Thursday June the 19th

ON THIS DAY in 1902  
band leader Guy Lombardo, whose orchestra played ''The Sweetest Music This Side of Heaven,'' was born in London, Ontario.
            
Lombardo's Royal Canadians were the most popular dance band in North America in terms of record sales -- more than 300-million during the orchestra's 50-year career. Among Lombardo's million-sellers were ''Humoresque'' in 1946, ''Easter Parade'' in 1947 and the ''Third Man Theme'' in 1950. Lombardo went to Cleveland in 1923 with a group of London-area musicians, including his brothers Carmen and Lebert. By the following year, the band was being billed as the Royal Canadians. Lombardo's New Year's Eve radio and T-V broadcasts from New York City were a traditional part of holiday celebrations from 1929 to '62. The Royal Canadians were known especially for their version of ''Auld Lang Syne.'' Guy Lombardo died November 5th, 1977.

In 1905, actress Mildred Natwick was born in Baltimore Maryland.  The perpetual supporting actress stepped into a leading role when she co-starred with Helen Hayes in the TV movie & subsequent series The Snoop Sisters. She played Aunt March in TV's Little Women, was guest star 11 times on TV's Suspense, and 4 times each on Studio One & Kraft Television Theatre.  She died of cancer Oct. 25 1994 at age 89.

                
In 1912, actor/narrator Martin Gabel was born in Philadelphia.  His signature work was on May 8, 1945 as narrator on the CBS radio broadcast of Norman Corwin's epic poem On a Note of Triumph, a commemoration of the fall of the Nazi regime in Germany and the end of WW II in Europe. The broadcast was so popular that the CBS, NBC, Blue and Mutual networks aired a second live production five days later.  He was the most frequent guest on TV's Sunday night fixture What's My Line, because he was married to regular panelist Arlene Francis. He died after a heart attack May 22 1986 at age 73.

In 1914, bluegrass musician Lester Flatt (below) was born in Overton County, Tennessee. Flatt, Earl Scruggs and the Foggy Mountain Boys were one of the most popular country music acts of the '50s and '60s. They were largely responsible for making bluegrass music popular outside the rural South. Their biggest hits were "The Ballad of Jed Clampett,'' from the "Beverly Hillbillies'' T-V show, and "Foggy Mountain Breakdown,'' which was used in the soundtrack of "Bonnie and Clyde.'' Flatt and Scruggs parted company 10 years before Flatt's death on May 11th, 1979.
                

In 1926, harmonica player DeFord Bailey, the most important black performer in country music before Charley Pride, made his Grand Ole Opry debut. His lively adaptations of old songs made him one of the most popular Opry performers until 1941. That's when he was dismissed, according to Opry founder George D. Hay, for refusing to learn new material.

In 1934, the U.S. Congress established the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The commission was to regulate radio, and later, TV.

                
In 1946, the Gillette Razor Company became the first company to be a TV Network sponsor. They sponsored the second Joe Louis vs. Billy Conn heavyweight boxing match.  Louis won via an 8th round KO.

In 1947, the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was "Peg O' My Heart,'' by The Harmonicats.

In 1950, "The Kingston Trio Show" debuted on CBS radio.

                
In 1952, "I've Got A Secret" debuted on CBS with Garry Moore as host.

In 1960, Loretta Lynn's first single, "I'm a Honky-Tonk Girl,'' made the country charts. It was recorded on a small record label called Zero, and neither the label nor Lynn had enough money to promote the record. So Loretta and her husband mailed out copies to disc jockeys by hand. The record began getting plays and eventually made the country top 10.

In 1965, "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)" by the Four Tops topped the charts and stayed there for 2 weeks.

In 1966, comedian Ed Wynn, star of his own pioneering shows on both radio & TV, died at age 79.

Also in 1966, the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was "Paperback Writer,'' by The Beatles.

              
In 1971, Carole King reached the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart with "It's Too Late.'' It was one of four hit singles from the album "Tapestry,'' which stayed on the L-P chart for 302 weeks and sold more 13-million copies.

In 1973, the stage production of "The Rocky Horror Show'' opened in London. It later played in Los Angeles and New York. Tim Curry reprised his starring role in the 1975 movie version, "The Rocky Horror Picture Show,'' which developed into a cult phenomenon. Fans, dressed up as their favourite characters from the film, continued to show up at midnight screenings for a decade.

In 1976, Blue Oyster Cult released the album, "Agents of Fortune."

Also in 1976, Wild Cherry released "Play That Funky Music."

              
In 1980, Donna Summer was the first act signed by David Geffen to his new Geffen Records label.

In 1982, "Don't You Want Me" by Human League topped the charts and stayed there for 3 weeks.

In 1988, more than three-thousand East German young people gathered by the Berlin Wall to hear Michael Jackson thrill crowds at a West Berlin concert on the other side of the fortified border. Security police dragged off at least three men from the crowd and forced two West German T-V crews away from the scene. Canada's Bryan Adams and Britain's Big Country were the headliners at a competing concert in East Berlin's suburbs. Billed as a concert "for nuclear-free zones,'' it attracted about 100-thousand people.

In 1988, the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was "Foolish Beat,'' by Debbie Gibson.

              
In 1991, actress Jean Arthur, who capped an extensive big screen career with The Jean Arthur Show on TV (1966), died of heart failure at age 70.  

In 1997, singer Bobby Helms, whose 1957 recording of "Jingle Bell Rock" became a Christmas standard, died at his home in Martinsville, Indiana. He was 63. Helms other big hits in the 1950s were "Fraulein" and "My Special Angel."

In 1998, the second Lilith Fair tour opened with a soldout show in Portland, Oregon. The 57-date "Celebration of Women in Music'' featured Erykah Badu (Erika Badoo), Sinead (shin-AYD') O'Connor, the Indigo Girls, Natalie Merchant and Lilith Fair organizer Sarah McLachlan.

              
Also in 1998, Loretta Lynn made a special appearance on the Friday Night Opry, opening with her first No. 1 country hit, "Don't Come Home A-Drinkin'," from 1966, and follows with "We've Come a Long Way Baby" from 1978. To round out her night, Lynn performs "How Great Thou Art" without accompaniment, for which she receives a standing ovation and finishes with her signature tune "The Coal Miner's Daughter."

Still in 1998, 28-year-old Rick Schroder signed on with ABC’s NYPD Blue as Detective Danny Sorenson. Young Schroder/Sorenson stepped into the opening created by the painful death of Detective Bobby Simone {Jimmy Smits).

In 2005, legendary southern DJ, Mason Dixon, was injured in an auto accident which practically split his car apart. Dixon suffered a collapsed lung, 2 broken ribs and a ruptured spleen. Dixon has been affiliated with legendary stations including Tampa's WRBQ-FM, where he was still employed at the time of his accident.


Today's Birthdays:

Actress Gena Rowlands (The Incredible Mrs. Ritchie, The Way of the World, Top Secret) is 78.

R&B singer Al Wilson is 69.

Singer Elaine 'Spanky' MacFarlane of Spanky and Our Gang is 66.

Actress Phylicia Rashad (Cosby Show, Cosby) is 60.

Singer Ann Wilson of Heart is 58.

Musician Larry Dunn is 55.

Actress Kathleen Turner (Nip/Tuck, The Doctors) is 54.

Country singer Doug Stone is 52.

Singer Mark DeBarge of DeBarge is 49.

Singer-dancer-choreographer Paula Abdul (American Idol) is 46.

Singer-guitarist Brian Vander Ark of the Verve Pipe is 44.

Actor Andy Lauer (Caroline in the City) is 43.

Actress Robin Tunney (Prison Break) is 36.

Actor Bumper Robinson (A Different World, Amen, Living Single) is 34.

Actress Poppy Montgomery (Without a Trace) is 33.

Actress Zoe Saldana (Six Degrees) is 30.

Actor Paul Dano (The Sopranos, Too Young to be a Dad) is 24.


Chart Toppers:

June 19

1951
Too Young - Nat King Cole
On Top of Old Smokey - The Weavers (vocal: Terry Gilkyson)
Syncopated Clock - The Leroy Anderson Orchestra
I Want to Be with You Always - Lefty Frizzell

1960
Cathy’s Clown - The Everly Brothers
Everybody’s Somebody’s Fool - Connie Francis
Burning Bridges - Jack Scott
Please Help Me, I’m Falling - Hank Locklin

1969
Get Back - The Beatles
Love Theme from Romeo & Juliet - Henry Mancini
In the Ghetto - Elvis Presley
Running Bear - Sonny James

1978
Shadow Dancing - Andy Gibb
Baker Street - Gerry Rafferty
It’s a Heartache - Bonnie Tyler
Two More Bottles of Wine - Emmylou Harris

1987
Always - Atlantic Starr
Head to Toe - Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam
In Too Deep - Genesis
Forever and Ever, Amen - Randy Travis

1996
The Crossroads - Bone-thugs-n-harmony
Give Me One Reason - Tracy Chapman
You’re Makin’ Me High/Let It Flow - Toni Braxton
Blue Clear Sky - George Strait

2005
We Belong Together - Mariah Carey
Behind These Hazel Eyes - Kelly Clarkson
Hollaback Girl - Gwen Stefani
Making Memories of Us - Keith Urban