History Highlight:

Today in 2013, Lou Reed died at the age of 71. Well-known as the guitarist, vocalist, and principal songwriter of the Velvet Underground, his solo career, which began in 1972, spanned five decades.

Also, Today In:

1960 - Ben E. King, one-time lead vocalist for The Drifters, recorded his first sides as a soloist, two of which turned out to be timeless classics and bestsellers: "Stand By Me" and "Spanish Harlem."

1963 - Peter Paul & Mary held down the two top spots on the pop album chart with In The Wind and Don't Think Twice, both of which featured songs by Bob Dylan.

1964 - Salvatore Philip Bono married Cherilyn Sarkisian La Piere. For a time they performed together as Caesar and Cleo before changing the name of their act to Sonny and Cher.

1973 - Gladys Knight and the Pips started a two-week run at No. 1 on the U.S. singles chart with "Midnight Train To Georgia."

1975 - Bruce Springsteen made the cover of both Time and Newsweek. The magazines were embarrassed, but the coverage further stoked the boss's career.

1979 - During a U.S. tour, Elton John collapsed on stage at Hollywood's Universal Amphitheater, suffering from exhaustion.

1988 - U2's film, Rattle And Hum, received its global premiere in Dublin, the band's hometown.

2000 - Lonnie Donegan went to Buckingham Palace to receive his MBE — Member of the British Empire, an order of chivalry of British democracy — for his services to music. Donegan pioneered the skiffle genre in the 1950s, inspiring a generation of teenagers to start bands, including John Lennon of the Beatles and Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin.

2006 - Amy Winehouse released her second and final studio album, Back to Black, in her native U.K. (the U.S. release would follow in December). Back to Black spawned five singles: "Rehab," "You Know I'm No Good," "Back to Black," "Tears Dry on Their Own" and "Love Is a Losing Game." The record won Best Pop Vocal Album at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards. Worldwide, Back to Black has sold more than 20 million copies.

Birthdays:

Former Judas Priest guitarist Ken Downing is 65.

Simon Le Bon of Duran Duran is 58.

Scott Weiland of Stone Temple Pilots was born today in 1967.

Highlights for Today in Music History are gathered from This Day in Music, Paul Shaffer's Day in Rock, Song Facts and Wikipedia.