[buddyjh]

291st day of 2009 - 74 remaining

Sunday, October 18, 2009
MR. ROCK ’N’ ROLL DAY

Between St. Louis and outer space, there is only one person who can stand up and be saluted with the refrain, “Hail! Hail! Rock ‘n’ Roll.” Born Charles Edward Anderson Berry in St. Louis, Missouri on this day in 1926, ‘Chuck’ Berry was destined to become a musical icon, the creative artist who established rock ‘n’ roll as its own art form.

With influences like Nat King Cole and Muddy Waters, Berry led the Sir John’s Trio, which soon became the Chuck Berry Combo, to big success at the well-known Cosmopolitan Club in St. Louis. It was 1955, and Chuck Berry was ready to move on to bigger things like a recording contract. Muddy Waters introduced him to Leonard Chess (Chess Records). As fate would have it, it wasn’t a rhythm and blues song that influenced Chess to sign Berry, but a country number, Ida Red, the forerunner of Maybellene.

Maybellene was true to Chuck Berry, kick-starting his trip to stardom. When it hit #5 on the Billboard pop charts, Berry became a rarity … a black performer entertaining mostly white teenagers. Berry theorized that it was his diction (the Nat King Cole influence) that helped him climb the pop charts. He said, “The pop fan could understand what I was saying better than many other singers.” Looking back, we can confidently add that his success was his innate ability to relate to his young audience through his lyrics and music. The thirtysomething singer/songwriter’s list of hits became high school anthems: School Days, Rock and Roll Music, Roll Over, Beethoven, etc.

Chuck Berry also inspired the musicians of the ’60s … groups like the Beatles, The Rolling Stones and the Beach Boys (who borrowed Sweet Little Sixteen for their own hit, Surfin’ U.S.A. only to be forced, legally, to give Chuck Berry due credit). He appeared on stage in concerts, in films, including playing himself in American Hot Wax, and, in 1979, performed at the White House for US President Jimmy Carter. Berry received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 27th Annual Grammy Awards in 1985, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame the following year by Rolling Stones’ Keith Richards, who quipped, “It’s hard for me to induct Chuck Berry, because I lifted every lick he ever played!”

Mr. Rock ‘n’ Roll’s only #1 pop chart hit of his career was the novelty ditty, My Ding-a-Ling, in 1972. But it was a clip of his most famous tune, Johnny B. Goode from 1958 that made it into outer space on the Voyager I spacecraft to represent rock music.

Hail! Hail! Chuck Berry.

Events
October 18
1842 - Samuel Finley Breese Morse, whose friends all called him Sammy or F.B. for short, laid his first telegraph cable in New York Harbor between the Battery and Governor’s Island. This is the same Sam Morse of Morse code fame.

1892 - The first long-distance telephone communication was established between the mayors of New York and Chicago. As the two exchanged messages, one of the mayors is reported to have said, “I think I’ll switch to Sprint.”

1922 - As the British observed the wild growth of radio in the U.S., they realized the potential of broadcasting in their own country, as well as the need for its regulation. The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) was established on this day to monitor the development of the radio biz in Great Britain.

1924 - The term ‘The Four Horsemen’ was used in a New York Herald Tribune article by columnist Grantland Rice. The referenced Four Horsemen were the backfield of the University of Notre Dame which had beaten Army, 13-7.

1929 - The Judicial Committee of England’s Privy Council ruled that women were to be considered as persons in Canada. Previously, under English common law, women were persons in matters of pains and penalties, but were not persons in matters of rights and privileges.

1935 - Victor record #25236 was recorded by Tommy Dorsey and orchestra. It would become one of the most familiar big band themes of all time, I’m Getting Sentimental Over You.

1943 - The first broadcast of Perry Mason was presented on CBS radio. In the 15-minute (Monday-Friday) shows, Perry was played by Barlett Robinson, Santos Ortega, Donald Briggs and John Larkin. Larkin played the role the longest and was reportedly very disappointed when Raymond Burr got the gig on TV (1957).

1944 - Forever Amber, was first published this day. This historic-romance novel was written by Kathleen Windsor. Although the book was very popular among women between the ages of 12 and 24, it was considered scandalous to be seen reading it; a reaction that lasted at least another three decades.

1954 - The comic strip Hi and Lois appeared in newspapers for the first time. Created by Beetle Bailey cartoonist Mort Walker (and Dik Browne), Hi and Lois are still tickling us (now done by Brian and Greg Walker and artist Chance Browne). The strip appears in more than 1,100 newspapers around the world in 37 countries and is translated into ten languages.

1956 - Football commissioner Bert Bell turned thumbs down on the use of radio-equipped helmets by NFL quarterbacks. Bell had received, um, a lot of static about the devices which were quite popular with coach Paul Brown of Cleveland. Word was that severe whiplash was possible with the long antennas used and, like mom used to say, “Hey, watch it! That thing could put somebody’s eye out!”

1961 - Le Bateau, by French painter Henri Matisse, went on display in the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. The painting attracted large numbers (over 100,000) of viewers. For 47 days, nobody realized that Le Bateau was hanging upside down.

1968 - Circus Circus Casino opened in Las Vegas “to attract all members of the family.” The football-field-sized casino and big top was a giant pink and white oval shaped circus tent across from the Riviera Hotel. To separate the gamblers from their kids, as required by law, a second level contained midway games and attractions for the tykes, but still in view of the circus acts.

1977 - Reggie Jackson made history and earned the nickname, Mr. October. Regg-a-roo (as Howard Cosell called him) hit three home runs on three successive pitches. He lead the New York Yankees to an 8-4 thrashing of the Los Angeles Dodgers and rookie manager Tommy Lasorda in Game 6 of the World Series. Three different pitchers served up the gopher balls to Jackson. The New York Yankees won the series, 4 games to 2; their first Series title in 15 years.

1979 - Following extensive renovation to return Radio City Music Hall to the look and feel of its 1931 art deco glory, the venerable New York City theatre reopened. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was the first live presentation.

1983 - Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton received some gold to add to their collections -- for their smash, Islands in the Stream.

1986 - Huey Lewis and The News had the number one album in the U.S. Fore was perched at the pinacle of popdom for one week. Fore featured these tracks: Jacob’s Ladder, Stuck with You, Whole Lotta Lovin’, Doing It All for My Baby, Hip to Be Square, I Know What I Like, I Never Walk Alone, Forest for the Trees, Naturally and Simple as That.

1988 - French economist Maurice Allais won the Nobel Prize for Economics (or, more precisely, the Bank of Sweden Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel) “for his pioneering contributions to the theory of markets and efficient utilization of resources.”

1996 - Warner Bros.’ Sleepers opened in U.S. theatres. The movie stars Kevin Bacon, Robert Deniro, Dustin Hoffman, Brad Pitt and Minnie Driver. Also debuting this day was To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday, from Triumph Films. This one starred Peter Gallagher, Claire Danes and Michelle Pfeiffer.

1997 - The Women In Military Service for America Memorial was dedicated by U.S. Vice President and Mrs. Gore and other distinguished guests. The memorial at Arlington National Cemetery honors all military women - past, present and future - who have served in the United States armed forces during all eras and in all services.

Birthdays
October 18
1697 - Canaletto (Giovanni Antonio Canale)
landscape artist: Venice, London; died in 1768

1854 - Salomon Andree
explorer: ill-fated North Pole expedition: killed in July 1897 attempt to drift across North Pole in hot-air balloon

1859 - Henri Bergson
Nobel prize-winning [1927] philosopher, author: Creative Evolution; died Jan 4, 1941

1898 - Lotte Lenya (Karoline Blamauer)
Tony Award-winning singer, actress: The Threepenny Opera [1956]; From Russia with Love, Semi-Tough, Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone; died Nov 27, 1981

1902 - Miriam Hopkins
actress: The Children’s Hour, The Chase, Carrie, Barbary Coast; died Oct 9, 1972

1906 - James Brooks
artist: Flight: 235 ft. mural at La Guardia National Airport, NY; abstract expressionist exhibit: Ninth Street Exhibition; died Mar 9, 1992

1918 - Bobby Troup
actor: Emergency; singer, musician, TV host: Stars of Jazz; married to singer Julie London; died Feb 7, 1999

1919 - Pierre Elliott Trudeau
Prime Minister of Canada {1968-1979]; died Sep 28, 2000

1926 - Chuck Berry (Charles Edward Anderson Berry)
Rock and Roll Hall of Famer [inducted 1986]; Lifetime Achievement Grammy [1985]; Maybellene, Roll Over Beethoven, School Day, Rock & Roll Music, Sweet Little Sixteen, Johnny B. Goode, My Ding-A-Ling; in films: Rock, Rock, Rock, London Rock and Roll Show, American Hot Wax, Chuck Berry: Rock and Roll Music, Christmas in Washington; see Mr. Rock ’n’ Roll Day [above]

1927 - George C. (Campbell) Scott
Academy Award-winning actor: Patton [1970]; Anatomy of a Murder, The Day of the Dolphin, The Hanging Tree, Taps, Oklahoma Crude, The Prince and the Pauper, The Murders in the Rue Morgue, Malice; died Sep 22, 1999

1928 - Keith Jackson
American Sportscasters Hall of Famer: ABC Sports, Wide World of Sports; “Whoa Nelly!”

1933 - Forrest Gregg
Pro Football Hall of Famer: Green Bay Packers offensive tackle: Super Bowl I, II; Dallas Cowboys: Super Bowl VI; head coach: Cleveland Browns, Cincinnati Bengals: AFC Coach of the Year [1981]: Super Bowl XVI; Green Bay Packers; Southern Methodist University Athletic Director

1934 - Inger Stevens (Stensland)
actress: The Farmer’s Daughter, Madigan, A Guide for the Married Man, Hang ’Em High; died Apr 30, 1970

1935 - Peter Boyle
Emmy Award-winning actor: The X-Files [1995-1996]; Everybody Loves Raymond, Taxi Driver, While You were Sleeping, Young Frankenstein, Midnight Caller, From Here to Eternity [TV]; died Dec 12, 2006

1937 - Boyd Dowler
football: Green Bay Packers wide receiver: Super Bowl I, II

1939 - Mike Ditka
Pro & College Football Hall of Famer: Chicago Bears Rookie of the Year [1961]; Philadelphia Eagles; Dallas Cowboys tight end: Super Bowl V, VI; Chicago Bears head coach: Super Bowl XX; TV sports analyst: NBC Sports

1942 - Willie (Watterson) Horton
baseball: Detroit Tigers [all-star: 1965, 1968, 1970, 1973/World Series: 1968], Texas Rangers, Cleveland Indians, Toronto Blue Jays, Oakland Athletics, Seattle Mariners

1943 - Russ Giguere
musician: guitar, singer: group: The Association: Along Comes Mary, Cherish, Windy, Never My Love

1947 - Joe Morton
actor: Executive Decision, Speed, Of Mice and Men, Forever Young, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, City of Hope, Trouble in Mind, The Brother from Another Planet, Tribeca, Grady, Equal Justice, A Different World

1947 - Laura Nyro
singer: Up on the Roof; songwriter: Wedding Bell Blues, Blowin’ Away, And When I Die, Stoney End, Stoned Soul Picnic, Sweet Blindness, Eli’s Coming, Time and Love, Save the Country; died Apr 8, 1997

1948 - Ntozake Shange (Paulette Williams)
poet, playwright: For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow is Enuf

1950 - Wendy Wasserstein
writer: The Heidi Chronicles, Bachelor Girls; died Jan 30, 2006

1951 - Pam Dawber
actress: Mork & Mindy, My Sister Sam

1952 - Jerry (Jeron Kennis) Royster
baseball: LA Dodgers, Atlanta Braves, SD Padres, Chicago White Sox, NY Yankees

1956 - Martina Navratilova
tennis champion: Australian Open [1981, 1983, 1985], French Open [1982, 1984], Wimbledon [1978, 1979, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990], U.S. Open [1983, 1984, 1986, 1987]; International Women’s Sports Hall of Famer

1958 - Thomas Hearns
‘Hit Man’: boxer: Titles: WBC Light Heavyweight Champion, WBA Light Heavyweight Champion, WBC Middleweight Champion, WBC Junior Middleweight Champion, WBA Welterweight Champion

1960 - Jean-Claude Van Damme (Varenberg)
actor: Kickboxer, Double Impact, Universal Soldier, Nowhere to Run, Last Action Hero, Hard Target, Timecop

1961 - Wynton Marsalis
Grammy Award-winning musician: jazz/classical trumpet [1984, 1985]: Think of One [1983]; played on: Father & Sons; in orchestra for Sweeney Todd; composer: TV theme song for Shannon’s Deal

1961 - Erin Moran
actress: Happy Days, Joanie Loves Chachi, The Don Rickles Show, Daktari, Galaxy of Terror, Twirl, Watermelon Man, How Sweet It Is!

1962 - Vincent Spano
actor: The Tie That Binds, The Ascent, Oscar, City of Hope, And God Created Woman, Blood Ties, Rumblefish, Baby, It’s You, The Double McGuffin

Chart Toppers
October 18
1950Goodnight Irene - The Weavers
All My Love - Patti Page
Harbor Lights - The Sammy Kaye Orchestra (vocal: Tony Alamo)
I’m Moving On - Hank Snow

1958It’s All in the Game - Tommy Edwards
Rock-in Robin - Bobby Day
Tears on My Pillow - Little Anthony & The Imperials
Bird Dog - The Everly Brothers

1966Reach Out I’ll Be There - Four Tops
Last Train to Clarksville - The Monkees
Psychotic Reaction - Count Five
Blue Side of Lonesome - Jim Reeves

1974I Honestly Love You - Olivia Newton-John
Nothing from Nothing - Billy Preston
Then Came You - Dionne Warwicke & Spinners
Please Don’t Stop Loving Me - Porter Wagoner & Dolly Parton

1982Jack & Diane - John Cougar
Who Can It Be Now? - Men at Work
Eye in the Sky - The Alan Parsons Project
I Will Always Love You - Dolly Parton

1990Praying for Time - George Michael
I Don’t Have the Heart - James Ingram
Ice Ice Baby - Vanilla Ice
Friends in Low Places - Garth Brooks

Happy Birthday Chuck Berry

[peggy13]

Thanks Buddy, I always enjoy the information!!

Have a wonderful Sunday!!

[gibahca]

thanks my friend.
miss you 2 guys.

[Victor Hugo]

Thanks Buddy for the Excellent job.

[slowboy]

thanks for the great info

[Crystal Dragon]

Great Stuff as Always Buddy!!
I always like reading your post in the morning with my coffee!!

[dt8350]

Happy Birthday Chuck Berry!
Great Post Buddy!

[dal bilkoski]

thank you bud

[just4ufolks]

Thanks

for a great tutorial my friend
yes

c/p
Happy Birthday
Chuck Berry

Once a Legend
alwayz a Legend
Rock Baby Rock

[ccelectro]

Thanks Buddy, another fine read. Chuck Berry still shows up at Blueberry Hill in St. Louis to perform now and then, 83 and still going.