History Highlight:

On this day in 1980, John Lennon was shot and killed in New York City. Lennon is one of the most famous and iconic musicians of all time, best-known as one of the members of the Beatles, for his subsequent solo career and for his political activism and pacifism. John would have been 83 had his life not been taken 43 years ago.

Also, in:

1961 - The Beach Boys' first single "Surfin'" was released. On the strength of the song's performance in the Southern California market, Capitol Records signed the group. Other surfing songs would follow: "Surfin' Safari", "Surfin' U.S.A.", and "Surfer Girl."

1963 - Frank Sinatra Jr. was kidnapped at gunpoint from a hotel in Lake Tahoe. He was released two days later after his father paid out the $240,000 ransom demanded by the kidnappers, who were later captured,and sentenced to long prison terms. In order to communicate with the kidnappers via a payphone the senior Sinatra carried a roll of dimes with him throughout this ordeal, which became a lifelong habit. He is said to have been buried with a roll of dimes.

1966 - Working at Abbey Road in London, Paul McCartney overdubbed his lead vocal for "When I'm Sixty-Four". Then The Beatles set about remaking a new John Lennon song "Strawberry Fields Forever".

1968 - Singer and guitarist Graham Nash left The Hollies and started work with David Crosby and Stephen Stills who went on to form Crosby Stills and Nash.

1969 - The GTO's (Girls Together Outrageously) release their only album, Permanent Damage, with Frank Zappa producing. The band is entirely made up of "groupies." The lineup consists of Pamela Miller (later Des Barres), Mercy Fontenot, Cynthia Wells (later Cale-Binion), Christine Frka, Lucy Offerall, Sandra Rowe and Sandy Parker.

1973 - Roxy Music had their first U.K. No. 1 album when Stranded went to the top for one week. The sleeve featured Playboy's Playmate of The Year, model Marilyn Cole.

1976 - The Eagles released Hotel California.

1979 - Styx went to No. 1 on the U.S. singles chart with "Babe".

1984 - Frankie Goes To Hollywood were at No. 1 on the U.K. singles chart with "The Power Of Love".

2013 - Metallica played a gig inside a dome at the Argentine Antarctic Base Carlini, thus becoming the first band ever to play on all seven continents.

2019 - Rapper Juice Wrld died at the age of 21 in Oak Lawn, Illinois.

2021 - Reggae bassist Robbie Shakespeare of Sly and Robbie died at the age of 68 in Miami.

Birthdays:

Floyd Tillman (“They Took the Stars Out of Heaven”) was born today in 1914.

Jean “Mother of Folk” Ritchie was born today in 1922.

Sammy Davis Jr. was born on this day in 1925.

The Impressions singer Jerry Butler is 85.

Soko Richardson — drummer for John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers and Ike & Tina Turner Revue (“Proud Mary”) — was born today in 1939.

The Hollies drummer Bobby Elliott is 83.

Toots Hibbert of Toots and the Maytals was born on this day in 1942.

The Doors singer Jim Morrison was born today in 1943.

Bertie Higgins (“Key Largo”) is 80.

Bread drummer Mike Botts was born today in 1944.

The Allman Brothers Band frontman and keyboard player Gregg Allman was born today in 1947.

Dan Hartman — who wrote “Free Ride” as a member of Edgar Winter Group and “I Can Dream About You” as a solo artist — was born today in 1950.

Warren Cuccurullo of Missing Persons and Duran Duran is 68.

Def Leppard guitar player Phil Collen is 67.

Frankie Goes To Hollywood singer Paul Rutherford is 65.

Megadeth's Marty Friedman is 62.

Sinéad O'Connor was born today in 1966. She passed away on July 26, 2023.

Bushwick Bill of the Geto Boys was born today in 1966.

Corey Taylor of Slipknot and Stone Sour is 51.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs guitar player Nick Zinner is 50.

Ingrid Michaelson is 45.

Chrisette Michele is 42.

Nicki Minaj is 42.

Serena Ryder is 42.

Sam Hunt is 40.

Highlights for Today in Music History are gathered from This Day in Music, Song Facts and Wikipedia.