April 1

Soul music suffered its most tragic loss today in 1984 when Marvin Gaye was shot dead by his father at his parents' Los Angeles home, the 44-year-old singer's death at the hands of Reverend Marvin Gay Sr. ending one of Motown's greatest careers in horrific family violence…

 

The Beatles' first wife died on this day in 2015 when Cynthia Lennon succumbed to cancer at 75, ending the life of John's art school sweetheart who had been cast aside for Yoko Ono while raising their son Julian largely alone after their divorce…

 

We remember the Small Faces' most soulful bassist Ronnie Lane on his birthday today in 1946, the British musician whose work with the Faces and solo career showcased his love of traditional English music before multiple sclerosis and his death in 1997 ended a criminally underrated career…

 

Jazz lost its greatest educator on this day in 2020 when Ellis Marsalis died at 85 from COVID-19 pneumonia, ending the life of the New Orleans patriarch whose teaching produced sons Wynton, Branford, Delfeayo, and Jason while shaping countless other jazz musicians…

 

British invasion nostalgia lost a founding member today in 2004 when Zombies guitarist Paul Atkinson died at 58 from liver and kidney disease, ending the career of the musician whose jangly playing on "Time of the Season" helped define psychedelic pop…

 

We honor session drumming's most recorded timekeeper Jeff Porcaro on his birthday today in 1954, the Toto co-founder whose work on Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' and countless other albums made him the most in-demand studio drummer before his sudden death in 1992 at 38…

 

Ragtime lost its greatest composer on this day in 1917 when Scott Joplin died at 48, likely from syphilis, ending the life of the pianist whose "Maple Leaf Rag" and "The Entertainer" brought syncopated sophistication to American popular music.