History Spotlight:

Today in 2001, Rufus Thomas, R&B, funk, and soul singer, died of heart failure in Memphis, Tennessee, at age 84. He recorded for several labels, including Chess Records and Sun Records in the 1950s, before becoming established in the 1960s and 1970s at Stax Records. He might be best known for his songs that are attached to dance moves such as "Walking the Dog" (1963), "Do the Funky Chicken" (1969) and "(Do the) Push and Pull" (1970). He began his career as a tap dancer, vaudeville performer, and master of ceremonies in the 1930s, and later worked as a disc jockey on a radio station in Memphis.

Also, Today In:

1943 - American jazz musician, singer and composer, Fats Waller died of pneumonia on a train trip near Kansas City, Missouri. He wrote many songs including "Ain't Misbehavin'", "Your Feet's Too Big" and "The Reefer Song". His closest collaborator, Andy Razaf, once described his partner as "the soul of melody... a man who made the piano sing... both big in body and in mind... known for his generosity... a bubbling bundle of joy".

1955 - Johnny Cash releases "Folsom Prison Blues."

1956 - Elvis Presley gave his final performance on Louisiana Hayride, a live radio program (and later TV program) that was broadcast on KWKH in Shreveport, Louisiana. During the show's heyday from 1948 to 1960, it helped launch the careers of some of the greatest names in American country and western music. Horace Logan, the creator of the show, first made the now legendary phrase "Elvis has left the building".

1957 - Sammy Davis Jr. inaugurated a syndicated radio talk show with a round-table discussion of Rock & Roll.

1959 - In milestones of sorts, The Everly Brothers pulled a pair of personal firsts. They recorded in New York and were backed by a string section when they cut "Let It Be Me."

1967 - The Who release their third album, The Who Sell Out. There are fake radio jingles between songs, including one for the deodorant Odorono.

1969 - John Lennon played what would be his final ever gig in the U.K. when he appeared at The Lyceum Ballroom, London, with the Plastic Ono Band in a UNICEF "Peace For Christmas" benefit. George Harrison, Eric Clapton, Delaney and Bonnie, Billy Preston and The Who's drummer, Keith Moon also took part. The stage is set up with a "War Is Over" poster as a backdrop. John Lennon and Yoko Ono launched the "War Is Over" campaign with billboards the same day.

1973 - David Cassidy went to No. 1 on the U.K. album chart with his third solo album Dreams Are Nuthin' More Than Wishes.

1975 - Parliament release their album Mothership Connection.

1977 - Two days before they were scheduled to appear on Saturday Night Live, their first American television appearance and the launch of their U.S. tour, the Sex Pistols were denied entry to the U.S. due to a visa problem.

1974 - Young Frankenstein opens in theaters. When members of Aerosmith take a break from recording the Toys in the Attic album and see the film, the scene where Igor (Marty Feldman) tells Dr. Frankenstein (Gene Wilder) to "walk this way," and the doctor imitates Igor's walk, inspires the title to the track they’ve been working on.

1979 - Pink Floyd's "Another Brick In The Wall" made it to No. 1 in the U.K.

1979 - The Buggles song "Video Killed The Radio Star" reaches its American chart peak of #40 (in the UK, it hit #1 in September). On August 1, 1981, it becomes the first music video played on MTV. Record stores in areas with high cable penetration are baffled when folks show up looking for the song.

1988 - James Brown was sentenced to six years in prison for various offenses including possession of weapons and resisting arrest.

1997 - "Spice World" premiered in London. The following year it was nominated for the "worst film" at the Golden Raspberry Awards.

1998 - Backstreet Boys roadie Michael Barrett filed a $3 million lawsuit against the group claiming damages after a 50-pound cannon fell on his head during a show.

1999 - Boy George was knocked unconscious when a mirror ball fell on his head during a show in Dorset, England.

2003 - Courtney Love was sentenced to 18 months in drug rehabilitation after she admitted being under the influence of cocaine and opiates.

2014 - Taylor Swift was at No. 1 on the U.S. album chart with her fifth studio album 1989. The album eventually became the best-selling album of 2014 in the U.S. market and had sold over 5.7 million copies by the end of 2015, while selling 9.5 million worldwide. Seven singles have been released from the album.

Birthdays:

Alan Freed, the DJ who coined the phrase "Rock and Roll", was born today in 1921.

Cindy Birdsong of The Supremes is 84.

Dave Clark of Dave Clark Five is 84.

The Clash bassist Paul Simonon is 68.

Tim Reynolds of Dave Matthews Band 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.