April 9th

Musical birthdays today include Tom Lehrer (96), country singer Kay Adams (83), country singer Margo Smith (81), session drummer Steve Gadd (79), singer-songwriter John Howard (71), country singer Hal Ketchum (71), Marillion keyboardist Mark Kelly (63), former My Chemical Romance lead singer Gerard Way (47), ex-S Club vocalist Rachel Stevens (46), Strokes guitarist Albert Hammond, Jr. (45), Escape the Fate lead singer Craig Mabbitt (37) and Jesse McCartney (37).  

Shoutout to the Great Beyond for bluesman Mance Lipscomb, born on this day in 1895... for Paul Robeson, born in 1898... for Indian classical musician Sharan Rani Backliwal, born in 1929... for Carl Perkins, born in 1932... for producer and manager Terry Knight, who would have been 81... for Phil Ochs, who took his own life today in 1976 at the age of 35... for Dave Prater of Sam & Dave, who died in a car crash today in 1988 at the age of 50... for avant-garde cellist Tom Cora, who died in 1998... for Delfonics founding member Randy Cain, who passed away in 2009... and for DMX, who left us three years ago today.  

Also on April 9th: On Easter Sunday, Marian Anderson performs an open-air concert for an crowd of 75,000 at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C., after being denied permission by the Daughters of the American Revolution to appear at Constitution Hall before an integrated audience (1939)... The Righteous Brothers are at № 1 on the Billboard singles chart with 'You're My Soul and Inspiration' (1966)... The Doors play to their largest audience to date when they open for Jefferson Airplane at Santa Monica Pier before 3,000 spectators (1967)... Columbia Records releases Bob Dylan's album Nashville Skyline (1969)... Newly signed to EMI, Queen play a showcase gig for their record company at London's Marquee Club (1973)... Terry Jacks becomes the first Canadian since 1957 to score a UK № 1, with 'Seasons in the Sun' (1974)... ABBA have the № 1 single in the US, the UK and 12 other countries with 'Dancing Queen' (1977)... Bill Wyman (52) announces that he and Mandy Smith (19) are engaged. The Stones bassist further reveals that they have been dating for six years (1989)... Sir Paul McCartney plays his first show in Manchester in 24 years when he appears at the MEN Arena on the UK leg of the 'Back in the World' Tour (2003).