1958 - Elvis Presley goes to the Memphis Draft Board and enters the United States Army. While stationed at Fort Hood, Texas, he commences advanced tank training. Elvis is an exemplary soldier and earns medals for marksmanship in addition to sergeant's stripes. Unfortunately, he also picks up an amphetamine habit that will eventually contribute to his death. In the meantime, he meets 14-year-old Priscilla Beaulieu, the stepdaughter of an Air Force captain, whom he'll marry in 1967.
1962 - Mick Jagger and Keith Richards perform their first paid gig when they appear as Little Boy Blue & the Blue Boys at a club in Ealing, England.
1973 - Lou Reed was bitten on the buttocks by a zealous fan at a concert in Buffalo, N.Y. This is not a joke. The display of affection happened as Reed got ready to play the classic Velvet Underground tune "Waitin' For The Man." The crazed fan — screaming, "Leather!" — evaded security as he attacked Reed. The fan was ejected, and Reed commented afterward that the U.S. "seems to breed real animals."
1977 - Fleetwood Mac released 'Dreams' from their album Rumours which became their first and only US No.1 hit single. Stevie Nicks wrote the song in early 1976 at the Record Plant studio in Sausalito, California in around 10 minutes, on a day when she wasn't required in the main studio. It was penned in the studio next door where Sly Stone was recording. He had a big, semicircular bed and red velvet all over the walls - a great vibe for a song about romantic entanglements.
Birthdays:
Lee Oskar from War is 74.
Nick Lowe — a noted figure in power pop and new wave — was born on this day in 1949, making him 73 today. Lowe is best known for the songs “Cruel To Be Kind” and “(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding,” which Elvis Costello turned into a hit. He was also a member of the pub rock group Brinsley Schwarz and Rockpile. Happy birthday to this English performer, producer, and songwriter extraordinaire. (Photo credit should read GARI GARAIALDE/AFP via Getty Images)
Dougie Thomson of Supertramp is 71.
Nena is 62.
Patterson Hood of Drive-By Truckers is 58.
Sharon Corr, vocalist and violinist of the Corrs, is 52.
Vincent Mason, aka Pasemaster Mace of De La Soul, is 52.
Highlights for Today in Music History are gathered from This Day in Music, Song Facts and Wikipedia.