Today In Music: A look back at pop music

(March 4)

Today's birthdays include Bobby Womack, who was born in 1944 (age 58); Mary Wilson, an original member of the Supremes, also in 1944 (age 58); Sugarloaf bassist Bob Raymond in 1946 (age 56); Yes bassist Chris Squire in 1948 (age 54); Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top in 1950 (age 52); singer/songwriter Chris Rea in 1951 (age 51); Emilio Estefan, husband of Gloria, in 1953 (age 49); and Evan Dando of the Lemonheads in 1967 (age 35).

Today's musical milestones:

In 1955, Charlie "Bird" Parker made his last public appearance -- at New York's Birdland, the club named after him. He died eight days later.

In 1966, John Lennon was quoted in the London Evening Standard saying the Beatles "are more popular than Jesus Christ." The comment touched off international protests and many incidents of Beatles record-smashing and -burning.

In 1969, a daughter was born to Sonny and Cher. They named her Chastity.

In 1972, the Rolling Stones played the first date of the band's "farewell" tour of Britain before going into tax exile in France.

In 1973, Pink Floyd launched the U.S. leg of its "Dark Side of the Moon" tour in Madison, Wis.

In 1977, the Rolling Stones played a rare club date at the El Macombo in Toronto. The session was recorded for the "Love You Live" album.

In 1980, the Loretta Lynn film biography "Coal Miner's Daughter" premiered in Nashville.

In 1984, Blondie guitarist Chris Stein was hospitalized in New York for an undisclosed ailment.

In 1986, Richard Manual -- an original member of The Band -- hanged himself in a Winter Park, Fla., motel room. He left no suicide note.

In 1991, Garth Brooks received seven nominations for the Academy of Country Music Awards.

In 1992, Sonny Bono officially filed for the Republican primary for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by California Democrat Alan Cranston. He lost.

In 1993, Whitney Houston gave birth to a girl -- her first child.

Also in 1993, jazz and blues legend Art Hodes died in suburban Chicago at the age of 88.

In 1994, Nirvana's Kurt Cobain was hospitalized in Rome in a coma following a prescription drug/alcohol overdose. It would later be revealed that the OD was probably not an accident. Cobain would successfully kill himself a month later.

In 1997, Crosby Stills and Nash performed a benefit concert in Hollywood for the UCLA Division of Digestive Diseases, where David Crosby had his lifesaving liver transplant a couple of years earlier.

Also in 1997, Supertramp announced the upcoming release of a new studio album -- the first for the band in 10 years -- and plans for a comeback world tour.

Today's musical quiz:

This 1969 movie was written by Sonny Bono and starred Cher. What was the title? Answer: "Chastity."