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."

1969 - A DJ on Detroit's WKNR radio station received a phone call telling him that if you play The Beatles 'Strawberry Fields Forever' backwards, you hear John Lennon say the words "I buried Paul." This started a worldwide rumour that Paul McCartney was dead.

1969 - Martie Maguire of the Dixie Chicks is born. A founding member of both the Dixie Chicks and country blue grass duo, Court Yard Hounds, Maguire won awards in national fiddle championships while still a teenager and is skilled in mandolin, viola, double bass, guitar, backing vocals, and orchestrating string arrangements.

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

1978 - Sid Vicious of The Sex Pistols was arrested for the murder of his girlfriend, Nancy Spungen, who he found dead in the bathroom of their hotel room with a stab wound to her abdomen. Vicious dies of a heroin overdose before he can be tried for the murder.

1979 - Fleetwood Mac releases Tusk, their first album since the wildly successful Rumours in 1977. A double album with less commercial appeal, Mick Fleetwood credits it with keeping the band together, as the band members were free to experiment.

1985 - Guitarist Ricky Wilson, founding member of the B-52s, died on this day in 1985 of complications from AIDS. All the members of the band (including Ricky's sister, Cindy) came together in 1976 over their shared love dance and surf music. Although Wilson passed before the band's biggest commercial success, his guitar style and unusual tunings helped make the B-52s one of the most distinctive bands in New Wave history.

1995 - Tupac Shakur was released from Clinton Correctional Prison on $1.4 million bail which was posted by Suge Knight. In return 2Pac signed a three album deal with Knight's Death Row Records.

1996 - One of these things is not like the other. Here's what the US albums chart looks like: No. 1 Celine Dion - Falling Into You, No. 2 Kenny G - The Moment, No. 3 Marilyn Manson - Antichrist Superstar.

1997 - With Backstreet Boys mania building worldwide, the group had to cancel a free, open-air concert at the Mostenses Plaza in Madrid when too many fans show up.

2003 - Rapper 50 Cent took home all five trophies for which he is nominated at the World Music Awards, held in Monaco. Russian teen duo t.A.T.u. picks up three awards, while Norah Jones and Eminem win two.

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.

2009 - Michael Jackson's from-the-vaults track "This Is It" is released as a promotional single to accompany the concert documentary of the same name. It's the first release since his death in June.

Birthdays:

Luciano Pavarotti was born today in 1935.

Sam Moore of Sam & Dave is 85.

Melvin Franklin of the Temptations was born today in 1942.

Martie Maguire of The Chicks 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.