Birthday Highlight

Roger McGuinn is 73 today. Born James Joseph McGuinn III in Chicago, McGuinn is best known for being the lead singer and lead guitarist on many of The Byrds' records, for which he is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. During his time with The Byrds, McGuinn developed two innovative and very influential styles of electric guitar playing: one was "jingle-jangle" — generating ringing arpeggios based on banjo finger picking styles — which was influential in the folk rock genre; the second style merged free-jazz atonalities that hinted at the droning of the sitar, which was influential in psychedelic rock. McGuinn changed his stage name to Roger after the Subud spiritual leader, Bapak, told McGuinn it would better "vibrate with the universe."

Also, Today In:

1963 - The Rolling Stones played their first-ever gig outside London when they appeared at The Alcove Club in Middlesbrough, supporting The Hollies.

1968 - At a small, backstreet blues club in Birmingham, England, Black Sabbath played their first gig.

1974 - George McCrae started a two-week run at No. 1 on the U.S. singles chart with "Rock Your Baby," his only U.S. No. 1. Regarded by some as the first disco No. 1 single, it gathered momentum as a hit in New York City clubs.

1977 - The New York City blackout brought out the improvisational spirit in NRBQ. Instead of calling off a scheduled gig, the band members taped flashlights to their mic stands and continued playing acoustically.

1985 - Duran Duran had the first-ever James Bond-related No. 1 single when "A View To A Kill" went to the top of the U.S. charts.

1985 - Elton John renewed his contract with MCA Records in America, inking a five-album deal worth $8 million, the biggest advance in history at the time.

1987 - Representatives of 50 of America's largest record retailers were guests at Michael Jackson's home in Encino, Calif., to preview his new album, Bad. The LP would go on to sell more than 30 million copies worldwide.

1996 - More than 2,000 guitar players, including Chet Atkins and Jeff "Skunk" Baxter, set a new world record for the largest jam session ever when they played "Heartbreak Hotel" for 75 minutes (!) at Nashville's Riverfront Park.

1999 - The New Radicals called it a day after just one album and a worldwide hit single, "You Get What You Give." Frontman, songwriter and driving force Gregg Alexander said he wanted to concentrate on producing and writing.

2004 - Arthur "Killer" Kane, bass player with The New York Dolls, died at age 55 after going to a Los Angeles emergency room, complaining of fatigue. He was quickly diagnosed with leukemia and died within two hours.

2007 - In a ceremony at Buckingham Palace, Prince Charles presented Rod Stewart with a CBE — Commander of the British Empire, an order of chivalry of British democracy — for Stewart's services to music.

Birthdays:

Gerald LeVert of the R&B trio LeVert was born today in 1966. He died in 2006 at age 40.

Roger McGuinn of the Byrds is 73.

Richard Anthony "Cheech" Marin is 69. He has released two best-selling albums of children's music, My Name is Cheech, the School Bus Driver (1992) and My Name is Cheech, The School Bus Driver "Coast to Coast" (1997). Both albums were released bilingually.