April 1st to April 7th
4/4/1913- Muddy Waters was born in the Mississippi delta area. After leaving Clarksdale for Chicago and onto Chess Records. He blended the rustic sounds of the Blues with an urban vibe. His influence on Rock n Roll can’t be overstated.
4/7/1915- Jazz icon Billie Holiday is born in Philly.
4/7/1920- Sitar virtuosos Ravi Shankar is born in India.
4/4/1928- The Platters’ lead singer Tony Williams is born in NJ.
4/6/1937- Merle Haggard was born on this day outside Bakersfield, CA. he would also pass way on this day in 2016 in Redding, CA.
4/3/1938- 60’s pop hitmaker Jeff Barry is born in NYC.
4/2/1939- Marvin Gaye is born in D.C.
4/3/1940- Tony Orlando is born in NYC.
4/3/1941- Jan Berry, who’s music with bandmate Dean Torrence along with Brian Wilson would shape Surfer Rock and the California Sound, is born in LA.
4/3/1942- Wayne “Mr. Las Vegas” is born in Norfolk.
4/5/1942- Allen Clarke, lead singer of The Hollies is born in England.
4/3/1943- Richard Manuel, pianist & writer of “The Band” is born in Ontario.
4/1/1946- Faces & New Faces founding member and Bassist, Ronnie Lane in London.
4/2/1947- Influential County and Americana music artist Emmylou Harris is born in Birmingham.
4/4/1948- Allman Bros Bassist Berry Oakley is born in Chicago. He would also die in a 1972 motorcycle crash just block from where bandmate Duane Allmann died a year prior.
4/7/1948- John Oates of Hall & Oates is born in NYC.
4/1/1950- Influential Synth keyboardist and multi-instrumentalist Billy Currie of both Ultravox and Visage is born in England.
4/5/1950- ABBA’s Agnetha Faltskog is born in Sweden.
4/1/1954- Toto drummer Jeff Porcaro is born in CT.
4/2/1956- At Sun Record Studios, Johnny Cash records “I walk the line.”
4/1/1957- The Everly Bros. release their debut single, “Bye Bye Love.”
4/7/1959- Marty Robbin’s records his famed album “Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs”. It includes the smash “Big Iron” and this all-timer…
4/3/1962- Just out of his 2-year Army stint, Elvis records his biggest international hit; “Its now or never.” It would sell 20 million copies.
-Mike Ness, lead singer of Social distortion is born in Massachusetts.
4/4/1963- The Kingsmen record their early rock hit and party anthem “Louie, Louie.”
4/4/1964- Them releases “Gloria”. An anthem that would become a garage band staple. G-L-O-R-I-A!!
4/6/1965- The Pixie’s frontman Frank Black (Black Francis) is born in Boston.
4/1/1966- Sam & Dave release their debut album on Stax’s label, “Hold on I’m coming.”
4/5/1966- Pearl Jam founding member and guitarist Mike McCready is born in Seattle.
4/1/1966- The Troggs record their early rock smash “Wild Thing”, it would be covered countless times over the years.
4/1/1967- The Jefferson Airplane release “Somebody to love” off their 2nd album.
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