History Spotlight:

Ringo Starr is 85 today. Born Richard Starkey in 1940, the English musician, songwriter, and actor is best known as the drummer for The Beatles. Ringo also contributed to the band as a vocalist and songwriter — singing lead on several Beatles hits like "With a Little Help from My Friends" and "Yellow Submarine." Ringo wrote and co-wrote a few notable songs for the band, including "Don't Pass Me By" and "Octopus's Garden." After The Beatles disbanded in 1970, Ringo pursued a successful solo career, and he continues to tour and perform as Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band. On January 10, 2025, Starr released the country album, Look Up, produced and co-written by T Bone Burnett.

Also, Today In: 

1962 - David Rose and his Orchestra went to No. 1 on the U.S. singles chart with "The Stripper." 

1967 - The Monkees begin a U.S. tour with Jimi Hendrix opening. 

1968 - Three years after Eric Clapton's departure and eight months after Jeff Beck left the band, The Yardbirds disbanded, guitarist Jimmy Page put together a new lineup to fulfill some contractually obligated concerts and began referring to the group as The New Yardbirds. The Who's drummer Keith Moon was dubious about the band's prospects, and he jokingly suggested that they change their name to "Led Zeppelin," as in, "They'll go over like a lead balloon." The New Yardbirds — Page, Robert Plant, John Bonham and John Paul Jones — soon did change their name to Led Zeppelin. 

1969 - George Harrison recorded his new song "Here Comes the Sun" with just two other Beatles, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, at Abbey Road in London. John Lennon was absent recovering from a car crash in Scotland. 

1971 - The Carpenters debuted their variety summer replacement series "Make Your Own Kind Of Music" on NBC. 

1973 - Billy Preston started a two-week run at No. 1 on the U.S. singles chart with "Will It Go Round In Circles." 

1973 - Paul McCartney & Wings released "Live And Let Die." 

1975 - Keith Richards was charged with possession of a weapon and reckless driving in Arkansas. Hundreds of teenage girls gathered outside the jail where he was being detained and raised a ruckus. 

1980 - The original Led Zeppelin lineup performed its final show. 

1984 - Bruce Springsteen went to No. 1 on the U.S. album chart with Born In The USA. The album went on to spend a total of 139 weeks on the U.S. chart. Its also one of three albums (Michael Jackson's Thriller and Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814) to produce seven top-ten U.S. singles. 

1984 - Prince started a five-week run at No. 1 on the U.S. singles chart with "When Doves Cry," his first U.S. No. 1, which went on to sell over 2 million copies. 

1986 - David Lee Roth released his debut studio album, Eat ‘Em and Smile. It features “That’s Life” and “Yankee Rose.”

1987 - Eric B. & Rakim release their debut, Paid In Full, one of the first major rap albums filled with James Brown samples. It features "Eric B. Is President," "I Ain't No Joke," "I Know You Got Soul," "Move the Crowd," and "Paid in Full."

1987 - Buster Poindexter released his self-titled debut album. It features “Hot Hot Hot.”

1987 - Erasure released their second studio album, The Circus. It features “Sometimes,” “It Doesn’t Have to Be,” “Victim of Love,” and “The Circus.”

1989 - It was announced that for the first time, compact discs were out-selling vinyl albums. 

1992 - Spinal Tap capped their reunion tour with a sold-out show at Royal Albert Hall in London. 

1992 - Dream Theater released their second album, Images and Words, a progressive metal landmark. 

1997 - Primal Scream released their fifth studio album, Vanishing Point. It features “Kowalski,” “Star,” and “Burning Wheel.”

1998 - Barenaked Ladies released their fourth studio album, Stunt. It was the Canadian band's breakthrough record in the U.S., where it landed at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. It features “One Week” and “It’s All Been Done.”

2001 - Fred Neil, a folk singer-songwriter known for writing Harry Nilsson's hit "Everybody's Talkin'," died during a battle with skin cancer at age 65.

2001 - Aaliyah released her third and final studio album, Aaliyah. It features the singles "We Need a Resolution," "Rock the Boat," and "More Than a Woman."

2006 - Syd Barrett died from complications arising from diabetes at age 60. The singer, songwriter and guitarist was one of the founding members of Pink Floyd, and active as a rock musician for only about seven years before he went into seclusion. After leaving music, Barrett continued with painting and dedicated himself to gardening. Pink Floyd wrote and recorded several tributes to him, most notably the 1975 album Wish You Were Here, which included "Shine On You Crazy Diamond", as an homage to Barrett. 

2007 - Live Earth, a series of concerts to initiate action against global warming, took place around the world. 

2008 - Black Kids released their debut studio album, Partie Traumatic. It features "I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance with You."

2009 - Maxwell released his fourth studio album, BLACKsummers’night. It features “Pretty Wings.”

2009 - Michael Jackson's funeral was held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Most TV networks covered the event, where Kobe Bryant, Mariah Carey, Jennifer Hudson, Magic Johnson, John Mayer, Lionel Richie, Smokey Robinson, Usher and Stevie Wonder all participated. 

2015 - Climate scientists from five leading universities found that 163 of Bob Dylan's 542 songs reference the climate - almost a third - making him the musician most likely to mention the weather in his lyrics. The Beatles came in at number two, mentioning the weather in 48 of the 308 songs they wrote. 

2017 - Haim released their second studio album, Something to Tell You. It features “Want You Back.”

2017 - Broken Social Scene released their fifth studio album, Hug of Thunder.

2018 - The Cure stage a 40th anniversary show in London's Hyde Park as part of the annual British Summer Time concert series. Frontman Robert Smith chose the lineup of opening acts, including Slowdive, Editors, Ride, Interpol, Goldfrapp, and The Twilight Sad. 

2022 - The only copy of Bob Dylan's newly recorded "Blowin' In The Wind" sells at auction for £1,482,000 ($1.7 million). Dylan recorded it with producer T Bone Burnett and the song was pressed to a disc in Burnett's new format, Ionic Original, which is made of aluminium but plays on a turntable. 

Birthdays: 

Austrian zither player Anton Karas, composer of the score of The Third Man, was born today in 1906.

Blues pianist Pinetop Perkins was born today in 1911.

Mary Ford — musical partner and wife of Les Paul (“How High the Moon,” “Vaya con Dios”) — was born today in 1924.

Charlie Louvin of the Louvin Brothers (with brother Ira) was born today in 1927.

Doc Severinsen, trumpet player who led the NBC Orchestra on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, is 98.

Jazz saxophonist Hank Mobley was born today in 1930.

Joe Zawinul, jazz keyboardist who collaborated with Cannonball Adderley and Miles Davis, was born today in 1932.

Ringo Starr is 85. 

Jim Rodford (bass guitarist for Argent, The Kinks) is born in 1941. 

David Hodo (the construction worker in The Village People) is 78. 

Mark White of the Spin Doctors is 63. 

Sevyn Streeter is 39.

Kaci Brown is 37.

Alesso is 34.

Ashton Irwin of 5 Seconds of Summer is 31.

Highlights for Today in Music History are gathered from This Day in Music, Song Facts, Ringo Starr’s website, and Wikipedia.