History Highlight:

Today in 1936, Sylvia Robinson of the duo Mickey & Sylvia was born. Though Robinson wore many hats including singer, musician, record producer, and record label executive, she was best known as the founder of hip hop label Sugar Hill Records, the driving force behind "Rapper's Delight" (1979) by the Sugarhill Gang, and "The Message" (1982) by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. Robinson received a Pioneer Award at the 11th Annual Rhythm and Blues Awards Gala in 2000, and passed away in 2011 at the age of 76.

Also, Today In:

1965 - History was made when the Smokey Robinson-written "My Girl" made The Temptations the first male Motown act to score a No. 1 single.

1970 - The Beatles' compilation album Hey Jude went Gold.

1982 - The Go-Go's started a six-week run at No. 1 on the U.S. album chart with Beauty And The Beat, containing the hits "Our Lips Are Sealed" and "We Got The Beat." The album sold in excess of three million copies and reached triple-platinum status, making it one of the most successful debut albums of all time. It is now widely considered one of the cornerstone albums of 1980s new wave music. It was the first, and so far the only, album entirely written and performed by an all-female band to top the charts.

1998 - Oasis singer Liam Gallagher appeared handcuffed in a Brisbane court on charges of head butting a fan during a gig in Australia. Gallagher was released on bail.

2010 - Mark Linkous, frontman of Sparklehorse, committed suicide in Knoxville, Tenn.

Birthdays:

Mary Wilson, founding member of the Supremes, is 73.

David Gilmour, lead singer of Pink Floyd, is 71.

Guy Garvey, singer for Elbow, is 43.

Chris Tomson, drummer from Vampire weekend, is 33.

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