On This Day, April 11 in Music History
EVENTS ON APRIL 11 IN MUSIC HISTORY
On this day April 11 in 1963 – With ‘How Do You Do It?’, Gerry and the Pacemakers hit number one on the UK Singles chart for the first of three consecutive weeks.
1969 – The Beatles scored their nineteenth number one single in the US when ‘Let It Be’ reached the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for the first of two weeks.
1970 – Founder, singer and guitarist of Fleetwood Mac, Peter Green issued a statement in New Musical Express that he was leaving the group.
1977 – 40,000 people attended an Alice Cooper concert in Sydney, Australia which set a new record for the largest audience attendance at a rock event in the country.
10 Interesting Facts About Alice Cooper
1981 – With ‘Kiss On My List’, Hall & Oates hit number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart for the first of three weeks straight on this day April 11 in music history.
1983 – The members of Metallica decided to kick Dave Mustaine out of the group due to his violent behavior and addiction to drugs and alcohol. He was immediately replaced by guitarist Kirk Hammett of Exodus. Mustaine went on to form the band Megadeth with which he achieved worldwide success and became a rival to Metallica.
Metal Bands in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
1988 – Canadian musician Neil Young released his sixteenth solo studio album ‘This Note’s for You’ through Reprise Records.
1988 – At the 60th Academy Awards, singer Cher won an Oscar for Best Actress for her performance in the romantic comedy ‘Moonstruck’ while ‘(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life’ from the movie ‘Dirty Dancing’ won Best Original Song.
1992 – With their fifth studio album ‘Adrenalize’, hard rock band Def Leppard went to number one in the United Kingdom.
1998 – British rock band Pulp scored their second consecutive number one album in the United Kingdom with ‘This Is Hardcore’ on this day April 11.
2001 – Folk rock multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and composer Alexander “Sandy” Bull died at the age of 60 of lung cancer.
2006 – American rapper and hype man DeShaun ‘Proof’ Holton was killed after a dispute broke out during a game of billiards at the CCC Club in Detroit, aged 32. Best known as member of the hip hop group D12 and for being a close childhood friend of rapper Eminem.
2006 – American singer June Pointer died on this day April 11 in music history, aged 52. Best remembered as the youngest member of the family vocal group The Pointer Sisters.
2009 – Singer and songwriter Lady Gaga scored her second number one single of the year in the US with ‘Poker Face’. She previously topped the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks in January with ‘Just Dance’. She also started a four-week run at No.1 in the UK on this day with her debut album ‘The Fame’.
2011 – American blues guitarist, singer and songwriter Lacy Gibson died at the age of 74. Best remembered for songs such as ‘My Love Is Real’ and ‘Switchy Tichy’, and for his work with the likes of Buddy Guy and Son Seals.
2014 – Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer James “Jesse” Winchester died on this day April 11, aged 69. Best remembered for songs such as ‘Yankee Lady’ and ‘Say What’.
2015 – Electronic music group The Prodigy scored their fifth consecutive number one album in the UK with ‘The Day Is My Enemy’.
2017 – English keyboardist and songwriter Toby Smith died at the age of 46 after a six year battle with cancer. Best remembered for his work with the multi-genre band Jamiroquai.
2017 – American guitarist and leader of The J. Geils Band, John “J.” Geils died from natural causes, aged 71.
2019 – 17-year-old Billie Eilish was at number one in the United Kingdom with her debut studio album ‘When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?’.
BORN ON APRIL 11 IN MUSIC HISTORY
1889 – Jazz trumpeter, cornetist, and bandleader Dominic “Nick” LaRocca was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. Best known as the leader of the Original Dixieland Jass Band which is credited for recording the first jazz song ‘Livery Stable Blues’ in 1917.
1910 – American singer, trumpeter and actor John Gustave Davis also known as Johnnie Scat was born in Brazil, Indiana.
1935 – Doo-wop singer, songwriter, pianist, and composer Richard Berry was born in Extension, Louisiana. Best known for his work with groups such as The Flairs and The Robins.
1952 – Drummer and founding member of the space rock band Hawkwind, Terry Ollis was born in London, England.
1955 – Jamaican singer, percussionist, and trumpeter Neville Staple was born in Manchester Parish, Jamaica. Best known as a member of The Special and for leading his own group the Neville Staple Band.
1958 – Scottish singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Stuart Adamson was born in Manchester, England. Best known as a founding member of the bands Big Country, Skids, and The Raphaels.
1961 – Guitarist, bassist, and songwriter Douglas Hopkins was born in in Seattle, Washington. He came to prominence as the co-founder of the alternative rock band Gin Blossoms.
1965 – Guitarist, backing vocalist and founding member of the rock band Bus, Nigel Pulsford was born in London, England.
1966 – British singer, songwriter and actress Lisa Stansfield was born in Manchester, England. Best known for her 1989 worldwide chart-topping single ‘All Around The World’.
1969 – Welsh singer and songwriter Cerys Matthews was born in Cardiff, Wales. She rose to fame as a founding member of the rock band Catatonia.
1970 – Bass guitarist and founding member of the alternative rock band Marcy Playground, Dylan Keefe was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
1970 – English singer, multi-instrumentalist, and producer Delroy Pearson was born in London. Best known for his work with the groups Five Star and Immature.
1971 – Bass guitarist and founding member of the German band Rammstein, Oliver Riedel was born in Schwerin, East Germany.
1978 – Singer, songwriter, and guitarist Tom Thacker also known as Brown Tom was born in Langley, Canada. Best known as a member of the punk rock bands Gob and Sum 41.
1979 – Canadian singer and multi-instrumentalist Sebastien Grainger was born in Ontario. Best known as one half of the rock duo Death from Above.
1987 – Singer-songwriter and actress Joscelyn Eve Stoker better known professionally as Joss Stone was born in Dover, England