Events in Music
Music History
Apr 17 Jazz composer and musician John Coltrane is awarded a posthumous Special Citation by the Pulitzer Prize board
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Apr 18 30th Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees: The Paul Butterfield Blues Band; Green Day; Joan Jett and the Blackhearts; Lou Reed; Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble; Bill Withers; The "5" Royals; and Ringo Starr
Academy of Country Music Awards
Apr 19 50th Academy of Country Music Awards: Luke Bryan, Jason Aldean, and Miranda Lambert win
Weddings in Music
- Apr 25 Heart's lead singer Ann Wilson (64) weds multi-generational community developer Dean Wetter in her manager's California backyard
Deaths in Music
- Apr 1 Cynthia Lennon (née Powell), first wife of Beatle John Lennon (1962-68), and mother of singer, photographer, activist Julian Lennon, dies of cancer at 75
- Apr 1 Dave Ball, British rock guitarist (Procul Harum), dies of cancer at 65
- Apr 2 Doug Sax, American mastering engineer (Bob Dylan, The Doors, Pink Floyd, Ray Charles), dies of cancer at 78
- Apr 3 Andrew Porter, British organist, opera director, music critic, and librettist, dies at 86
- Apr 3 Bob Burns, American drummer (Lynyrd Skynyrd), dies in a car crash at 64
- Apr 5 Claudio Prieto, Spanish composer (Solo a Solo; Cantata manriqueña), dies at 80
- Apr 6 David Leon Kaplan, American-Canadian music professor (University of Saskatchewan, 1960-82), conductor (Saskatoon Symphony, 1962-72), and composer, dies at 91
- Apr 6 Milton Delugg, American pianist, accordion player, composer ("Hoop-Dee-Do"; "Santa Claus Conquers The Martians"), and orchestra leader (The Tonight Show, 1966; The Paul Winchell Show; The Gong Show), dies at 96
- Apr 14 Percy Sledge, American soul singer ("When A Man Loves A Woman"), dies at 73
- Apr 16 Martin Quittenton, British rock and blues guitarist (Steamhammer), and songwriter ("Maggie May; "You Wear It Well"), dies at 69
- Apr 27 Rolf Smedvig, American classical trumpet player (Boston Symphony, 1971-81; Empire Brass, 1972-2015), and educator (Boston University), dies of a heart attack at 62
- Apr 28 Jack Ely, American singer and guitarist (The Kingsmen - "Louie, Louie"), dies at 71
- Apr 30 Ben E. King [Nelson], American soul singer (Stand By Me), dies at 76
- Apr 30 Ronald Senator, British composer (Holocaust Requiem), and educator (Musicolor), dies in a house fire at 89
Composers
Drummers
Guitarists
Pianists
Singers
Songwriters