History Highlight:

On this day in 1943, Dennis Edwards was born in Fairfield, Alabama. Edwards’ father was a pastor, and as a youngster, Dennis Edwards began singing in the choir in his father’s church. When Henderson was 10, his family relocated to Detroit, where Edwards continued to sing at church and later studied piano and composition at the Detroit Conservatory of Music. In 1966, Edwards had an audition with Motown Records and was briefly a member of The Contours before he went on to join The Temptations in 1968 following the departure of David Ruffin, replacing Ruffin as the group’s lead singer. Edwards’ first album appearance with the Temptations came on Live at the Copa, which was recorded at the Copacabana nightclub in New York. Critically in the artistic development of The Temptations, Edwards joined as producer Norman Whitfield was guiding the Temps into a more psychedelic soul direction; the first Temptations’ studio album Edwards performed on was Cloud Nine, which reflects this new direction. The title track won a Grammy Award in 1969 for Best Rhythm & Blues Group Performance, Vocal or Instrumental. Later hits that Edwards recorded with the Temptations include 1969’s "I Can't Get Next to You,” 1970’s "Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)" and 1972’s "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" — the last of which, with a running time of 6:58, became one of the longest No. 1 hits in chart history. In 1989, Edwards was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of The Temptations. Edwards died in Chicago in 2018 during a hospitalization for meningitis. He was 74.

Also, today in:

1959 – Buddy Holly, J.P. Richardson (aka The Big Bopper) and Ritchie Valens, along with pilot Roger Peterson, died in a plane crash shortly after takeoff from Clear Lake, Iowa. Holly had hired the plane after heating problems developed on his tour bus. The three musicians were traveling to Fargo, N.D., for the next show on their Winter Dance Party Tour, which covered 24 cities in three weeks. Holly had arranged the tour after the breakup of his band, The Crickets. The date was dubbed "The Day the Music Died" by Don McLean, who sang about it in his 1971 hit, "American Pie."

1960 - Frank Sinatra launched the first fully artist-owned label, Reprise Records, so he could own his own masters. Some of his cohorts, including Dean Martin and Rosemary Clooney, joined the label, which was sold to Warner Brothers in 1963, where it became home to a number of famous acts, including Jimi Hendrix, Joni Mitchell and Green Day.

1973 - Elton John started a three-week run at No. 1 on the U.S. singles chart with "Crocodile Rock." It was the first of Elton's five U.S. No. 1 singles.

1976 - David Bowie opened his U.S. tour with a new persona: The Thin White Duke. He appeared dressed in a black-vested suit with slicked-back hair. Bowie later described the persona as "a nasty character indeed."

1977 - Cheap Trick released their debut studio album, Cheap Trick. It features the single "Oh, Candy."

1979 - The Blues Brothers went to No. 1 on the U.S. album chart with Briefcase Full Of Blues.

1979 - "Y.M.C.A." by The Village People goes to No. 2 in the U.S., where it stayed for three weeks, unable to overtake fellow disco stalwarts "Le Freak" and "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?" 

1989 - "Wild Thing" by Tone Loc became the first rap single certified Platinum, with sales of over a million.

1992 - Pearl Jam began their first-ever European tour with a date in Southend-on-Sea, England, where they played to 300 people. The tour would later take Pearl Jam to Norway, Sweden, Holland, France, Spain and Italy.

1997 - David Bowie released his 21st studio album, Earthling. It features the singles "Telling Lies," "Little Wonder," "Dead Man Walking," "Seven Years in Tibet," and "I'm Afraid of Americans."

1997 - Texas released their fourth studio album, White on Blonde. It features the singles "Say What You Want," "Halo," "Black Eyed Boy," "Put Your Arms Around Me," and "Insane."

1998 - Pearl Jam released their fifth studio album, Yield. It features the singles "Given to Fly," "Wishlist," and "Do the Evolution."

1999 - American soul singer Gwen Guthrie died of cancer at age 48. She sang backing vocals for Aretha Franklin, Billy Joel, Stevie Wonder and Madonna and wrote songs for Sister Sledge and Roberta Flack. She scored the 1986 R&B No. 1 “Ain't Nothin' Goin' on But the Rent.”

2004 - American woodwind, keyboard player and vocalist Cornelius Bumpus died of a heart attack at age 58. He toured with The Doobie Brothers and Steely Dan.

2003 - Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds released their 12th studio album, Nocturama. It features the singles "Bring It On," "He Wants You," "Babe, I'm on Fire," and "Rock of Gibraltar."

2004 - The Mountain Goats released their eighth studio album, We Shall All Be Healed.

2006 - Former Dynasty star Heather Locklear filed for divorce from Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora after 11 years of marriage. Locklear had previously been married to Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee.

2008 - Adele's debut album 19 went to No. 1 on the U.K. album chart. It would later peak at No. 4 in the U.S. album charts.

2008 - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers performed during the halftime show of Super Bowl XLII at the University of Phoenix Stadium. They played “American Girl,” “I Won't Back Down,” “Free Fallin'“ and “Runnin' Down a Dream.”

2009 - The Pains of Being Pure at Heart released their self-titled debut. It features “Young Adult Friction.”

2014 - Bruce Springsteen was at No. 1 on the U.S. chart with his 18th studio album High Hopes. The album is a collection of cover songs, outtakes and re-imagined versions of tracks from past albums, EPs and tours.

2015 - Bob Dylan released his 36th studio album, Shadows in the Night. It features covers of Frank Sinatra standards, such as “Full Moon and Empty Arms,” “What’ll I Do,” and “Stay With Me.” Dylan insisted the album was not simply a covers or tribute album given he rearranged all of the songs for a five-piece band rather than a studio filled with orchestra players. “I don't see myself as covering these songs in any way,” Dylan said. “They've been covered enough. Buried, as a matter a fact. What me and my band are basically doing is uncovering them. Lifting them out of the grave and bringing them into the light of day.” Shadows in the Night debuted in the top 10 in 13 countries, including No. 7 in the U.S. and No. 1 in the U.K.

2017 - Syd released her debut solo studio album, Fin. It features the singles "All About Me" and "Body."

2017 - Sampha released his debut studio album, Process. It features the singles "Timmy's Prayer," "Blood on Me," and "(No One Knows Me) Like the Piano."

2018 - Pop, funk and jazz drummer Leon Chancler died in Los Angeles of prostate cancer, at the age of 65. He worked with Herbie Hancock, Miles Davis, Michael Jackson (on “Billie Jean”), Donna Summer, Carlos Santana, The Crusaders, Frank Sinatra, Weather Report, Lionel Richie, Kenny Rogers, Thelonious Monk, Herbie Hancock and John Lee Hooker.

2021 - Singer-songwriter Jim Weatherly died at age 77. He wrote mostly pop and country music and his notable songs include "The Need to Be" and "Midnight Train to Georgia" a 1973 No. 1 hit single by Gladys Knight & the Pips. Ray Price, Lynn Anderson, Glen Campbell, Kenny Rogers, Kenny Chesney and Garth Brooks have all recorded his songs, and he was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2006.

2021 - Folk musician, singer-songwriter and political activist Anne Feeney died at age 69. Feeney's song "Have You Been to Jail for Justice?" was recorded by Peter, Paul and Mary, and she also worked with John Prine and Pete Seeger.

Birthdays:

Johnny “Guitar” Watson, American blues guitarist, was born on this day in 1935.

Angelo D'Aleo, the singer with Dion And The Belmonts (who had a No. 1 hit in 1961 with "Runaround Sue"), is 86.

Dennis Edwards of the Temptations was born today in 1943. (see highlight, above)

Eric Haydock of The Hollies was born today in 1943.

Dave Davies, guitarist with The Kinks, is 79.

Singer Melanie (full name Melanie Safka), best known for the hit song, “Brand New Key,” was born today in 1947. She died on Jan. 23, 2024.

Arthur “Killer” Kane, bass guitarist with The New York Dolls, was born on this day in 1949.

Sonic Youth guitarist Lee Ranaldo is 70.

Lol Tolhurst of the Cure is 67.

Big Audio Dynamite guitarist Nick Hawkins was born today in 1965.

Matt Johnson of Jamiroquai is 57.

Richie Kotzen of Poison and Mr. Big is 56.

Comedian and musician Tim Heidecker is 50.

Daddy Yankee is 49.

Sean Kingston is 36.

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