On This Day in Music: April 1

On April 1 in music history, 54 artists were born, 43 died and 5 other milestones happened, among them Marvin Gaye (1984), Jimmy Cliff (1948) and Guns N' Roses (1990).

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April 1

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Standout moments for this date.

Marvin Gaye

Marvin Gaye, singer (Sexual Healing), shot to death by his father Marvin Gaye Sr in LA at 44

Jimmy Cliff

Jimmy Cliff, Reggae singer was born

Guns N' Roses

Guns & Roses' Duff divorces Mandy Brix, lead singer for Lame Flames

Miley Cyrus

Miley Cyrus released the album 'Attention: Miley Live'

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Born on April 1

Alan Blakley

Alan Blakley, rocker (Brian Poole & The Tremeloes) was born

Alberta Hunter

Alberta Hunter, blues singer/composer (Downhearted Blues) was born

Aleksander V Aleksandrov

Aleksander V Aleksandrov, Russian composer/conductor was born

Amos Milburn

Amos Milburn, rocker was born

Art Lund

Art Lund, Salt Lake City Utah, singer (Ken Murray Show) was born

Billy Currie

Billy Currie, rock keyboardist/violinist (Ultravox-We Came to Dance) was born

Boris Koutzen

Boris Koutzen, composer was born

Carla van Neste

Carla van Neste, Belgian violinist was born

Casimir von Paszthory

Casimir von Paszthory, composer was born

Christian Demelius

Christian Demelius, composer was born

D. Boon

D. Boon, American musician d. (1985) was born

Danny Brooks

Danny Brooks, rocker (Dovells) was born

Douglas Allenbrook

Douglas Allenbrook, composer was born

Eddie Duchin

Eddie Duchin, Mass, society pianist/bandleader (Eddie Duchin Orch) was born

F Melius Christiansen

F Melius Christiansen, composer was born

Ferruccio D M B Busoni

Ferruccio D M B Busoni, Italy, pianist/composer/conductor (Arlecchino) was born

Francois Bainville

Francois Bainville, composer was born

Gavriil Musicescu

Gavriil Musicescu, composer was born

Gill Scott-Heron

Gill Scott-Heron, US, writer/poet/singer (Whities on the Moon) was born

Gunther Becker

Gunther Becker, composer was born

Gunther Rennert

Gunther Rennert, Essen Germany, opera director/producer was born

Hannah Spearritt

Hannah Spearritt, British singer was born

Hubert Reis

Hubert Reis, composer was born

Ignaz Franz von Mosel

Ignaz Franz von Mosel, composer was born

Isidore Edouard Legouix

Isidore Edouard Legouix, composer was born

Jane Powell

Jane Powell, Portland Oregon, singer/actress (7 Brides for 7 Brothers) was born

Jeff Porcaro

Jeff Porcaro, Los Angeles California, drummer/percussionist (Toto-Rosanna, Africa) was born

Jesse Tobias

Jesse Tobias, American musician was born

Jimmy Cliff

Jimmy Cliff, Reggae singer was born

Jiri Smutny

Jiri Smutny, composer was born

Joan Franks-Williams

Joan Franks-Williams, composer was born

John Barbata

John Barbata, drummer (Turtles-Happy Together, Eleanor) was born

John Butler

John Butler, Australian singer and musician was born

Johnny Andrews

Johnny Andrews, Boston, singer/host (Songs at Twilight) was born

Julia Boutros

Julia Boutros, Lebanese singer was born

Lon Chaney

Lon Chaney, CO, man of 1000 faces, actor (High Noon, Phantom of Opera) was born

M

M, English singer was born

Mark White

Mark White, rock guitarist (ABC-All of My Heart) was born

Peter O'Toole

Peter O'Toole, Irish pop bassist (Hothouse Flowers-People) was born

Phil Demmel

Phil Demmel, American musician was born

Phil Margo

Phil Margo, Bkln, rock vocalist (Tokens-Lion Sleeps Tonight) was born

Pieter Hellendaal

Pieter Hellendaal, Dutch violinist/organist/composer (Glees) was born

Richard Christy

Richard Christy, American drummer was born

Robert Steadman

Robert Steadman, English composer was born

Ronnie "Plonk" Lane

Ronnie "Plonk" Lane, London, rock bassist (Small Faces-Hey Girl) was born

Rudolph Isley

Rudolph Isley, Cincinnati Ohio, rocker (Isley Brothers-Shout) was born

Sergei Rachmaninoff

Sergei Rachmaninoff, Novgorod Russia, composer (Prelude in C# Minor) was born

Simon Crowe

Simon Crowe, rock drummer (Boomtown Rats-Maxinguaye) was born

Stan Ridway

Stan Ridway, rocker (Wall Of Voodoo) was born

Tadeusz Joteyko

Tadeusz Joteyko, composer was born

Thomas Simpson

Thomas Simpson, composer was born

Walter Kaufmann

Walter Kaufmann, composer was born

William L Bergsma

William L Bergsma, Oakland California, composer (Fortunate Island) was born

Winfried P I Zillig

Winfried P I Zillig, German opera composer/conductor (Fantasia Irica) was born

Died on April 1

Adam Schlesinger

Adam Schlesinger died

Aime Ambroise Simon Leborne

Aime Ambroise Simon Leborne, composer, dies at 98

Alexander Brott

Alexander Brott, Canadian violinist and composer (b. 1915)

Alfi Kabiljo

Alfi Kabiljo died

Alfred Ernest Whitehead

Alfred Ernest Whitehead, composer, dies at 86

Alonso Mudarra

Alonso Mudarra, Spanish composer

Bozidar Kunc

Bozidar Kunc, composer, dies at 60

Bruno Coquatrix

Bruno Coquatrix, French music impresario (b. 1910)

Bucky Pizzarelli

Bucky Pizzarelli died

C. W. McCall

C. W. McCall died

Carl Borromaus Neuner

Carl Borromaus Neuner, composer, dies at 51

Clement D'Hooghe

Clement D'Hooghe, composer, dies at 51

Cosima Liszt

Cosima Liszt, wife of Austrian composer Richard Wagner, dies at 92

Edwin H "Buddy" Morris

Edwin H "Buddy" Morris, music publisher, dies at 89

Ellis Marsalis Jr.

Ellis Marsalis Jr. died

Eua Sunthornsanan

Eua Sunthornsanan, Thai composer and bandleader (b. 1910)

Eugene Gautier

Eugene Gautier, composer, dies at 56

Francis William Davenport

Francis William Davenport, composer, dies at 77

Francisco Moncion

Francisco Moncion, dancer, dies at 73

Francisco de Peñalosa

Francisco de Peñalosa, Spanish composer

Giuditta Pasta

Giuditta Pasta, Italian soprano (b. 1797)

Jack Keller

Jack Keller, American songwriter (b. 1936)

Johann Joseph Abert

Johann Joseph Abert, composer, dies at 82

John Lennon

Freddie Lennon, father of John Lennon (Beatles), dies at 63

Johnny Tillotson

Johnny Tillotson died

Karl Fritjof Valentin

Karl Fritjof Valentin, composer, dies at 64

Leslie Cheung

Leslie Cheung, Hong Kong actor and singer (b. 1956)

Louis Francois Chambray

Louis Francois Chambray, composer, dies at 69

Louis Lully

Louis Lully, composer, dies at 69

Marvin Gaye

Marvin Gaye, singer (Sexual Healing), shot to death by his father Marvin Gaye Sr in LA at 44

Michael Hurley

Michael Hurley died

Mikhail Vladimirovich Ivanov-Boretsky

Mikhail Vladimirovich Ivanov-Boretsky, composer, dies at 61

Miroslav Ponc

Miroslav Ponc, composer, dies at 73

Narciso Casanovas

Narciso Casanovas, composer, dies at 52

Nilo Soruco

Nilo Soruco, Bolivian songwriter (b. 1927)

Patrick Juvet

Patrick Juvet died

Rockstar Ramani Ammal

Rockstar Ramani Ammal died

Rozz Williams

Rozz Williams, American musician (Christian Death) (b. 1963)

Scott Joplin

Scott Joplin, ragtime composer (The Entertainer), dies at 48

Suki Lahav

Suki Lahav died

Trinh Cong Son

Trinh Cong Son, Vietnamese composer (b. 1939)

Vaclav Josef Bartolomej Praupner

Vaclav Josef Bartolomej Praupner, composer, dies at 61

Vera Svoboda

Vera Svoboda died

Releases & milestones on April 1

Billy Idol

Rocker Billy Idol fined $2,000 for hitting a woman

Guns N' Roses

Guns & Roses' Duff divorces Mandy Brix, lead singer for Lame Flames

Meshuggah

Meshuggah released the album 'Immutable'

Miley Cyrus

Miley Cyrus released the album 'Attention: Miley Live'

Red Hot Chili Peppers

Red Hot Chili Peppers released the album 'Unlimited Love'

More standout moments in April →