EVENTS THAT HAPPENED ON THIS DAY APRIL 29 IN MUSIC HISTORY
On this day April 29 in 1955 – With their rendition of ‘Cherry Pink (and Apple Blossom White)’, Perez Prado & His Orchestra topped the UK Singles chart.
1961 – American folk singer-songwriter and guitarist Gilbert “Cisco” Houston died at the age of 42 from stomach cancer. Best remembered for his collaborations with musicians such as Woody Guthrie, Lead Belly and Sonny Terry.
1967 – Aretha Franklin released her career-defining rendition of ‘Respect’ through Atlantic Records. The song peaked at No.1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and it won the ‘The Queen of Soul’ two Grammy Awards. It was also inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1987.
1972 – Roberta Flack topped the US Billboard 200 chart with her debut studio album ‘First Take’. It held the top spot for five weeks straight.
1975 – English rock group Hawkwind kicked off their North American tour with a show at the Ambassador Theater in St Louis, Missouri. The band were promoting their fifth album ‘Warrior on the Edge of Time’ on the tour which is also the last LP to feature bassist Lemmy Kilmister.
10 Lemmy Kilmister Facts You May Have Not Known
1978 – The Bee Gees scored their third number one single in the United Kingdom with ‘Night Fever’. The song was a hit worldwide reaching No.1 in six other countries, including the US and it featured on the soundtrack to the dance drama film ‘Saturday Night Fever’.
1985 – Freddie Mercury released his debut solo studio album ‘Mr. Bad Guy’ through Columbia Records. The album peaked at No.6 in the UK while in the US it barely made the Billboard 200 chart (No.159).
1989 – Pop and soul group Simply Red topped the UK Albums chart for the first time with their third studio release ‘A New Flame’.
1990 – American R&B musician Floyd Butler died from a heart attack, aged 52. Best known as a member of the groups The Vocals and The Friends of Distinction.
1992 – English songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist Mick Ronson died from cancer at the age of 46. Best known for his work with David Bowie and for touring with the likes of Van Morrison and Bob Dylan.
1995 – The soundtrack album ‘The Lion King’ to the animated Disney film of the same name topped the US Billboard 200 chart.
Hakuna Matata
1997 – Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd released their ninth studio album ‘Twenty’ on the independent record label CMC International. The LP is dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the tragic plane crash which took the lives of Ronnie Van Zant, Steve Gaines, and Cassie Gaines.
1997 – American bass guitarist Keith Ferguson died at the age of 50. Best remembered for his work with the blues rock band The Fabulous Thunderbirds.
2006 – The winner of the second series of The X Factor talent show Shayne Ward reached No.1 in the UK with his eponymous debut studio album.
2014 – American bass guitarist Paul Goddard died at the age of 68. Best remembered as a founding member of the Southern rock band Atlanta Rhythm Section.
2017 – Electronic music duo The Chainsmokers topped the US Billboard 200 chart with their debut studio album ‘Memories…Do Not Open’.
2021 – The number one album in the UK on this day was ‘Californian Soil’ by the indie pop band London Grammar.
BORN ON THIS DAY APRIL 29 IN MUSIC HISTORY
1899 – American composer, pianist and bandleader Duke Ellington was born in Washington, D.C. Best known for leading his eponymous jazz orchestra that achieved worldwide fame.
1904 – Big band leader, composer, conductor, and arranger Russell Morgan was born today in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
1915 – Singer and founding member of the family vocal group The Mills Brothers, Donald Mills was born in Piqua, Ohio.
1928 – Lead vocalist and founding member of the R&B group The Coasters, Carl Gardner was born in Tyler, Texas. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.
1931 – Singer-songwriter and instrumentalist Anthony “Lonnie’ Donegan” dubbed the “King of Skiffle” was born in Glasgow, Scotland. Best known for hit songs such as ‘Cumberland Gap’, ‘Gamblin’ Man’, ‘My Old Man’s a Dustman’, ‘The Battle of New Orleans’, etc.
1932 – American jazz bassist Andrew ‘Andy’ Simpkins was born in Los Angles, California. Best known for his work with The Three Sounds, George Shearing, Carmen McRae, Sarah Vaughan, and others.
1933 – Country music singer, songwriter, guitarist, activist, and actor Willie Nelson was born in Abbott, Texas.
1934 – American blues guitarist & singer-songwriter Otis Rush was born in in Philadelphia, Mississippi.
1942 – German artist, bass guitarist, and record producer Klaus Voormann was born in Berlin. Best known for his work with Manfred Mann, The Beatles, Carly Simon, Lou Reed, the Bee Gees, Harry Nilsson, etc.
1943 – Singer and songwriter Duane Allen was born in Taylor town, Texas. He came to prominence as the lead singer of the gospel vocal quartet The Oak Ridge Boys
1945 – Singer-songwriter Tammi Terrell was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Best known for her series of hit duets with Marvin Gaye (‘Ain’t No Mountain High Enough’, ‘Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing’, ‘You’re All I Need to Get By’, etc).
1947 – Frontman of the rock band Tommy James and the Shondells, Tommy James was born Thomas Jackson in Dayton, Ohio.
1947 – Drummer, percussionist, and co-founder of The Merry-Go-Round, Joel Larson was born in San Francisco, California. Also known for his work with The Turtles and The Grass Roots.
1952 – Puerto Rican jazz flautist David Peter “Dave” Valentin was born in South Bronx, New York City.
1968 – American singer and TV personality Carnie Wilson was born in Los Angeles, California. Best known as one third of the pop group Wilson Phillips. She’s also the daughter of musician Brian Wilson.
1970 – Rapper, producer, and record label executive Percy Robert Miller better known professionally as Master P was born in New Orleans, Louisiana.
1973 – Bass guitarist and founding member of the band The Cranberries, Mike Hogan was born in Limerick, Ireland.
1980 – Singer, songwriter, guitarist, and pianist Kian Egan was born in Sligo, Ireland. He rose to fame as a founding member of the pop group Westlife.
1981 – Lead vocalist. multi-instrumentalist and co-founder of the band Editors, Tom Smith was born in Northampton, England.