Today in Music: a look back at pop music

(April 1)

Today's birthdays include Debbie Reynolds, who was born in 1932 (age 71); country's Jim Ed Brown in 1934 (age 69); Rudolph Isley of the Isley Brothers in 1939 (age 64); The Tokens' Phil Margo in 1942 (age 61); John Barbata, who sat behind the drum kit for the Turtles as well as for Jefferson Starship, in 1945 (age 57); Arthur Conley in 1946 (age 56); the late Ronnie Lane of Faces in 1948; Billy Currie of Ultravox in 1952 (age 50); Toto's Jeff Porcaro in 1954; ABC's Mark White in 1961 (age 41); and actress/singer Bijou Phillips in 1980 (age 22).

Today's musical milestones:

In 1957, Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers opened a tour of the United Kingdom at London's Palladium.

In 1966, David Bowie's first solo single, "Do Anything You Say," was released.

In 1967, the Country Music Hall of Fame opened in Nashville.

In 1969, the Beach Boys filed a $2 million lawsuit against Capitol Records to recover royalties and producers' fees for Brian Wilson.

In 1977, the three-day Mar y Sol rock festival opened in Puerto Rico. On the bill: the Allman Brothers Band, Emerson Lake and Palmer, B.B. King, the J. Geils Band and Black Sabbath.

In 1984, Marvin Gaye Jr. was shot to death by his father, one day before his 45th birthday.

In 1987, the Smithsonian Institute announced it was acquiring Folkways Records, the largest catalog of folk recordings in the world.

In 1991, in an April Fool's Day prank, Elton John -- dressed in drag -- surprised Rod Stewart onstage in London.

In 1992, British rocker Billy Idol was sentenced to two years' probation for punching a woman in the face the previous October.

Also in 1992, the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences announced the 1993 Grammys would be held in Los Angeles after two years in New York.

In 1993, Carole King, Bonnie Rait, David Crosby, Kenny Loggins, Phish and Heart's Ann and Nancy Wilson headlined a free concert in Portland, Ore., to drum up support to preserve old-growth forests.

In 1995, it was announced that Aerosmith's Joe Perry had written the theme song for the new "Spider-Man" cartoon series on Fox TV.

In 1996, The Artist Formerly Known As Prince announced that he and his bride, Mayte Garcia, were expecting their first child in November. The baby was born prematurely in mid-October -- suffering from a severe birth defect -- and died a week later.

In 1998, the first annual Playboy Bacardi New Music Concert Series opened in Tallahassee, Fla., with Jimmie's Chicken Shack headlining.

Also in 1998, rapper Sean "Puffy" Combs became a father for the second time when his girlfriend, Kim Porter, gave birth to a baby boy in New York City. The couple named the child Christopher Casey Combs after the late rapper Notorious B-I-G, whose real name was Christopher Wallace.

Today's musical quiz:

Ronnie Lane did a lot of fundraising for research into what disease? Answer: Multiple sclerosis. Lane suffered from MS.