May 4th

Musical birthdays today include operatic soprano Roberta Peters (88), Ron Carter (81), Dick Dale (81), country singer Stella Parton (69), The Pogues bassist Darryl Hunt (68), Camel bassist Colin Bass (67), soul singer Oleta Adams (65), singer-songwriter Marilyn Martin (64), Pia Zadora (64), Mötley Crüe lead guitarist Mick Mars (63), Sharon Jones (62), Randy Travis (59), New Radicals frontman Gregg Alexander (48), Green Day bassist Mike Dirnt (46), 'N Sync vocalist Lance Bass (39), and Panic! at the Disco bassist Dallon Weekes (37).  

Shoutout to the Great Beyond for Italian instrument maker Bartolomeo Cristofori [credited with the invention of the piano], born on this day in 1655... for former Spirit drummer Ed Cassidy, born in 1923... for jazz trumpeter Maynard Ferguson, born in 1926... for soul singer Tyrone Davis, who would have been 80... for Nickolas Ashford, who would have been 76... and for Paul Butterfield, who left us today in 1987. 

Also on May 4th: Haydn conducts the premiere performance of his 104th and final symphony at the King's Theatre, London (1795)... At the Opéra Garnier in Paris, the Symphony Society of New York opens the first tour of Europe by an full American symphony orchestra (1923)... Gene Vincent records 'Be Bop-A-Lula' at Owen Bradley's studio in Nashville (1956)... John Coltrane records 'Giant Steps' and other material for the album of the same name (1959)... The Young Rascals go to № 1 in the US with 'Groovin''. Atlantic Records Jerry Wexler was originally opposed to releasing the song as a single, but DJ Murray the K talked him into it (1967)... Neil Young writes 'Ohio' on hearing the news of the Kent State shootings, and immediately records the song with Crosby, Stills & Nash (1970)... Led Zeppelin land in NYC to open their 1973 North American tour, which would be reported by campaign's end as the 'biggest and most profitable rock & roll tour in the history of the United States'. The group would gross over $4 million from the dates, flying between gigs in 'The Starship', a Boeing 720 passenger jet complete with bar, shower room, TV and video in a 30' lounge and a white fur bedroom (1973)... Grand Funk Railroad have the № 1 single in America with 'The Loco-Motion.' It is only the second time ever that a cover version of a former № 1 [the original version by Little Eva in 1962] has also topped the charts (1974)... The Patti Smith Group, David Johansen, Dead Boys, Blondie, Suicide and Richard Hell & the Voidoids all appear at a Punk Benefit for the Poor show at CBGB (1978)... Korova Records release Echo & the Bunnymen's Ocean Rain (1984)... Stevie Ray Vaughn plays the Orpheum Theatre in Vancouver, BC, the opening gig on what will prove to be his final tour (1989)... Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill is the № 1 album in Britain (1996)... Metallica publish a demand that online music service Napster cut off 335,000 users who they claim have been illegally trading their songs. The band passed on the names of all those they considered to be stealing their material over the internet in the latest development in an ongoing battle over the protection of music copyright on the web (2000)...  Thieves break into the childhood home of Motown star Martha Reeves and steal approximately $1 million worth of uninsured recording equipment, including speakers, microphones and karaoke machines. A suspect is arrested at his home later in the day after trying to sell the goods to a pawnshop for $400 (2008).