Mark Twain is born, Lucy and Desi elope, civil war breaks out in Palestine, Bing and Bowie sing a Christmas duet, and Michael Jackson's "Thriller" is released, all on this day.
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1978: Singer Clay Aiken, who rose to fame by finishing second to Ruben Studdard on the second season of the reality TV singing competition "American Idol" in 2003, is born in Raleigh, N.C.