On This Day, April 6 in Music History
EVENTS ON APRIL 6 IN MUSIC HISTORY
On this day April 6 in 1957 – With his rendition of ‘Round and Round’, Perry Como topped the Billboard singles chart for the last time.
1966 – The Beatles began recording their seventh studio album ‘Revolver’ at Abbey Road studios in London. The album was finished on June 21 and was released on August 5. It became a chart-topper in the UK, Australia, Canada, the US, Sweden, and Finland.
1968 – Pink Floyd announced that the band’s founder and leader Syd Barrett was leaving the group due to deteriorating mental health.
1968 – Folk duo Simon & Garfunkel started a seven-week run at No.1 on the US Billboard 200 with the soundtrack album ‘The Graduate’ to the film of the same name.
1970 – Only a few months after leaving The Supremes, Diana Ross released her debut solo single ‘Reach Out and Touch (Somebody’s Hand)’ through Motown Records.
1971 – Russian composer, pianist and conductor Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky died at the age of 88. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential composers of the 20th century.
1973 – David Bowie released ‘Drive-In Saturday’ through RCA Records. The single featured on his sixth studio album Aladdin Sane, and it peaked at number three in the UK.
10 Interesting Facts About David Bowie
1974 – Swedish rock band Blue Swede went to No.1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 with their rendition of ‘Hooked on a Feeling’.
1974 – With his English-language rendition of the Belgian song ‘Seasons in the Sun’ / (‘Le Moribond’), Terry Jacks started a four-week run at No.1 in the UK.
1974 – Over 250,000 people attended the California Jam Festival in Ontario. Bands such as Rare Earth, Emerson Lake & Palmer, Eagles, Deep Purple, Wind & Fire, Black Sabbath, Seals and Crofts, and Black Oak Arkansas performed at the event.
1984 – American rock and roll singer Ral Donner died of lung cancer, aged 41. Best remembered for his hit renditions of ‘Girl Of My Best Friend’ and ‘You Don’t Know What You’ve Got (Until You Lose It)’.
1985 – English singer Paul Young scored his second consecutive number one album in the UK with ‘The Secret of Association’.
1988 – American singer Barbara “Sandi” Robison collapsed during a concert in Butte, Montana. Sadly, she didn’t recover and passed away on April 22 from toxic shock poisoning, aged 42.
1992 – Scottish singer-songwriter Annie Lennox released her debut album as a solo artist called ‘Diva’ through RCA Records. The album became a chart-topper in the UK and Italy and it went on to sell over 7 million copies worldwide.
1992 – George Harrison played a benefit concert at the Royal Albert Hall for the Natural Law Party. It was his first concert since 1974.
1996 – With their debut compilation album ‘Greatest Hits’, boy band Take That hit No.1 in the UK for the first of four consecutive weeks.
1996 – The number one album in the United States on this day was ‘Anthology 2’, a greatest hits compilation released by The Beatles.
1998 – American singer and songwriter Wendy O. Williams died committed suicide at the age of 48. Best known for fronting the punk rock band Plasmatics.
1998 – Country music singer, songwriter and actress Tammy Wynette died at the age of 55. She is best remembered for scoring 17 No.1 singles on the country charts, including hits such as ‘Stand by Your Man’, ‘D-I-V-O-R-C-E’, and ‘Singing My Song’ among others.
Tammy Wynette – Stand by Your Man
2002 – With her eighteenth studio album ‘A New Day Has Come’, Canadian singer Celine Dion started a four-week stint at No.1 in the UK.
2004 – American guitarist, singer, and songwriter Niki Sullivan died at the age of 66 from a heart attack. Best remembered as a founding member of Buddy Holly’s backing band The Crickets.
2013 – Singer-songwriter Justin Timberlake started a three-week stint at No.1 on the US Billboard 200 with his third studio album ‘The 20/20 Experience’.
2013 – British TV presenters and musicians PJ & Duncan scored their first number one single in the UK with ‘Let’s Get Ready to Rhumble’.
2016 – Country music singer, songwriter, and guitarist Merle Haggard died on the day April 6, aged 79. Best remembered for scoring 38 No.1 hits on the country charts.
2019 – With his second studio album ‘Bad Habits’, Canadian rapper Nav went to number one in the US on this day April 6.
BORN ON APRIL 6 IN MUSIC HISTORY
1902 – Jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, composer, and arranger James “Rosy” McHargue was born in Danville, Illinois.
1922 – American jazz pianist, vibraphonist, and vocalist Dorothy Donegan was born in Chicago, Illinois.
1921 – Blues harmonica player and singer Walter “Shakey” Horton also known as Big Walter was born in Horn Lake, Mississippi.
1927 – Jazz multi-instrumentalist, composer and arranger Gerry Mulligan better known professionally as Jeru was born in Queens, New York City.
1929 – German-American pianist, composer, and conductor André George Previn was born in Berlin, Germany.
1937 – Country music singer-songwriter and guitarist Merle Haggard was born in Oildale, California. He is considered a pioneer of the Bakersfield sound.
1941 – American guitarist and record producer William Louis Shelton was born in Little Rock, Arkansas.
1942 – German multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and composer Christopher Franke was born in Berlin, Germany/ Best known as member of the electronic music group Tangerine Dream.
1944 – Bass guitarist and founding member of the band The Pretty Things, John Stax was born John Edward Lee Fullagar in Dartford, England.
1947 – British drummer Tony Connor was born in Romford, England. Best known as a member of the soul band Hot Chocolate.
1965 – Co-founder and frontman of the alternative rock band Pixies, Charles Thompson also known by his stage name Black Francis was born in Boston, Massachusetts.
1978 – British singer, pianist, and model Myleene Klass was born in Norfolk, England. She rose to fame as a member of the pop group Hear’Say.
1981 – American contemporary Christian music singer-songwriter and guitarist Kari Jobe was born in Waco, Texas.