History Highlight:

Country singer Orville Peck — known for his baritone vocals and for wearing a Lone Ranger-inspired mask — was born on this date in 1988, making him 38 today. Peck (the artist name of Daniel Pitout) was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, attended the prestigious London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) and eventually immigrated to Canada where he was a touring drummer with a Vancouver-based punk band. Inspired by artists including Johnny Cash and Dolly Parton, Orville Peck long aspired to be a country singer, and he released his debut album Pony in 2019. His 2022 album, Bronco, was a breakthrough for Peck, and the song “The Curse of the Blackened Eye” finished at No. 3 in The Current’s Top 89 of 2022. In 2024, Peck released his third album, Stampede, and it includes duets with such artists as Willie Nelson, Elton John, Allison Russell and Molly Tuttle. “Death Valley High,” a duet featuring Beck, reached No. 32 in the Top 89 of 2024. Peck is openly gay and is a powerful advocate for LGBTQ+ people in the country music community and beyond.

Also, in:

1957 - More than 20 minutes were devoted to Elvis Presley on his final appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show. The King performed seven songs: "Hound Dog," "Don't Be Cruel," "Love Me Tender," "Heartbreak Hotel," "Peace In The Valley," "Too Much" and "When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again."

1958 - Gibson Guitars launched and trademarked its "Flying V" electric guitar. Guitarists who played a Flying V include Albert King, Jimi Hendrix, Marc Bolan and Billy Gibbons from ZZ Top. It went on the market on Feb. 21 of that year.

1968 - Magical Mystery Tour became The Beatles' 11th U.S. album chart-topper when it started an eight-week reign at No. 1. The double EP was a critical and commercial success and was nominated for a Grammy, despite the widespread media criticism of the Magical Mystery Tour film.

1973 - Carly Simon's "You're So Vain" started a three-week run at No. 1 on the U.S. singles chart. In 2015, after keeping quiet for more than 40 years, Carly Simon admitted that the song (with Mick Jagger on backing vocals) was about Warren Beatty, but only one verse of it. Simon said the other verses were about two other men.

1975 - Pink Floyd started sessions at Abbey Road Studios in London for their album Wish You Were Here.

1977 - Only three months after signing The Sex Pistols to a recording contract, EMI terminated the deal, rumor had it, as a result of the group's "disgraceful, aggressive behavior." The record company more or less paid them approximately $80,000 just to go away.

1979 - The Village People went No. 1 with "Y.M.C.A". At its peak, the single was selling over 150,000 copies a day.

1980 - Georgeanna Gordon of The Marvelettes died at age 46.

1992 - Tori Amos released her debut solo studio album, Little Earthquakes. It features the singles "Me and a Gun," "Silent All These Years," "China," "Winter," and "Crucify."

1993 - David Bowie reportedly lost nearly $5 million in royalties due to an Italian Mafia-linked bootleg fraud.

1993 - Rolling Stones bass player Bill Wyman leaves the group after 30 years of service. "I left because I didn't see anything new happening in the future," he says. "I realized if we played for another 10 years I'd still be playing 'Jumpin' Jack Flash,' 'Honky Tonk Women,' 'Street Fighting Man' until we packed up."

2007 - Country-rock steel guitar player 'Sneaky' Pete Kleinow, died at age 72. He was one of the original members of the Flying Burrito Brothers with the Byrds' Chris Hillman and Gram Parsons, and he also worked with John Lennon and Joni Mitchell.

2009 - Animal Collective released their eighth studio album, Merriweather Post Pavilion. It features “My Girls,” “Summertime Clothes,” and “Brother Sport.”

2015 - Rae Sremmurd released their debut album, SremmLife. It features “No Flex Zone” and “No Type.”

2017 - Norway announced that it would become the first country in the world to gradually stop using the FM radio network. The move, which aimed to ditch the analogue platform in favor of a digital one called Digital Audio Broadcasting, would bring a clearer sound to the nation's five million people.

2020 - Martin Griffin, former drummer of Hawkwind and spin-off project Hawklords, died following a short illness at age 69.

Birthdays:

Banjo legend Earl Scruggs, who played in Bill Monroe’s band and was latter half of Flatt and Scruggs, was born today in 1924.

Nino Tempo, who had the hit “Deep Purple” with sister April Stevens, is 91.

Van McCoy (“The Hustle”) was born today in 1940.

Syd Barrett, the original lead singer of Pink Floyd, was born today in 1946.

Sandy Denny of Fairport Convention was born today in 1947.

Kim Wilson, lead singer for the Fabulous Thunderbirds (“Tuff Enuff”), is 75.

Malcolm Young of AC/DC was born today in 1953.

Rowan “Mr. Bean” Atkinson is 71.

Kathy Sledge of Sister Sledge is 67.

Mark O'Toole of Frankie Goes To Hollywood is 62.

A.R. Rahman, who created the score for Slumdog Millionaire, is 59.

Alexander David Turner was born on this day in 1986, making him 40. Turner is best known as the frontman and principal songwriter for the Arctic Monkeys. Their 2006 debut album Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not was the fastest-selling debut album in British history and was ranked at No. 30 on Rolling Stone's list of the greatest debut albums of all time. Turner's lyricism, ranging from kitchen sink realism to surrealist wordplay, has been widely praised throughout the music industry and the public. The latest Arctic Monkeys record The Car, released back in October 2022, received critical acclaim upon its release for the band's artistic progression, the album's production, and Turner's lyrics.

Orville Peck is 38.

Polo G is 27.

Highlights for Today in Music History are gathered from This Day in Music, Song Facts, CBC Radio Canada, Exclaim!, USA Today and Wikipedia.