History Highlight:

Woodrow "Woody" Guthrie, the American singer-songwriter and folk music legend, was born today in 1912.Many of his songs are about his experiences in the Dust Bowl era during the Great Depression when Guthrie traveled with migrant workers from Oklahoma to California and learned their traditional folk and blues songs, earning him the nickname the "Dust Bowl Troubadour." Guthrie died from complications of Huntington's disease, a progressive genetic neurological disorder. During his later years, in spite of his illness, Guthrie served as a figurehead in the folk movement, providing inspiration to a generation of new folk musicians, including mentor relationships with Ramblin' Jack Elliott and Bob Dylan.

His best-known song is "This Land Is Your Land." Many of his recorded songs are archived in the Library of Congress. Songwriters Bob Dylan, Phil Ochs, Bruce Springsteen, Harry Chapin, John Mellencamp, Pete Seeger, Andy Irvine, Joe Strummer, Billy Bragg, Jay Farrar, Jeff Tweedy, Bob Childers and Tom Paxton have all acknowledged Guthrie as a major influence.

Also, Today In:

1967 - In another great concert mismatching of the rock ages, The Who opened for Herman's Hermits on their first US tour.

1967 - At a surprise appearance with The Band at the Mississippi Rock Festival, Bob Dylan materialized out of the shadows and played three songs.

1973 - "Bye-bye happiness". Following onstage bickering at a gig at Knott's Berry Farm amusement park near LA, The Everly Brothers called it quits for the first time.

1982 - Pink Floyd's The Wall, the movie, premiered in London.

Birthdays:

Tanya Donelly, singer for The Breeders, Throwing Muses, and Belly, is 48 today.