1882 - One of the most recognisable classical pieces of music is Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture, and the piece debuted in Moscow, in the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, on August 20, 1882. On his 1891 visit to the United States, Tchaikovsky conducted the piece at the dedication of Carnegie Hall in New York City, and while this piece has little or no connection with United States history -besides the War of 1812 diverting the British, and freeing Napoleon to attack Russia - it is often a staple at Fourth of July celebrations, such as the annual show by the Boston Pops and at Washington DC's annual program called A Capitol Fourth. Here is a version performed by the Hallé Orchestra, and conducted by Mark Elder, at London's Royal Albert Hall during the Nation's Favourite Prom of 2004, 129 years after its debut. Now I wonder how many songs and pieces from today will be around in 129 years. What do you think, dear reader? This is totally brilliant!
1939 - Famous Orrin Tucker's orchestra recorded Oh, Johnny, Oh, Johnny, Oh today with singer Wee Bonnie Baker on lead vocals. Twenty one years later, on this black & white silver champagne TV special, a very young Peggy Lennon from the famous quartet of Lennon Sisters, sang her own version of the song on the Lawrence Welk Show. Peggy Lennon sang the high harmonies with her siblings when they shot to overnight fame in 1955, and was also known as "the Brain" because of her street-smart knowledge of show business. But in this clip, she is 19 and sings this song in a cute, demure fashion. What do you think, sickly sweet?
1960 - It is now 51 years since teen heart throb and female pop sensation, Connie Francis, began working on the movie, Where the Boys Are. The title song became a smash hit and eventually was Connie's signature tune. In this first video we see Ms. Francis belting out her smash hit out her smash hit, Where The Boys Are, during a performance for American military personnel and their families in West Berlin, Germany. The song and movie were hugely popular all over the world at the time this performance was taped. You can tell how popular by the deafening cheers from the soldiers and all the other people in that huge audience! I used computer software to try to improve the picture and sound on this old clip. I hope you like it! Following that, Connie sings her song one more time, only it's 40 years later.
1967 - It's August 19, and The New York Times reported that a new noise reduction system for album and tape recording had been developed by technicians R. and D.W. Dolby. Elektra Records' subsidiary label, Checkmate Records, became the first label to use the new Dolby process in its recordings. The Dolby Sound System has since been integrated into movie sound and is the is now the benchmark for sound systems. On the same day, two years later, Frank Zappa disbanded the Mothers of Invention right after an eight-day tour in Canada. Zappa said that he was "tired of playing for people who clap for all the wrong reasons." The word genius is totally overused, and is pertinent to very few rock music performers, but one to whom the word does apply, is the late frank Zappa. And from a year earlier on the world's best broadcaster, the BBC, this is the genius of Frank Zappa, performing his song, King Kong. We then feature a selection of performances from the great musician, including his version of Stairway to Heaven (bootleg), Jesus Thinks you're A Jerk, the amazing Bobby Brown, and finally the night he entered the Hall Of Fame…can't remember, but I think there's a David Letterman interview, too, maybe not.
1996 - Today, Snoop Doggy Dogg settled out-of-court with the Woldemariam family in a wrongful death suit that the family brought against the rapper three years earlier. Twenty-year-old Phillip Woldemariam was shot from the back of a moving car which the rapper himself drove, and killed by Snoop Doggy Dogg's body guard. The two claimed the shooting occurred in self-defence. Think many other music stars from earlier eras with similar criminal allegations and controversy. Hard to believe that the Dogg has been going for almost two decades...maybe even longer. Here he is, from the year of the settled law suit,1996, 2 Of Americas Most Wanted with Tupac and featuring Snoop Dogg.
1997 - Born in Mount Olive, Alabama, Hank Williams is stuff that music emends are made of, and following his death, aged 30, in 1953, It took 48 years for the state of Alabama to recognise their prodigal country music son. this was the day in 1997, Alabama Governor Fob James joined the mayors of Montgomery and Georgina, in the Alabama State Capital to dedicate a 50-mile stretch of Interstate 65 to the memory of Hank. The section of roadway was renamed the Hank Williams Memorial Lost Highway. I'm a great fan of Hank, his cowboy chords, his songs, and his legacy. Here's a compilation of visuals with a soundtrack of one of his biggest hit songs, The Lovesick Blues, thankfully posted by youtuber, shallowford.
1939 - Famous Orrin Tucker's orchestra recorded Oh, Johnny, Oh, Johnny, Oh today with singer Wee Bonnie Baker on lead vocals. Twenty one years later, on this black & white silver champagne TV special, a very young Peggy Lennon from the famous quartet of Lennon Sisters, sang her own version of the song on the Lawrence Welk Show. Peggy Lennon sang the high harmonies with her siblings when they shot to overnight fame in 1955, and was also known as "the Brain" because of her street-smart knowledge of show business. But in this clip, she is 19 and sings this song in a cute, demure fashion. What do you think, sickly sweet?
1960 - It is now 51 years since teen heart throb and female pop sensation, Connie Francis, began working on the movie, Where the Boys Are. The title song became a smash hit and eventually was Connie's signature tune. In this first video we see Ms. Francis belting out her smash hit out her smash hit, Where The Boys Are, during a performance for American military personnel and their families in West Berlin, Germany. The song and movie were hugely popular all over the world at the time this performance was taped. You can tell how popular by the deafening cheers from the soldiers and all the other people in that huge audience! I used computer software to try to improve the picture and sound on this old clip. I hope you like it! Following that, Connie sings her song one more time, only it's 40 years later.
1967 - It's August 19, and The New York Times reported that a new noise reduction system for album and tape recording had been developed by technicians R. and D.W. Dolby. Elektra Records' subsidiary label, Checkmate Records, became the first label to use the new Dolby process in its recordings. The Dolby Sound System has since been integrated into movie sound and is the is now the benchmark for sound systems. On the same day, two years later, Frank Zappa disbanded the Mothers of Invention right after an eight-day tour in Canada. Zappa said that he was "tired of playing for people who clap for all the wrong reasons." The word genius is totally overused, and is pertinent to very few rock music performers, but one to whom the word does apply, is the late frank Zappa. And from a year earlier on the world's best broadcaster, the BBC, this is the genius of Frank Zappa, performing his song, King Kong. We then feature a selection of performances from the great musician, including his version of Stairway to Heaven (bootleg), Jesus Thinks you're A Jerk, the amazing Bobby Brown, and finally the night he entered the Hall Of Fame…can't remember, but I think there's a David Letterman interview, too, maybe not.
1996 - Today, Snoop Doggy Dogg settled out-of-court with the Woldemariam family in a wrongful death suit that the family brought against the rapper three years earlier. Twenty-year-old Phillip Woldemariam was shot from the back of a moving car which the rapper himself drove, and killed by Snoop Doggy Dogg's body guard. The two claimed the shooting occurred in self-defence. Think many other music stars from earlier eras with similar criminal allegations and controversy. Hard to believe that the Dogg has been going for almost two decades...maybe even longer. Here he is, from the year of the settled law suit,1996, 2 Of Americas Most Wanted with Tupac and featuring Snoop Dogg.
1997 - Born in Mount Olive, Alabama, Hank Williams is stuff that music emends are made of, and following his death, aged 30, in 1953, It took 48 years for the state of Alabama to recognise their prodigal country music son. this was the day in 1997, Alabama Governor Fob James joined the mayors of Montgomery and Georgina, in the Alabama State Capital to dedicate a 50-mile stretch of Interstate 65 to the memory of Hank. The section of roadway was renamed the Hank Williams Memorial Lost Highway. I'm a great fan of Hank, his cowboy chords, his songs, and his legacy. Here's a compilation of visuals with a soundtrack of one of his biggest hit songs, The Lovesick Blues, thankfully posted by youtuber, shallowford.
