History Highlight:

Today in 1972, Mott The Hoople's "All The Young Dudes", written and produced by David Bowie, was released. Regarded as one of glam rock's anthems, the song originated after Bowie came into contact with Mott the Hoople's bassist Peter Watts and learned that the band was ready to split due to continued lack of commercial success. When Mott rejected his first offer of a composition, "Suffragette City", Bowie wrote "All the Young Dudes" in short order specially for them, allegedly sitting cross-legged on the floor of a room in Regent Street, London, in front of the band's lead singer, Ian Hunter.

Also, Today In:

1957 - Buddy Holly and the Crickets took it to #1 on the US singles chart with "That'll Be The Day." The title of the song was inspired by a catchphrase that John Wayne uttered repeatedly in the famous John Ford film, The Searchers.

1967 - "People Are Strange" by The Doors was released. Meanwhile, The Box Tops began a four-week run at # 1 with "The Letter."

1969 - One of the great hoaxes of the decade was instigated by an article in the University Of Illinois newspaper, The Northern Star. Headlined "Clues Hint At Beatle's Death," it asserted that Paul McCartney had been killed a car wreck in 1966 and replaced by a look-alike.

1980 - Bob Marley collapsed on stage during a concert at the Stanley Theater in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Birthdays:

Bruce Springsteen is 65 today.

Ray Charles was born today in 1930.

John Coltrane was born today in 1926.