History Highlight:

Today in 1975, the Faces' split became official. Rod Stewart had severed all connections with the group to work as a solo artist, Ron Wood was on permanent loan to the Stones, Ronnie Lane went on to form Slim Chance and drummer Kenny Jones joined The Who.

Also, Today In:

1963 - The Animals played their first radio broadcast, the BBC show Saturday Club.

1964 - The Supremes made their first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show.

1969 - Diana Ross and the Supremes went to No. 1 on the U.S. singles chart with "Someday We'll Be Together", the group's 12th U.S. No. 1.

1969 - Led Zeppelin II was at No. 1 on the U.S. album charts, (the band's first album to reach No. 1 on charts in the U.K. and the U.S.)> The album went on to sell over six million copies in the U.S. alone.

1975 - Future Smiths singer Steve Morrissey had a letter published in the music magazine the NME, complaining about the lack of media coverage for the New York Dolls.

1975 - Queen started a two-week run at No. 1 on the U.K. chart with A Night At The Opera, the group's first No. 1 album.

1975 - The Staple Singers went to No. 1 on the U.S. singles chart with "Let's Do It Again" the group's second U.S. No. 1.

1976 - Blues guitarist Freddie King died of heart trouble and ulcers at age 42. Eric Clapton covered his "Have You Ever Loved A Woman" on Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs. Major influence on British and American blues-rock musicians such as Jimmy Vaughan, Ronnie Earl, Peter Green and Eric Clapton.
2008 - Thieves broke into a house belonging to Allman Brothers Band singer and keyboardist Gregg Allman in Georgia and stole a coin collection, knives and unreleased concert recordings.

1980, John and Yoko's Double Fantasy album started an eight-week run at No. 1 on the U.S. chart. "Just Like Starting Over" started a five-week stay at No. 1 on the singles chart.

1981 - American composer, pianist, singer, actor, and bandleader Hoagy Carmichael died at age 82. He was the composer of "Georgia On My Mind" (covered by many acts including Ray Charles), "Star Dust" and "Lazy River".

1986 - Jackie Wilson had the U.K. Christmas No. 1 single with "Reet Petite" two years after Wilson's death, following its use in a commercial for Levi's. Written in 1957 by Berry Gordy and Tyran Carlo, the success of the song helped Gordy fund the launch of Motown Records.

1997 - The Spice Girls went No. 1 on the U.K. singles chart with "Too Much". The group set another new world record as their first six singles all made No. 1.

2008 - Thieves broke into a house belonging to The Allman Brothers Band singer and keyboardist Gregg Allman in Georgia and stole a coin collection, knives and unreleased concert recordings. Two men were charged with the burglary two days later.

2015 - Singer Stevie Wright died aged 68. During 1964-69 he was lead singer of Sydney-based band the Easybeats, who had the 1966 world-wide hit "Friday on My Mind".

2016 - Actress Carrie Fisher, daughter of "Singin' in the Rain" actress Debbie Reynolds and former wife of Paul Simon but best-known for her iconic role as Princess Leia in Star Wars, died of a heart attack at age 60.

Birthdays:

Mike Pinder of The Moody Blues is 77.

Mick Jones of Foreigner is 74.

Larry Byrom of Steppenwolf is 70.

David Knopfler of Dire Straits is 66.

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