History Highlight:

Sheila Cecelia Escovedo, iconic drummer, songwriter, and performer better known as Sheila E., turns 60 today. Starting her music career off in the 1970s as a percussionist and singer for The George Duke Band, she is also well-known for touring as the opening act for Prince's Purple Rain Tour, and a healthy solo career. She talked with Andrea Swensson this fall about her new album Iconic: Message 4 America, her memories of Prince, and healing in Minneapolis.

Today In:

1964 - The Phil Spector-produced "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'," by The Righteous Brothers (Bill Medley and Bobby Hatfield) hit record stores.

1969 - John Lennon's Plastic Ono Band released the live album Live Peace in Toronto 1969 which was recorded at the Toronto Rock 'n Roll Revival concert on September 13th.

1970 - Neil Young peaked at number thirty-three on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart with "Only Love Can Break Your Heart", Young's first top forty single in the U.S.

1970 - The Doors played what would be their last ever live show with Jim Morrison when they appeared at the Warehouse in New Orleans.

1974 - After being in the group for five and a half years, Mick Taylor announced his departure from The Rolling Stones.

1976 - The Rolling Stones began work on what would become their Black & Blue album. It marked the departure of guitarist Mick Taylor, who'd replaced the late Brian Jones five years previously. Several excellent guitarists auditioned and actually wound up being heard on the album, including Harvey Mandel, Wayne Perkins and Ronnie Wood; Ronnie would eventually get the gig on a permanent basis.

1976 - Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band released "Night Moves" which went on to become Seger's first top ten hit reaching number four on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart.

1980 - Devo's "Whip It" became a Gold record. The song was Devo's first major hit, and rose to popularity with the help of its video which at the time was in heavy rotation on MTV. On an episode of the VH1 show TrueSpin, guitarist Gerald Casale revealed that the main guitar riff from "Whip It" is based on the riff from "Oh, Pretty Woman" by Roy Orbison.

1985 - Ian Stewart, longtime road manager and touring keyboardist for The Rolling Stones died of a heart attack in the waiting room of a U.K. clinic. He was 47 years old.

2001 - Nirvana bandmates Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic filed a countersuit against Courtney Love involving future releases of Nirvana material. The suit was in response to a lawsuit Love filed earlier in the year claiming all rights pertaining to Nirvana would revert to her. Love's suit claimed that Nirvana was a one-man-band and that Novoselic and Grohl were little more than sidemen.

2003 - Mick Jagger was knighted by Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace. Jagger brought his 92-year-old father Joe to attend the ceremony.

2008 - The town where Mick Jagger and Keith Richards grew up announced it was to name streets in a new estate after Rolling Stones hits. The 13 streets in Dartford, Kent, were to be given names such as Angie Mews, Babylon Close, Sympathy Street, Little Red Walk and Satisfaction Street.

Birthdays:

Frank Sinatra was born today in 1915.

Dickey Betts, guitarist for The Allman Brothers Band, is 74.

Bruce Kulick, guitarist for Kiss, is 64.

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