Today in Music: a look back at pop music

(Sept. 15)

Today's birthdays include the late country singer Roy Acuff, who was born in 1903; singer/pianist Bobby Short in 1926 (age 76); and Iron Butterfly bassist Lee Dorman in 1942 (age 60).

Today's musical milestones:

In 1962, the Four Seasons topped the U.S. singles chart for the first time with "Sherry."

In 1974, Uriah Heep bassist Gary Thain was nearly electrocuted onstage in Dallas.

In 1979, Bob Dylan released "Slow Train Coming," an album of religious songs.

In 1980, David Bowie made his Broadway debut as "The Elephant Man."

In 1992, a federal investigation cited pilot error as the probable cause of the Aug. 27, 1990, helicopter crash in southeastern Wisconsin that killed guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan and four other people.

In 1993, rain failed to dampen the spirits of most of the 70,000 people attending Michael Jackson's outdoor concert in Moscow.

Also in 1993, the James Brown Soul Center of the Universe Bridge was dedicated in Steamboat Springs, Colo.

In 1994, a Los Angeles judge ruled Michael Jackson didn't have to answer questions about the child molestation accusations made against him in a lawsuit filed by five ex-bodyguards. The bodyguards claimed they were fired because they knew too much. The former employees eventually lost their suit.

Also in 1994, EMI paid $122,500 dollars for a 1957 John Lennon recording of The Quarry Men made on the same day he met Paul McCartney. At the same London auction -- but a day earlier -- U2's Bono paid $53,400 dollars for Charlie Chaplin's costume from "The Great Dictator."

In 1996, Bonnie Raitt was among about 150 people arrested in Carlotta, Calif., during a protest of plans to log the world's largest privately owned stand of ancient redwood trees.

In 1997, British rock stars -- including Elton John, Sting, Eric Clapton and Paul McCartney -- performed a benefit concert in London to raise money for the volcano-ravaged Caribbean island of Montserrat.

In 1998, a notebook containing working drafts of the Beatles songs "Hey Jude" and "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" was sold to a Liverpool man for $168,000 dollars at Sotheby's auction of rock'n'roll memorabilia in London.

Today's musical quiz:

Did variety show host Ed Sullivan ever record a rock song? Answer: Yes. Sullivan tried to spark a new dance craze with "The Sulli-Gulli" in 1969. His first and only rock record was not a hit.