April 18

Rock and roll lost its most ageless ambassador today in 2012 when Dick Clark died at 82 from a heart attack, ending the career of the 'American Bandstand' host whose eternally youthful appearance and acceptance of Black artists made him television's most important music promoter for five decades…

 

Southern rock mourned its last original Allman Brother on this day in 2024 when Dickey Betts died at 80 at his Florida home, ending the career of the guitarist whose "Ramblin' Man" and dual-guitar harmonies with Duane Allman defined the genre before health problems silenced his Les Paul…

 

We remember rock production's golden-eared architect Paul A. Rothchild on his birthday today in 1935, the producer whose work on the Doors' 'L.A. Woman' and Janis Joplin's 'Pearl' captured the 1960s' most dangerous voices before his death in 1995…

 

We honor Texas blues' most versatile master Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown on his birthday today in 1924, the guitarist-fiddler whose swing, cajun, and country influences proved that blues didn't need to be limited to twelve bars before his death from Hurricane Katrina's aftermath in 2005…

 

Doo-wop revival's saxophone voice Lennie Baker was born on this day in 1946, the Sha Na Na member whose tenor sax work kept 1950s rock and roll alive through Woodstock and the 'Grease' era before his death in 2016…

 

Blues royalty received Hollywood recognition today in 2003 when Etta James got her star on the Walk of Fame, the "At Last" singer's honor coming decades after her career began and proving that soul music could eventually earn mainstream respect…

 

Neil Young's experimental film 'Journey Through the Past' debuted today in 1973 at the Dallas Film Festival, the director's cut documentary confusing audiences with its abstract approach to the singer's career and confirming that his talents belonged primarily in music.