April 1
Births
1873 Sergei Rachmaninoff
1932 Debbie Reynolds
1934 Jim Ed Brown – vocals The Browns
1939 Rudolph Isley
1940 John St. John – lead guitar Sound Incorporated
1940 Annie Nightingale ~
1942 Alan Blakley – guitar Tremeloes
1942 Philip Margo – drums The Tokens
1945 John Barbata – drums Turtles
1946 Ronnie Lane – bass Small Faces
1947 M
1948 Jimmy Cliff
1948 Simon Cowe – guitar/mandolin Lindisfarne
1949 Gil Scott-Heron
1951 Henry Gross
1952 Billy Currie – piano Ultravox
1954 Jeff Pocaro – drums Toto
1961 Susan Boyle
1961 Mark White – guitar ABC
1962 Phillip Schofield
1971 Method Man – vocals Wu Tang Clan
1976 Kim Sasabone – vocals Vengaboys
1981 Hannah Spearritt – vocals S Club 7
1986 Hilary Scott – vocals Lady Antebellum
1994 Ella Eyre
Deaths
1917 Scott Joplin
1984 Marvin Gaye
2003 Edwin Starr
2004 Timi Yuro
2021 Patrick Juvet
2022 C.W. McCall
April 2
Births
1912 Herbert Mills – vocals Mills Brothers
1917 Lou Monte – US singer
1928 Serge Gainsbourg
1939 Marvin Gaye
1942 Leon Russell
1946 Kurt Winter – guitar Guess Who
1947 Emmylou Harris
1949 Paul Gambaccini
1952 Leon Wilkeson – bass Lynyrd Skynrd
1953 David Robinson – drums Modern Lovers/Cars
1954 Gregory Abbot
1961 Keren Woodward – vocals Bananarama
1971 Chico
1981 Lindsay Martin – vocals Girl Thing
Deaths
1987 Buddy Rich – jazz drummer
April 3
Births
1886 Dooley Wilson
1922 Doris Day
1928 Don Gibson
1938 Phillipe Wynne – vocals Detroit Spinners
1941 Jan Berry – vocals Jan & Dean
1942 Billy Joe Royal
1943 Leslie Dash – Hedgehoppers Anonymous
1944 Tony Orlando
1944 Barry Pritchard – guitar Fortunes
1945 Richard Manuel – vocals/piano The Band
1946 Dean Murray – bass Spencer Davis Group
1949 Richard Thompson – guitar Fairport Convention
1956 Judie Tzuke
1961 Eddie Murphy
1962 Simon Raymonde – bass/keyboards Cocteau Twins
1968 Sebastian Bach – vocals Skid Row
1970 Matthew Priest – drums Dodgy
1976 Will Mellor
1985 Leona Lewis
Death
1990 Sarah Vaughan
1999 Lionel Bart
2006 Martin Gilks – drums Wonder Stuff
2013 Harry J
2014 Arthur ‘Guitar Boogie’ Smith
2015 Linton Beckles – vocals Central Line
April 4
Births
1913 Muddy Waters
1922 Elmer Bernstein
1941 Major Lance
1941 Bill Tarmey
1946 Dave Hill – guitar Slade
1948 Pick Withers – drums Dire Straits
1949 Gregg Diamond
1949 Junior Braithwaite – vocals Wailers
1950 Jeff Dicken – vocals/guitar Mr Big
1952 Maria Mendiola – vocals Baccara
1952 Gary Moore
1957 Graeme Kelling – guitar Deacon Blue
1958 Julie Forsyth – vocals Guy’s and Dolls
1962 Craig Adams – bass Sisters Of Mercy
1963 Pliers
1963 Nigel Preston – drums Cult
1966 Mike Starr – bass Alice In Chains
1968 Mark Yates – guitar Terrorvision
1971 Louise Dean – vocals Shiva
1972 Lisa Moorish
1972 Magnus Sveningsson – Cardigans
1975 Phil Jimenez – percussion/keyboards Wheatus
1978 Lemar
Deaths
1980 Red Sovine
1995 Kenny Everett
1997 Gene Ames – vocals Ames Brothers
April 5
Births
1928 Tony Williams – vocals Platters
1929 Joe Meek
1932 Billy Bland
1934 Stanley Turrentine – US jazz saxophonist
1939 Ronnie White – vocals Miracles
1939 Crispian St Peters
1941 Dave Swarbrick – vocals/violin Fairport Convention
1942 Allan Clarke – vocals Hollies
1944 Nick Caldwell – vocals Whispers
1948 Dave Holland – drums Judas Priest
1950 Agnetha Faltskog – vocals Abba
1950 Everett Morton – drums Beat
1954 Stan Ridgeway
1955 Janice Long
1956 Tim Smith – vocals Adverts
1965 Mike McCready – guitar Pearl Jam
1967 Mark Rankin – vocals Gun
1968 Paula Cole
1973 Pharrell Williams
Deaths
1981 Bob Hite – vocals Canned Heat
1983 Danny Rapp – vocals Danny and The Juniors
1994 Kurt Cobain – vocals Nirvana
1998 Rob Pilatus – vocals? Milli Vanilli
1998 Cozy Powell
2006 Gene Pitney
2016 Leon Haywood
2022 Bobby Rydell
2023 Booker Newberry III
April 6
Births
1937 Billy Dee Williams – vocals Dynasty
1937 Merle Haggard
1943 Julie Rogers
1947 Tony Connor – drums Hot Chocolate
1949 Patrick Hernandez
1954 Jean Patrick Baptiste – vocals Ottawan
1962 Stan Cullimore – guitar Housemartins
1972 Joe Gittleman – bass Mighty Mighty Boss Tones
1976 Chantelle Kerzner – vocals N-Tyce
1978 Imaani Coppala – US Singer
1978 Myleene Klass – vocals Hear’say
Deaths
1971 Igor Stravinsky – classical composer
1984 Ral Donner
1998 Wendy O’Williams – vocals Plasmatics
2001 Charles Pettigrew – vocals Charles and Eddie
2016 Merle Haggard
2020 Honor Blackman
2023 Paul Cattermole – vocals S Club 7
April 7
Births
1908 Percy Faith
1915 Billie Holiday
1920 Ravi Shankar
1922 Mongo Santamaria
1935 Bobby Bare
1938 Spencer Dryden – drums Jefferson Airplane
1943 Mick Abrahams – guitar Jethro Tull
1943 Alan Buck – drums Four Pennies
1946 Bill Kreutzmann – drums Grateful Dead
1947 Pat Bennett – vocals Chiffons
1947 Florian Schneider – computers Kraftwerk
1949 John Oates
1950 Steve Ellis – vocals Love Affair ~
1951 Janis Ian
1951 Bruce Gary – drums The Knack
1960 Simon Climie – Climie Fisher
1979 Duncan James – vocals Blue
1981 Kelli Young – vocals Liberty X
Deaths
1994 Lee Brilleaux – vocals Dr Feelgood
1998 Tammy Wynette
2000 Heinz Bert – bass Tornados
2015 Stan Freberg
2023 Iain Bairnson – guitar Pilot
2023 Guy Bailey – Quireboys
2024 Clarence ‘Frogman’ Henry
April 8
Births
1929 Jacques Brel
1942 Roger Chapman – vocals Family
1947 Steve Howe – guitar Yes/Asia
1956 Justin Sullivan – vocals/guitar New Model Army
1962 Adam Mole – guitar/keyboards Pop Will Eat Itself
1962 Izzy Stradlin – guitar Guns ‘N Roses
1963 Julian Lennon
1963 Donita Sparks – vocals L7
1964 Biz Markie
1972 Paul Gray – bass Slipknot
Deaths
2009 Pop Winans – Winans
2010 Malcolm McLaren
2020 Carl Dobkins Jr
2022 Con Clusky – guitar Bachelors
April 9
Births
1898 Paul Robeson – US singer
1932 Carl Perkins
1938 Rockin’ Sydney – US singer
1944 Gene Parsons – drums Byrds
1946 Les Gray – vocals Mud
1948 Phil Wright – vocals/drums Paper Lace
1952 Denise Nolan – vocals Nolans
1961 Mark Kelly – keyboards Marillion
1978 Rachel Stevens – vocals S Club 7
1982 Justin – vocals Triple Eight
1987 Jesse McCartney – US singer
Deaths
1976 Phil Ochs – US folk singer
1988 Brook Benton
1999 Colin Manley – guitar Tommy Quickley’s Remo 4
2009 Randy Cain – vocals Delfonics
2009 Duke D’Mond – vocals/guitar Barron Knights
2010 Kenneth McKellar
2013 Emilio Pericoli
2017 Alan Henderson – bass Them
2021 DMX – rapper
April 10
Births
1921 Sheb Wooley
1923 Norman Vaughan
1932 Nate Nelson – vocals Flamingos
1936 Bobby Smith – vocals Detroit Spinners
1936 Ricky Valance
1943 P’Nut Langford – vocals/guitar Barron Knights
1947 Bunny Wailer
1955 Lesley Garrett
1959 Katrina Leskanich – vocals Katrina and the Waves
1959 Babyface
1959 Brian Setzer – vocals/guitar Stray Cats
1960 Afrika Bambaataa
1963 E – vocals/guitar/keyboard The Eels
1964 Reni – drums Stone Roses
1968 Kenediid Osman – bass Sleeper
1970 Q-Tip – rapper A Tribe Called Quest
1979 Sophie Bextor-Ellis
1981 Elizabeth McClarnon – vocals Atomic Kitten
1984 Mandy Moore Deaths
1962 Stu Sutcliffe
1986 Linda Creed – US songwriter
2003 Little Eva
April 11
Births
1934 Cleotha Staples – vocals Staple singers
1935 Father Abraham
1946 Bob Harris – UK DJ
1949 Lee Sheridan – vocals Brotherhood Of Man
1951 Paul Fox – guitar Ruts
1955 Neville Staple – vocals Specials
1958 Stuart Adamson – vocals Big Country
1965 Nigel Pulsford – guitar Bush
1966 Lisa Stansfield
1969 Cerys Matthews – vocals Catatonia
1970 Delroy Pearson – vocals Five Star
1970 Whigfield
1977 DJ Fresh
1987 Joss Stone
Deaths
1988 Dave Prater – vocals Sam and Dave
2001 Harry Secombe
2006 Obie Trice – Rapper D-12
2006 June Pointer – Pointer Sisters
2016 Emile Ford
2017 J. Geils – guitar J Geils Band
April 12
Births
1925 Ned Miller
1932 Tiny Tim
1933 Montserrat Caballe
1940 Herbie Hancock
1944 John Kay – vocals/guitar Steppenwolf
1950 David Cassidy
1950 Graham De Wilde – vocals Evasions
1951 Alexander Briley – G.I in Village People
1957 Donald Ray Mitchell – vocals Was Not Was
1958 Will Sergeant – guitar Echo and The Bunnymen
1962 Art Alexakis – vocals Everclear
1965 Sean Welch – bass Beautiful South
1967 Sarah Cracknell – vocals Saint Etienne
1980 Bryan McFadden – vocals Westlife
Deaths
1989 Herbert Mills – vocals Mills Brothers
2020 Tim Brooke-Taylor – Goodies
April 13
Births
1919 Howard Keel
1936 Tim Field – vocals Springfields
1944 Brian Pendleton – guitar Pretty Things
1944 John Casady – bass Jefferson Airplane
1945 Lowell George – vocals/guitar Little Feat
1946 Karen Young
1946 Al Green
1951 Peabo Bryson
1954 Jimmy Destri – keyboards Blondie
1955 Louis Johnson – vocals/bass/piano Brothers Johnson
1957 Wayne Lewis – keyboards Atlantic Starr
1975 Lou Bega
1977 Abigail Norman – vocals Madasun
1979 Tony Lundon – vocals Liberty X
1982 Ty Dolla $ign
Deaths
2013 Vince Montana Jr – US soul producer
2015 Ronnie Carroll
April 14
Births
1932 Loretta Lynn – US country singer
1933 Buddy Knox
1941 Kenny Young – Fox/Yellow Dog
1942 Tony Burrows – session singer (Brotherhood Of Man/Edison Lighthouse)
1945 Ritchie Blackmore – guitar Deep Purple/Rainbow
1946 Patrick Fairley – bass Marmalade
1948 Larry Ferguson – keyboards Hot Chocolate
1949 Sonja Kristina – vocals/piano Curved Air
1949 Dennis Byron – drums Amen Corner
1951 Julian Lloyd-Webber
1961 Mark Rutherford – guitar Jimmy the Hoover
1965 Carl Hunter – bass Farm
Deaths
1975 Michael Flanders – vocals Flanders and Swann
1983 Pete Fardon – bass Pretenders
1995 Burl Ives
1998 Dorothy Squires
1999 Anthony Newley
2015 Percy Sledge
2020 Kenny Young – Fox/Yellow Dog
2023 Cliff Fish – bass Paper Lace
2023 Mark Sheehan – guitar Script
April 15
Births
1933 Roy Clark – US country singer
1937 Bob Luman
1939 Marty Wilde
1940 Clarence Satchell – vocals/saxophone Ohio Players
1944 Dave Edmunds
1949 Marsha Hunt
1952 Phil Mogg – vocals UFO
1962 Nick Kamen
1962 Sally-Ann Triplett – vocals Bardo
1965 Oscar Harrison – drums Ocean Colour Scene
1965 Linda Perry – vocals 4 Non Blondes
1966 Samantha Fox
1966 Graham Clarke – bass Wet Wet Wet
1968 Ed O’Brien – guitar Radiohead
1979 Caroline Barnes – vocals Scooch
1980 Natalie Casey
1983 Matt Cardle
1988 Eliza Doolittle
Deaths
1984 Tommy Cooper
2001 Joey Ramone – vocals Ramones
2002 Dave King – UK singer
2019 Les Reed
April 16
Births
1889 Charlie Chaplin
1918 Spike Milligan
1924 Henry Mancini
1924 Rudy Pompilli – saxophone Comets
1935 Bobby Vinton
1937 Vince Hill
1939 Dusty Springfield
1942 Colin Manley – guitar Tommy Quickley’s Remo 4
1947 Gerry Rafferty
1952 Chas Jankel – keyboards Ian Dury’s Blockheads
1956 Paul Buchanan – vocals/guitar Blue Nile
1963 Chaka Demus
1963 Jimmy Osmond
1963 Nick Berry
1964 Dave Pirner – vocals/guitar Soul Asylum
1973 Akon
1976 Sean Maguire
1977 Terry Daly – vocals Mytown
Deaths
1993 Eugene Church – US doo wop singer
April 17
Births
1929 James Last
1930 Chris Barber
1940 Billy Fury
1945 Tony Crane – guitar Merseybeats
1947 Douglas MacRae-Brown – vocals Young Idea
1948 Jan Hammer
1952 Jerry Knight – vocals/bass Raydio
1954 Michael Sembello
1955 Pete Shelley
1956 Valerie Jones – vocals Jones Girls
1959 Steve Singleton – saxophone/synthesizer ABC
1961 Niki Haris – vocals Snap
1967 Matt Chamberlain – drums New Bohemians
1971 Steve Mason – guitar Gene
1974 Victoria Beckham – vocals Spice Girls
1998 Not3s
Deaths
1960 Eddie Cochran
1998 Linda McCartney
2023 April Stevens – US singer with brother Nino Tempo
April 18
Births
1906 Pigmeat Markham
1939 Glen D. Hardin – piano Crickets
1940 Mike Vickers – guitar/flute Manfred Mann
1946 John Kane – vocals New World
1946 Hayley Mills
1946 Harvey Regan – bass Sir Douglas Quintet
1947 Polly Brown
1958 Les Pattison – bass Echo and the Bunnymen
1958 Andy Kyriacou – drums Modern Romance
1962 Shirlie Holliman – vocals Pepsi and Shirlie
1964 Bez – Happy Mondays
1977 Colin Newton – drums Idlewild
1979 Glenn Hooper – drums Easyworld
1993 Nathan Sykes – vocals Wanted
Deaths
1996 Bernard Edwards
April 19
Births
1928 Alexis Korner – guitar C.C.S
1935 Dudley Moore
1942 Alan Price
1943 Eve Graham – vocals New Seekers
1947 Mark Volman – vocals/guitar Turtles
Deaths
2012 Levon Helm – drums Band
2012 Greg Ham – keyboards Men At Work
2015 Richard Anthony
2018 Stuart Colman – bass Pinkertons ‘Assort’ Colours/UK producer
2021 Jim Steinman
April 20
Births
1923 Tito Puente Jr
1934 Pops Winans – Winans
1939 Johnny Tillotson
1944 Iris Williams
1945 Jimmy Winston – organ Small Faces
1951 Luther Vandross
1973 Gabriele Ponte – dancer Eiffel 65
1976 Joey Lawrence
1983 Sebastian Ingrosso – Swedish DJ
Deaths
1989 Miki – vocals Miki and Griff
1991 Steve Marriott – vocals Small Faces
1992 Benny Hill
2016 Victoria Wood
2018 Avicii
2021 Les McKeown – Bay City Rollers
April 21
Births
1919 Don Cornell
1945 Al Jackson – vocals Applejacks ~
1947 Iggy Pop
1947 Alan Warner – guitar Foundations
1953 Forrest
1958 Mike Barson – keyboards Madness
1959 Robert Smith – vocals Cure
1963 Johnny McElhone – vocals/bass Altered Images/Texas
1967 Michael Franti – vocals Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy
Deaths
1978 Sandy Denny
2000 Neal Matthews –vocals Jordanaires
2003 Nina Simone
2008 Al Wilson – US singer/drummer
2013 Christine Amphlett – vocals Divinyls
2016 Prince
2020 Florian Schneider – Kraftwerk
April 22
Births
1916 Yehudi Menuhin – classical violinist
1927 Laurel Aitken
1936 Glen Campbell
1950 Peter Frampton
1951 Paul Carrack – vocals Ace/Squeeze
1955 Arthur Baker
1956 Kenny Lyon – guitar Lemonheads ~
1961 Nick Sanderson – drums World Of Twist & Jesus & Mary Chain
1969 Craig Logan – bass Bros
1979 Daniel Johns – vocals/guitar Silverchair
1984 Amelle Berrabah – vocals Sugababes
1990 Machine Gun Kelly
Deaths
2013 Richie Havens – US soul singer
April 23
Births
1928 Shirley Temple
1936 Roy Orbison
1939 Ray Peterson
1941 Ed Stewart
1945 John Allen – guitar Nashville Teens
1949 John Miles
1952 Narada Michael Walden
1955 Captain Sensible
1960 Steve Clarke – guitar Def Leppard
1960 David Gedge – vocals Wedding Present
1963 Billy Gould – bass Faith No More
1964 Gen Matthews – drums Jesus Jones
1964 Torsten Fenslam – DJ/producer Culture Beat
1968 Paul Clifford – bass Wonder Stuff
1979 Jazz – vocals Dru Hill
1985 Taio Cruz
1987 Laura Mvula –UK singer
Deaths
1975 Pete Ham – guitar Badfinger
1991 Johnny Thunders – vocals/guitar New York Dolls
2010 Norman Wright – vocals Del-Vikings
April 24
Births
1941 John Williams – classical guitarist
1942 Barbra Streisand
1944 (Bernard) St Clair Lee – vocals Hues Corporation
1945 Doug Clifford – drums Creedence Clearwater Revival
1945 Robert Knight
1947 Hubert Ann Kelly – vocals Hues Corporation
1949 Preston Ritter – drums Electric Prunes
1951 Nigel Harrison – bass Blondie
1957 David Jay – bass Bauhaus
1958 Boris Williams – drums Cure
1960 Bruno Brookes – UK DJ
1964 Paul Ryder – bass Happy Mondays
1967 Patty Schemel – drums Hole
1971 Jas Mann – vocals Babylon Zoo
1982 Kelly Clarkson
1987 Ben Howard
1995 Kehlani
Deaths
2001 Al Hibbler
2015 Sid Tepper
2016 Billy Paul
2020 Harold Reid – Statler Brothers
2020 Hamilton Bohannon
April 25
Births
1917 Ella Fitzgerald
1935 Michael King – vocals King Brothers
1943 Tony Christie
1944 Charlie Harper – vocals UK Subs
1945 Bjorn Ulvaeus – guitar Abba
1945 Mike Kogel – vocals/guitar Los Bravos
1945 Stu Cook – bass Creedence Clearwater Revival
1950 Steve Ferrone – drums Average White Band
1958 Fish – vocals Marillion
1964 Andy Bell – vocals Erasure
1965 Simon Fowler – vocals/harmonica Ocean Colour Scene
1967 Eric Avery – bass Jane’s Addiction
1980 Jacob Underwood – vocals O-Town
1994 Sam Fender
Deaths
1999 Roger Troutman – vocals Zapp
1999 Larry Troutman – vocals Zapp
2002 Lisa ‘Left-Eye’ Lopes – vocals TLC
2007 Bobby ‘Boris’ Pickett
2010 Dorothy Provine
2011 Poly Styrene – vocals X-Ray Spex
2023 Harry Belafonte
April 26
Births
1938 Duane Eddy
1938 Maurice Williams
1940 Giorgio Moroder
1942 Bobby Rydell
1951 Nick Garvey – vocals/guitar Motors
1960 Roger Taylor – drums Duran Duran
1964 Jimmy Stafford – guitar Train
1970 T-Boz – vocals TLC
1970 Ruth Ann Boyle – vocals Olive
1971 Jay DeMarcus – bass Rascal Flatts
1977 Celena Cherry – vocals Honeyz
1981 Ms Dynamite
1981 Caro Emerald
1982 Jon Lee – vocals S Club 7
Deaths
1984 Count Basie
2011 Phoebe Snow
2012 George Jones – US country singer
April 27
Births
1914 Winifred Atwell
1946 Gordon Haskell
1947 Pete Ham – guitar Badfinger
1947 Ann Peebles
1948 Kate Pierson – vocals B-52’s
1949 Clive Taylor – bass Amen Corner
1949 Herb Murrell – vocals Stylistics
1951 Ace Frehely – vocals/guitar Kiss
1959 Sheena Easton
1959 Marco Pirroni – guitar Adam and the Ants
1962 Robin S
1969 Mica Paris
1972 Gareth Coombes – keyboards Supergrass
1984 Patrick Stump – vocals Fall Out Boy
1984 Yonah Higgins – vocals Cleopatra
1988 Lizzo
Deaths
2000 Vicki Sue Robinson – US disco singer
2015 Jack Ely – vocals/guitar The Kingsmen
April 28
Births
1945 John Wolters – drums Dr Hook
1947 Peaches – Peaches & Herb
1948 Scott Fitzgerald
1953 Kim Gordon – vocal/bass Sonic Youth
1956 Jimmy Barnes
1968 Howard Donald – vocals Take That
1978 Lauren Laverne – vocals/guitar Kenickie
Deaths
1981 Steve Currie – bass T.Rex
2015 Keith Harris – UK ventriloquist
April 29
Births
1899 Duke Ellington
1928 Carl Gardner – vocals Coasters
1929 April Stevens – US singer with brother Nino Tempo
1931 Lonnie Donegan
1933 Willie Nelson
1945 Tammi Terrell
1947 Tommy James
1949 Anita Dobson
1951 Bob Henke – bass Dr Hook
1953 Bill Drummond – synthesizer KLF
1958 Simon Edwards – guitar Fairground Attraction
1960 Philip King – bass Lush
1968 Carnie Wilson – vocals Wilson Phillips
1968 Stan Frazier – drums Sugar Ray
1973 Michael Hogan – bass Cranberries
1979 Jo O’Meara – vocals S Club 7
1980 Kian Egan – vocals Westlife
1981 Tom Smith – vocals Editors
Deaths
2005 Jim Pash – Saxophone The Surfaris
April 30
Births
1925 Johnny Horton
1934 Jerry Lordan
1943 Bobby Vee
1953 Merrill Osmond
1962 Dave Frew – guitar An Emotional Fish
1962 Robert Reynolds – bass Mavericks
1964 Robert Clivilles – vocals C & C Music Factory
1967 Turbo B – rapper Snap
1971 Darren Emerson – keyboards Underworld
1982 Cleopatra Higgins – vocals Cleopatra
Deaths
1983 Muddy Waters
1993 Mick Ronson
1999 Darrell Sweet – drums Nazareth
2007 Zola Taylor – vocals The Platters
2015 Ben E. King
2019 Boon Gould – guitar Level 42