This Date In Music History- April 21

The Cure's Robert Smith was born in Sussex, England in 1959.

Guitarist Michael Timmins of the Cowboy Junkies was born today in 1959.

Ernie Maresca ("Shout! Shout! Knock Yourself Out") turns 69.

In 2003, legendary vocalist/pianist Nina Simone died at age 70 at her home in France. Her biggest hit was the smoky "My Baby Just Cares For Me."

Elton John made his solo concert debut in 1970, opening for T. Rex in London, England.

R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck and avid vinyl record collector was arrested at Heathrow Airport in 2001 after allegedly causing a drunken ruckus during a flight from Seattle to London. He was later found innocent of all charges.

In 1993, Grateful Dead drummer Bill Kreutzmann saved a young surfer from a California riptide.

Folk singer Sandy Denny died in 1978 at age 31 after falling down a flight of stairs. You can hear her on Led Zeppelin IV's "Battle of Nevermore" and with her band Fairport Convention on albums like 1969's Unhalfbricking.

In 1973, Alice Cooper had the #1 album in the US with "Billion Dollar Babies.” The LP also topped the chart in the UK.

Legendary Skatalites trombonist Don Drummond, who wrote and arranged hundreds of ska hits, died in Bellevue Hospital in New York in 1971. He had been committed to the institution after his girlfriend was found stabbed to death in his home in 1965.

In 1970, Chicago slide guitarist Earl Hooker died from tuberculosis at age 41.
In 1961, Folk singer Cisco Houston died of cancer in San Bernardino, Calif. The influential troubadour traveled America with Woody Guthrie and was Leadbelly's houseguest.

In 1960, Dick Clark admitted that he had a financial stake in more than a quarter of the records that were played on American Bandstand. The congressional committee investigating payola orders him to sell off several of his holdings.

1947- Rock's wondrous front man, Iggy Pop, was born today in Michigan as James Osterberg. He's led the wild and wildly influential band, The Stooges, and recorded a string of solo albums.

The Bihari brothers founded Modern Records in 1945. Over the years, the label will become an R&B powerhouse, releasing discs by John Lee Hooker, B.B. King, and Etta James among others.

In 1963, the Beatles and the Rolling Stones met for the first time during a Stones performance at the Crawdaddy Club. 'We got all nervous', said Bill Wyman, “but then we had a chat with them afterwards and stayed up all night rapping and became really good mates.”

In 1969, Janis Joplin made her first London concert appearance at Royal Albert Hall, a performance considered by many to be one of the best of her career.

In 2000, Neal Matthews of the Jordanaires died of a heart attack. He sang back-up on Elvis Presley's "Don't Be Cruel" and "Hound Dog" and also worked with Ricky Nelson, Marie Osmond, Tom Jones and Merle Haggard.