What Happened Today In Music

April 30th

1957 - Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley recorded the Leiber and Stoller song 'Jailhouse Rock' as featured in his third motion picture of the same name. In the movie, Mike Stoller had a small role as a piano player. 'Jailhouse Rock' later became the first song to debut at No.1 in Great Britain.

1960 - The Everly Brothers

The Everly Brothers started a seven week run at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Cathy's Clown', giving Warner Bros a No.1 with their first release.

1964 - The Beatles

During a UK tour The Beatles played two shows at The Odeon Cinema in Glasgow. They were also interviewed by BBC Scotland and STV for the evening news programs.

1966 - The Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones fourth album 'Aftermath' went to No.1 on the UK chart, the group's third UK No.1 album. The album is considered an artistic breakthrough for the band and is the first to consist entirely of Jagger–Richards compositions, while Brian Jones played a variety of instruments not usually associated with their music, including sitar, Appalachian dulcimer, marimbas and Japanese koto.

1968 - Cilla Black

BBC TV launched The Cilla Black Show making Cilla the first British female performer to have her own TV show. The theme song, 'Step Inside Love', was written by Paul McCartney. 

1970 - Twiggs Lyndon

Twiggs Lyndon, the road manager for The Allman Brothers Bandwas arrested for murder after he stabbed a club manager during an argument over a contract. At the ensuing trial, Lyndon's lawyers argued that he had been temporarily insane at the time of the incident and that touring with the Allman Brothers would drive anyone insane. Lyndon was acquitted.

1976 - Keith Moon

The Who's drummer Keith Moon paid nine cab drivers to block-off both ends of a New York street so he could throw the contents of his hotel room out of the window.

1977 - Led Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin broke a new world attendance record at a concert when they played to 76,229 people at a gig at the Pontiac Silverdome, Pontiac, Michigan. The Who held the previous record at the same venue with 75,962 people.

1977 - Glen Campbell

Glen Campbell went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Southern Nights', his second US No.1.

1980 - Roger Daltrey

The film 'McVicar' with Roger Daltrey from The Who in the title role premiered in London, England. John McVicar was a 1960s armed robber turned writer who Scotland Yard publicly announced to be Public Enemy Number One and "wanted dead or alive".

1983 - Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson started a three week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Beat It', his fifth solo US No.1. The third single from the singer's Thriller album featured Eddie Van Halen on the song's distinctive overdriven guitar solo, but Halen was prevented by his record label from appearing in the music video.

1983 - Muddy Waters

American Blues legend Muddy Waters (McKinley Morganfield) died in his sleep at his home in Westmont, Illinois, aged 68. Major influence of many acts, Cream, Eric Clapton, Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones named themselves after Waters' 1950 song 'Rollin' Stone.' Best known songs include 'I Just Want To Make Love To You', 'I'm Your Hoochie Coochie Man', 'Got My Mojo Working.'

1988 - S- Express

S'Express were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Theme From S'Express'. One of the landmarks of early acid house and late 1980s sampling culture, the British track sampled Rose Royce, TZ's 'I Got the Hots for You' and the count-in 'Uno, dos, uno, dos, tres, quatro' is from Debbie Harry's 1985 single 'Feel the Spin'.

1990 - Prince

Prince played a concert at Rupert's Night-club, Minneapolis. The $100 a head ticket proceeds all went to the family of his former bodyguard Charles 'Big Chick' Huntsberry, who had died from a heart attack.

1991 - Nirvana

Nirvana signed a recording contract with Geffen's DGC label for $290,000.

1999 - Spandau Ballet

The three former members of Spandau Ballet lost a court case against band songwriter Gary Kemp. They had claimed they were owed £1 million in lost royalties. The Judge said he had become a fan of the bands during the case.

1999 - Darrell Sweet

Nazareth drummer Darrell Sweet died aged 52, after suffering a fatal heart attack before a show in New Albany, Indiana. Nazareth had the 1973 UK No.9 single 'Broken Down Angel' 1976 US No. 8 single 'Love Hurts'.

New child abuse charges were made against Michael Jacksonincluding a count of conspiracy, covering allegations of child abduction, extortion and false imprisonment. A new court date of May 28th 2004 was set.

2005 - Norma-Jean Wofford

American guitarist Norma-Jean Wofford died. Known as 'The Duchess', she worked with Bo Diddley as a Bo-ette from 1962 to 1966. (Diddley was one of the first artists to have female musicians in his group).

2005 - Dave Matthews

The Dave Matthews Band agreed to pay $200,000 (£105,000) after their tour bus dumped human waste on a boatload of tourists in Chicago in August 2004. Bus driver Stefan Wohl who was alone on board the bus at the time the sewage was dumped was fined $10,000 (£5,200), the band had already donated $100,000 (£54,252) to two group's that protect the Chicago River and its surrounding area. The Dave Matthews Band offered their "deepest apologies" to more than 100 boat passengers who were on an architectural tour.

2008 - John Lennon

Gail Renard, who was given the hand written lyrics to 'Give Peace A Chance' by John Lennon in 1969, announced plans to sell the lyric sheet at a Christie's auction. At the time, Lennon told Renard to hang on to the piece of paper, saying "It will be worth something someday." The piece of music history was expected to fetch around $400,000, but when it was actually sold in July of this year, it went for $790,000 (£400,000).

2008 - Mariah Carey

Mariah Carey married actor Nick Cannon in the Bahamas following a whirlwind two-month romance. The pop diva met Cannon, 27, while shooting the music video for her single 'Bye Bye.' It was the second marriage for Carey, who married Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola in 1993, which ended in 1998. 

2014 - Wilko Johnson

Guitarist Wilko Johnson had a major operation in an attempt to treat his pancreatic cancer. Johnson was diagnosed at the end of 2012 and was given 10 months to live after rejecting chemotherapy. Johnson told Q magazine that a cancer doctor had become curious as to why he wasn't dead. And why I wasn't even sick which resulted in more tests.

2015 - Ben E King

Ben E King, (Benjmin Earl Nelson), soul and R&B singer with The Drifters, died at the Hackensack University Medical Center at the age of 76. The Driffters had the 1960 US No.1 & UK No.2 single 'Save The Last Dance For Me', and King scored the the 1987 UK No.1 solo single 'Stand By Me', (first released in 1961).

2019 - Boon Gould

English musician Boon Gould died age 64. He was one of the four founding members of Level 42 who scored the 1986 hit 'Lessons in Love', which reached No.3 on the UK Singles Chart, and No.12 on the US chart.

2019 - Russ Gibb

American concert promoter and media personality Russ Gibb died. He was best known for his role in the "Paul McCartney is dead" phenomenon, a story he broke as a disc jockey on radio station WKNR-FM in Detroit. As a promotor around the Detroit music scene he was instrumental in giving the MC5, Ted Nugent and Iggy Pop their start. 

Born Today In Music

April 30th

1929 - Johnny Horton

American country music and rockabilly singer Johnny Horton who had the 1959 US No.1 & UK No.16 single 'The Battle Of New Orleans'. Horton was killed in a car crash on 5th November 1960.

1936 - Robert Bateman

American R&B singer, songwriter and record producer Robert Bateman. Among other songs, he co-wrote the hits 'Please Mr. Postman' (the debut single by the Marvelettes for Tamla Motown), and the Wilson Pickett hit 'If You Need Me'. He died October 12, 2016 aged 80, following a heart attack after attending an awards ceremony in Los Angeles, California. 

1936 - Bobby Gregg

American musician Bobby Gregg who performed as a drummer and record producer. Gregg is best is known for his work as a drummer on several seminal 1960s songs, including Bob Dylan's 'Like a Rolling Stone' and Simon And Garfunkel's 'The Sound of Silence'. He was also temporarily a member of The Hawks, which later became known as The Band. Gregg died on 3 May 2014.

1943 - Bobby Vee

Bobby Vee, American singer, songwriter and musician who was a teen idol in the early 1960s. He scored the 1961 US No.1 single & UK No.3 single 'Take Good Care Of My Baby' and thirty-eight Hot 100 chart hits, ten of which reached the Top 20. Vee died on October 24, 2016 aged 73.

1948 - Wayne Kramer

Wayne Kramer, guitarist, singer, songwriter from American rock band MC5 (Motor City 5) who formed in 1964. Best known for their energetic live performances, one of which was recorded as their 1969 debut album Kick Out the Jams.

1951 - Des Tong

Des Tong, bassist with English group Sad Cafe who had the 1979 UK No.3 single 'Every Day Hurts'.

1953 - Merrill Osmond

Merrill Osmond, from American family group The Osmonds. They had the 1971 US No.1 single 'One Bad Apple', the 1974 hit 'Crazy Horses' and the 1974 UK No.1 single 'Love Me For A Reason'. They had their own 1972–1973 Saturday morning cartoon series, The Osmonds, on ABC-TV. The Osmonds have sold over 75 million records world wide.

1957 - Wonder Mike

Wonder Mike (Michael Anthony Wright), rapper from The Sugarhill Gang who were the first hip hop act to have a hit with the cross-over single 'Rapper's Delight' in the pop charts in 1979.

1962 - Robert Reynolds

Robert Reynolds, bassist from the American band The Mavericks who had the 1998 UK No.4 single 'Dance The Night Away'. The Mavericks won a Grammy Award for the song 'Here Comes the Rain'.

1967 - Turbo B

Turbo B American musician, rapper and beatboxer from German Eurodance group Snap! who scored the 1990 UK No.1 & US No.2 single 'The Power' and their 1992 hit 'Rhythm Is a Dancer'.

1968 - Ben Ayres

Ben Ayres, guitar, vocals, from British indie rock band Cornershop, who had the 1998 UK No.1 single 'Brimful Of Asha'.

1969 - Paulo Destructor

Paulo 'Destructor' JR, Sepultura, from Brazilian heavy metal Sepultura. Formed in 1984 by brothers Max and Igor Cavalera, the band was a major force in the thrash metal and groove metal genres during the late 1980s and early 1990s.

1971 - Darren Emerson

Darren Emerson, keyboards, from British electronic music group Underworld who had the 1996 UK No.2 single 'Born Slippy'.

1971 - Chris Henderson

Chris Henderson, guitarist, with American rock band 3 Doors Down who had the 2003 US No.4 single When I'm Gone', and the 2005 US No.1 album Seventeen Days.

1981 - David Zowie

English DJ and record producer David Zowie. He is best known for his song ‘House Every Weekend’, which topped the UK Singles Chart in 2015. 

1981 - Justin Vernon

Justin Vernon, American multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter and producer best known as the frontman of indie folk band Bon Iver.

1982 - Lloyd Banks

Lloyd Banks, (Christopher Lloyd), US singer, rapper, G-Unit , solo, (2004 US No.1 album ‘The Hunger For More’).

1982 - Cleo Higgins

Cleo Higgins, singer from R&B/pop girl group Cleopatra who had the 1998 UK No.3 single 'Cleopatra's Theme'.

1983 - Stevie Aiello

Stevie Aiello, American musician, 30 Seconds to Mars. Their 2018 album America peaked at No.2 on the US chart and No.4 in the UK. 

1987 - Nikki Webster

Nikki Webster, Australian singer and model, who had the 2001 Australian No.2 single ‘Strawberry Kisses’. Performed at the 2000 Sydney Summer Olympics Opening Ceremony.

1989 - Harry Bauer

Harry Bauer, American record producer of trap and bass music, best known for his 2013 hit song ‘Harlem Shake’ which stayed at No.1 on the US singles chart for five weeks. 

1992 - Travis Scott

American rapper, singer, songwriter and record producer Travis Scott. His 2016 album Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight went to No.1 on the US chart.