- Apr 1 Jesse Stone, American R&B pianist, songwriter (Shake, Rattle and Roll), arranger, and record producer, dies at 97
- Apr 1 Red Flaherty, American baseball umpire (World Series 1955, 58, 65, 70; MLB All Star games 1956, 61, 69), dies from stroke-related complications at 81
- Apr 2 Andrew Gardner, British newscaster (News at Ten), dies in flight en route to Madeira at 66
- Apr 3 Lionel Bart, English pop and theatrical music composer (Oliver), and writer, dies of liver cancer at 68
- Apr 4 Aldus Roger, American Cajun accordionist (Lafayette Playboys - "Les Haricots Sont Pas Salés"), dies at 84
- Apr 4 Early Wynn, Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher (Cy Young Award 1959 Chicago WS; MLB wins leader 1954, 59; 9 x MLB All Star; Cleveland Indians), dies of a stroke at 79
- Apr 4 Faith Domergue, American actress and early "scream queen" (Vendetta, House of 7 Corpses), dies at 74
- Apr 5 Paul David, French Canadian cardiologist (b. 1919)
- Apr 6 Gene Benson, American baseball outfielder (Negro League All-Star 1940, 45-46), dies at 85
- Apr 6 Red Norvo [Kenneth Norville], American jazz vibraphonist known as "Mr. Swing" (Congo Blues; Knockin' on Wood), dies at 91
- Apr 6 William Pleeth, British cellist and teacher (of Jacqueline du Pré), dies of leukemia at 83
- Apr 7 Angus Paton, English civil engineer (wrote economic and infrastructure reports for Canada and Syria, hydroelectric dams), dies at 93
- Apr 9 Ibrahim Baré Maïnassara, Niger politician and general, assassinated at 49
- Apr 10 Heinz Fraenkel-Conrat, German-born biochemist (b. 1910)
- Apr 10 Jean Vander Pyl, American voice, radio and film actress (The Flintstones, The Jetsons), dies of lung cancer at 79
- Apr 12 Boxcar Willie [Travis Martin], American soldier (USAF) and singer ("King Of The Road"), dies of leukemia at 67
- Apr 13 Ortvin Sarapu, New Zealand chess player, dies at 74
- Apr 13 Willi Stoph, German politician (Prime Minister of German Democratic Republic, 1964-73 and 1976-89), dies at 84
- Apr 14 Anthony Newley, British actor and singer-songwriter (Doctor Dolittle; Goldfinger theme; Willy Wonka score), dies at 67
- Apr 14 Bill Wendell, American TV announcer (To Tell The Truth, 1972-77; Late Night With David Letterman; Late Show With David Letterman, 1993-95), dies at 75
- Apr 14 Ellen Corby [Hansen], American actress (The Waltons, Vertigo, Caged), dies of natural causes at 87
- Apr 15 Harvey Postlethwaite, British engineer and racing car designer, dies at 55
- Apr 16 Alexander "Skip" Spence, Canadian-American guitarist, singer and songwriter (Jefferson Airplane), dies of lung cancer at 52
- Apr 16 Laurence Kirwan, British archaeologist (Sudan and Egyptian Nubia), dies at 91
- Apr 16 Nicholas Cayzer, British shipping magnate (British and Commonwealth Shipping), dies at 89
- Apr 18 Gian-Carlo Rota, Italian-born American mathematician & philosopher, dies at 66
- Apr 19 David Sanes, US Navy employee
- Apr 19 Hermine Braunsteiner, Nazi war criminal and female camp guard at Ravensbrück and Majdanek concentration camps, dies at 79
- Apr 20 "Ravishing" Rick Rude, American professional wrestler, dies at 40
- Apr 20 Eric Harris, American mass murderer (Columbine High School shooter), dies at 18
- Apr 20 Señor Wences, Spanish ventriloquist (his hand acts as a puppet) and comedian, dies at 103
- Apr 20 Victims and shooters of the Columbine High School massacre
- Apr 21 Charles "Buddy" Rogers, American film actor (Wings), singer, and dance bandleader, dies at 94
- Apr 22 Apostolos Nikolaidis, Greek singer (first Greek artist to record or re-record the authentic, "prohibited" rebetika songs in the early 1970s with their original lyrics), dies at 60
- Apr 22 Bert Remsen, American actor (Mario-It's a Living), dies at 74
- Apr 22 Chan Canasta, Polish-born magician & mindreader, dies at 79
- Apr 23 Melba Liston, American jazz trombonist, arranger, and composer, dies at 73
- Apr 23 Tullio Pandolfini, Italian water polo athlete (Olympic gold, 1948), dies at 84
- Apr 25 Michael Morris, 3rd Baron Killanin, Irish journalist, author, sports official and 6th President of the International Olympic Committee (1972-80), dies at 84
- Apr 25 Roger Troutman, American funk musician (Zapp), dies during his brother's apparent murder-suicide at 47
- Apr 26 Adrian Borland, English musician (The Sound), dies at 41
- Apr 26 Jill Dando, British television presenter (Crimewatch), shot and killed outside her house at 37
- Apr 27 Al Hirt, American jazz trumpeter (Greatest Horn in the World), dies of liver failure at 76
- Apr 27 Cyril Washbrook, English cricket batsman (37 Tests, 6 x 100, HS 195; Lancashire CCC), dies at 84
- Apr 28 Alf Ramsey, English football manager, dies at 79
Arthur Leonard Schawlow (1921-1999)
Apr 28 American physicist who shared the 1981 Nobel Prize in Physics for his pioneering work with lasers, dies of leukemia at 77
- Apr 28 Rory Calhoun [Francis Timothy McCown], American actor (Blue & Gray, How to Marry a Millionaire), dies of emphysema at 76
- Apr 28 Walter Gieseler, German composer, dies at 79
- Apr 29 Léon Barzin, Belgian-American conductor (NY City Ballet, 1948-58), dies at 98
- Apr 29 Perry Ford [Brian Pugh], British pop singer, session musician and songwriter (The Ivy League - "Tossing And Turning"), dies at 65
- Apr 30 Darrell Sweet, British hard rock drummer (Nazareth - "Love Hurts"), dies of a heart attack at a concert soundcheck at 51
Assassination
Drug Overdose
Gunshot Wound
Murder
Plane Crash
Suicide