Tuesday December the 11th


On This Day in 1916  
the King of the Mambo, Perez Prado was born in Cuba. His mambo version of Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White was #1 for 10 weeks in 1955.  Also remembered for Patricia, Mambo No. 5 & Mambo No. 8.  He died of a stroke at age 72 Sep 14, 1989.

On this day in 1926, blues singer Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton was born in Montgomery Alabama.  Her 1953 recording of Hound Dog is what brought the song to Elvis' attention.  After a life of hard living & drinking she died July 25, 1984 at age 57.

On this day in 1939, Marlene Dietrich recorded one of her signature tunes, Falling In Love Again -- on the Decca label.

On this day in 1944, the Chesterfield Supper Club debuted on NBC radio.
                          
Perry Como, Jo Stafford, Peggy Lee and many other stars of the day shared the spotlight on the 15-minute show that aired five nights a week. The show was sponsored by Chesterfield cigarettes.

On this day in 1946, country singer Hank Williams's first recording session, for the small Sterling label, took place. He and his band, the Drifting Cowboys, had already been playing on a Montgomery, Alabama, radio station for more than a decade. Williams moved to the newly-formed M-G-M label the following year, and had all his major hits for that company. He remained with M-G-M until his death on New Year's Day, 1953.

On this day in 1952, an audience of 70,000 people watched from 31 US theatres as Richard Tucker starred in Carmen. The event was the first pay-TV production of an opera. Ticket prices ranged from $1.20 to $7.20.

On this day in 1957, rocker Jerry Lee Lewis secretly married his 13-year-old cousin, Myra Gale Brown.

On this day in 1958, the Coasters recorded one of their smash hits "Charlie Brown."

On this day in 1960, Aretha Franklin made her New York debut at the Village Vanguard.

On this day in 1961, Elvis Presley's "Blue Hawaii" went to the top of the album charts & remained #1 for 20 weeks.

Also this day in 1961, we saw the first of 17 annual Christmas TV specials from Bing Crosby.  This one was filmed in London and broadcast on ABC TV.

Still in 1961, "Please Mr. Postman" by the Marvelettes topped the charts but only for a week.
                                                                                                                
                                                                      
On this day in 1964, singer Sam Cooke was shot and killed by the manager of a Hollywood motel. A woman had run into the motel office claiming Cooke had tried to rape her. Cooke influenced Otis Redding and other soul singers through his merging of gospel music and secular themes. Cooke's hits included "You Send Me,'' "Chain Gang'' and "Twistin' the Night Away.''

On this day in 1967, the NBC-TV special "Movin' with Nancy Sinatra" was broadcast.

On this day in 1970 John Lennon released an album that contained songs with the word f**k.

On this day in 1971, Carly Simon's "Anticipation" was released.  It later was used in commercial campaigns for Heinz ketchup.

On this day in 1972, Genesis played their first show in the U.S. at Brandeis University in Waltham, Mass.

          
On this day in 1973, Karen and Richard Carpenter received a gold record for their single, "Top of the World."

On this day in 1974, actor Reed Hadley suffered a heart attack & died at age 63.
He was Red Ryder on radio, and in TV had a lead in the series Racket Squad, Public Defender, and The Texan.

On this day in 1975, Canadian singer-trombonist Wally Koster died in Toronto at 52. The Winnipeg native performed with the dance bands of Ellis McLintock and Mart Kenney in the 1940's. In 1952, Koster took part in the first C-B-C television broadcast. From 1955 to '60, he co-starred with Joyce Hahn on CBC's ''Cross-Canada Hit Parade.''

On this day in 1976, Al Stewart debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 with Year of the Cat. It peaked at #8, but not until March of the following year.

Also this day in 1976, KISS guitarist Ace Frehley was nearly electrocuted during a concert in Florida. He had touched a short-circuited light. He was carried from the stage but returned 10 minutes later to finish the show.

On this day in 1979, brassy-blonde actress Claire Carleton succumbed to cancer at age 66.  She was featured as Alice in the TV series Cimarron City, and was called back repeatedly to guest on Wagon Train, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, M-Squad, and the Jack Benny Show.

On this day in 1985, GE, General Electric, bought RCA Corporation for $6.3 billion. NBC Radio and Television were also included in the purchase.

On this day in 1985, the single "Superbowl Shuffle" by the Chicago Bears Shufflin' Crew was released.

            
On this day in 1987, Victoria radio changed forever as CKKQ FM 100.3 signed on with the song "Start Me Up" by the Rolling Stones.  Happy 20th Birthday to The Q!

On this day in 1988, Don Henley, Tom Petty, Graham Nash and Bonnie put on a benefit show at The Wiltern Theatre to pay tribute to Roy Orbison.

On this day in 1991, light comic & host Robert Q Lewis, who starred in his own CBS Radio & TV shows, and was a panelist on the original To Tell the Truth, died at 70 of emphysema.  He had started as a child actor and singer on NBC Radio's "Horn & Hardardt Children's Hour".

On this day in 1992, WNEW AM, New York City, located at 1130 AM, ended broadcasting after 58 years.  It had been the "good pop music station" in the Big Apple for decades.

Also this day in 1992, former Tonight Show host Johnny Carson received the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

On this day in 1993, the song "Again" by Janet Jackson topped the charts and stayed there for 2 weeks.

Also this day in 1993, Snoop Doggy Dogg's Doggy Style was number one on U.S. album charts.

                                                                                                            
[On this day in 1995, Rogers, the new owners of Victoria's CFMS 98.5 changed it to CIOC "The Ocean" with a light rock format 24/7.  They were transmitting from a  350 foot tower newly installed on the Malahat, 2000 feet above the capital.

Also this day in 1995, Canadian-born actor/singer/dancer John Heawood, who did the choreography for the Alcoa Hour's 1956 production of "The Stingiest Man in Town, died in Britain at age 75.

Again on this day in 1995, "Cracked Rear View'' by Hootie and the Blowfish topped the year's album chart, followed by Garth Brooks' "The Hits'' and "II'' by Boyz II Men. As for singles, "Gangsta's Paradise'' from the movie "Dangerous Minds'' by Coolio featuring L.V. topped the year-end Billboard Hot 100 chart, followed by TLC's "Waterfalls'' and Stone Temple Pilots' "Creep.''

On this day in 1996, CBC President Perrin Beatty announced new cuts of $5.5 million and 378 employees.

On this day in 1997, Mick Jagger's Internet company, Jagged Internetworks, debuted with an exclusive live webcast of the Akai Singer Champions Trophy, an international cricket tournament from the United Arab Emirates.

On this day in 2001, Lionel Richie sang "Just Put Some Love In Your Heart" on CNN's "Larry King Live."


Today's Birthdays:

Actress Betsy Blair (Marcus Welby:Holiday Affair, Scarlett, Movie:Marty) is 87.

Actress Rita Moreno (Oz, Muppet Show, Where on Earth is Carmen Sandiego) is 76.

Actor Richard Devon (Richard Diamond Private Detective, The Rifleman) is 76.

Actor Wynn Irwin (Hart to Hart, Lotsa Luck) is 75.

Pop singer David Gates (Bread) is 76.

Actress Donna Mills (Melrose Place, Knots Landing, Love is a Many Splendored Thing) is 65.

Singer Brenda Lee is 63.

Actress Lynda Day George (Once an Eagle, Silent Force, Mission Impossible) is 63.

Music producer Tony Brown is 61.

Actress Teri Garr (Chicken Soup for the Soul, Women of the House, Good Advice) is 59.

Actress Bess Armstrong (My So-Called Life, Married People, All is Forgiven)is 54.

Singer Jermaine Jackson is 53.

Rock musician Nikki Sixx (Motley Crue) is 49.

Rock musician Darryl Jones (The Rolling Stones) is 46.

Singer-musician Justin Currie (Del Amitri) is 43.

Rock musician David Schools (Gov't Mule, Widespread Panic) is 43.

Actor Gary Dourdan (CSI, A Different World) is 41.

Actress-comedian Mo'Nique (The Parkers) is 39.

Rapper-actor Mos Def (You Take the Kids, Chappelle's Show) is 34.

Actor Rider Strong (Boy Meets World, Pepper Dennis) is 28.


Chart Toppers

December 11

1948
Buttons and Bows - Dinah Shore
On a Slow Boat to China - The Kay Kaiser Orchestra (vocal: Harry Babbitt & Gloria Wood
A Little Bird Told Me - Evelyn Knight
One Has My Name (The Other Has My Heart) - Jimmy Wakely

1956
Singing the Blues - Guy Mitchell
A Rose and a Baby Ruth - George Hamilton IV
Rock-A-Bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody - Jerry Lewis
Singing the Blues - Marty Robbins

1964
Ringo - Lorne Greene
Mr. Lonely - Bobby Vinton
She’s Not There - The Zombies
Once a Day - Connie Smith

1972
I Am Woman - Helen Reddy
If You Don’t Know Me by Now - Harold Melvin & The Bluenotes
You Ought to Be with Me - Al Green
Got the All Overs for You (All Over Me) - Freddie Hart & The Heartbeats

1980
Lady - Kenny Rogers
More Than I Can Say - Leo Sayer
Another One Bites the Dust - Queen
Smoky Mountain Rain - Ronnie Milsap

1988
Look Away - Chicago
How Can I Fail? - Breathe
I Don’t Want Your Love - Duranduran
If You Ain’t Lovin’ (You Ain’t Livin’) - George Strait