Today in Music: a look back at pop music

(April 7)

Today's birthdays include Percy Faith, who was born in 1908; jazz singer Billie Holiday in 1915; sitar player Ravi Shankar in 1920 (age 83); country's Bobby Bare in 1935 (age 68); Freddie Hubbard in 1938 (age 65); guitarist Mick Abrahams of Jethro Tull and Blodwyn Pig, and Spencer Dryden -- drummer with Jefferson Airplane and also New Riders of the Purple Sage -- both in 1943 (age 60); Chiffons' singer Patricia Bennett in 1947 (age 56); John Oates of Hall and Oates in 1949 (age 54); Janis Ian in 1951 (age 52); and Knack drummer Bruce Gary in 1952 (age 51).

Today's musical milestones:

In 1962, future Rolling Stones Mick Jagger and Keith Richards met Brian Jones -- then performing as Elmo Lewis -- at a London blues hangout called the Ealing Club.

In 1977, The Clash released its self-titled debut album.

In 1981, guitarist Steve Marriott -- formerly with Faces and then with Humble Pie -- accidentally crushed his fingers in a revolving door in Chicago.

In 1985, Wham! became the first major western rock band to perform in China. 12,000 Chinese fans showed up for the band's concert in Beijing.

Also in 1985, Prince announced after a show at Miami's Orange Bowl that he was retiring from live performing. He didn't.

In 1987, Ozzy Osbourne sent evangelist Oral Roberts $1 for "psychiatric treatment" after Roberts announced that God would take his life unless he received $1 million in donations.

In 1993, the rock group Extreme and R&B singer Bobby Brown were the big winners at the seventh annual Boston Music Awards.

Also in 1993, members of the rap group Onyx roughed up a bootlegger in lower Manhattan. No charges were filed.

In 1994, Courtney Love -- the wife of Nirvana's Kurt Cobain -- was arrested on drug charges in Beverly Hills, Calif., one day before her husband was found dead in Seattle. The charges against Love eventually were dropped when it turned out the "drugs" in question was prescription medication.

In 1995, rocker Eddie Van Halen was briefly detained after he tried to carry a loaded gun onto a commercial flight. He later pleaded no contest and was fined $300.

Also in 1995, hundreds turned out at a South-Central Los Angeles church for a memorial service for rapper Eric "Eazy-E" Wright, who'd died of AIDS.

In 1997, Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher married actress Patsy Kensit in a secret civil ceremony in London. It was the first marriage for him, and the third for her.

Also in 1997, the University of Amsterdam began offering a course titled "Madonna 101," a pop culture class studying the singer's lyrics, song stylings and films.

In 1998, George Michael was arrested and charged with "engaging in a lewd act" in a Beverly Hills, Calif., park restroom. He would later plead "no contest" to the charges.

Also in 1998, Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee pleaded "no contest" to felony spousal abuse charges in connection with his attack two months earlier on his wife, former "Baywatch" actress Pamela Anderson.

Today's musical quiz:

Why couldn't Bobby Bare tour when his 1959 hit single "All American Boy" was released? Answer: Bare was in the U.S. Army, so fellow singer Bill Parsons toured in his place, lip-synching to the record.