APRIL April 1 1995: The Killer Dwarfs play their last show of the 20th century in front of a packed house at Toronto's GasWorks. 2003: Tour organizers deny Avril Lavigne is headlining this year's punk festival after a fake press release is circulated on the Internet by April Fool's Day pranksters. Concert goers breathe a sigh of relief. 2004: Neil Young's ex-wife, Oscar-nominated actress Carrie Snodgrass, dies while awaiting a liver transplant. She was 57. Their son Zeke was by her side at the time of her death. 2006: Bernie Finklestein is awarded a Special Achievement Award at the Junos in Halifax, NS. 2007: Triumph is inducted into the Canadian Rock & Roll Hall of Fame at the Junos in Saskatoon. April 2 1946: Kurt Winter, guitarist for Brother and The Guess Who is born in Winnipeg, MB. 1980: Burton Cummings hosts the annual Juno Awards in Toronto, for the second straight year. 1997: Joni Mitchell is reunited with her daughter Kilauren Gibb. Mitchell gave Kilauren up for adoption in 1965, when she was just starting her pop career. 2006: The Junos were held in Halifax, NS for the first time, hosted by Pamela Anderson. Critics quickly realize there were only two reasons for that ... the left one and the right one. Neil Young wins the award for Adult Alternative Album of the Year for PRAIRIE WIND. 2008: Theory of a Deadman release their third album, SCARS AND SOUVENIRS. April 3 1943: Richard Manuel, keyboardist for The Band, is born in Stratford, Ontario. 1961: Paul Anka appears on CBS-TV's "Make Room For Daddy." 2005: Brent Butt hosts the Juno Awards, held for the first time in Winnipeg, MB. The Tragically Hip are inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame. April 4 1947: Larry Leishman, guitarist for Jon Lee & The Checkmates is born in Dunfermline, Scotland. 1952: The Toronto quartet, The Diamonds peak at #2 on the Billboard chart with "Little Darlin'." 1976: The Stampeders see their version of "Hit The Road Jack," the band's last major hit, peaks at #40 on Billboard, and features a cameo by Wolfman Jack. 2003: Sebastian Bach of Skid Row fame is sacked from the touring production of Jesus Christ Superstar. He reports on his website he'd been replaced by his understudy. 2004: Alanis Morissette hosts the Juno Awards in Edmonton, held there for the first time, in a nude bodysuit during a skit satirizing American attitudes towards censorship. Nelly Furtado wins best single for "Powerless (Say What You Want)" and Nickelback wins for best group. April 5 1942: 'The Canadian Army Show,' a live weekly music revue that kickstarted Wayne & Shuster's career debuted at Toronto's Victoria Theatre. 1974: The Guess Who host a celebrity tennis tournament in Toronto to benefit The Ballet of Canada. 1983: Burton Cummings co-hosts the Juno Awards in Toronto. His fourth time as host is the most of anyone. 2005: Blue Rodeo releases the ARE YOU READY album. April 6 2003: Shania Twain wins three Junos, including Artist of the Year. She receives a special award for nicest ass at the ceremonies. She also hosts the ceremonies in Ottawa, held their for the first time. Avril Lavigne walks away with four Junos, including New Artist of the Year and Album of the Year for LET GO. Someone in the crowd yells out, "FIXED!" 2008: The Juno Awards are held in Calgary, where Feist wins five awards and Triumph is inducted in the Canadian Music Hall of Fame. April 7 1908: Percy Faith is born in Toronto, ON. 2002: Honeymoon Suite stop their show in Lac La Biche, AB because they didn't like the lights, then bitched out the roadie, who actually had nothing to do with it because he was sitting in the back eating supper and not even paying attention. 2009: The Tragically Hip release WE ARE THE SAME. April 8 1973: "Journey Through the Past," Neil Young's home movie collection, premieres at the US Film Festival in Dallas. Young describes the film as "a collection of thoughts," adding that "every scene meant something to me - although with some of them I can't say what." 1975: Rush open for KISS in Cleveland, OH, along with The Kidds. KISS was taping the show for their ALIVE! lp. 1991: Rush's Neil Peart performs three songs with the Buddy Rich Band at the Ritz Theater in New York City. April 9 2003: Shania Twain is among the performers at Willie Nelson's 70th birthday party at New York's Beacon Theatre. April 10 1928: Jazz sax great Fraser MacPherson is born as John Fraser MacPherson in St. Boniface, Manitoba. 1973: Skylark begin a five day stand at the Troubadour in LA. 2006: Roy Forbes launches his revised radio career with the CKUA syndicated program "Snap Crackle Pop." to top April 11 1959: Paul Anka guest stars on host Frankie Avalon's first network radio program, ABC's "The Philadelphia Sound." Anka performs "Diana." 1968: Janis Joplin and Big Brother & the Holding Company, which is comprised mostly of Canadians, perform on ABC's Hollywood Palace. 2000: Sony re-releases Burton Cummings' WOMAN LOVE album on CD. 2008: Tom Cochrane receives the Order of Canada, the highest civilian honour in the country. April 12 1944: John Kay, vocalist and prime mover behind Steppenwolf, is born in Tilsit, Germany, as Joachim Krauledat. 1962: Rob Baker, guitarist for Tragically Hip is born in Kingston, Ont. 1984: Rush releases GRACE UNDER PRESSURE. 2005: Triumph re-releases the original version of the ROCK & ROLL MACHINE album, PROGRESSIONS OF POWER and SPORT OF KINGS on CD in the US through TML Entertainment. April 13 1908: Bob Nolan, a member of Roy Rogers' Sons of the Pioneers is born in New Brunswick. He's most famous for writing "Tumbling Tumbleweeds" and "Cool Water." 1959: Ronnie Hawkins releases the single "Forty Days." 1968: Sebastian Bach of Skid Row fame is born in Freeport, Bahamas, as Sebastian Philip Bierk. His family would move to Toronto while he was a child. 1995: Leonard Rambeau, longtime manager of Anne Murray, George Fox and Rita MacNeil dies after a lengthy battle with cancer. 1999: Helix re-releases their debut, WHITE LACE & BLACK LEATHER on CD in the US. 2003: The Barenaked Ladies are immortalized in clay, when a claymation incarnation of the band guests on the UPN's comedy show Gary & Mike, the first Canucks to appear on the program. The series is later cancelled. April 14 1946: Mike McKenna of Luke & The Apostles and Kensington Market is born in Toronto. 1982: Burton Cummings hosts the annual Juno Awards in Toronto for the third time. 1982: Aldo Nova's self-titled debut is certified gold in the US. 1989: Rita MacNeil makes her Amercian concert debut at the Berklee Performance Center. 1989: Bryan Adams peforms "Kids Want To Rock" with the Russian group Aureole (Halo) live from Moscow during the internationally broadcasted World Video Music Awards. 2002: The Barenaked Ladies host the Juno Awards, held for the first time in St. John's, NFLD. April 15 1946: Mike McKenna of Luke and The Apostles, and to a much lesser extent as part of The Guess Who revolving door, is born in Toronto. 1949: Marc Connors of The Nylons is born in Ottawa. 1955: The Crew Cuts begin a 20 week run on the British charts with their cover of The Penguins' "Earth Angel," which hits number three in the US. 1966: Buffalo Springfield, which includes Canadians Neil Young and Bruce Palmer perform for the first time, opening for the Byrds in San Bernardino, California. 1975: Rush opens for KISS at Stanley Theatre in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 2004: EMI re-releases Zappacosta's "Over 60 Minutes With" package in the US. 2008: Carl Dixon, of Coney Hatch and April Wine, and a one-time touring member of The Guess Who is involved in a serious car accident in Australia. April 16 1946: Jon Lee and The Checkmates' bassist Peter Hodgson is born in Toronto. 1952: "The Mocking Bird" b/w "Won'cha" from The 4 Lads is released on Columbia Records, their first single. 1990: Neil Young is among the performers at the Nelson Mandela - An International Tribute To A Free South Africa concert in London's Wembley Stadium. 2002: Jane Siberry releases LOVE IS EVERYTHING - THE JANE SIBERRY ANTHOLOGY. 2005: Jann Arden closes her Calgary restaurant, simply called Arden's. 2007: Aldo Nova releases the sort of 'best of' collection UNDER THE GUN - A PORTRAIT OF ALDO NOVA. 2010: Stephanie Braganza tears the roof off at The Masion in Kingston. ON. April 17 1944: Bobby Curtola was born in Port Arthur, now Thunder Bay, ON. 1969: The Band performs their first show after leaving Bob Dylan at San Francisco's Winterland Ballroom. 2008: Ronnie Hawkins releases the long-anticipated STILL CRUISIN' album through Bullseye Records. The album features a plethora of the industry, including Gil Moore of Triumph, Greg Godovitz of Fludd, Goddo, Anger Brothers and Carpet Frogs, Beverly D'Angelo, the late Domenic Troiano, members of Wide Mouth Mason, Gordie Johnson of Big Sugar, Levon Helm of The Band, Kris Kristofferson, and about a gazillion others. April 18 1970: The Guess Who's "No Sugar Tonite" debuts and peaks at #39 in its only week on Billboard's top 40 list. 1973: The Neil Young movie, "Journey Through The Past" debuts at the Dallas Film Festival. 1985: Toronto play their last show ever with Brian Allen in Hanover, ON. 2006: Fist release BEHIND THE BOLTED DOOR, their first new recordings in 11 years. 2006: The Trews release DEN OF THIEVES in the United States. April 19 1999: Neil Young performs at Madison Square Garden, but the venue bills him as Bob Dylan. During the solo acoustic show, Young says, "That was Bob playing guitar with me on the last song." 2005: Jann Arden releases a self-titled album. April 20 1974: HELP ME, by Joni Mitchell was released. 1983: "Walking On Sunshine," by Katrina and The Waves was released. 2003: HOPE, an album to benefit child war victims in Iraq, is released today, featuring Canadians Avril Lavigne, Leonard Cohen and Our Lady Peace. 2004: Capitol re-releases Leggatt's only lp, ILLUMINATIONS on CD. to top April 21 1959: Guitarist Michael Timmins of the Cowboy Junkies is born. 1988: Marking his return to Reprise Record, Neil Young releases THIS NOTE'S FOR YOU - a bluesy, swinging album featuring a full horn section. 1988: Rush's show in Birmingham, England is taped for the SHOW OF HANDS video. 2006: Saga release their new CD, TRUST. April 22 2004: Rick Lamb, keyboardist for Hellfield and A Foot In Cold Water dies of cancer. 2006: Headpins play Cold Lake, and endorse the city's bid to be dubbed Hockey Night in Canada's "Hockeyville." 2008: Jeff Healey's MESS OF BLUES is released, though the guitar virtuoso passed away two months earlier. 2008: Teenage Head collaberates with one of the band's idols, drummer Marky Ramone and the album, entitled oddly enough TEENAGE HEAD WITH MARKY RAMONE, is released in Canada on Sonic Unyon Records. April 23 1979: Max Webster play the first of three straight nights at Newcastle, England – their first ever European shows. 1988: Rush is in Birmingham, England for the second of two concerts released as the SHOW OF HANDS video. April 24 1988: Rush performs the third night in four days in Birmingham, England. The shows become the A SHOW OF HANDS video. April 25 1992: Brian Too Loud Macleod, Headpins and Chilliwack guitarist and Juno winning producer dies of cancer. 2000: Neil Young releases SILVER & GOLD, one of his most intimate and personal albums. 2003: Styx, featuring Larry Gowan, as well as Kelly Clarkson both cancel upcoming shows in Toronto following warnings about the spread of the killer respiratory disease SARS. 2006: Randy Bachman releases the DVD, A JAZZ THING - LIVE IN TORONTO, a show that was filmed as a CBC documentary. 2008: Teenage Head hold a CD release party at Healey's in Toronto for their new lp, TEENAGE HEAD WITH MARKY RAMONE. 2009: Kenny MacLean of Deserters and Platinum Blonde dies of cancer at the age of 57. April 26 1951: Billy Newton-Davis of The Nylons fame is born in Cleveland, Ohio. 1980: Anne Murray appears on the cover of Today Magazine. 2005: Steppenwolf release the self explanatory LIVE IN LOUISVILLE CD. April 27 1949: Jerry Mercer of Mashmakhan, then April Wine fame is born on a farm in rural Newfoundland. 1995: EMI releases OVER 60 MINUTES WITH LUBA. 2005: Triumph releases WORKIN' FOR THE WEEKEND – THE ANTHOLOGY. April 28 1946: Wayne Davis, bassist for Bobby Kris & The Imperials is born in Toronto. 1959: Ronnie Hawkins releases his biggest single to date, "Mary Lou." April 29 1961: Bob Dylan, backed by The Hawks (better known as The Band), perform in Stockholm, Sweden for the first time. Six more weeks of dates follow across Europe in what will come to be regarded as one of rock's most historic tours. 1983: Triumph premier NEVER SURRENDER simultaneously on seven radio stations across Canada. Its the first nationwhide live radio network of its type in the country. April 30 1977: Klaatu's 3:47 EST album reaches # 32 on Billboard's albums charts, where it stays for three weeks. 1994: Rush's show in Philadelphia, PA's The Spectrum is taped, and eventually winds up on DIFFERENT STAGES.