History Spotlight:

Today in 1997, John Denver died at age 53 when the handmade, experimental airplane he was flying ran out of fuel and crashed into Monterey Bay in California. Born Henry John Deutschendorf, Jr., in Roswell, N.M., in 1943, he adopted the surname "Denver" after the capital of his favorite state, Colorado. Denver enjoyed his greatest commercial success as a solo singer, starting in the 1970s. He recorded and performed primarily with an acoustic guitar and sang about his joy in nature, his enthusiasm for music and his relationship trials. Denver's music appeared on a variety of charts, including country and western, the Billboard Hot 100, and adult contemporary, earning him 12 gold and four platinum albums with his signature songs, "Take Me Home, Country Roads," "Annie's Song," "Rocky Mountain High," "Thank God I'm a Country Boy" and "Sunshine on My Shoulders."

Also, Today In:

1955 - The Chrysler Corporation launched high-fidelity record players for its 1956 model year automobiles. Known as Highway Hi-Fi, the record player was manufactured by CBS Electronics and measured about four inches high and less than a foot wide, and it mounted under the instrument panel. Seven-inch discs, made exclusively for Highway Hi-Fi by Columbia Special Products, spun at 16 2/3 rpm and required almost three times the number of grooves per inch as an LP. Chrysler discontinued the players in late 1958.

1965 - Working on the album Rubber Soul at Abbey Road Studios in London, The Beatles recorded the song, "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)." The track included George Harrison's double-tracked sitar part, marking the first appearance of the Indian instrument on a pop record.

1968 - Big Brother And The Holding Company, who featured Janis Joplin as lead singer, went to No. 1 on the U.S. album chart with Cheap Thrills. The album included "Piece of My Heart" and a cover of George Gershwin's "Summertime."

1975 - Rod Stewart and The Faces made their final live appearance when they played at Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, N.Y.

2005 - Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee suffered minor burns at a concert in Casper, Wyo., after a pyrotechnics effect went awry. Lee was treated at a local hospital for his injuries.

Birthdays:

Luciano Pavarotti was born today in 1935.

Sam Moore of Sam & Dave is 81.

Melvin Franklin of the Temptations was born today in 1942.

Highlights for Today in Music History are gathered from This Day in Music, Paul Shaffer's Day in Rock, Song Facts and Wikipedia.