April Lawton

April Lawton (ca. 1948–November 23, 2006) was a guitarist, singer, and composer who rose to some prominence in the early to mid 1970s as a member of the band Ramatam, which also included former Iron Butterfly guitarist Mike Pinera and the former Jimi Hendrix drummer Mitch Mitchell. She was hailed as the female Jimi Hendrix by many, and her style was a mix of Jeff Beck, Hendrix, Eric Clapton, and Allan Holdsworth. Indeed she was such a virtuoso that she was rumored to be transsexual — rumors dismissed by her husband as "total garbage" started by less talented male guitarists. Lawton stayed with Ramatam for two studio albums, their self-titled debut and In April Came the Dawning of the Red Suns. The group was not commercially successful,...