History Spotlight:

Today in 1990, drummer Dave Grohl auditioned for Nirvana and was instantly given the job. A year later, the band recorded Nevermind which exceeded all expectations and became a worldwide commercial success. Grohl's songwriting contributions increased in the following years, then after Cobain's death in April 1994, he took a brief turn with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, and was rumored to have been considered for a possible replacement for Pearl Jam drummer Dave Abbruzzese, but he would eventually steer towards solo work which would turn into the Foo Fighters, of which he is still the lead vocalist, rhythm and lead guitarist, and primary songwriter.

Also, Today In:

1960 - Sam Cooke accomplished a rare feat, reaching the No. 2 position on the pop and R&B charts simultaneously with his tune, "Chain Gang," his biggest hit since "You Send Me."

1965 - A half-hour Saturday morning cartoon show featuring real songs by the Beatles but not their actual voices (same as the Yellow Submarine movie three years later) debuted on ABC. The first episode, titled "I Wanna Hold Your Hand," had the boys exploring the ocean floor in a diving bell, discovering a love-sick octopus. The series ran through September of 1969.

1970 - The first episode of The Partridge Family was shown on U.S. TV, featuring Shirley Jones, David Cassidy, Susan Dey and Danny Bonaduce.

1975 - Jackie Wilson had a heart attack while performing live on stage at the Latin Casino in New Jersey. Wilson collapsed into a coma suffering severe brain damage. Wilson died on Jan. 21, 1984. Van Morrison wrote the song "Jackie Wilson Said," covered by Dexy's Midnight Runners. More recently, Hozier paid tribute to the R&B great with his song, "Jackie and Wilson."

1980 - The thunderous drummer for Led Zeppelin, John Bonham, died after consuming the equivalent of 40 shots of vodka in four hours on the eve of embarking on a U.S. tour. "Bonzo" had been an intrinsic part of the Zeppelin sound, and the group decided it could not continue, deciding to disband shortly thereafter.

1982 - Queen made a guest appearance on Saturday Night Live, where they performed "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" and "Under Pressure."

1999 - Oasis singer, Liam Gallagher was stopped by customs officials at Heathrow airport and made to pay £1,300 (about $2,000) after not declaring a fur coat he had bought in America.

2011 - The New York Post reported that Sly Stone was living in a van, parked in the notoriously rough Los Angeles neighborhood of Crenshaw. The 68-year-old was quoted as saying, "I like my small camper. I just do not want to return to a fixed home. I cannot stand being in one place. I must keep moving." Stone's situation may have changed in January 2015, when a Los Angeles jury awarded Stone $5 million in a music-rights suit.

Birthdays:

Steven Severin, bass player for Siouxsie and the Banshees, is 62.

Will Smith, aka "The Fresh Prince," is 49.

Richie Edwards, bass player from The Darkness, is 43.

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