Birthday Highlight:

Born today in 1952, Michael McDonald sang with Steely Dan in his early days then was recruited by The Doobie Brothers in 1975 when lead singer Tom Johnston became ill during a national tour. His time with the band proved so successful that they decided to retain him as a full-time member, and he remained an integral member until 1982. He has won five Grammy Awards and is known for his soulful baritone voice.

Also, Today In:

1967 - Fifteen police officers raided Redlands the West Sussex home of Rolling Stone Keith Richards during a weekend party. The police, who were armed with a warrant issued under the "dangerous drugs act", took away various substances for forensic tests. George and Pattie Harrison had been at the house, but it was said that the police waited for them to leave before they raided the house in order not to arrest the holder of an MBE — a Member of the British Empire, an order of chivalry awarded to Harrison by Queen Elizabeth II.

1968 - Billed as 'Tour 60 cities in 66 Days' The Jimi Hendrix Experience appeared at the Center Arena in Seattle.

1970 - John Lennon performed "Instant Karma," on BBC TV's Top Of The Pops, becoming the first Beatle to have appeared on the show since 1966.

1972 - Al Green went to No. 1 on the U.S. singles chart with "Let's Stay Together," his only U.S. chart-topper.

1977 - Blondie, Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers and the Ramones all appeared at the Whisky a Go Go in Los Angeles.

1977 - Pink Floyd released their tenth studio album Animals in the U.S., where it reached No. 3 in the charts.

1997 - David Bowie received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

2000 - Blues singer Screamin' Jay Hawkins died aged 70.

2007 - During a press conference at West Hollywood's Whisky a Go Go club, Sting confirmed that The Police were getting back together. The band were set to kick off a world tour on May 28 in Vancouver, B.C., supported by Sting's son Joe Sumner's band, Fiction Plane.

Birthdays:

Ray Manzarek, co-founder and keyboardist of The Doors, was born today in 1939.

Michael McDonald, who with The Doobie Brothers had the 1979 U.S. No. 1 single, "What A Fool Believes", is 64.

Chynna Phillips of Wilson Phillips is 48.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs drummer Brian Chase is 38.

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