Sunday April the 13th

ON THIS DAY in 1919      
            
singer-actor Howard Keel was born in Gillespie, Illinois. Keel's strong baritone was featured in such 1950's movie musicals as "Annie Get Your Gun," "Show Boat, "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" and "Kismet." His career was revived in the '80s with a featured role on the television series "Dallas" (above).Keel died November 7th, 2004.

In 1940, the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was "In the Mood,'' by the Glenn Miller Orchestra.

In 1941, a radio crime drama based on a series of films about a British police inspector, Bulldog Drummond debuted on Mutual.  It had an 8 year run.

In 1944, Jack Casady, bass player with Jefferson Airplane and Hot Tuna, was born in Washington, D-C. The Airplane was one of the most important groups to emerge from the San Francisco area during the 1960's. "Somebody to Love'' and "White Rabbit'' were their big hits. Casady and guitarist Jorma Kaukonen from the Airplane formed the group Hot Tuna in 1970.

In 1951, "How High the Moon" by Les Paul and Mary Ford hit #1 for 9 weeks on the Billboard Pop Music chart.

In 1953, the National Edition of "TV Guide" was launched.

              
In 1957, "All Shook Up" by Elvis Presley vaulted into the #1 position on the Billboard charts for 9 weeks and on the Cashbox Singles chart for 8 weeks.

In 1958, Van Cliburn became the first American to win the Tchaikovsky International Piano Competition in Moscow. As a result of his success, Cliburn's debut album, a recording of Tchaikovsky's 1st piano concerto, became the first classical L-P to sell one-million copies.

In 1963, the Kingsmen recorded what would become a classic party anthem -- "Louie Louie.'' The Portland, Oregon studio session was reported to have cost them 50 dollars.

In 1964, the movie "Tom Jones" won the best picture and best director Academy Awards. Sidney Poitier became the first black performer in a leading role to win an Oscar for his work in the movie "Lilies of the Field."

In 1965, Roger Miller set a record for country artists by winning five Grammy Awards.  
            
Stan Getz and Astrud Gilberto's "Girl from Ipanema'' wins a Grammy for Record of the Year, Stan Getz & Joao Gilberto's "Getz/Gilberto'' wins a Grammy for Album of the Year. The Beatles win a Grammy for Best New Artist of the Year.

Also in 1965, The Beatles recorded their future classic "'Help" during an evening recording session at Abbey Road in London.

In 1967, The Rolling Stones give their first performance behind the Iron Curtain, playing the Palace of Culture in Warsaw. Polish riot police were needed to deal with two-thousand people who couldn't get tickets.

In 1968, Bobby Goldsboro started a five week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with the song 'Honey'.

              
In 1969, Diana Ross appeared solo on Dinah Shore's NBC-TV special "Like Hep".

In 1971, the first CRTC public hearings on cable television were held.

In 1973, the J. Geils Band performed live on ABC's "In Concert."

In 1974, Elton John rose to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Bennie And The Jets', his second US No.1.

In 1979, singer David Lee Roth of Van Halen collapsed onstage in Spokane, Washington, due to exhaustion.

              
In 1985, "The Grand Ole Opry," a radio staple from Nashville for 60 years, came to TV. The Nashville Network presented the country music jamboree to some 22-million homes across the U.S.

Also in 1985, "We Are the World" by USA for Africa topped the charts and stayed there for 4 weeks.

In 1986, singer-actress Irene Cara, the star of the movie "Fame" and winner of an Oscar and a Grammy for the title song from "Flashdance," married stuntman Conrad Palmisano atop a sea cliff in Palos Verdes, California.

          
In 1989, entertainer Jack Jones received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He's probably best known for singing the "Love Boat" theme.

In 1994, singer Billy Joel and model Christie Brinkley announced they had separated after nine years of marriage. They divorced later that year.

In 1995, Leonard Rambeau, who guided the careers of Anne Murray, George Fox and Rita MacNeil, died in Toronto of cancer at age 49. Rambeau headed Murray's management company, and was her personal manager. Murray called him "the only indispensable person" in her career.

In 1999, Jack Kervorkian was sentenced in Pontiac, MI, to 10 to 25 years in prison for the second-degree murder of Thomas Youk. Youk's assisted suicide was videotaped and shown on "60 Minutes" in 1998.

Also in 1999, VH1 debuted their Internet radio station called VH1 at Work. The first webcast was the "Divas Live" concert.

In 2000, Metallica sued the online song-swapping service Napster for copyright infringement.

Also in 2000, Heather Mills won $316,700 in damages for a 1993 accident that involved a British motorcycle officer. Mills, Paul McCartney's girlfriend, received the out-of-court-settlement without any admission of guilt for the loss of her left leg.

            
In 2002, Toronto songwriter Shirley Eikhard made a surprise stage appearance at Toronto's Massey Hall. She joined Bonnie Raitt in a duet on Eikhard's "Something to Talk About,'' a Grammy-winning smash hit for Raitt in 1991.


Today's Birthdays:

Actor Lyle Waggoner (The Carol Burnett Show) is 73.

Actor Edward Fox (Edward & Mrs. Simpson) is 71.

Actor Paul Sorvino (Law & Order, That's Life) is 69.

Musician Jack Casady of Jefferson Airplane is 64.

Actor Tony Dow (Leave It To Beaver, General Hospital) is 63.

Musician Al Green is 62.

Actor Ron Perlman (Danny Fantom, Justice League, Magnificent Seven) is 58.

Actor William Sadler (Wonderfalls, Roswell) is 58.

Singer Peabo Bryson is 57.

"Late Night With Conan O'Brien" bandleader Max Weinberg is 57.

Keyboardist Jimmy Destri of Blondie is 54.

Singer-bassist Louis Johnson of The Brothers Johnson is 53.

Actress Saundra Santiago (Miami Vice) is 51.

Guitarist Joey Mazzola of Sponge is 47.

Actress Page Hannah (TV's Fame) is 44.

Actress-comedian Caroline Rhea (Sabrina the Teenage Witch, The Biggest Loser) is 44.

Bassist Lisa Umbarger (The Toadies) is 43.

Actor Rick Schroder (Strong Medicine, NYPD Blue, Silver Spoons )is 38.

Singer Lou Bega is 33.

Actress Courtney Peldon (Boston Public, Undressed) is 27.

Singer Nellie McKay is 26.


Chart Toppers

April 13

1951
If - Perry Como
Mockingbird Hill -Patti Page
Be My Love - Mario Lanza
The Rhumba Boogie - Hank Snow

1959
Come Softly to Me - The Fleetwoods
Pink Shoe Laces - Dodie Stevens
(Now and Then There�s) A Fool Such as I - Elvis Presley
White Lightning - George Jones

1967
Happy Together - The Turtles
Somethin� Stupid - Nancy Sinatra & Frank Sinatra
Bernadette - Four Tops
Walk Through This World with Me - George Jones

1975
Philadelphia Freedom - The Elton John Band
Poetry Man - Phoebe Snow
(Hey Won�t You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song - B.J. Thomas
Always Wanting You - Merle Haggard

1983
Billy Jean - Michael Jackson
Do You Really Want to Hurt Me - Culture Club
Hungry like the Wolf - Duran Duran
We�ve Got Tonight - Kenny Rogers & Sheena Easton

1991
I�ve Been Thinking About You - Londonbeat
You�re in Love - Wilson Phillips
Hold You Tight - Tara Kemp
Down Home - Alabama