History highlight:

Today in 1981, Brandi Carlile was born, making her 43 today. Carlile has released six studio albums, won six Grammys, and formed a quartet with Amanda Shires, Maren Morris and Natalie Hemby called the Highwomen. She has said that her music has gone through all sorts of phases from pop to blues to R&B, "but no matter what I do, I just can't get the country and western out of my voice." In 2021, she released the memoir Broken Horses, which she named after the injured animals that were all her family could afford for her in the equine arena.

Also, today in:

1966 - During a 12-hour session at Abbey Road studios, the Beatles added overdubs on "Yellow Submarine," with John Lennon blowing bubbles in a bucket of water and shouting "Full speed ahead, Mister Captain!" Roadie Mal Evans played on a bass drum strapped to his chest, marching around the studio with the Beatles following in a conga line, all singing "We all live in a yellow submarine.” 

1968 - Simon and Garfunkel went to No. 1 on the U.S. singles chart with "Mrs. Robinson," which was featured in the film The Graduate. The song, which contains a nod to the Beatles' "I Am the Walrus" ("coo-coo-ca-choo") and a mention of baseball great Joe DiMaggio, went on to win two Grammy Awards in 1969. It became the first rock song to win Record of the Year, and it also won the Grammy for Best Contemporary-Pop Performance - Vocal Duo or Group. 

1969 - The Plastic Ono Band recorded "Give Peace a Chance" during a 'bed-in' at the Hotel La Reine in Montreal. Producer Phil Spector, poet Allan Ginsberg and writer Timothy Leary all sang on the song. 

1971 - The two-room shack in Tupelo, Miss., where Elvis Presley was born on Jan. 8, 1935, was opened to the public as a tourist attraction. 

1972 - Aretha Franklin's live album Amazing Grace, a collection of spirituals recorded at a church in January, was released. Anchored by Franklin's stunning rendition of "Amazing Grace," it became her best-selling album. 

1975 - The Rolling Stones kicked off their biggest ever U.S. tour at Louisiana State University. The tour would take in 45 shows in 26 cities. Guitarist Ron Wood joined the Stones on tour for the first time, replacing Mick Taylor. 

1976 - The Runaways released their self-titled debut album. 

1985 - Prince and the Revolution started a three-week run at No. 1 on the U.S. album chart with Around the World in a Day. 

1991 - American soul singer David Ruffin of the Temptations died of a drug overdose. 

2001 - The movie Moulin Rouge!, directed by Baz Luhrmann, opened in theaters. It featured covers of "Nature Boy" by David Bowie, "Diamond Dogs" by Beck, and "Lady Marmalade" by Missy Elliott, Christina Aguilera, Lil' Kim, Mya, and Pink. Kylie Minogue made an appearance in the movie as the Green Fairy. 

2005 - White Stripes singer Jack White married his girlfriend, British model Karen Elson, in a canoe on the Amazon River in Brazil. The ceremony was officiated by a shaman. The couple had two kids together and divorced in 2013. 

2008 - A fire at Universal Studios Hollywood destroys thousands of master tapes controlled by Universal Music Group, including recordings by Joni Mitchell, Elton John, B.B. King, Neil Diamond, Nirvana and Eminem. The extent of the loss is not revealed until years later. 

2013 - Modern Vampires of the City by Vampire Weekend went to No. 1 on the U.S. album charts. 

2015 - Folk singer Jean Ritchie died at the age of 92.

2017 - Thanks to the song by Eminem, the word "stan" was added to the Oxford American Dictionary, defined as "an overzealous or obsessive fan of a particular celebrity." 

2019 - Tyler, The Creator's offbeat album Igor debuts at #1 in the US, beating the far more traditional and trendy Father Of Asahd by DJ Khaled, the heavy favorite. Igor goes on to win the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album. 

Birthdays: 

Nelson Riddle was born today in 1921. 

Andy Griffith was born today in 1926.

Pat Boone is 90.

Linda Scott (“I’ve Told Every Star”) is 79. 

Ronnie Wood of The Rolling Stones, The Faces and the Jeff Beck Group is 77.

Charlene (“I’ve Never Been to Me”) is 74.

Ronnie Dunn of Brooks & Dunn is 71. 

Depeche Mode keyboardist Alan Wilder is 65. 

Simon Gallup of the Cure is 64. 

Mike Joyce of the Smiths is 61. 

Alanis Morissette is 50. 

Rahim Redcar, formerly known as Christine and the Queens, is 36.

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