Saturday July the 19th

ON THIS DAY in 1922,
radio station CKCK Regina signed on for the first time, during a prairie thunderstorm. The Regina Post station transmitted on 420 metres with 2000 watts, from a flat-top antenna attached to two steel towers atop the newspaper building.  For the next 7 years Bert Hooper was the only station employee, as The Post picked up all costs and did not accept radio advertising.  

              
In 1939, Jack Teagarden and his orchestra recorded Aunt Hagar’s Blues for Columbia Records. Teagarden provided the vocal on the session recorded in Chicago.

In 1941, the BBC World Service began frequent playing of the first notes of Beethoven's 5th Symphony as Prime Minister Winston Churchill launched his "V for Victory" campaign

In 1946, the soon-to-be major movie star Marilyn Monroe acted in her first screen test. She passed it with flying colors and was signed to her first contract with Twentieth Century Fox Studios.

              
In 1948, Our Miss Brooks, starring Eve Arden and Gale Gordon, debuted on CBS radio. Arden played the role of Connie Brooks. The program stayed on radio until 1957, running simultaneously on TV from 1952 to 1956. Miss Brooks taught English at Madison High School. Her pal, the bashful, biology teacher Philip Boynton, was played first by Jeff Chandler and then by Robert Rockwell. The crusty, blustery principal of Madison High, Osgood Conklin, was none other than Gale Gordon. Supporting Eve Arden was Jane Morgan as Miss Brooks' landlady, Mrs. Davis. The main problem child in the classroom, the somewhat dimwitted Walter Denton was Richard Crenna.

In 1949, singer Harry Belafonte began recording for Capitol Records. The first sessions included They Didn’t Believe Me and Close Your Eyes. A short time later, Capitol said Belafonte wasn’t “commercial enough,” so he signed with RCA Victor (for a very productive and commercial career).

              
In 1966, Frank Sinatra married actress Mia Farrow. Sinatra, 50, married the 20-year-old actress and was photographed after the ceremony by 14 motion-picture cameras and 37 still cameras.

In 1969, the Rolling Stones' "Honky Tonk Women" was released.

In 1970, radio singer Barry Wood, who headlined radio's Your Hit Parade just before Sinatra took over in 1943, and who hosted/emceed several shows in the early days of TV, died at age 61.

              
In 1974, actor Joe Flynn drowned after suffering a heart attack.  He was 59.  He is best remembered for his role as Capt. Binghampton in the '60's sitcom McHale's Navy.

In 1975, country singer Lefty Frizzell died in Nashville after suffering a stroke. He was 47 years old. Frizzell’s honky-tonk style made big hits of "If You've Got the Money, I’ve Got the Time" (1950), "Always Late" (1951) and "Saginaw, Michigan" (1964).

Also in 1975, Orleans' "Dance With Me" was released.

In 1976, the rock group Deep Purple disbanded.

Also in 1976, the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was  "Kiss and Say Goodbye" by the Manhattans.

              
In 1980, Billy Joel earned his first gold record with It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me, which reached the top of the Billboard pop music chart. He would score additional million-sellers with Just the Way You Are, My Life, Uptown Girl (for girlfriend and later, wife and supermodel Christie Brinkley) and We Didn’t Start the Fire. Joel reached the top only one other time, with Tell Her About It in 1983.

In 1981, "Roy Orbison Day" was celebrated in Odessa, TX.

In 1986, the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was "Invisible Touch" by Genesis.

In 1990, actor erbert Nelson who was in the original TV cast of the Guilding Light, and had a running role for three years in Days of Our Lives, died of a stroke at age 76.

In 1991, former Guns N' Roses drummer Steve Adler filed a lawsuit against the band. He claimed the other members had forced him to use heroin, then made him quit the band while he tried to kick his drug habit.

In 1993, the original lineup of the Vancouver rock band Loverboy began a two-week reunion tour of Western Canada in Penticton, B.C

              
In 1994, the Rolling Stones played a surprise date at Toronto's RPM club to preview their Voodoo Lounge tour. They had been rehearsing at a private school and an empty hangar at Pearson Airport.

In 1995, Elvis Presley's former doctor, Dr. George Nichopoulous lost his medical license for being "too liberal" when prescribing addictive drugs.

Also in 1995, La Toya Jackson filed for bankruptcy, blaming her money troubles on a judgement against her after she cut short an engagement at the Moulin Rouge in Paris.

Also in 1999, The Artist Formerly Known As Prince stole the show at the second annual Yahoo! Internet Life Awards, held at Studio 54 in New York. He won best Internet-only single ("War") and led an impromptu musical reunion that featured James Brown saxophonist Maceo Parker and four members of Sly & the Family Stone.

              
Still in 1999, They Might Be Giants released their new album "Long Tall Weekend" exclusively in the MP3 format. Visitors to e-tailer EMusic could download the entire album for $8.99 or individual tracks for .99 each.

In 2002, Vancouver's CJNW-730 signed on with modern rock and no DJs after more than a month of silence to replace an aging transmitter and towers. On May 28th, it had ended its 16 month All News format.  Within 3 weeks AM 730 launched a similarly ill-fated MOJO format, talk radio for males.


Today's Birthdays:

Actor Pat Hingle (Gunsmoke, War & Remembrance) is 84.

Actress Helen Gallagher (Ryan's Hope, All My Children) is 82.

Country singer Sue Thompson is 82.

Country singer George Hamilton IV is 71.

Actor Dennis Cole Felony Squad, Bearcats) is 68.

Singer Vikki Carr is 67.

Musician Commander Cody is 64.

Actor George Dzundza (Law& Order, Jesse, Hack) is 63.

Singer-bassist Alan Gorrie of Average White Band is 62.

Guitarist Brian May of Queen is 61.

Guitarist Bernie Leadon (Eagles, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band) is 61.

Actress Beverly Archer (Major Dad, Mama's Family) is 60.

Actor Peter Barton (Sunset Beach, Burke's Law) is 52.

Drummer Kevin Haskins (Bauhaus, Love and Rockets) is 48.

Actor Campbell Scott (Six Degrees, The Kennedys of Massachusetts) is 47.

Actor Anthony Edwards (ER, Northern Exposure) is 46.

Singer Country singer Kelly Shiver (Thrasher Shiver) is 45.

Actress Clea Lewis (Ellen. Andy Barker PI) is 43.

Singer Urs Buhler of Il Divo is 37.

Drummer Jason McGerr of Death Cab For Cutie is 34.

Actor Jared Padalecki (Supernatural, Gilmore Girls) is 26.


Chart Toppers: July 19

1945
Dream - The Pied Pipers
The More I See You - Dick Haymes
Sentimental Journey - The Les Brown Orchestra (vocal: Doris Day)
Stars and Stripes on Iwo Jima - Bob Wills

1954
Little Things Mean a Lot - Kitty Kallen
Hernando’s Hideaway - Archie Bleyer
Three Coins in the Fountain - The Four Aces
Even Tho - Webb Pierce

1963
Easier Said Than Done - The Essex
Surf City - Jan & Dean
Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport - Rolf Harris
Act Naturally - Buck Owens

1972
Lean on Me - Bill Withers
Too Late to Turn Back Now - Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose
Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl) - Looking Glass
Made in Japan - Buck Owens

1981
Bette Davis Eyes - Kim Carnes
The One that You Love - Air Supply
Jessie’s Girl - Rick Springfield
Feels So Right - Alabama

1990
Step By Step - New Kids on the Block
She Ain’t Worth It - Glenn Medeiros featuring Bobby Brown
Hold On - En Vogue
The Dance - Garth Brooks

1999
If You Had My Love - Jennifer Lopez
Wild Wild West  - Will Smith featuring Dru Hill & Kool Moe Dee
Beautiful Stranger - Madonna
Amazed - Lonestar