Today in 1968, Jimi Hendrix recorded “All Along the Watchtower,” musically assisted by Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones and Dave Mason of Traffic:

The number one album today in 1978 was the best selling movie soundtrack of all time:

The number one single today in 1984:

The number one British album today in 1989 was “The Legendary Roy Orbison,” six weeks after his death:

Think of this as Chastity, I mean Chaz, Bono in reverse: Today in 2003, David Palmer, former keyboard player for Jethro Tull, had a sex-change operation and changed his/her name to Dee:

The first birthday today is not a musical birthday: Telly Savalas:

Wolfman Jack, of radio, TV and “American Graffiti”:

Richie Havens …

… was born one year before Edwin Starr …

… who was born the same day as Mac Davis:

Who was Leslie Charles? You knew him as Billy Ocean:

Two deaths of note today: Jackie Wilson today in 1984, eight years after he suffered a massive heart attack while singing in New Jersey …

… and Peggy Lee today in 2002:

• Music