On This Day, April 3 in Music History
EVENTS ON APRIL 3 IN MUSIC HISTORY
On this day April 3 in 1956 – Elvis Presley performed on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Hancock in San Diego, California and the performance was broadcasted live on the Milton Berle Show. He sang ‘Shake Rattle& Roll’, ‘Blue Suede Shoes’, and ‘Heartbreak Hotel’.
1960 – Elvis Presley recorded ‘Its Now Or Never’ at the RCA Victor studios. It was released as a single on July 5 and it became a chart-topper in ten countries worldwide.
1961 – Doo-wop group The Marcels hit No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with ‘Blue Moon’ for the first of three weeks. The song also became a chart-topper in Canada, New Zealand, and the UK.
1969 – Jim Morrison was arrested by the FBI because he exposed himself during a show in Miami earlier that year. However, the rockstar was later released on a $2000 bail.
1971 – With ‘Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)’, The Temptations topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart for the third time.
1971 – American pop music singer Andy Williams topped the UK Albums chart with his twenty-seventh studio album ‘Love Story’.
1975 – Scottish hard rock band Nazareth released their sixth studio album ‘Hair of the Dog’. This was the group’s first big hit LP which peaked at No.17 in the US and sold over 1 million copies.
1976 – Johnnie Taylor started a four-week stint at No.1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 with ‘Disco Lady’. The song later became the first single to be certified Platinum by the RIAA.
1983 – American singer Daniel ‘Danny’ Rapp committed suicide at the age of 41. Best remembered as the frontman of the doo-wop group Danny & the Juniors who had the 1958 hit ‘At the Hop’.
1990 – American jazz singer Sarah Vaughan died at the ag of 66 from lung cancer. Best remembered for hit songs such as ‘It’s Magic’, ‘Nature Boy’, ‘Whatever Lola Wants’, ‘Broken Hearted Melody’, and others.
1993 – Scottish indie new wave band Bluebells started a four-week run at No.1 in the UK with their rendition of the Bananarama song ‘Young at Heart’.
1993 – Electronic music band Depeche Mode scored their first number one album in the UK with their eighth studio release ‘Songs of Faith and Devotion’. The album was an international hit and it reached the top spot in eight other countries, including the US.
1999 – British composer of pop music and musicals, and writer Lionel Bart died at the age of 68. Best remembered as the sole creator of the musical ‘Oliver!’.
1999 – The number one single in the United Kingdom on this day April 3 was the instrumental ‘Flat Beat’ by Mr. Oizo.
2002 – British avant-garde electronic music singer Francis Tovey also known professionally as Fad Gadget died at the age of 45 of a heart attack.
2003 – American singer-songwriter and record producer Homer Banks died at the age of 61 from cancer. Best remembered for writing hit songs such ‘I Can’t Stand Up for Falling Down’, ‘Ain’t That a Love of Love’ and ‘I’ve Got a Feeling (We’ll Be Seeing Each Other Again)’ among others.
Homer Banks – Ain’t That a Lot of Love
2004 – With his fourth studio album ‘Confessions’, R&B singer-songwriter Usher went to number one in the UK. Also a chart-topper in the US, Canada, New Zealand, and Ireland that year.
2006 – English drummer and manager Martin Gilks died in a motorbike accident, aged 41. Best known as a founding member of the alternative rock band The Wonder Stuff.
2014 – American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, composer and record producer Arthur Smith died at the age of 93 from natural causes. Best known for his 1949 instrumental hit single ‘Guitar Boogie’.
2015 – American drummer Robert Burns Jr died at the age of 64 in a car accident. Best remembered as a founding member of the Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd.
2021 – Justin Bieber featuring Daniel Caesar and Giveon topped the US Billboard Hot 100 with ‘Peaches’. Bieber also reached No.1 on the Billboard 200 on this day with his sixth studio album ‘Justice’.
BORN ON APRIL 3 IN MUSIC HISTORY
1917 – American jazz pianist, composer, bandleader, and arranger William “Bill” Finegan was born in Newark, New Jersey.
1922 – Singer and actress Doris Day was born Doris Mary Kappelhoff in Cincinnati, Ohio. She rose to fame with hit recordings such as ‘My Dreams Are Getting Better All the Time’ and ‘Sentimental Journey’. However, she is primarily known as one of the biggest film stars of the 1950s and 60s.
1928 – Country music songwriter, singer, and guitarist Donald “Don” Gibson was born in Shelby, North Carolina. Best known for writing the country standards ‘I Can’t Stop Loving You’ and ‘Sweet Dreams’.
1938 – Pop music songwriter, singer, and record producer Joel Adelberg also known professionally as Jeff Barry was born in Brooklyn, New York.
1938 – American singer Philippé Wynne was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. Best known as the lead singer of the vocal group The Spinners.
1941 – One half of the rock duo Jan and Dean, William Jan Berry was born in Los Angeles, California.
1942 – American singer and actor Carson Wayne Newton was born in Norfolk, Virginia.
1943 – Canadian singer and multi-instrumentalist Richard Manuel was born in Stratford, Ontario. He rose to fame as a member of The Band.
1944 – Singer-songwriter and record producer Anthony “Tony” Orlando was born in New York City. Best known as the lead singer of the pop group Tony Orlando and Dawn.
1946 – English bass guitarist David Murray was born in Gillingham. Best known for his longtime collaboration with Elton John.
1949 – English singer, songwriter, and guitarist Richard Thompson was born in London. He rose to fame as the co-founder of the folk rock band Fairport Convention.
1956 – British singer and songwriter Judie Tzuke was born Judie Myers in London. Best known for her hit single ‘Stay with Me till Dawn’.
1962 – Co-founder and frontman of the punk rock band Social Distortion, Michael “Mike” Ness was born in Lynn, Massachusetts.
1962 – Multi-instrumentalist and record producer Simon Philip Raymonde was born in London, England. He came to prominence as a member of the rock band Cocteau Twins.
1968 – Canadian-American singer Sebastian Bach was born Sebastian Philip Bierk in Freeport, Bahamas. Best known as the frontman of the heavy metal band Skid Row from 1987 until 1996.
1974 – American guitarist, keyboardist, and songwriter Andrew “Drew” Shirley was born in Key West, Florida. Best known for his work with the bands Switchfoot and All Together Separate.
1985 – British singer, songwriter, and actress Leona Lewis was born in London, England. Best known for her debut studio album ‘Spirit’ which is one of the best-selling records of all time in the UK.