Today in Music History for April 2:
In 1872, renowned Canadian soprano Emma Albani made her London debut, singing the role of ``Amina'' in ``La Sonambula.''
In 1939, Motown hitmaker Marvin Gaye was born in Washington, D.C. He's best remembered for his 1969 chart-topper ``I Heard It Through the Grapevine,'' duets with Tammi Terrell and his landmark 1971 album ``What's Going On.'' He was shot to death by his father during a 1984 domestic dispute.
In 1941, musician Leon Russell was born in Lawron, Okla. Along with a long career in backing groups, Russell's three-album set ``Leon Live'' earned a gold record in 1973.
In 1947, country singer Emmylou Harris was born in Birmingham, Ala. She first made the charts in 1975, hitting No. 1 with a remake of ``The Louvin Brothers''' ``If I Could Only Win Your Love.'' Her other No. 1 country songs include ``Together Again'' and ``Sweet Dreams,'' both from 1976. She was part of the hit 1987 ``Trio'' album with Dolly Parton and Linda Ronstadt.
In 1957, Elvis Presley played two concerts at Toronto's Maple Leaf Gardens. They were two of only four shows Elvis ever performed outside the U.S. -- the others being the same year in Ottawa and Vancouver. The 1,500 fans at the second Toronto show had to sit through an hour of warm-up acts. They included an Irish tenor, a rock 'n' roll tap dancer and a comedian who did an imitation of a woman taking off a girdle.
In 1960, the National Association of Recording Merchandisers in the U.S. presented its first awards. The top selling artists were Elvis Presley and Connie Francis.
In 1968, the influential science-fiction film ``2001: A Space Odyssey,'' produced and directed by Stanley Kubrick, had its world premiere in Washington, D.C. Film composer Alex North learned that night that Kubrick had replaced his score with classical pieces like ``Also Sprach Zarathustra'' and ``The Blue Danube.'' North's score was finally released in 1993, two years after his death.
In 1971, Ringo Starr's first solo single, ``It Don't Come Easy,'' was released. Produced by George Harrison, it made it to No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100.
In 1974, ``The Way We Were'' from the movie of the same name won the Oscars for Best Original Song and Best Original Score.
In 1977, the restored Orpheum Theatre in Vancouver was opened as a civic concert hall and permanent home of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. The Orpheum opened in 1927 as a vaudeville hall but was used mainly as a movie theatre.
In 1980, Anne Murray won four Juno awards, including Single of the Year for ``I Just Fall in Love Again.'' Show host Burton Cummings was named Male Vocalist of the Year.
In 1987, Canadian country rocker k.d. lang made her Los Angeles debut at The Roxy nightclub. The appearance came as lang's ``Angel With a Lariat'' began its climb up the Billboard country album chart.
In 1987, legendary jazz drummer Buddy Rich died in Los Angeles of a heart attack at age 69. He had undergone surgery for a brain tumour two weeks before. After playing with many big bands in the '30s and '40s, Rich joined Harry James after the Second World War for $2,500 a week -- then the highest salary for a sideman. In the '60s, Rich formed a big band that toured widely for two decades with a mixture of jazz and rock tunes.
In 1990, Lou Gramm departed as lead singer of ``Foreigner.'' Gramm had already begun a solo career several years earlier, scoring a top-five hit in 1987 with ``Midnight Blue.''
In 1992, country singer Wynonna Judd began her first solo tour in Midland, Texas. Her mother Naomi left their Grammy-winning duo ``The Judds'' several months earlier because of liver disease.
In 1992, Paula Kelly, the former lead singer of ``The Modernaires,'' died in Costa Mesa, Calif., at age 72. The vocal group was featured on many Glenn Miller recordings, including the 1941 million-seller ``Chattanooga Choo Choo.'' Kelly also sang on the Al Donohue Orchestra's 1939 No. 1 hit, ``Jeepers Creepers.''
In 1997, singer Joni Mitchell was reunited with Kilauren Gibb, the daughter she gave up for adoption 32 years earlier.
In 1998, Rob Pilatus, half of the disgraced pop duo ``Milli Vanilli,'' died of a drug overdose in Frankfurt, Germany, at age 33. Pilatus and Fabrice Morvan lost their 1990 Grammy for Best New Artist when it was discovered they were not the real singers on their album, ``Girl You Know It's True.''
In 2001, singer Mariah Carey signed a five-album deal with Virgin Records said to be worth a record US$23.5 million per album. (Virgin bought out Carey's contract the following year for $28 million after her movie and album sales for ``Glitter'' flopped.)
In 2003, dozens of fans walked out of a ``Pearl Jam'' show in Denver after singer Eddie Vedder impaled a mask of U.S. President George W. Bush with a microphone stand.
In 2008, with her 18th chart-topper, ``Touch My Body,'' Mariah Carey passed Elvis Presley and into second place for the most No. 1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100. She only trails ``The Beatles'' with 20.
In 2008, Madonna also beat an Elvis Presley record, surpassing the King for the most top-10 hits with her 37th, ``4 Minutes,'' featuring Justin Timberlake.
In 2009, Charley Pride flew from his home in Texas to Leduc, Alta., to reimburse fan Jaqueline Sharp the $1,200 she shelled out to an online reseller for tickets to his Edmonton concert. ``It's just a matter of what's fair,'' Pride said when asked why he felt it was necessary to take a stand. ``I wouldn't want to pay this much money to see myself.''
In 2011, Robbie Robertson, guitarist and primary songwriter for ``The Band,'' and Luc Plamondon, one of Quebec's most celebrated songwriters who penned tunes for Celine Dion and Robert Charlebois, were among a group of musicians inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame.
In 2016, Gato Barbieri, the Grammy-winning Latin jazz saxophonist who created the soundtrack for the film ``Last Tango In Paris,'' died of pneumonia in a New York hospital at the age of 83. He recorded more than 35 albums between 1967 and 1982, then focused on touring after a dispute with his record label.
In 2017, the late Leonard Cohen's ``You Want It Darker'' won album of the year at the Juno Awards broadcast gala in Ottawa. The Tragically Hip won group of the year while frontman Gord Downie picked up songwriter of the year for his ``Secret Path'' solo project. Alessia Cara won best pop album for her break-out ``Know-It-All,'' Ruth B took home breakthrough artist of the year, Jess Moskaluke won Country album of the year for ``Kiss Me Quiet'' and Shawn Mendes was the Juno Fan Choice. Sarah McLachlan was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.
In 2017, Jason Aldean repeated as entertainer of the year at the Academy of Country Music Awards while duo Florida Georgia Line won for single record of the year (``H.O.L.Y.'') and vocal event (``May We All'' with Tim McGraw). Thomas Rhett took male vocalist of the year and song of the year (``Die a Happy Man'') and Miranda Lambert won album of the year (``The Weight of These Wings'') and her eighth female vocalist of the year award.
In 2018, Canadian rapper Drake became the first lead male performer to have two 10-week No. 1s on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. ``God's Plan'' remained atop the chart since debuting there in late January, while ``One Dance'' (featuring WizKid and Kyla) reigned for 10 weeks in 2016. (``God's Plan'' remained No. 1 for two more weeks before dropping down a peg after Drake's ``Nice For What'' debuted at No. 1.)
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The Canadian Press