History Highlight:

Today in 2008, Amy Winehouse won five prizes at the Grammy Awards, including Song of the Year and Record of the Year (both for her single "Rehab"), and Best New Artist. She was not in attendance that night, but she did perform via satellite from London. In her acceptance speech for record of the year, she thanked her record label, her parents and "my Blake, my Blake incarcerated," referring to her husband. Winehouse died of alcohol poisoning on in 2011 at age 27. Back to Black posthumously became, for a time, the U.K.'s best-selling album of the 21st century.

Also, Today In:

1942 - "Chattanooga Choo Choo" by Glenn Miller and his Orchestra became the first recording to be awarded a Gold Record. It was actually just a master copy of the disc sprayed with gold lacquer by RCA as a publicity stunt. The actual award recognized today as a Gold Record would not be initiated for another sixteen years when the Recording Industry Association of America borrowed the idea and trademarked the Gold Record. The first Gold single was awarded to Perry Como in 1958 for "Catch A Falling Star" and the first Gold album was given to Gordon McRae for the soundtrack to "Oklahoma".

1958 - Frank Sinatra started a five-week run at No. 1 on the U.S. album chart with Come Fly With Me.

1962 - Henry Mancini went to No. 1 on the U.S. album chart with the soundtrack to Breakfast At Tiffany's, its most recognizable song being "Moon River".

1971 - It was a turning point in the career of Carole King as Tapestry, soon to be a smash hit album, was released.

1973 - Elton John had his first U.K. No. 1 album when Don't Shoot Me I'm Only The Piano Player started a six-week run at the top of the charts.

1975 - Legendary record producer Phil Spector was injured seriously in a car crash, but the details on how the crash happened were kept secret from even his best friends.

1977 - The Clash began recording sessions in London for their first album, The Clash. The band was part of the original wave of British punk and they incorporated elements of reggae, dub, funk, and rockabilly into their sound. After forming in 1976, the band was quickly picked up by CBS Records after just 30 shows. Their debut album was a commercial and critical success and opened the door for wider acceptance of the punk music scene.

1979 - Rod Stewart started a four-week run at No. 1 on the U.S. singles chart with "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy", his third U.S. No. 1.

1984 - Frankie Goes To Hollywood were at No. 1 on the U.K. singles chart for the third week with "Relax". Eurythmics had the U.K. No. 1 album with Touch.

1990 - Paula Abdul started a three-week run at No. 1 on the U.S. singles chart with "Opposites Attract". The rap portion at the beginning and in the lead break of the song was voiced by MC Skat Kat — or, as he's known at The Current, Production Manager Derrick Stevens.

1993 - Recluse Michael Jackson granted his first interview in 15 years to Oprah Winfrey live from Neverland Ranch. In the interview, Jackson claimed that he had a disorder that destroyed the pigmentation of his skin and that he had had very little plastic surgery.

2005 - Who singer Roger Daltrey was awarded the Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire by The Queen at Buckingham Palace for services to the music industry.

Birthday:

Jerry Goldsmith, creator of the scores of "Star Trek", "Planet of the Apes", "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." and "Dr. Kildare", among others, was born today in 1929.

Roberta Flack is 80.

Cliff Burton, bass player with Metallica, was born today in 1962.

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