TODAY IN HISTORY - April 30th
1933 - Born this day, Willie Nelson, country singer, actor, 1982 US No.5 single Always On My Mind, 1984 UK No.17 single To All The Girls I've Loved Before. Wrote the country classic Crazy hit for Patsy Cline.
1953 - Frank Sinatra and Nelson Riddle became a team at Capitol Records in Hollywood. Sinatra’s new musical style, under Riddle’s direction, brought the crooner to the top of the record world for the second time in his illustrious career.
1957 - Elvis Presley recorded Jailhouse Rock.
1958 - My Fair Lady, the Broadway musical based on George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion, received rave reviews when it opened in Drury Lane. Julie Andrews was superb as Eliza Doolittle, while Rex Harrison mixed speech with song as Professor Higgins. Cecil Barton's decor was a triumph, particularly for the Ascot racecourse.
1961 - Del Shannon's Runaway hit the top of the US pop charts, replacing Blue Moon.
1962 - Born this day, Robert Reynolds, country musician, bass, The Mavericks, US country rock group, 1998 UK No.4 single Dance The Night Away.
1966 - The Young Rascals went to No.1 on the US singles chart with Good Lovin'. The song had been a hit for The Olympics the year before.
1976 - The Who's drummer Keith Moon paid nine cab drivers to block-off both ends of a New York street so he could throw the contents of his hotel room out of the window.
1977 - Glen Campbell went to No.1 on the US singles chart with Southern Nights, his second US No.1.
1980 - The film McVicar with Roger Daltry in the title role premiered in London.
1982 - Died this day, Lester Bangs, rock critic, of a heart attack aged 33. Bangs worked for Rolling Stone, Creem and The Village Voice.
1983 - Died this day, Muddy Waters, blues legend, aged 68. I Just Want To Make Love To You, I’m Your Hoochie Coochie Man, Got My Mojo Working.
1983 - Michael Jackson started a three week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with Beat It, his fifth solo US No.1, and a No.3 UK hit.
1987 - Three more compact discs of music by The Beatles went on sale for the first time. The discs were Help!, Rubber Soul and Revolver. All became hits again for the Fab Four.
1991 - Nirvana signed a deal with Geffen Records.
1998 - Boyzone singer Ronan Keating married Yvonne Connolly on the Caribbean island Nevis.
1999 - Died this day, Darrell Sweet, Nazareth drummer, after suffering a fatal heart attack before a show in New Albany, Indiana. He was aged 52. 1973 UK No.9 single Broken Down Angel, 1976 US No.8 single Love Hurts.
1999 - The three former members of Spandau Ballet lost a court case against band songwriter Gary Kemp. They had claimed they were owed £1 million in lost royalties. The Judge said he had become a fan of the bands during the case.
2001 - A light aircraft carrying Sting went off the runway as it landed in Florence. None of the four aboard, Sting a friend and two pilots was hurt. Brake failure was suspected.
1933 - Born this day, Willie Nelson, country singer, actor, 1982 US No.5 single Always On My Mind, 1984 UK No.17 single To All The Girls I've Loved Before. Wrote the country classic Crazy hit for Patsy Cline.
1953 - Frank Sinatra and Nelson Riddle became a team at Capitol Records in Hollywood. Sinatra’s new musical style, under Riddle’s direction, brought the crooner to the top of the record world for the second time in his illustrious career.
1957 - Elvis Presley recorded Jailhouse Rock.
1958 - My Fair Lady, the Broadway musical based on George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion, received rave reviews when it opened in Drury Lane. Julie Andrews was superb as Eliza Doolittle, while Rex Harrison mixed speech with song as Professor Higgins. Cecil Barton's decor was a triumph, particularly for the Ascot racecourse.
1961 - Del Shannon's Runaway hit the top of the US pop charts, replacing Blue Moon.
1962 - Born this day, Robert Reynolds, country musician, bass, The Mavericks, US country rock group, 1998 UK No.4 single Dance The Night Away.
1966 - The Young Rascals went to No.1 on the US singles chart with Good Lovin'. The song had been a hit for The Olympics the year before.
1976 - The Who's drummer Keith Moon paid nine cab drivers to block-off both ends of a New York street so he could throw the contents of his hotel room out of the window.
1977 - Glen Campbell went to No.1 on the US singles chart with Southern Nights, his second US No.1.
1980 - The film McVicar with Roger Daltry in the title role premiered in London.
1982 - Died this day, Lester Bangs, rock critic, of a heart attack aged 33. Bangs worked for Rolling Stone, Creem and The Village Voice.
1983 - Died this day, Muddy Waters, blues legend, aged 68. I Just Want To Make Love To You, I’m Your Hoochie Coochie Man, Got My Mojo Working.
1983 - Michael Jackson started a three week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with Beat It, his fifth solo US No.1, and a No.3 UK hit.
1987 - Three more compact discs of music by The Beatles went on sale for the first time. The discs were Help!, Rubber Soul and Revolver. All became hits again for the Fab Four.
1991 - Nirvana signed a deal with Geffen Records.
1998 - Boyzone singer Ronan Keating married Yvonne Connolly on the Caribbean island Nevis.
1999 - Died this day, Darrell Sweet, Nazareth drummer, after suffering a fatal heart attack before a show in New Albany, Indiana. He was aged 52. 1973 UK No.9 single Broken Down Angel, 1976 US No.8 single Love Hurts.
1999 - The three former members of Spandau Ballet lost a court case against band songwriter Gary Kemp. They had claimed they were owed £1 million in lost royalties. The Judge said he had become a fan of the bands during the case.
2001 - A light aircraft carrying Sting went off the runway as it landed in Florence. None of the four aboard, Sting a friend and two pilots was hurt. Brake failure was suspected.