What Happened Today In Music

April 29th

1963 - The Rolling Stones

Publicist Andrew Oldham and agent Eric Easton signed a management deal with The Rolling Stones after buying the rights to the bands first recordings for £90. They also persuade keyboard player Ian Stewart to drop out of the line up and become the bands road manager, (and still play piano at the back of the stage).

1965 - Jimmy Nicol

Jimmy Nicol, the drummer who stood in for Ringo Starr during a Beatles Australian tour in 1964, appeared in a London Court faced with bankruptcy with debts of £4,000.

1967 - Technicolour Dream Benefit Party

The 14 hour Technicolour Dream benefit party for The International Times was held at Alexandra Palace in London. Seeing the event mentioned on TV, John Lennon called his driver and went to the show. Coincidentally, Yoko Ono was one of the performers. Other acts to appear included The Flies, Pink Floyd, Arthur Brown, The Move and Suzie Creamcheese.

1976 - Bruce Springsteen

After a gig in Memphis Bruce Springsteen took a cab to Elvis Presley's Graceland home and proceeded to climb over the wall. A guard took him to be another crank fan and apprehended him.

1977 - The Jam

The Jam released their first single 'In The City', which peaked at No. 40 in the UK charts. The English punk rock/mod revival formed in Woking, Surrey, fronted by Paul Weller, achieved 18 other Top 40 hits including four UK No.1's.

1978 - P.J. Proby

P.J. Proby was sacked from his role in the London stage musical Elvis after repeatedly changing his lines from the script. Proby had been playing the oldest of three Presley's in the play.

1980 - Ronnie James Dio

Black Sabbath began their first tour with vocalist Ronnie James Dio, who had replaced Ozzy Osbourne.

1981 - Elton John

Elton John paid £14,000 for 232 'Goon Show' scripts broadcast during the 50s at an auction held at Christies, London.

1990 - The Friends of Distinction

Floyd Butler of The Friends of Distinction, died of a heart attack at the age of 49. Had the US No.3 single 'Grazing In The Grass' in 1969.

1993 - Mick Ronson

Guitarist, producer, Mick Ronson died of liver cancer aged 46. Ronson recorded and toured with David Bowie from 1970 to 1973. Released the 1974 solo album 'Slaughter On Tenth Avenue'. Ronson co-produced Lou Reed's album Transformer, also part of Hunter Ronson Band with Ian Hunter. And worked with Morrissey, Slaughter & The Dogs, The Wildhearts, The Rich Kids, Elton John, Johnny Cougar, T-Bone Burnett.

1997 - Boy George

Boy George was accused of being a 'professional liar' by musician singer Kirk Brandon during a London court hearing. Brandon was in court suing the singer over claims in George's autobiography that pair had slept together.

1997 - Keith Ferguson

American bass guitarist Keith Ferguson died of liver failure at the age of 50, due in part to a nearly thirty-year addiction to heroin. He was a member of The Fabulous Thunderbirds who had two hit songs in the 1980s, 'Tuff Enuff' and 'Wrap It Up.'

1998 - Aerosmith

Steven Tyler broke his knee at a concert in Anchorage, Alaska delaying Aerosmith's 'Nine Lives' tour and necessitating camera angle adjustments for the filming of the video for 'I Don't Want to Miss a Thing.'

2001 - Rod Stewart

Rod Stewart asked for a change in wedding vows bringing them up to-date and to be treated like a dog licence. Stewart said 'a change is needed because they've been in existence for 600 years when people used to live until they were only 35'.

2001 - Dusty Springfield

A blue plaque was unveiled at 38 Aubrey Walk, Kensington, London to honor the musical heritage of the address where British singer Dusty Springfield lived between 1968-1972.

2003 - Creedence Clearwater Revival

A $5 million lawsuit against former Creedence Clearwater Revival leader John Fogerty was dismissed after a personal-injury lawyer claimed that he suffered hearing loss in his left ear from attending a Fogerty concert. The Judge said the plaintiff assumed the risk of hearing damage when he attended the concert in 1997.

2007 - Arctic Monkeys

Arctic Monkeys started a three week run at No.1 on the UK album chart with their second album 'Favourite Worst Nightmare.'

2009 - Queen

An anonymous Queen fan won a two-hour one-to-one guitar lesson with Brian May, after bidding £7,600 (approximately $11,900) at a private charity auction. The auction, in support of the Action for Brazil's Children Trust, of which May is a patron, was held at the exclusive Cuckoo Club in London.

2014 - Jail Guitar Doors

David Gilmour, former Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr and Radiohead's Ed O'Brien and Philip Selway all signed an open letter, published by The Guardian, to keep musical instruments available to UK prisoners. Spearheaded by Billy Bragg, the singer-songwriter founded an "independent initiative" called Jail Guitar Doors in 2007 to provide instruments for the rehabilitation of inmates.

2016 - Prince

Fifteen of Prince's albums made it into the UK chart as fans rushed to buy his music following his sudden death. Six were in the top 40 with The Very Best Of, Ultimate and Purple Rain at two, three and four.

2021 - John Hinch

British drummer John Hinch died age 73. He was the drummer in an early line-up of heavy metal band Judas Priest.

Born Today In Music

April 29th

1899 - Duke Ellington

Duke Ellington, American composer, bandleader, pianist. He worked with Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie, Billie Holiday. Ellington died on May 24, 1974, of complications from lung cancer and pneumonia, a few weeks after his 75th birthday.

1928 - Carl Gardner

Carl Gardner, The Coasters. The American rhythm and blues, rock and roll vocal group scored the 1958 US No.1 single 'Yakety Yak', the 1959 US No.2 and UK No.6 single 'Charlie Brown', as well as 'Young Blood' and 'Poison Ivy'. Gardner died on June 12, 2011.

1931 - Lonnie Donegan

British skiffle singer, songwriter and musician Lonnie Donegan, who launched the skiffle craze and was Britain's most successful and influential recording artist before The Beatles. He had a 1960 UK No.1 single with ‘My Old Man’s A Dustman’, plus over 30 other UK Top 40 singles. 'Does Your Chewing Gum Lose Its Flavour (On the Bedpost Overnight?)', was his biggest hit in the US. He died on 3 November 2002 age 71. 

1933 - Rod McKuen

American poet, singer-songwriter, and actor Rod McKuen. McKuen's translations and adaptations of the songs of Jacques Brel were instrumental in bringing the Belgian songwriter to prominence in the English-speaking world. McKuen's songs sold over 100 million recordings worldwide. He died on 29 January 2015.

1933 - Willie Nelson

Willie Nelson, country music singer-songwriter, (He was born on April 29, 1933, but his birth was recorded on April 30). Nelson has acted in over 30 films, co-authored several books, and has been involved in activism for the use of biofuels and the legalization of marijuana. Along with Neil Young and John Mellencamp, he set up Farm Aid in 1985 to assist and increase awareness of the importance of family farms. He wrote the country classic 'Crazy' a hit for Patsy Cline.

1934 - Otis Rush

American blues guitarist and singer-songwriter Otis Rush. His first single, ‘I Can't Quit You Baby’, in 1956 reached No.6 on the Billboard R&B chart. Two of his other best-known songs, are ‘Double Trouble’ and ‘All Your Love (I Miss Loving).’ He died on 29 September 2018 from complications of a stroke aged 84. 

1936 - April Stevens

April Stevens (born Carol LoTempio), US singer, Nino Tempo and April Stevens who had the 1963 US No.1 'Deep Purple', which was a No.17 hit in the UK.

1942 - Klaus Voorman

German artist, musician Klaus Voorman, who played bass with Manfred Mann and the Plastic Ono Band. Voorman designed the cover for The Beatles album  Revolver . As a session musician he worked on a host of recordings, including 'You're So Vain' by Carly Simon.

1945 - Tammi Terrell

American recording artist Tammi Terrell who had a series of duets with singer Marvin Gaye. She had had hits with Marvin Gaye, and scored seven Top 40 singles on the Billboard Hot 100, including 'Ain't No Mountain High Enough', 'Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing' and 'You're All I Need to Get By'. Terrell died of a brain tumour on March 16th 1970 after collapsing into Marvin Gaye's arms on stage during a duet of ‘That’s All You Need To Get By’. Terrell had undergone eight brain operations in 18 months.

1946 - Lorraine Chandler

American soul singer, songwriter and record producer Lorraine Chandler. She was one of the first black female songwriters and producers. She worked with Motown Records percussionist Jack Ashford (famous for playing the tambourine on hundreds of Motown recordings), The O’Jays recorded her song 'I'll Never Forget You'. Chandler died on 2 January 2020 age 73. 

1947 - Tommy James

Tommy James, The Shondells, from American rock band, Tommy James & The Shondells who had the 1966 US No.1 single 'Hanky Panky', the 1968 UK No.1 single 'Mony Mony' and the hit 'I Think We're Alone Now'.

1953 - Bill Drummond

Bill Drummond, producer, A&R man, writer, musician. Joined Big In Japan in 1977 (with Holly Johnson, later of Frankie Goes To Hollywood and Ian Broudie later of Lightning Seeds). Co-founder of Merseysides Zoo Records. Formed KLF in the late 1980s, who had a 1991 UK No.1 single 3 AM Eternal’.

1958 - Simon Edwards

Simon Edwards from British folk and soft rock band, Fairground Attraction who had the 1988 UK No.1 single 'Perfect'.

1960 - Phil King

Phil King, bassist of the British alternative rock band Lush who had the 1996 UK No.21 single 'Single Girl'.

1968 - Carnie Wilson

Carnie Wilson, of Wilson Phillips, daughter of Beach Boy Brian Wilson who scored the 1990 US No.1 & UK No.6 single 'Hold On'.

1973 - Mike Hogan

Mike Hogan, bass, with Irish rock band The Cranberries who had the 1994 UK No.14 single 'Linger'. The bands 1993 album Everybody Else Is Doing It So Why Can’t We spent 86 weeks on the UK chart.

1979 - Joanne Velda O'Meara

Joanne Velda O'Meara, from English pop group S Club 7 who had the 1999 UK No.1 single 'Bring It All Back'. Their 2000 UK No.1 album 7 spent over a year on the UK chart. The group was formed in 1998 and quickly rose to fame by starring in their own BBC television series, Miami 7.

1980 - Kian Egan

Kian Egan, from Irish pop vocal group Westlife who scored 14 UK No.1 singles, and have sold over 50 million records worldwide. Despite their success worldwide, Westlife never managed to break into the US market, achieving only one hit single in 2000, 'Swear It Again'.

1981 - Tom Smith

Tom Smith, bass guitarist, with English rock band The Editors, who had the 2007 UK No.1 album An End Has a Start and earned the band a Brit Awards nomination for best British Band.