2 APRIL
In Music History
1966 The Singing Nun, starring Debbie Reynolds, opens in theaters. The film is based on Sister Luc-Gabrielle, a Belgian nun who had a #1 US hit with the French language song "Dominique," re-written in English for the film. Luc-Gabrielle declares it "absolutely idiotic."
1965 Freddie & the Dreamers record "Do The Freddie." Inspired by a short-lived dance craze, it will become a #18 hit.
1964 Elvis Presley releases the soundtrack album Kissin' Cousins for his movie of the same name. The album will peak at #6 on the Billboard albums chart.
1962 Bass player and songwriter Tony Franklin is born Anthony James Franklin.
1961 Keren Jane Woodward (of Bananarama) is born in Bristol, England.
1957 Elvis Presley appears for the first time outside the United States, performing at the Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto. This and a show the next day in Ottawa would be the only Elvis concerts ever given outside the US.
1956 Johnny Cash records "I Walk The Line" at Sun Studio in Memphis. His label boss, Sam Phillips, has him speed up the tempo, which is a good call: The song becomes Cash's first #1 Country hit.
1952 Leon Wilkeson (bassist for Lynyrd Skynyrd) is born in Newport, Rhode Island.
1952 Dave Bronze (bass guitarist for Procol Harum) is born in Billericay, Essex, England.
1949 David Robinson (drummer for The Cars) is born in Malden, Massachusetts.
1947 Emmylou Harris is born in Birmingham, Alabama.
1946 Kurt Winter (guitarist for The Guess Who) is born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
1943 Jazz guitarist Larry Coryell is born Lorenz Albert Van DeLinder III in Galveston, Texas.
1942 Leon Russell is born Claude Russell Bridges in Lawton, Oklahoma.
1941 Kent Morrill, keyboardist and vocalist for the Fabulous Wailers, is born.
2 APRIL
Featured Events
2006 Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy" makes history by becoming the UK's first-ever #1 single to top the chart solely on download sales.More
1991 Lenny Kravitz releases his sophomore album, Mama Said, with the hit "It Ain't Over 'Til It's Over," a plea for reconciliation to his soon-to-be ex-wife, actress Lisa Bonet. More
1977 Fleetwood Mac's Rumours album hits #1 in America for the first time. It spends an astonishing 31 (non-consecutive) weeks at the top spot.
1967 An overzealous audience member throws a smoke bomb onto the stage at The Rolling Stones concert at the Town Hall in Vienna, Austria, leading to a riot and the arrest of 154 fans.
1966 Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass become the first act with four albums in the US Top 10 simultaneously. Alpert's albums spend more weeks at #1 in 1966 than The Beatles'.
1964 It's a big day for The Beach Boys, who record their first #1 hit, "I Get Around," and also fire their manager, Murry Wilson, who happens to be the father of three of the band members, including leader Brian Wilson, who feels his dad is hindering their progress with unwelcome critiques at their recording sessions.
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