History Highlight:

Dan Murphy, guitarist of Soul Asylum, is 61 today. Murphy retired from the band - saying he had reached the end of his interest in living life on the road - but up until then he had been the only remaining original member of the group since its founding in 1983, besides lead singer Dave Pirner. These days, Murphy enjoys life as an antique furniture collector and dealer. 

Also, Today In: 

1954 - 19-year old Elvis Presley signed a recording contract with Sun Records and quit his job at The Crown Electric Company later that day. 

1962 - The Rolling Stones made their live debut at The Marquee Club in London. Their material included the Chicago blues as well as Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley songs. Bassist Bill Wyman joined in December 1962 and drummer Charlie Watts the following January 1963 to form the band's original rhythm section. 

1965 - The Beach Boys release "California Girls." Musically, it's one of group leader Brian Wilson's favorite compositions, with an introduction that combines country and classical influences. 

1969 - Zager and Evans' "In The Year 2525" hit No. 1. The song was written and composed by Rick Evans in 1964 and originally released on a small regional record label (Truth Records) in 1968. Sadly, the song was the band's only hit, and they broke up in 1971. 

1970 - The local band Fritz opens for Janis Joplin at the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds in California. The lead singer in Fritz is Stevie Nicks, who is awestruck watching Joplin perform. Nicks credits Joplin for showing her how to connect with an audience from the stage. 

1971 - Radio stations start running a Coke commercial called "I'd Like To Buy The World A Coke," sung by The New Seekers. It is later used a TV commercial showing young people from around the world singing on a hillside. The New Seekers later record a full version of the song as "I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing," which becomes a huge hit. 

1975 - KC and the Sunshine Band's "Get Down Tonight" enters the charts. 

1979 - American singer songwriter Minnie Riperton died of cancer aged 31. Her daughter, Maya Rudolph, is 6 years old. The Stevie Wonder produced 'Loving You' gave Minnie a US No.1 single in 1975. She worked at Chess records singing backup for various artists such as Etta James, Fontella Bass, Bo Diddley, Chuck Berry and Muddy Waters. She also sang lead for the experimental rock/soul group Rotary Connection, from 1967 to 1971. Also a member of Wonderlove in 1973, a backup group for Stevie Wonder. 

1979 - It was "Disco Demolition Night" at Comiskey Park, where the White Sox and Tigers played a doubleheader. The plan was to play disco albums between games, but the fans became unruly and rushed the field, forcing the White Sox to forfeit the second game. 

1983 - Former Traffic member Chris Wood died of liver failure after a lengthy illness. 

1986 - Simply Red scored their first US No.1 single with 'Holding Back The Years'. Simply Red singer Mick Hucknall wrote the song when he was seventeen, while living at his father's house. The chorus did not come to him until many years later. 

1997 - The French magazine Le Figaro published an interview with George Harrison where he blasted modern music, taking aim at U2 and the Spice Girls. 

1999 - Limp Bizkit singer Fred Durst was arrested in St. Paul, MN for kicking a security guard in the head at the Roy Wilkins Auditorium. 

2003 - Saxophonist, composer and arranger Benny Carter died at age 95. He worked with Miles Davis, Ella Fitzgerald, Ray Charles and composed many TV themes including Ironside and M-Squad. 

2008 - Singer Earl Nelson (Earl Lee Nelson) died in Lake Charles, Louisiana. One half of the duo Bob And Earl (who recorded "Harlem Shuffle" in 1963), Nelson sang background vocals on "Rockin' Robin", a U.S. No. 2 for The Jackson 5 in 1972. 

2020 - English singer-songwriter Judy Dyble died age 71. She was a founding member of Fairport Convention and Trader Horne. In addition, she and multi-instrumental Ian McDonald joined and recorded several tracks with Giles, Giles and Fripp, who later became King Crimson. During Fairport's early live shows in London in the late 1960s Dyble shared stages with acts such as Jimi Hendrix, and Syd Barrett-era Pink Floyd. 

Birthdays: 

KISS drummer Paul Charles Caravello, better known by his stage name Eric Carr, was born today in 1950. He passed away in 1991. 

Christine McVie, of Fleetwood Mac was born today in 1943.  

Alan Duval, UB40, is 60. 

Kimberly Perry, of The Band Perry, is 40. 

Phillip Taylor Kramer, bassist for Iron Butterfly, was born in 1952.  

Eric Carr, drummer in Kiss, was born in 1950. 

Tim Gane, guitar, keyboards, and co-founder of Stereolab, is 59 

John Petrucci, best known as a founding member of the progressive metal/rock band Dream Theater, is 56. 

Ray Gillen of Black Sabbath was born today in 1960. He passed away in 1993. 

Eric Adams best known as the front guy of Manowar with a 4 octave vocal range, is 68. 

Highlights for Today in Music History are gathered from This Day in Music, Song Facts and Wikipedia.