History Highlight:

Lita Ford was born today in 1958, making her 60 today. Ford was the lead guitarist for the Runaways in the late 1970s before embarking on a solo career in the 1980s. In the Runaways' hay day they released four studio albums and one live set. Their best-known songs are "Cherry Bomb", "Hollywood", "Queens of Noise" and a cover version of the Velvet Underground's "Rock & Roll". The Runaways, though never a major success in the United States, became a sensation overseas, especially in Japan, thanks to "Cherry Bomb" (a song partially made famous by one Jill Riley in the MPR company talent show).

Also, Today In:

1960 - Former chicken plucker Chubby Checker went to No. 1 on the U.S. singles chart with "The Twist".

1966 - John Sebastian and The Lovin' Spoonful's well-timed "Summer in the City," their first No. 1 hit, earned them a Gold record.

1968 - The great Easy Rider bugs-in-your-teeth Harley-riding anthem, "Born to Be Wild" by John Kay and Steppenwolf was a giant hit, scoring the band a Gold record on this day. It is sometimes described as the first heavy metal song, and the second verse lyric "heavy metal thunder" marks the first use of this term in rock music (although not as a description of a musical style).

1970 - Diana Ross started a three-week run at No. 1 on the U.S. singles chart with "Ain't No Mountain High Enough". It was the singer's first solo No. 1 since leaving The Supremes.

1973 - Gram Parsons, at only 26, died of an overdose. A member of the Byrds and the Flying Burrito Brothers, he has attained legendary status in the Americana world in the years since. Fun fact: It is said that Parson developed an interest in country music while attending Harvard University, which he was admitted to not based on his grades but on the basis of a strong personal essay.

1981 - Simon and Garfunkel reunited before nearly half a million fans in Central Park. The 22-song set wound up to be a best-selling album and an HBO special.

1981 - The Rolling Stones album Tattoo You started a nine-week run at No. 1 on the U.S. chart, the band's ninth U.S. No. 1.

1991 - Michael Jackson was a guest voice on The Simpsons, where he played a mental patient Homer befriends named Leon Kompowski.

1992 - Radiohead filmed the video for their new single "Creep" during a show at the Venue, in Oxford, England. During its initial release, "Creep" was not a chart success. However, upon re-release in 1993, it became a worldwide hit.

1993 - Pearl Jam released their second studio album, Vs. The album set the record for the most copies of an album sold in its first week, a record it held for five years, despite the fact that the group declined to produce music videos for any of the album's singles.

2004 - Celine Dion extended her Las Vegas show for another year. Dion was reportedly being paid $100 million for the original three-year run of five 90-minute concerts a week.

2008 - American drummer Earl Palmer died. He worked with The Beach Boys, Little Richard ('Tutti Frutti'), Frank Sinatra, Ike And Tina Turner ('River Deep, Mountain High'), The Monkees, Fats Domino ('I'm Walkin'), Neil Young, Elvis Costello, Tom Waits, The Righteous Brothers ('You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'), Randy Newman, Bonnie Raitt, Tim Buckley, Little Feat and Elvis Costello.

Birthdays:

Producer and singer Daniel Lanois is 67.

Beatles manager Brian Epstein was born today in 1934.

Nick Massi of The Four Seasons was born today in 1935.

Bill Medley of The Righteous Brothers was born today in 1940.

(Mama) Cass Elliot of The Mamas and the Papas was born today in 1941.

Daniel Lanois is 67.

Nile Rodgers of Chic is 66.

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