History Highlight:

Today in 1910, Chicago blues singer, guitarist and harmonica player Howlin' Wolf was born Chester Arthur Burnett in White Station, Miss. Although the origin of his moniker is apocryphal, Howlin' Wolf possessed a booming voice and a looming physical presence, and is one of the best-known Chicago blues artists. Several of his songs, such as "Smokestack Lightnin'", "Back Door Man", "Killing Floor" and "Spoonful" have become blues and blues-rock standards. Unlike many blues musicians who had left an impoverished childhood to begin a musical career, Chester Burnett was always financially successful; he was able to offer band members not only a decent salary, but benefits such as health insurance, enabling him to hire his pick of musicians and to keep his band one of the best around. He was also a devoted husband to his wife, Lillie, who helped him manage his finances. Howlin' Wolf passed away on Jan. 10, 1976; in 2004, Rolling Stone magazine ranked him number 51 on its list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time."

Also, Today In:

1964 - During a recording session at Chess Records in Chicago, The Rolling Stones ran into a couple of their heroes: Muddy Waters and Willie Dixon.

1967 - Bob Dylan and The Band began recording the legendary Basement Tapes in Woodstock, N.Y.

1972 - Sammy Davis Jr started a three week run at No. 1 on the U.S. singles chart with "Candy Man", his only No. 1. The song was taken from the film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, starring Gene Wilder.

1977 - Joe Strummer and Topper Headon from The Clash were each fined £5 ($8.50) by a London court for spray-painting "The Clash" on a wall.

1978 - John Travolta and Olivia Newton John went to No. 1 on the U.S. singles chart with "You're The One That I Want."

1986 - Bob Geldof was awarded an honorary Knighthood for his efforts to raise funds to eradicate famine in Ethiopia. Geldoff's coordination of the charity single "Do They Know It's Christmas" in 1984 kicked off a massive awareness of the issue of hunger in Africa (spawning the American response, "We Are The World"), culminating in the Live Aid concerts of 1985.

1989 - Bette Midler went to No. 1 on the U.S. singles chart with "Wind Beneath My Wings", which was included in the film Beaches.

2001 - Radiohead went to No. 1 on the U.K. album chart with Amnesiac. The band's fifth studio album debuted at No. 2 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and produced three singles, "Pyramid Song," "I Might Be Wrong," and "Knives Out."

2004 - Singer-songwriter Ray Charles died aged 73.

2007 - R. Kelly was at No. 1 on the U.S. album chart with Double Up.

Birthdays:

Judy Garland was born Frances Gumm in Grand Rapids, Minn., today in 1922.

Kim Deal is 54.

Smashing Pumpkins drummer Jimmy Chamberlin is 51.