April 5, 1996 ~ Alexander Crossan, commonly known as alternative R&B, nu-disco electronic producer, songwriter Mura Masa, born in Castel, Guernsey ~ Debuted in 2017 with the Grammy Award-nominated eponymous Mura Masa, which included the dance hit Lovesick. Also known for his remix of Haim's Walking Away which actually did win a Grammy the following year
April 5, 1986 ~ Tayo Jarrett, commonly known as hip-hop, grime MC Scorcher, born ~ Member of grime collective Cold Blooded. Member of the Movement, alongside Wretch 32, Devlin, Mercston, and Ghetts. As a solo artist gained attention in the mid-2000s with a number of acclaimed mix-tapes, leading up to a full-length Concrete Jungle album released in 2009
April 5, 1981 ~ Alternative rock, post-industrial singer, bassist, keyboardist Mariqueen Maandig born ~ Member of rock outfit West Indian Girl from 2004 through 2009. Subsequently fronted post-industrial band How To Destroy Angels, which also included her husband Trent Reznor. Has also collaborated with Bao and occassionaly provided backing vocals for Nine Inch Nails
April 5, 1981 ~ Folk, indie folk, indie rock, dream pop, metal singer, guitarist, keyboardist Marissa Nadler born in Washington DC, USA ~ Over half a dozen albums to her name, starting with Ballads Of Living And Dying released in 2004. Draws from traditional folk, country, Americana and dreamy pop, her amalgam sometimes described as dream folk. Especially acclaimed for her 2007 Songs III (Bird On The Water) album. Guested on recordings by Xasthur, Emily Jane White, Carter Tanton, Ben Watt, Lushlife, Mercury Rev, Lawrence Rothman, and others
April 5, 1980 ~ Michael Jones, commonly known as rapper, singer Wax, born in Washington DC, USA ~ A member of then-defunct group MacGregor when he became an internet sensation in 2007 after uploading Youtube videos of him rapping and singing. Best known for Rosana, re-released as an official single in 2012
April 5, 1978 ~ Alternative rock, hip hop singer Sierra Swan, full name Sierra Maria Swan, born in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Influenced by Patsy Cline and Tori Amos. Daughter of country, pop guitarist, singer Billy Swan. Co-founded Dollshead with Graham Edwards. Subsequently worked with Black Eyed Peas during the late 1990s, notably present on the track Fallin' Up. Has since recorded about a dozen albums as a solo artist, notably 2014's Good Soldier produced by the Smashing Pumpkins-frontman Billy Corgan. Has also guested on recordings by Say Anything, John Oszajca, Frank Black, and Cold
April 5, 1977 ~ Jazz saxophonist, flutist, singer Hålkon Kornstad born in Oslo, Norway ~ Leader and sideman. Worked with Wibutee, Korstad Trio, Ketil Bjørnstad, Anja Garbarek, Live Maria Roggen, Bugge Wesseltoft, Sidsel Endresen, Paal Nilssen-Love, Mats Ellertsen, Knut Reiersrud, Jon Christensen, Eivind Sarset, Pat Metheny, and others
April 5, 1975 ~ Jordan Michael Houston III, commonly known as rapper, songwriter Juicy J, born in Memphis, Tennessee, USA ~ Brother of rapper Project Pat. Co-founding member of Three 6 Mafia, known best for their 2005 hit single It's Hard Out Here For A Pimp. Active as a solo artist since 2002's Chronicles Of The Juice Man album. In-demand producer and collaborator, who has worked on tracks by Mike Will Made It, Gucci Mane, Lil' Wayne, Big Sean, Wale, Nicki Minaj, Travis Scott, Wiz Khalifa, Marshmello, French Montana, Mac Miller, Katy Perry (Dark Horse), Ne-Yo, A$AP Rocky, Usher (I Don't Mind), and Robin Thicke
April 5, 1973 ~ Singer, keyboardist, percussionist, producer, songwriter Pharrell Williams, full name Pharrell Lanscilo Williams, born in Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA ~ Lead singer for NERD, which also included Chad Hugo and Shay Haley. Formed the the Neptunes with Hugo, producing and writing songs for the likes of SWV, Total, Mase (Lookin' At Me), Ol' Dirty Bastard, Jay-Z, Mystikal, Usher (U Don't Have To Call), NSYNC, Nelly (Hot In Herre), LL Cool J, Justin Timberlake (Rock Your Body), Kelis (Milkshake), Snoop Dogg, Gwen Stefani (Hollaback Girl), and Ludacris. Debuted as a solo artist in 2006 with the album In My Mind. Williams also composed the music to all three parts of the animated Despicable Me feature film series, which included the 2013 Billboard Hot 100 No.1 single Happy
April 5, 1972 ~ Country singer, guitarist, songwriter Pat Green, full name Patrick Craven Green, born in San Antonio, Texas, USA ~ Discovered by Willie Nelson. Debuted in 2001 with the album Dancehall Dreamer in 1995. Broke through in the early 2000s with the album Three Days and especially its follow-up Wave On Wave, the latter's title track Wave On Wave becoming a Texas music anthem and reaching top 10 on the national country charts. Has collaborated with Cory Morrow, Radney Foster, and with Josh Abbott
April 5, 1972 ~ Singer, songwriter, actor Waylon Payne, full name Waylon Malloy Payne, born in Nashville, Tennessee, USA ~ Son of singer Sammi Smith and guitarist Jody Payne. Godson of Waylon Jennings. Worked with Keith Gattis, Willie Nelson, Pat Green, Lee Ann Womack, Cory Morrow, Charlie Robison, and others. Featured in the role of Jerry Lee Lewis in the 2005 film Walk The Line alongside Joaquin Phoenix as Johnny Cash and Reese Witherspoon as June Carter. Portrayed the role of Hank Garland in the 2007 film Crazy
April 5, 1970 ~ Avant-garde, downtempo, trip hop, indie rock singer, keyboardist, guitarist, percussionist Miho Hatori born in Tokyo, Japan ~ Co-founded Cibo Matto. First to provide the voice of Noodle in the virtual band Gorillaz. Has also recorded as a solo artist and collaborated with the likes of the Beastie Boys, Handsome Boy Modeling School, Smokey Hormel, John Zorn, and others
April 5, 1966 ~ Rock, grunge guitarist Mike McCready, full name Michael David McCready, born in Pensacola, Florida, USA ~ Influenced by Jimi Hendrix, Keith Richards, Pete Townshend, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Eddie Van Halen. Lead guitarist, co-founding member of Pearl Jam, known for songs such as Jeremy, Spin The Black Circle, I Got Id, and Last Kiss. Involved with several side projects including Flight To Mars, Temple Of The Dog, Mad Season, and the Rockfords. McCready has also guested on recordings by Neil Young, Screaming Trees, the Wallflowers, Peter Frampton, Dierks Bentley, and Soundgarden
April 5, 1959 ~ Jazz singer, bandleader, composer Elin Rosseland born in Norway ~ Has worked with KIX, Fair Play, Vigleik Storaas, Johannes Eick, Sidsel Endresen, Eldbjørg Raknes, Christian Wallumrød, Norma Winstone, Mats Eilertsen, the Trondheim Jazz Orchestra, Nils Petter Molvær, and others
April 5, 1959 ~ Jazz guitarist John Parricelli born in Evesham, UK ~ Co-founded big band Loose Tubes. Also worked with Annie Whitehead, Kenny Wheeler, Norma Winstone, Lee Konitz, Paul Motian, Chris Laurence, Peter Erskine, Vince Mendoza, Mark Lockheart, Julian Argüelles, Iain Ballamy, Andy Sheppard, Gerard Presencer, Colin Towns, Stacey Kent, Katie Melua, David Gilmour, Ronan Keating, Charlotte Church, Gary Barlow, Toni Braxton, Judie Tzuke, and others
April 5, 1956 ~ Timothy TV Smith, commonly known as punk singer, guitarist, songwriter TV Smith, born in Romford, UK ~ Co-founded punk band the Adverts with Gaye Black, one of the first punk bands to reach the charts and best known for their 1977 single Gary Gilmore's Eyes. Smith has also recorded about a dozen albums as a solo artist, fronted TV Smith's Explorers and Cheap, and collaborated with the likes of Amen, Fehlfarben, and others
April 5, 1955 ~ Bassist, singer Peter Gifford born in Australia ~ Member of Midnight Oil from 1981 through 1987, first appearing on the band's Place Without A Postcard album. Present on most of the band's best known, including Power And The Passion, The Dead Heart and Beds Are Burning, the latter a Billboard Hot 100 top 20 hit in 1987. Gifford has also worked with Warumpi Band and Neil Murray
April 5, 1954 ~ Composer, saxophonist, guitarist Allen Lowe born in Massapequa, New York, USA ~ Recorded about a dozen albums as leader or co-leader, especially acclaimed for New Tango '92 with the Orchestra X featuring trumpeter Doc Cheatham and alto saxophonist Julius Hemphill. Served as director for Jazz New Haven, organizing an annual festival in New Haven, Connecticut. Authored several non-fiction books on jazz, pop, and blues, notably Devilin' Tune used in courses at Harvard University and Yale University.
April 5, 1954 ~ Singer, guitarist, bassist, keyboardist, songwriter Peter Case born in Buffalo, New York, USA ~ Formed short-lived power pop unit the Nerves with Jack Lee and Paul Collins. known best for their 1976 original Hanging On The Telephone which would be notably covered by Blondie two uears later. Formed rock & roll outfit Plimsouls best known for A Million Miles Away of their 1983 Everywhere At Once sophomore album. Case has also recorded as a solo artist, his 1986 eponymous Peter Case debut album produced by T-Bone Burnett and Mitchell Froom and featuring backing by Mike Campbell, John Hiatt, Jim Keltner and Roger McGuinn, his 1989 The Man With The Blue Post-Modern Fragemented Neo-Traditionalist Guitar sophomore album featuring David Hidalgo, Ry Cooder and Benmont Tench. Case has also written or co-written songs recorded by the likes of the Go-Go's, Marshall Crenshaw, John Wesley Harding, the Goo Goo Dolls, John Prine, Robert Earl Keen, and James McMurtry
April 5, 1954 ~ Singer, guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter Stan Ridgway, full name Stanard Ridgway, born in Barstow, California, USA ~ Co-founding member, lead singer of Wall Of Voodoo. The band is critically acclaimed for their first two albums, namely 1981's Dark Continent and its 1982 follow-up Call Of The West, the latter spawning the alternative hit Mexican Radio. Ridgway enjoyed a parallel solo career since the early 1980s, noted for collaborating with the Police-drummer Stewart Copeland on Don't Box Me In for the Rumble Fish soundtrack. Ridgway also contributed songs for other movies and has recorded about a dozen solo albums, starting with The Big Heat released in 1986
April 5, 1953 ~ Guitarist, bassist Jerome Harris born in Flushing, New York, USA ~ Leader and sideman. Closely associated with saxophonist Sonny Rollins, backing Rollins from the late-1970s through the mid-1990s. Has also worked with Jack DeJohnette, Paul Motian, Bob Moses, Bobby Previte, Amina Claudine Myers, Don Byron, Marty Ehrlich, Oliver Lake, Ned Rothenberg, George Russell, Henry Threadgill, Jaki Byard, and others
April 5, 1953 ~ Pop, country pop, pop rock singer, bassist, keyboardist Wim Kerkhof, full name Willem Frederik Krekhof, born in Rotterdam, the Netherlands ~ Co-founding member of the Amazing Stroopwafels, known for songs such as Ome Kobus, Ik Ga Naar Frankrijk and perhaps their best-known Oude Maasweg
April 5, 1950 ~ Singer Agnetha Fältskog born in Jököping, Sweden ~ Cites Connie Francis, Marianne Faithfull, Aretha Franklin, and Lesley Gore, as her main influences. Released her eponymous debut album in 1968, Agnetha Fältskog, before becoming an international superstar as a member of ABBA, which also included her then-husband Björn Ulvaeus. The band would rise to international fame, enjoying popularity especially across Europe, after winning the 1974 Eurovision Songfestival with Waterloo. Other well-known songs include SOS, Mamma Mia, Fernando, Money Money Money, Knowing Me Knowing You, Take A Chance On Me, The Winner Takes It All, and Super Trouper. Their 1976 single Dancing Queen would top the Billboard Hot 100. Fältskog has released a number of solo albums, all in Swedish, prior to and during the ABBA years, switching to English after the band broke up. As a solo artist Fältskog is perhaps best known for the early 1980s singles The Heat Is On and Wrap Your Arms Around Me
April 5, 1950 ~ Drummer, songwriter Everett Morton, full name Everett Matthew Livingstone Morton, born in St Kitts, St Kitts & Nevis ~ Reggae-influenced drummer known for his syncopated and polyrhythmic drumming. Member of 1980s ska revival band the Beat, known for hits such as The Tears Of A Clown, Mirror In The Bathroom, Too Nice To Talk To and perhaps their best-known Can't Get Used To Losing You, all of which reached top 10 in the band's native UK ~ Morton passed away in 2021
April 5, 1948 ~ Rock, hard rock, heavy metal drummer Dave Holland born in Northampton, UK ~ Member of Trapeze from 1969 through 1979, with whom he recorded about half a dozen albums including Medusa and You Are The Music (We're Just The Band). Following his departure from the band in 1979, Holland joined Judas Priest, first appearing on the highly acclaimed British Steel album. Holland has also worked with Finders Keepers, Pinkerton's Assorted Colours, Blue Jays, Glenn Hughes (Play Me Out), Justin Hayward (Songwriter), Robin George, Leonor Marchesi, Tony Iommi, and Al Atkins ~ Holland passed away in 2018
April 5, 1948 ~ Singer, guitarist, songwriter Hans Theessink born in Enschede, the Netherlands ~ Once described as “one helluva guitar player” by Bo Diddley. Active since the 1960s, initially as a member of the Silly Skiffle Group and as a solo artist since the early 1970s, recording some two dozen albums through the end of the century
April 5, 1948 ~ Kent Henry Plischke, commonly known as guitarist Kent Henry, born in Los Angeles, California, USA ~ Uncredited on Blues Image's Open sophomore album, noted for his guitar solo on the hit Ride Captain Ride. Worked with Steppenwolf, present on the 1971 For Ladies album and on the band's farewell tour. Has also worked with Genesis, Charity, Screaming Lord Sutch, and John Kay ~ Plischke passed away in 2009
April 5, 1946 ~ Folk singer, guitarist, pianist, songwriter Johnny Coppin born in Woodford, UK ~ Co-founded Decameron with Dave Bell, known for a string of albums during the 1970s including the acclaimed Say Hello To The Band released in 1973. Also known as a solo artist with well over a dozen albums to his name starting in the late 1970s
April 5, 1946 ~ Folk, rock, pop singer, guitarist Takuro Yoshida born in Okuchi, Japan ~ Well over two dozen albums to his name since the early 1970s. Best known for his Tabi No Yado hit single, a million-seller in 1982. Founded the For Life Records record label with Yosui Inoue, Shigeru Izumiya and Hitoshi Komuro. Many of Yoshida's songs have been used for TV, notably Jun as the theme song to the manga series Cromartie High School
April 5, 1944 ~ Jazz, free jazz saxophonist Evan Parker, full name Evans Shaw Parker, born in Bristol, UK ~ Pivotal figure on the European free jazz scene. Influenced by Paul Desmond, Warne Marsh, John Coltrane. As leader or co-leader over 60 albums to his name. In-demand sideman for the likes of the Spontaneous Music Ensemble, Derek Bailey, Alexander von Schlippenbach, Joe McPhee, the Globe Unity Orchestra, Anthony Braxton, Cecil Taylor, John Zorn, Fred Frith, Sylvie Courvoisier, the London Jazz Composers Orchestra, the Transatlantic Art Ensemble, and others. Outside jazz circles has worked with pop and rock acts including Scott Walker, Jah Wobble, Spiritualized, Spring Heel Jack, David Sylvian and Robert Wyatt
April 5, 1942 ~ Guitarist, singer Allan Clarke born in Salford, UK ~ Co-founded the Hollies with Graham Nash, known for their harmony vocals and a string of 1960s UK top 10 hits including Stay, Just One Look, I'm Alive, Look Through Any Window, I Can't Let Go and perhaps their best-known Bus Stop, the latter also topping the Billboard Hot 100 in 1966
April 5, 1941 ~ Violinist, mandolinist, guitarist Dave Swarbrick, full name David Cyril Eric Swarbrick, born in Stoneleigh, UK ~ Best known as key member of Fairport Convention, with whom he recorded about a dozen albums starting with the critically acclaimed Liege And Lief album released in 1969. Has also recorded over half a dozen albums as a solo artist, starting with the eponymous Dave Swarbrick in 1976. Revered as one of Britain's most acclaimed folk rock violinists, Swarbrick has appeared on albums by Martin Carthy, Ewan MacColl, AL Lloyd, John Renbourn, Sandy Denny (Sandy), Richard Thompson, Heads Hands & Feet, Alan Stivell, Peter Bellamy, and Tom Paxton ~ Swarbrick passed away in 2016
April 5, 1939 ~ Singer, songwriter Ronald White, full name Ronald Anthony White, born in Detroit, Michigan, USA ~ Co-founding and sole constant member of the Miracles until his death in 1995, known for Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hits such as Shop Around, I Second That Emotion, The Tears Of A Clown, Love Machine. In addition to co-writing a vast amount of the band's material White also co-wrote, usually in partnership with Smokey Robinson, hits for Kim Weston, Marvin Gaye, Mary Wells, and the Temptations, including the latter's My Girl 1964 hit which would be covered by over 200 artists. White is also noted for bringing Stevie Wonder to Motown ~ White passed away in 1995
April 5, 1936 ~ Experimental, opera, classical pianist, tubist, composer John White born in Berlin, Germany ~ Pioneered British minimalism. Has composed over 150 piano sonatas, over 20 symphonies, some 30 ballets. Closely associated with Cornelius Cardew, Gavin Bryars, and the Promenade Theater Orchestra
April 5, 1934 ~ Saxophonist Stanley Turrentine born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA ~ Brother of trumpeter Tommy Turrentine. R&B, soul jazz saxophonist active since the 1950s. Leader and sideman. Influenced by Illinois Jacquet. Has worked with Earl Bostic, Lowell Fulson, Tadd Dameron, Max Roach, his wife organist Shirley Scott, Jimmy Smith, Freddie Hubbard, Milt Jackson, George Benson, Bob James, Richard Tee, Idris Muhammad, Ron Carter, Grant Green, Eric Gale, Kenny Burrell, Donald Byrd, Georgie Fame, Roy Hargrove, Duke Jordan, Diana Krall, Abbey Lincoln, Les McCann, Jimmy McGriff, Horace Parlan, Ike Quebec, Mongo Santamaria, Art Taylor, and others ~ Turrentine passed away in 2000
April 5, 1933 ~ Soprano, lyric colaratura singer Eugenia Ratti born in Genoa, Italy ~ Active since the mid-1950s. Has worked with the Paris Opera, the Munich State Opera, the Vienna State Opera, the San Francisco Opera, the Dallas Opera, and other renowned orchestras. Especially known for soubrette roles in works composed by Domenico Cimarosa and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart ~ Ratti passed away in 2020
April 5, 1932 ~ Soul, R&B singer, songwriter Billy Bland born in Wilmington, North Carolina, USA ~ Member of 1950s band the Bees, known for songs such as Toy Bell and My Ding-a-ling. As a solo artist best known for Let The Little Girl Dance, a unexpected Billboard top 10 hit in 1960. Bland would follow up with two minor hits barely gracing the charts, namely Harmony and You Were Born To Be Loved before retiring from the music industry ~ Bland passed away in 2017
April 5, 1931 ~ Producer, songwriter, pianist Cowboy Jack Clement born in Memphis, Tennessee, USA ~ Producer at Sun Records. Worked with Roy Orbison, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis. Wrote Ballad Of A Teenage Queen, Guess Things Happen That Way, The One On The Right Is On The Left and produced Ring Of Fire for Johnny Cash. Other artists who have recorded Clement's songs include Dolly Parton, Ray Charles, Bobby Bare, Elvis Presley, Jim Reeves, Cliff Richard, Charley Pride, Tom Jones, Dickey Lee, and Hank Snow. Produced portions of U2's Rattle & Hum album, notably the tracks When Love Comes To Town and Angel Of Harlem ~ Clement passed away in 2013
April 5, 1929 ~ Robert George Meek, commonly known as producer Joe Meek, born in Newent, UK ~ Pioneered space age pop and recording practices such as overdubbing, sampling and reverberation. One of the first producers, engineers to be recognized for his individual identity as an artist. Wrote and produced the Tornados's Telstar, the first single by a British rock group to reach No.1 on the American Billboard Hot 100. Other singles produced by Meek include Johnny Remember Me for John Leyton, Just Like Eddie for Heinz, Angela Jones for Michael Cox, Have I The Right for the Honeycombs and Tribute To Buddy Holly for Mike Berry ~ Meek passed away in 1967
April 5, 1928 ~ Singer, saxophonist, clarinetist Gene Merlino born in San Francisco, California, USA ~ Worked with Frankie Carle, Ray Anthony, Freddy Martin. Best known for numerous appearances from the early 1960s through the late 1970s on TV shows such as the Red Skelton Show, the Judy Garland Show, The Carol Burnett Show and Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour. Member of the Anita Kerr Singers. Provided the singing voice for the 1967 musical film Camelot. In later years also sang for the animated TV series The Simpsons, namely Whacking Day, South Of The Border and Jellyfish
April 5, 1926 ~ Jazz drummer Stan Levey born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA ~ Considered one of the earliest bebop drummers. Started with Dizzy Gillespie at age 16. Also worked with Stan Kenton, Howard Rumsey, Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Stan Getz, Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee, Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Buddy Bregman, Conte Candoli, Victor Feldman, Jimmy Giuffre, Lee Konitz, Oscar Peterson, Warne Marsh, Shorty Rogers, Sonny Stitt, Quincy Jones, and Skitch Anderson ~ Levey passed away in 2005
April 5, 1907 ~ Jakob Franz Wolff, commonly known as label executive, photographer, producer Francis Wolff, born in Berlin, Germany ~ Of Jewish descent emigrated to New York by the late 1930s, teaming up with childhood friend and Blue Note co-founder Alfred Lion. Until the latter's retirement in 1967 Wolff would concentrate on the company's financial affairs and day to day running of the business, only occassionally supervising recording sessions. Nevertheless his contributions proved important to the label's success. Wolff also served as the company's photographer, his work used for publicity material and album sleeves. The publication of the 1995 book The Blue Note Years The Jazz Photography Of Francis Wolff would help make the public more aware of his work as one of the leading jazz photographers ~ Wolff passed away in 1971
April 5, 1903 ~ Folk singer, banjoist, guitarist Frank Warner born in Selma, Alabama, USA ~ Folklorist, song collector known to have preserved and recorded some 1,000 traditional folk songs with his wife Anne Warner, including Tom Dooley, He's Got The Whole World In His Hands and Days Of Forty-nine ~ Warner passed away in 1978
April 5, 1903 ~ Singer Franklyn Baur born in New York, New York, USA ~ Active since the early 1920s. Released his first recording, If The Rest Of The World Don't Want You, for Victor in 1923. Would go on to appear on hundreds of recordings both as a solo artist and as a featured vocalist working with artists such as the Revelers, Nathaniel Shilkret, Roger Wolfe Kahn, Paul Whiteman, and others ~ Baur passed away in 1950
April 5, 1903 ~ Songwriter Jimmy Campbell, full name James Alexander Campbell-Tyrie, born in Gosforth, UK ~ Frequent songwriting, music publishing partner of Reg Connelly, the pair at times publishing or writing music under the common moniker Irving King. The pair wrote or co-wrote a number of oft-covered 1920, 1930s songs including Show Me The Way To Go Home (the New Princes Toronto Band, the California Ramblers, Julie London), If I Had You (the Piccadilly Players, Ben Selvin, Art Tatum), Goodnight Sweetheart (the New Mayfair Dance Orchestra, Ruth Etting, Dean Martin, the Flamingos, Connie Francis), By The Fireside (Buddy Campbell, Vera Lynn, Jo Stafford), Try A Little Tenderness (Jack Payne, Frank Sinatra, Jackie Wilson, Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding), and Just An Echo In The Valley (Bing Crosby, Ray Noble, Rudy Vallée) ~ Campbell passed away in 1967
April 5, 1903 ~ Uilleann piper Leo Rowsome born in Dublin, Ireland ~ First uillean piper to perform on Irish National Radio in the 1920s. First Irish artist to perform on BBC radio. Formed the Pipes Quartet in the mid-1930s, remaining popular throughout the 1940s and 1950s ~ Rowsome passed away in 1970
April 5, 1898 ~ Nicolaiih El-Michelle, commonly known as jazz trombonist Herb Flemming, born in Butte, Montana, USA ~ Besides some work in America, Flemming toured extensively in Europe through the late 1930s, employed in ensembles led by James Reese Europe and Sam Wooding, with his own outfit the International Rhythm Aces, and as accompanist for Josephine Baker. After returning to America, Flemming has worked with Earl Hines, extensively with Fats Waller, and with the likes of Noble Sissle, Red Allen, Albert Nicholas, and Walter Bishop Sr ~ El-Michelle passed away in 1976
April 5, 1869 ~ Composer Albert Roussel, full name Albert Charles Paul Marie Roussel, born in Tourcoing, France ~ Regarded as one of the most prominent French composers of the Interbellum period. Influenced by Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel, gravitating towards neoclassicism later on in his career. Well known works written by Roussel include Suite For Piano, Le Festin De L'Araignee, and Third Symphony ~ Roussel passed away in 1937
April 5, 1595 ~ Lutenist John Wilson born in Faversham, UK ~ Principal composer for the King's Men. Part of a group of artists and musicians surrounding the court of King Charles I. Following the latter's execution in 1649 would show his Royalist sympathies in his Psaleterium Carolinum, a versification of an earlier work by Thomas Stanley ~ Wilson passed away in 1674