History Highlights:

Fiona Apple was born today in 1977. A classically trained pianist, she is best known for her solo career and four albums released between 1996 and 2012. Two fun facts for you: 1. Her debut album, Tidal, was written when Apple was just 17 years old. 2. Her second album, often shortened to When the Pawn... is actually titled When the Pawn Hits the Conflicts He Thinks like a King What He Knows Throws the Blows When He Goes to the Fight and He'll Win the Whole Thing 'fore He Enters the Ring There's No Body to Batter When Your Mind Is Your Might so When You Go Solo, You Hold Your Own Hand and Remember That Depth Is the Greatest of Heights and If You Know Where You Stand, Then You Know Where to Land and If You Fall It Won't Matter, Cuz You'll Know That You're Right.

Also, Today In:

1965 - It was another first for The Beatles as the band won a Grammy for Best Group and one for Best Album for A Hard Day's Night. Meanwhile, their single, "Yesterday" (b/w "Act Naturally") was released in the US.

1974 - At the Nassau Coliseum on Long Island, Stevie Wonder launched his first tour since a serious car accident.

1975 - The legend was cast in stone as Bruce Springsteen's Born To Run hit the album charts. Considered one of the greatest albums in the history of rock (ranked at number 18 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time), Born To Run's songs focused on the coming of age of average teenagers and young adults in New Jersey and New York City.

1985 - "We Are The World" won Best Group Video and the Viewer's Choice at the MTV Video Music Awards in New York.

1989 - Sting made his onstage acting debut in a Washington, D.C., production of The Three Penny Opera. The critics were not kind.

1996 - Tupac Amaru Shakur died after being shot six days earlier when he was driving through Las Vegas.

1998 - Lauryn Hill started a five week run at No.1 on the US album chart with "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill."

Birthdays:

American Bluegrass pioneer and legend Bill Monroe was born today in 1911.

Jazz singer Mel Torme, aka The Velvet Fog, was born today in 1925.
He composed the music for "The Christmas Song" ("Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire") and co-wrote the lyrics with Bob Wells.

Don Was, bass player and Grammy award winning Record Producer (Bonnie Raitt, Rolling Stones, Paul Westerberg), is 64.

English drummer (and son of Ringo Starr) Zak Starkey is 51.

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