Today In Music: A look back at pop music

(April 18)

Today's birthdays include Clarence "Gatermouth" Brown, who was born in 1924; Manfred Mann guitarist Mike Vickers in 1942 (age 60); Lenny Baker of Sha Na Na, and Alexander "Skip" Spence of Jefferson Airplane as well as Moby Grape, both in 1946 (age 56); and Les Pattinson, bassist with Echo and the Bunnymen, in 1958 (age 44).

Today's musical milestones:

In 1936, Gene Autry recorded "Back in the Saddle Again."

In 1981, Yes broke up when drummer Alan White and bassist Chris Squire went into rehearsals with Led Zeppelin's Robert Plant and Jimmy Page for a new group that never materialized. Yes reunited in 1983.

In 1985, the first-ever Western pop album -- by Wham! -- was released in China.

In 1988, the murder trial began in Kingston, Jamaica, in the killing of reggae singer Peter Tosh.

In 1994, Mike Starr of Alice In Chains was sentenced to 30 days in a Houston jail after being convicted on drug possession charges.

In 1995, Michael Jackson and his wife, Lisa Marie Presley, hosted a three-day World Children's Congress at his Neverland Ranch in California.

Also in 1995, a Los Angeles judge appointed an administrator to manage Ruthless Records until a battle for control of the label founded by the late Eric "Eazy-E" Wright was resolved.

And in 1995, Pantera lead singer Phillip Anselmo apologized to the security guard he hit on the head during a June 1994 concert in Dairan, N.Y.

In 1997, Tupac Shakur's mother sued Death Row Records, claiming the label failed to pay royalties and also cheated her rap-artist son out of millions of dollars. Shakur had been gunned down by unknown assailants in September 1996.

In 1998, Bonnie Raitt kicked off the first leg of her "Fundamental" tour in San Diego, Calif.

In 2000, the male answer to VH1's Diva concert -- "Men Strike Back" -- featured Sting, the Backstreet Boys, Tom Jones, D'Angelo, Enrique Iglesias, Sisqo and Christina Aguilera. The show was taped at the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

In 2001, Bon Jovi launched its "One Wild Night 2001" Tour in Phoenix, Ariz.

Today's musical quiz:

What's Sisqo's real name? Answer: Sisqo was born Mark Andrews in Baltimore, Md.