Birthday Highlight:

Today in 1939, soul singer Jackie Wilson was born. A tenor with a four octave vocal range, he was nicknamed "Mr. Excitement". He is said to be one of the most influential performers in R&B and rock 'n' roll history, and he recorded over 50 hit singles that spanned R&B, pop, soul, doo-wop and easy listening.

Also, Today In:

1964 - During an evening session Bob Dylan recorded "Mr. Tambourine Man" at Columbia Recording Studios in New York City.

1970 - Princeton University bestowed an honorary Doctorate of Music upon Bob Dylan.

1971 - Paul McCartney's second solo effort, Ram, was certified Gold.

1972 - Bruce Springsteen signed with Columbia Records and started to assemble the E Street Band from various former bandmates.

1978 - The Rolling Stones released Some Girls, their first studio album recorded with Ronnie Wood as a full member.

1984 - Cyndi Lauper started a two-week run at No. 1 on the U.S. singles chart with "Time After Time."

1990 - M.C. Hammer's debut album, Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em, started a record breaking 21-week stay at the top of the U.S. album charts, making it the longest uninterrupted stay at the top since the album charts started.

1990 - Wilson Phillips went to No. 1 on the U.S. singles chart with "Hold On." Twenty-five years earlier to the day, Wendy and Carnie Wilson's father, Beach Boy Brian, had been at No. 1 with "Help Me, Rhonda."

1998 - The Ronettes appeared in the Supreme Court of New York for their lawsuit against producer Phil Spector. The Ronettes, whose hits included "Be My Baby" and "Walking In The Rain," claimed that Spector had breached the group's 34-year-old contract by paying the members no royalties since 1963.

Birthdays:

Les Paul was born today in 1915.

Chemical Brothers keyboardist Ed Simons is 46.

Matthew Bellamy of Muse is 38.

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