History Highlight:

On this day in 1969, Justine Frischmann was born in London, making her 55 today. Frischmann began studying music at age 11, and while earning a degree in architecture at University College London, Frischmann co-founded the band Suede, but left the lineup in 1991. In 1992, together with former Suede bandmate — drummer Justin Welch — Frischmann co-founded the band Elastica. In March 1995, Elastica released their self-titled debut album, and it soared to No. 1 in the U.K. album charts and also sold very well in the United States. By year’s end, Billboard reported Elastica had sold more than one million copies worldwide, anchored by such tracks as “Connection,” “Line Up” and “Car Song.” After Elastica’s amicable breakup in 2001, Frischmann discovered and helped develop the artist M.I.A. In 2005, following the release of M.I.A.’s debut album, Frischmann moved to Boulder, Colorado, to study art. She is now a visual artist living in the Bay Area of California.

Also, Today In:

1968 - Bobbie Gentry and Glen Campbell released their self-titled duo album, which produced a major hit with their cover of “Let It Be Me.” The album itself topped several charts and was certified gold by the RIAA.

1970 - Led Zeppelin displaced The Beatles as the U.K.'s most popular band. The Fab Four had been tops since 1963. The poll was conducted by Melody Maker magazine.

1972 - Featuring the soon-to-be No. 1 single "Papa Was A Rolling Stone," All Directions by The Temptations entered the album charts.

1977 - Pioneer Britpop legend Marc Bolan of T. Rex died in an automobile crash in England. Bolan was one of the first pioneers of the glam rock movement of the 1970s.

1977 - Talking Heads release their debut studio album, Talking Heads: 77, featuring their first chart hit, "Psycho Killer," a song written four years earlier at the Rhode Island School of Design.

1979 - The Sugarhill Gang's "Rapper's Delight" was released. Although it was not the first single to feature rapping, it is generally considered to be the song that first popularized hip hop in the United States and around the world. The song's opening lyric, "I said a hip hop, the hippie, the hippie to the hip-hip-hop and you don't stop," is world-renowned. The song is ranked No. 251 in Rolling Stone list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time and No. 2 on both About.com's and VH1's 100 Greatest Hip-Hop Songs.

1985 - Kate Bush released her fifth studio album, Hounds of Love. It features "Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)," the title track, “Cloudbusting,” and “The Big Sky.”

1985 - The Waterboys released their third studio album, This Is the Sea. It features “The Whole of the Moon” and “Don’t Bang the Drum.”

1988 - Former Clash drummer Topper Headon was released from jail after serving 10 months of a 15-month sentence on a narcotics charge.

2004 - Weather Girls singer Izora Armstead died aged 62 of heart failure at a hospital in East San Francisco.

2006 - Bob Dylan was at No. 1 on the U.S. album chart with Modern Times. The LP entered the U.S. charts at No. 1, making it Dylan's first album to reach that position since 1976's Desire, 30 years earlier.

2008 - Motown songwriter and producer Norman Whitfield died in Los Angeles from complications of diabetes and other illnesses. Whitfield collaborated with Barrett Strong on such hits as "I Heard It through the Grapevine," "Ain't Too Proud to Beg," "(I Know) I'm Losing You," "Cloud Nine," "War," "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" and "Car Wash."

2011 - Blues singer and drummer, Willie "Big Eyes" Smith dies following a stroke at age 75.

2013 - Jackie Lomax died at his home in England at age 69. He first gained notice as the vocalist and bass player with The Undertakers and was later one of the first artists to sign with The Beatles label, Apple, with George Harrison penning his single "Sour Milk Sea".

2014 - At a pop-up shop in New York City that re-creates the Central Perk coffee shop from the TV show Friends, Danny Wilde and Phil Solem of The Rembrandts reunite to perform the show's theme song. The event marks the 20th anniversary of the show's first episode.

2018 - English musician and record producer Maartin Allcock died at age 61. He was a member of British folk rock band Fairport Convention and Jethro Tull and also played keyboards for The Mission.

Birthdays:

B.B. King was born today in 1925. He passed in 2015.

Ronnie Drew of the Dubliners was born today in 1934.

Joe Butler of the Lovin Spoonful is 83.

Bernie Calvert of the Hollies is 82.

Betty Kelly of Martha and the Vandellas is 80.

Ron Blair, bassist for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, is 76.

Kenney Jones — drummer for Small Faces, Faces, and the Who — is 76.

David Bellamy of the Bellamy Brothers is 74.

Alt-country singer-songwriter Vince Bell is 73.

Alan Barton of Black Lace (“Agadoo”) was born today in 1953.

Earl Klugh — Grammy-winning jazz guitarist who has collaborated with Bob James, George Benson, and more — is 71.

Colin Newman, frontman for Wire, is 70.

Frank Reed of the Chi-Lites is 70.

Vicki Blue, former bassist in the Runaways, is 65.

Dave Blood of the Dead Milkmen was born today in 1956.

Bilinda Butcher, vocalist and guitarist for My Bloody Valentine, is 63.

Singer-songwriter Richard Marx is 61.

Dave Sabo (aka "The Snake") of Skid Row is 60.

Salsa pop star Marc Anthony is 56.

Justine Frischmann, frontwoman of Elastica, is 55.

Musiq Soulchild is 47.

Flo Rida is 45.

Katie Melua is 40.

Teddy Geiger is 36.

Nick Jonas is 32.

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