April 4th

Musical birthdays today include industry executive Clive Davis (92), Slade lead guitarist Dave Hill (78), ex-Dire Straits drummer Pick Withers (76), classical violinist Chen Yi (71), The Alarm bassist Craig Adams (62), producer and guitarist Vinny Burns (59), Buckcherry lead singer Josh Todd (53), Jill Scott (52), Cardigans bassist Magnus Sveningsson (52), Razorlight frontman Johnny Borrell (44), and Jamie Lynn Spears (33). 

Shoutout to the Great Beyond for Muddy Waters, born on this day in 1913... for South African trumpeter Hugh Masekela, who would have been 85 today... for songwriter and music impresario Sharon Sheeley, who would have been 84... for former Allman Brothers band bassist Berry Oakley, who would have been 76... for reggae singer Junior Braithwaite, who would have been 75... for Thin Lizzy guitarist Gary Moore, who would have been 72... for Deacon Blue guitarist Graeme Kelling, who would have been 67... for original Alice in Chains bassist Mike Starr, who would have been 58... for country singer Red Sovine, who died on this date in 1980... for multi-genre cellist Arthur Russell, who passed away in 1992... and for Manowar drummer Scott Columbus, who left us today in 2011. 

Also on April 4th: 'Dixie' is performed for the first time by Bryant's Minstrels as the finale of a blackface show in NYC (1859)... Camille Saint-Saëns' 1st Violin concerto premieres at the Salle Pleyel in Paris with Pablo Sarrasate as soloist (1872)... Elvis plays the first of two nights at the San Diego Arena in San Diego, CA. The local police chief issues a statement saying if the singer ever returns to the city and gives another similar performance, he will be arrested for disorderly conduct (1956)... RCA Victor Records announce that they will henceforth release all pop singles in mono and stereo simultaneously, making them the first record company to do so (1960)... The Beatles hold the top five places on the Billboard singles chart: № 5, 'Please Please Me'; № 4, 'I Want To Hold Your Hand'; № 3, 'Roll Over Beethoven'; № 2, 'Love Me Do'; and at № 1, 'Can't Buy Me Love.' They also have another nine singles on the chart, bringing their total in the Hot 100 to fourteen (1964)... Jimi Hendrix is the guest on the premiere episode of Kiki Dee's new BBC show 'Dee Time', with Cat Stevens also appearing (1967)... Crosby Stills Nash & Young go to № 1 on the US album chart with Deja Vu (1970)... London Records release ZZ Top's second album Rio Grande Mud (1972)... Take That give their final performance on The Ivo Niehe Show on Dutch TV, playing two songs in front of a 250 strong studio audience (1996)... A Swedish couple run into trouble with authorities after trying to name their baby 'Metallica'. Michael and Karolina Tomaro are in court today to resolve a dispute with the country's National Tax Authority over naming their daughter after the rock band. The six-month-old has been baptised Metallica, but tax officials say that the name is 'inappropriate'. Under Swedish law, both first names and surnames must be approved by tax and census before they may be used (2007)... Beyonce Knowles marries Jay-Z at his New York apartment. Coldplay frontman Chris Martin and wife Gwyneth Paltrow, and Beyonce's former Destiny's Child bandmates Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams all attend the private ceremony (2008).