EVENTS THAT HAPPENED ON THIS DAY APRIL 26 IN MUSIC HISTORY
On this day April 26 in 1969 – Led Zeppelin played ‘Whole Lotta Love’ live for the first time during their concert at the Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco. This was also the last song the band played live before disbanding in 1980.
1969 – The cast of the rock musical ‘Hair’ started a thirteen-week run at number one on the US Billboard 200 with the original Broadway cast recording album.
1975 – With ‘(Hey Won’t You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song’, BJ Thomas topped the US Billboard Hot 100. It also won him a Grammy Award for Best Country Song.
1980 – New wave band Blondie scored their fourth No.1 single in the UK with ‘Call Me’. The song also became a chart-topper in Canada and the US.
1984 – American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer William “Count” Basie died at the age of 79. Best remembered for founding and leading the Count Basie Orchestra.
1986 – Bryan Ferry and Roxy Music started a five-week stint at No.1 on the UK Albums chart with ‘Street Life: 20 Great Hits’.
1986 – Rock band Van Halen topped the US Billboard 200 chart with ‘5150’. It was the band’s seventh studio album and first with Sammy Hagar on lead vocals.
1994 – Former Jefferson Airplane singer Grace Slick pleaded guilty to pointing an unloaded gun at a police officer who came onto her property without explanation. She was sentenced to 200 hours of community service combined with four mandatory Alcoholics Anonymous meetings a week.
1997 – With their ninth studio album ‘Ultra’, Electronic music band Depeche Mode scored their second consecutive chart-topper in the UK. The record was a hit internationally and it peaked at No.1 in six other countries.
1999 – English singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer Adrian Borland committed suicide at the age of 41. Best remembered as the co-founder and frontman of the post-punk band The Sound.
2003 – With their third studio album ‘Faceless’, nu metal band Godsmack topped the US Billboard 200 chart.
2005 – Singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen released his thirteenth studio album ‘Devils & Dust’ through Columbia Records. The album was a commercial success and it became a chart-topper in a dozen countries, including the US and UK.
2008 – Indie rock band The Kooks went to number one in the UK with their second studio album ‘Konk’.
2008 – American singers Madonna and Justin Timberlake started a four-week stint at No.1 on the UK Singles chart with ‘4 Minutes’.
2011 – American singer, songwriter, and guitar player Phoebe Snow died at the age of aged 60. Best remembered for hit songs such as ‘Poetry Man’ and ‘San Francisco Bay Blues’.
Phoebe Show – Poetry Man
2013 – American country music singer-songwriter and guitar player George Jones died at the age of 81. Best remembered for scoring thirteen No.1 country hits, including ‘White Lighting’, ‘The Door’, ‘Tender Years’, etc.
2014 – With her debut single ‘Hideaway’, Canadian singer Kiesza reached number one in the United Kingdom.
2014 – Scottish singer and songwriter Paolo Nutini started a three-week run at No.1 on the UK Albums chart with ‘Caustic Love’.
2018 – Scottish DJ and record producer Calvin Harris and singer Dua Lipa topped the UK Singles chart with ‘One Kiss’.
BORN ON THIS DAY APRIL 26 IN MUSIC HISTORY
1886 – American influential singer Gertrude “Ma” Rainey dubbed the ‘Mother of the Blues” was born in Columbus, Georgia.
1915 – American blues singer and guitarist Johnny Shines was born in Frayser, Memphis, Tennessee.
1921 – Jazz multi-instrumentalist, composer, and arranger James “Jimmy” Giuffre was born in Dallas, Texas.
1925 – Danish jazz and pop guitarist Jørgen Ingmann was born in Copenhagen, Denmark. Best known for winning the 1963 Eurovision Song Contest with ‘Dansevise’ and also for his international hit song ‘Apache’.
1938 – Rock and roll guitarist Duane Eddy was born in Corning, New York. Best known for his hit instrumental songs ‘Rebel Rouser’, ‘Because They’re Young’, and ‘Peter Gunn’. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994.
1940 – Italian composer, record producer, and songwriter Giovanni Giorgio Moroder dubbed the ‘Father of Disco’ was born in Urtijëi, Italy.
1942 – Singer and actor Robert Ridarelli better known professionally as Bobby Rydell was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Best known for the hit songs ‘Volare’, ‘Wildwood Days’ and ‘Wild One’.
1943 – American singer, keyboardist and composer Gary Wright was born in Cresskill, New Jersey. Best known for his hit songs ‘Dream Weaver’ and ‘LoveIs Alive’ and for his work with the blues rock band Spooky Tooth.
1951 – Guitarist, composer, and founding member of the 2 tone ska revival group The Selecter, Neol Davies was born in Coventry, England.
1956 – American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer Dave Pomeroy was born in Nashville, Tennessee.
1959 – American singer and guitarist John Corabi was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Best known for fronting the hard rock bands The Scream and Mötley Crüe.
1960 – Drummer and founding member of the new wave band Duran Duran, Roger Taylor was born in Birmingham, England.
1961 – American multi-instrumentalist and painter Chris Mars was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Best known for playing drums with the bands The Replacements and Golden Smog.
1970 – American singer, songwriter and actress Tionne Watkins better known professionally as T-Boz was born in Des Moines, Iowa. She came to prominence as a member of the girl group TLC.
1970 – Drummer and founding member of the rock band Collective Soul, Shane Evans was born in Stockbridge, Georgia.
1975 – American drummer and guitarist Jonas “Joey” Jordison was born in Des Moines, Iowa. Best known as a founding member of the heavy metal band Slipknot and for his work with the horror punk supergroup Murderdolls.
1976 – Co-founder and drummer of the rock band Incubus, Jose Pasillas was born in Calabasas, California.