Today in 1952 was almost …

… for Mary Frances Penick, better known as Skeeter Davis of the Davis Sisters, who had both her arms and legs broken in a car crash in Cincinnati. The other Davis “sister,” Betty Jack Davis, was killed in the crash.

Today in 1961, the Beatles made their debut as the house band of the Cavern Club in Liverpool, before they had recorded music of their own creation.

One year later, Robert Zimmerman had his name legally changed to Bob Dylan. Seven years to the day later, Zimmerman — I mean Dylan — left his Hibbing (Minn.) High School Class of 1959 reunion because a drunken classmate wanted to start a fight with him.

The number one song today in 1975:

Birthdays start with Edward Pattern, one of Gladys Knight’s Pips …

… born one year before Doris Kenner of the Shirelles:

Garth Hudson played keyboards for The Band:

Andrew Gold was Linda Ronstadt’s guitarist before his solo career:

Today in 1972, Brian Cole, singer of The Association, died of an overdose at 29: