys in 1965 and by 1969 they had relaocted to Londan and had evolved into Badfingers having hits including "Maybe Tomorrow", "Come and Get It", a composition written by Paul McCartney, which became a Top Ten hit worldwide, other hits were "No Matter What", "Day After Day" and "Baby Blue" (hung himself) b. April 27th 1947.
1983: Earl "Fatha" Hines (79) US jazz pianist; once called "the first modern jazz pianist," he differed from the stride pianists of the 1920s by breaking up the stride rhythms with unusual accents from his left hand. In 1928, for 11 years, his was "The Band" (The Earl Hines Orchestra) in The Grand Terrace Cafe in Chicago. The Grand Terrace was controlled by Al Capone, Fatha Hines was Capone's "Mr Piano Man". He recorded endlessly till his death both solo and with jazz notables like Louis Armstrong, Cat Anderson, Harold Ashby, Barney Bigard, Lawrence Brown, Jaki Byard, Benny Carter, Buck Clayton, Cozy Cole, Wallace Davenport, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, Vic Dickenson, Roy Eldridge, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Panama Francis, Bud Freeman, Dizzie Gillespie, Paul Gonsalves, Stephane Grappelli, Sonny Greer, Lionel Hampton, Coleman Hawkins, Johnny Hodges, Budd Johnson, Jonah Jones, Gene Krupa, Ellis Larkins, Marian McPartland, Ray Nance, Oscar Peterson, Russell Procope, Pee Wee Russell, Jimmy Rushing, Stuff Smith, Rex Stewart, Maxine Sullivan, Buddy Tate, Jack Teagarden, Clark Terry, Sarah Vaughan, Joe Venuti, Earle Warren, Ben Webster, Teddy Wilson, Jimmy Witherspoon, Jimmy Woode and Lester Young. Possibly more surprising were Alvin Batiste, Teresa Brewer, Richard Davis, Elvin Jones, Vi Redd, Etta Jones, The Inkspots, Peggy Lee, Helen Merrill, Charles Mingus, Dinah Washington and Ry Cooder (?) b. December 28th 1903.
1986: Harold Arlen (81) US composer of popular music; an important composer of 20th century popular music, with over 400 songs written, his 1938 song "Over the Rainbow” was voted the twentieth century's No.1 song by the Recording Industry Association of America (?).
1991: Johnny Thunders/John Anthony Genzale Jr (38) guitarist, vocals, New York Dolls (He died primarily from methadone and alcohol poisoning, although doctors had diagnosed leukemia in him earlier in the year, in New Orleans, Louisiana in 1991).
1999: Melba Doretta Liston (73) US trombone, composer, musical arranger; toured and worked with Count Basie, Billie Holliday, Randy Weston, Ray Charles, Dexter Gordon, Dizzy Gillespie and many others (Heart problems).

April 24th
1962: Steve Allen Lewis (3) Son of Jerry Lee Lewis (drowned in their home swimming pool)
1969: Rene Compere (62) Belgian jazz trumpet player (?)
2001: Al Hibbler (85) US blind Jazz, pop, r&b singer in the Duke Ellington's band after which he went solo, his biggest hit was "Unchained Melody". He performed at Louis Armstrong’s funeral in 1971 (?)
2008: Jimmy Giuffre (86) US jazz clarinetist and saxophonist; arranger for Woody Herman's big band, for which he wrote the celebrated 'Four Brothers'. He continued to write creative, unusual arrangements throughout his career. He was a central figure in West coast jazz and was a member of Shorty Rogers's groups before going solo (pneumonia).
2009: Rev. Timothy Wright (61) American gospel singer; he started on piano at age 12, and sang and composed for his church choir as a teenager at the St. John's Fire Baptized Holiness Church of God in Brooklyn. He played piano for F.D. Washington and Isaac Douglas in the 1960s and 1970s, including on recordings, and he formed his own gospel ensemble in the mid-1970s, the Timothy Wright Concert Choir. He eventually became pastor of Grace Tabernacle COGIC in Crown Heights, New York, and issued albums regularly from 1990. His 1994 album Come Thou Almighty King, with the New York Fellowship Mass Choir, was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album, as was his 1999 release Been There Done That. He has recorded 20 albums from 1984 until his death (On July 4th 2008, he was critically injured in a car crash on Interstate 80 in Pennsylvania, a crash which killed his wife and grandson as well as the driver of the oncoming car. He died as a result of these injuries) b. June 17th 1947.

April 25th
1974: Pamela Courson (27) wife of the late Jim Morrison (died of a drugs overdose)
1988: Carolyn Franklin (43) singer, younger sister of Aretha (cancer)
1990: Dexter "Long Tall Dexter" Gordon (67) US saxophone virtuoso; played the fictional sax player Dale Turner in Bertrand Tavernier's 'Round Midnight. His realistic portrayal of a burned-out American jazz man who finds refuge in the cellar clubs of Paris earned him an Oscar nomination, making him the first instrumental musician to be so honored also voted musician of the year by Down Beat magazine in 1978 and 1980. (kidney failure)
1992: Yutaka Ozaki (26) Japanese singer, songwriter (pulmonary edema)
1999: Roger Troutman (47) American vocalist with the band Zapp (After shooting his brother dead, he was found shot and critically wounded outside a recording studio in Dayton, Ohio; he died during surgery at a local hospital)
2002: Lisa Nicole Lopes/Left Eye (30) singer, songwriter, rapper, in the group TLC (car accident in La Ceiba, Honduras).
2007: Bobby "Boris" Pickett (69) US singer, songwriter; sang and co-wrote the Halloween anthem "Monster Mash" which has put him in the history books making him pop music's most enduring one-hit wonder ever.(leukemia)
2008: Humphrey Lyttelton (86) British Jazz patriarc, trumpeter, cartoonist, BBC radio broadcaster, and chairman of the BBC radio programme 'I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue'. (died peacefully following heart surgery to repair an aortic aneurysm).
2008: Canhoto da Paraíba (79) Brazilian musician and violinist (heart attack)

April 26th
1984: Count Basie (79) American jazz pianist, organist, and bandleader (pancreatic cancer)
1991: Carmine Coppola (80) American award winning composer, director songwriter and flute player; he studied at Juilliard and later at the Manhattan School of Music. During the 1940s, he worked under Arturo Toscanini with the NBC Symphony Orchestra. Then in 1951, Carmine left the Orchestra to pursue his dream of composing music. During that time he mostly worked as an orchestra conductor on Broadway and elsewhere, working with his son, legendary filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola, on additional music for his Finian's Rainbow. Together with Nino Rota, Carmine composed music for The Godfather, and for The Godfather Part II, for which they won Oscars for Best Score. Carmine then scored Francis' Apocalypse Now, for which he won a Golden Globe award for best original score. He also composed three and a half hour score for Francis' 1981 reconstruction of Abel Gance's 1921 epic Napoleon (?) b. June 11th 1910.
1997: Ernest Stewart (47) US keyboardist with KC and the Sunshine Band (asthma attack)

April 27th
1999: Alois Maxwell "Al" Hirt (76) Legendary New Orleans trumpeter & bandleader (liver failure)
2000: Vicki Sue Robinson (45) US singer and broadway star; a strong, vibrant vocalist, her records were among some of the best produced and arranged '70s disco releases with solid beats built on solid songs (cancer). b. May 21st 1954
2008: "Big" Ron O'Brien (56) American disc jockey (pneumonia)
2008: Marios Tokas (54) Cypriot composer (long struggle with cancer)

April 28th
1975: Tom Donahue (46) American FM disc jockey; was a pioneering rock and roll radio disc jockey, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996 as a non performer, as one of only three disc jockeys to receive that honor.(heart attack)
1980: Tommy Caldwell (30) bassist, Marshall Tucker Band (died of injures from a car accident)
1981: Steve Currie (33) bass player in the glam rock band T Rex (car accident)
1982: Murray McEachern (66) Canadian jazz and swing trombonist and alto saxophonist for having played trombone for Benny Goodman, the trombone and alto saxophone for the Casa Loma Orchestra and his studio work in his later career for Hollywood films, including solo performances in The Glenn Miller Story, Paris Blues and The Benny Goodman Story ()
1988: B W Stevenson (38) US singer, songwriter, guitarist (died shortly after undergoing heart surgery)
2009: Valeria Peter Predescu (62) Romanian popular/folk singer (heart attack) b. 1947
2009: Vern Gosdin (74) American country music singer; in 1961 he moved from Alabama to California, where he joined the West Coast Country music movement, first as a member of the Golden State Boys, then the Hillmen before forming The Gosdin Brothers with brother Rex. The duo hit the charts in the late '60s with "Hangin' On" and "Till The End". In the '80s he teamed with Max D. Barnes as a songwriting collaborator, he had hits with "If You're Gonna Do Me Wrong (Do It Right)"; "Way Down Deep", his first No. 1 single with "I Can Tell by the Way You Dance (You're Gonna Love Me Tonight)" in 1984; "Do You Believe Me Now"; his 2nd No. 1 hit "Chiseled in Stone," which won the Country Music Association's Song of the Year award in 1989. From 1989-1991, he released a number of songs and three more made the Billboard top 10: "Right in the Wrong Direction," "That Just About Does It" and "Is It Raining at Your House." In 2008, Gosdin released "40 Years of the Voice," a four-CD career retrospective. The boxed set on VGM Records features 101 songs, including 14 previously unreleased tracks recorded 35 years ago (he suffered a stroke at the beginning of this April (2009), died peacefully in his sleep at a Nashville hospital) b. August 5th 1934.

April 29th
1953: Alice Ernestine Prin (52) French nightclub singer, artists' model, actress, painter; She was a symbol of bohemian and creative Paris, she flourished in, and helped define, the 1920s liberated culture of Paris. At age 28 she was declared Queen of Montparnasse and was one of the century's first truly independent women. Kiki's music hall performances in black hose and garters included crowd-pleasing risqué songs, which were uninhibited, yet inoffensive. For a few years during the 1930s, she owned a Montparnasse cabaret, which she named Chez Kiki. As an artists' model she poses for dozens of artists, including Chaim Soutine, Julian Mandel, Tsuguharu Foujita, Francis Picabia, Jean Cocteau, Arno Breker, Alexander Calder, Per Krohg, Hermine David, Pablo Gargallo, Mayo, and Tono Salazar. Moise Kisling painted a portrait of Kiki titled Nu assis, one of his best known. (Kiki died in Sanary-sur-Mer, France, from complications of alcoholism or drug dependence. A large crowd of artists and fans attended her Paris funeral and followed the procession to her interment in the Cimetière du Montparnasse) b. October 2nd 1901.
1990: Floyd Butler (52) US vocalist; member of the musical group, 'The Vocals' from 1963 until they disabanded in 1965, their first single, 'Lonesome Mood,' was released in 1964. Next he was a member of 'The Fifth Dimension,' before co-founding the group, 'The Friends of Distinction,' in 1968. The group had several hits including 'Grazing In The Grass,' 'Going In Circles,' 'Time Waits For No One,' I Need You,' and 'Love Or Let Me Be Lonely,' (heart attack) b. June 5th 1937
1993: Mick Ronson (46) English guitarist, composer, multi-instrumentalist, arranger and producer; after several attempts through the '60s of making it in London, he got his break in early 1970, when he joined David Bowie's new backing band called The Hype. The Hype played their first gig at The Roundhouse on 22 February 1970. They also went under the names 'Harry The Butcher' and 'David Bowie's New Electric Band' before they became known as The Spiders From Mars. Mick was a key part of The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars album. He co-produced Lou Reed's album Transformer with Bowie, playing lead guitar on the album and piano on the song "Perfect Day". Again with Bowie, he recut the track "The Man Who Sold The World" for Lulu, released as a single in the UK, and played on a few tracks on the Dana Gillespie album "Weren't Born a Man". He appeared on the 1972 country-rock album Bustin' Out by Pure Prairie League, and on Bowie's Aladdin Sane and 1973's covers album "Pin Ups". After leaving Bowie after the "Farewell Concert" in 1973, Mick released three solo albums. After a short stint with Mott the Hoople he became a long-time collaborator with former Mott the Hoople leader Ian Hunter. Mick went on to work as a musician, writer and record producer with many other acts including Slaughter & The Dogs, Morrissey, The Wildhearts, The Rich Kids, Elton John, Johnny Cougar, T-Bone Burnett, Dalbello, Benny Mardones, Iron City Houserockers and the Italian band Moda and many others. His last, high profile, live performance was his famed appearance at The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert in 1992. Poignantly, he played on "All The Young Dudes" with David Bowie and Ian Hunter, and "Heroes" with Bowie. His s last ever recorded session was as a guest on the 1993 Wildhearts album Earth Vs The Wildhearts, where he played the guitar solo on the song "My Baby Is A Headfuck" (cancer) b. May 26th 1946.
2000: Jonah Jones (90) American jazz trumpeter; he began in the 1920s playing on Mississippi riverboats, in 1928 he joined with Horace Henderson, before working with Jimmie Lunceford and from 1932-1936 he had a successful collaboration with Stuff Smith. In the 1940s he worked in big bands like Benny Carter's and Fletcher Henderson and spend most of the decade with Cab Calloway's band. In the 1950s he had his own quartet, his most mentioned accomplishment of this style is perhaps their version of "On The Street Where You Live." which led to his quartet performing on An Evening With Fred Astaire in 1958 and won at the Grammy Awards of 1960. In 1972 he made a return to more "core" jazz work with Earl Hines. He was inducted into the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame in 1999 (died in New York City) b. December 31st 1909.

April 30th
1982: Lester Bangs (33) American rock critic; he began writing freelance in 1969, after reading an ad in Rolling Stone soliciting readers' reviews. His first piece was a negative review of the MC5 album Kick Out The Jams. In 1973, Jann Wenner fired him from Rolling Stone over a negative review of Canned Heat, after which he moved to Detroit to edit and write for Creem, which is where his legendary stature as a rock critic really began to grow. After leaving Creem, he wrote for The Village Voice, Penthouse, Playboy, New Musical Express and many other publications. Lester was not only involved as a critic of music but as a musician in his own right. He teamed up with Joey Ramone's brother, Mickey Leigh to put together a New York group named Birdland. In 1980 he traveled to Austin, Texas and met a punk rock group named the Delinquents. During his stay in Austin he recorded an album as Lester Bangs and the Delinquents entitled "Jook Savages on the Brazos" (overdosing, through drug interaction, after treating a cold with Darvon and Valium) b. December 13th 1948.
1983: Andy Cavaliere (36) UK manager of Steve Winwood and others (heart attack) b. ??
1983: Muddy Waters/McKinley Morganfield (68) US legendary Blues Man; taught himself harmonica as a child. He later took up guitar, eagerly absorbing the classic delta blues styles of Robert Johnson and Son House. He was first recorded in 1941.(passed away in his sleep)
1988: James McCracken (61) US tenor vocalist; opera/classical; He was a member of the Metropolitan Opera's final U.S. tour, where he sang the role of Canio in Pagliacci ()
1999: Darrell Sweet (52) Drummer, Nazareth (heart attack before a show in New Albany, Indiana)

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