History Highlight:

Today in 1968, Jimi Hendrix, B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Joni Mitchell, Al Kooper and Ted Nugent met up for an all-night blues, folk and rock session at The New Generation Club, New York after hearing the news of Martin Luther King's assassination.

Also, Today In:

1964 - The Beatles held the top five places on the U.S. singles chart, at No. 5 "Please Please Me," No. 4 "I Want To Hold Your Hand," No. 3, "Roll Over Beethoven," No. 2 "Love Me Do," and at No. 1 "Can't Buy Me Love." They also had another nine singles on the chart, bringing their total to fourteen singles on the Hot 100.

1970 - Crosby Stills Nash & Young went to No. 1 on the U.S. album chart with Deja Vu.

1981 - Styx reached number one on the Billboard 200 Album Chart for the first and only time with their concept album Paradise Theater which began the first of three non-consecutive weeks on top.

1987 - U2 entered the album chart at No. 7 with The Joshua Tree making it the highest chart new entry in America for seven years.

1992 - The film soundtrack from Wayne's World started a two-week run at No. 1 on the U.S. album chart. Included on the soundtrack was Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody," which climbed up the American singles chart once again as a result - this time reaching all the way to No. 2, higher than its original U.S. position of No. 9 in 1976 (the song had hit No. 1 several times in the U.K., including immediately after Freddie Mercury's death in 1991).

2003 - The Rolling Stones performed their first concert in India at the Palace Grounds in Bangalore.

2007 - A Swedish couple ran into trouble with authorities after trying to name their baby daughter Metallica due to tax officials deeming their daughter's name inappropriate since under Swedish law, authorities have to approve both first names and last names.

2009 - The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony was held in Cleveland for the first time since 1997 at Public Hall. The inductees included Metallica, Jeff Beck & Run-D.M.C.

2009 - Cleveland's Public Hall, site of historic concerts by The Beatles (1964) and The Doors (1968), is center stage again as the site of the 24th annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. The class of 2009 includes performer inductees Jeff Beck, Little Anthony & The Imperials, Metallica, Run-D.M.C. and Bobby Womack; Early Influence inductee Wanda Jackson

2015 - Marilyn Manson is sucker punched by a fellow patron at a Denny's in Alberta, Canada. The rocker, who stopped by the restaurant for a late-night meal after a show promoting his Pale Emperor album, denies claims that he insulted the assailant's girlfriend and spurred the incident.

2016 - American singer, songwriter, guitarist, and fiddler Merle Haggard died of complications from pneumonia at his home in Palo Cedro, California. Along with Buck Owens, Haggard and his band the Strangers helped create the Bakersfield sound, which is characterized by the twang of the Fender Telecaster and the unique mix with the traditional country steel guitar sound. Haggard made over 10 U.S. Country No. 1 albums during his career.

Birthdays:

Blues man Muddy Waters, born McKinley Morganfield, was born today in 1913.

Clive Davis is 86. One of the most influential figures in the music business for nearly 50 years, he is credited with signing dozens of legendary acts to major label deals and bringing both Barry Manilow and Whitney Houston to prominence. Davis has won give Grammys during his illustrious career, and is in the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame as a non-performer.

Dave Hill, guitarist for Slade, is 72.

Berry Oakley, bassist for The Allman Brothers Band, was born today in 1948.

Pick Withers, drummer for Dire Straits, is 70.

Gary Moore, guitarist for Thin Lizzy, was born today in 1952.

Neo-soul singer Jill Scott is 46.

Martin Devaney 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.