April 6th

Musical birthdays today include operatic mezzo-soprano Felicity Palmer (79), Tangerine Dream drummer Christopher Franke (70), bluesman Blind Mississippi Morris (68), Allman Brothers Band guitarist Warren Haynes (63), Pixies frontman Charles Thompson AKA Black Francis (58), Stone Sour drummer Roy Mayorga (53), Sigur Rós bassist Georg Hólm (47), Opeth bassist Martin Méndez (39), and Say Anything lead singer Max Bemis (39). 

Shoutout to the Great Beyond for blues harmonic virtuoso Big Walter Horton, born on this day in 1918... for jazzman Gerry Mulligan, born in 1927.. for conductor André Previn, born in 1929... for Merle Haggard, who would have been 86... for Igor Stravinsky, who died on this date in 1971... for Wendy O. Williams, who took her own life today in 1998 at the age of 48, and for Tammy Wynette, who left us on the same day... and for former Crickets guitarist Niki Sullivan, who passed away in 2004. 

Also on April 6th: Arthur Sullivan's debut success, his suite of incidental music for The Tempest, is performed for the first time at Covent Garden, leading to a career that included the celebrated Gilbert and Sullivan operas (1861)... Elvis signs a 7-year contract with Paramount Pictures (1956)... The Everly Brothers kick off their first UK tour at London's New Victoria Theatre, with The Crickets as their opening act (1960)... At Carnegie Hall, one of the most controversial concerts in the history of the NY Philharmonic takes place. It features a performance by Glenn Gould of Brahms' First Piano Concerto, with the orchestra led by its musical director, Leonard Bernstein. The concert became famous because of Bernstein's remarks from the podium prior to the concerto, in which he disassociated himself from the interpretation that was to come (1962)... At Abbey Road, the Beatles hold their first session for what will become the Revolver album by recording 'Tomorrow Never Knows' (1966)... The first master tape of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band is made. The track order on side one is different from the final product at this point, the last five songs on that side initially ordered as follows: ‘Being For the Benefit of Mr. Kite’, ‘Fixing a Hole’, ‘Lucy In the Sky with Diamonds’, ‘Getting Better’, and ‘She's Leaving Home’. The Beatles specified that there were to be no gaps between songs, an unprecedented idea at the time (1967)... Pink Floyd announce that founder Syd Barrett, suffering from psychiatric disorders compounded by drug use, has officially left the group... Simon & Garfunkel's soundtrack to The Graduate is the № 1 album in America... The Beatles Apple Corps Ltd. record company, management and publishing firm, open their offices on Savile Row in London (1968)... Carly Simon is introduced to James Taylor after her show at the Troubador in Los Angeles... The Rolling Stones announce the launch of their own record label (1971)... ABBA win the Eurovision song contest with 'Waterloo', launching their international career (1974)... Rod Stewart marries Alana Hamilton in Beverly Hills (1979)... Roger Waters' lawyers issue a statement that their client believes himself to be the driving creative force behind Pink Floyd, and will therefore contest the use of the name by anyone else, including any former members of Pink Floyd (1987)... The Dandy Warhols release their debut album, Dandys Rule OK (1995)... An all-star tribute to Joni Mitchell is held at the Hammerstein Ballroom in NYC, featuring performances by Elton John, Bryan Adams, Shawn Colvin, James Taylor, Cyndi Lauper, Richard Thompson, k.d. Lang, and Mary Chapin Carpenter (2000).