Archive for October, 2009

On this day in 1970, Neil Diamond received a gold record for his song, ‘Cracklin’ Rosie’. It turns out he was going to need a few more mounts for those records.

After Diamond had signed a deal with the MCA Records label of Universal Pictures’ parent company, MCA Inc., whose label was then called the Uni Records label in the late 1960s, he moved to Los Angeles, California in 1970. His sound mellowed, with such songs as “Sweet Caroline,” “Holly Holy,” “‘Cracklin’ Rosie,” and the country-and-western tinged “Song Sung Blue,” the last two of which reached #1 on the Hot 100. “Sweet Caroline” was Diamond’s first major hit after his slump. Diamond recently admitted in 2007 that he had written “Sweet Caroline” for Caroline Kennedy after seeing her on the cover of Life Magazine in an equestrian riding outfit. It took him just one hour, in a Memphis hotel, to write and compose it. The 1971 “I Am…I Said” was a top five hit in both the U.S. and UK, and was his most intensely personal effort to date, taking upwards of four months to complete.

On this day in 1881 there was a gunfight. A gunfight at the O.K. Corral.

Doc Holliday joined the Earp brothers, Wyatt, Virgil, and Morgan, in the gunfight at the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, AZ. They went up against members of the Clanton gang of suspected cattle rustlers. Wyatt Earp and Billy Clanton opened the battle — the most famous gunfight of the Old West — with Doc shooting Billy in the chest. Less than thirty seconds later, three men lay dead and three were wounded. Doc had shot each of the dead cowboys at least once. Virgil had been shot in the leg and Morgan through both shoulders. Holliday was wounded in the hip. Only Wyatt Earp survived the fight untouched.

There is a lot of debate about what really happened that day. Can you imagine if people had a camcorder back then? The movies are good, but it would be awesome to have seen the real thing.

On this day in 1945, actress Ava Gardner made news. What did she do? No, she didn’t set a record selling horse supplies or win the academy award. She married bandleader Artie Shaw.

She married Mickey Rooney in 1942, Artie Shaw in 1945, and then Frank Sinatra in 1951. She was married three times in 8 years. A record? Not really, but look at the names. Wow.

On this day in 1972, John C. Fogerty and Creedence Clearwater Revival went their separate ways. One of the best bands ever. I could listen to CCR anytime. Driving, walking, working in the yard, writing a diet pill review, you name it.

Despite the relatively poor reception of Mardi Gras and deteriorated inter-group relationships, the band immediately embarked upon a two-month, 20-date U.S. tour. Hecklers reportedly pelted the band with coins at the final stop of the tour on May 22 in Denver.[citation needed] Finally, on October 16, 1972 – less than six months later – Fantasy Records and the band officially announced the disbanding of Creedence Clearwater Revival.

Wow. I just mentioned Lucille Ball in my previous post and there we are celebrating the debut of “I Love Lucy”.

I Love Lucy is an American television sitcom, starring Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, Vivian Vance and William Frawley. The black-and-white series originally ran from October 15, 1951 to April 1, 1960 on CBS (including The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour). Although the original series ended in 1957, the show continued on for three more seasons with 13 one-hour specials, running from 1957 to 1960, known first as The Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Show and later in reruns as The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour.

I Love Lucy was the most-watched show in the United States in four of its six seasons, and was the first to end its run at the top of the ratings (to be matched only by The Andy Griffith Show and Seinfeld), although it did not have a formal series finale episode. I Love Lucy is still syndicated in dozens of languages across the world.

Now stop looking for vacation hotspots at those orlando florida hotels, and watch an episode of Lucy. You’ll be glad you did.

Ethel Merman was awesome. In an era where performers actually cared more about their performamces than how they appeared. In an age without too much word about an appetite suppressant or any other body enhancers, Merman was a stand out.

They have quite a few numbers of hers on YouTube, but nothing really beats her signature song, does it? I especially love the clips of her when she appeared with Lucille Ball. Now that was the golden age of television. That woman definitely had lungs, didn’t she?

What would you expect to find on a little street in Singapore? Gifts for the family? Delicious foods? how to get rid of acne? How about Frank Sinatra?

On this day in 1939, Harry James and his band recorded, “On A Little Street In Singapore” with Frank Sinatra as the featured vocalist.

This isn’t the Sinatra cover, but at least you can hear it.

On this day in 1997, John Denver died.

On October 12, 1997, Denver was killed when the Long-EZ aircraft he was piloting crashed just off the coast of California at Pacific Grove, shortly after taking off from the Monterey Peninsula Airport.

The Long-EZ is a two-seat experimental aircraft, designed in the 1970s by Burt Rutan. Denver’s particular plane, N555JD, bought used, had been changed from Rutan’s original published plans: the fuel tank selector valve had been moved from a location just aft of the nose gear wheel housing and between the pilot’s legs to the bulkhead behind and to the left of the pilot’s (front) seat.[10] This is of possible significance because it is believed Denver may have lost control of the aircraft during attempts to operate the fuel selector valve after running out of fuel in one tank. Witnesses stated that the plane made a sudden pitch-down plunge into the water, leading to speculation that, in reaching around to the rear, Denver bumped or kicked the side-stick control. The official investigation decided that he had likely inadvertently pushed the right rudder pedal trying to gain leverage to turn in his seat to reach the fuel handle.

I was sitting here tonight trying to decide if I wanted to write a colon cleanse review or watch a movie. The movie won.

So what should I watch? I think I’ll watch “The Old Man And The Sea” which was released on this day in 1958.

An old Cuban fisherman goes out to get fish, something he has not done well at for the last three months. He catches a huge one which is devoured by sharks before he can land it.

On this day in 1970, Neil Diamond hit #1 with Cracklin’ Rosie. Cracklin’ Rosie made a great statement and it had nothing to do with the best weight loss pills.

Neil Leslie Diamond (born January 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Diamond is one of pop music’s most enduring and successful singer-songwriters. As a successful pop music performer, Diamond scored a number of hits worldwide in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. According to David Wild, common themes in Diamond’s songs are: “A deep sense of isolation and an equal desire for connection. A yearning for home – and at the same time, the allure of greater freedom. The good, the bad and the ugly about a crazy little thing called love.”

As of 2001[update] Diamond has 115 million records sales worldwide, including 48 million records in the U.S. In terms of Billboard chart success, he is the third most successful Adult Contemporary artist ever, ranking behind only Barbra Streisand and Elton John.