Advertisements
2025 is rushing by. It’s now April. How did that happen, y’all? April is a busy month in music history.
- Gil Scott-Heron was born 76 years ago on April 1
- The legendary Marvin Gaye was born 85 years ago on April 2
- Bella Union Records founder and label head, singer/songwriter, musician and Cocteau Twins‘ Simon Raymonde celebrated his 63rd birthday on April 3
- David Roback, one-half of acclaimed and beloved dream pop duo Mazzy Star was born on this day 67 years on April 4
- The great Jill Scott, “Jilly from Philly” celebrated her 53rd on April 4
- The legendary bluesman Muddy Waters was born 112 years ago on April 4
- Smash-hit producer, songwriter and artist Pharrell Williams celebrated his 52nd birthday on April 6
- Merle Haggard, one of the most beloved figures of the Outlaw Country movement was born on this day 85 years ago on April 6
- Charles Michael Kittridge Thompson IV, a.k.a. Black Francis, a.k.a Frank Black celebrates his 60th — yes, y’all 60th! — birthday on April 7
- John Oates, best known for his work with the blue-eyed soul duo Hall & Oates one of the most commercially successful duos ever, celebrates his 76th birthday on April 7
- The legendary and incomparable Billie Holiday as born 110 years ago on April 7
- Kraftwerk co-founder Florian Schneider was born 78 years ago on April 7
- The legendary Biz Markie was born 61 years ago on April 8
- A Tribe Called Quest‘s Q-Tip, one of hip-hop’s greatest emcees and producers celebrated his 55th — yes, y’all 55th! — birthday on April 10
- Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds celebrated his 66th birthday on April 10
- The legendary and pioneering Herbie Hancock celebrated his 85th birthday — yes 85th y’all! — on April 12
- Echo & The Bunnymen‘s Will Sergeant celebrated his 67th birthday on April 12
- Radiohead‘s Ed O’Brien celebrated his 57th birthday on April 16
- The Empress of the Blues, Bessie Smith was born on 133 years ago on April 16
- Redman, one of the most dynamic, entertaining and wildly talented emcees to ever spit a bar celebrated his 55th birthday on April 17
- Liz Phair, one of the most beloved singer/songwriters of the 90s and early 00s celebrates her 58th birthday on April 17
- Luther Vandross, one of the greatest male R&B vocalists to ever live was born 74 years ago on April 20
- The Cure‘s founding member frontman, guitarist and principle songwriter Robert Smith celebrated his 66th birthday on April 21
- The legendary Iggy Pop celebrated his 78th birthday on April 22
- Charles Mingus was born 103 years ago on this date
- Glen Campbell, one of the more publicly under-appreciated guitarists and one of country’s most beloved and commercially successful singer/songwriters and performers was born 89 years ago on April 22
- The great and legendary Roy Orbison was born 88 years ago on April 23
- Bauhaus’ and Love and Rockets‘ David J., celebrated his 68th birthday on April 24
- Ella Fitzgerald was one of the greatest and most influential vocalists to have ever lived was born 108 years ago on April 25
- Legendary electronic music artist and producer Giorgio Moroder celebrated his 85th birthday on April 26
- Duran Duran‘s Roger Taylor celebrated his 65th birthday on April 26
- The B-52’s Kate Pierson celebrates her 77th birthday on April 27
- Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington was born on this day 126 years ago
- Willie Nelson, one of the world’s greatest songwriters celebrates his 92nd birthday today
Too Short, one of the pioneers of West Coast hip-hop and of West Coast gangsta rap celebrated his 59th birthday back on April 28