January 4:
On January 4, 1936 the Billboard Pop Chart made its debut. The Billboard Pop Chart was, and is, revised weekly and listed the best-selling songs in the United States according to the Billboard Company. In 1894 the company first offered printed lists and posters of popular song sales to advertising companies and music stores. In the decades since Billboard has become the most prominent chronicler of popular songs and current musical trends in the United States.
In 1970 radio broadcaster Casey Kasem began a weekly radio show based upon the Billboard Charts called “American Top 40.” Kasem counted down, and played, the 40 most popular songs in United States while also offering information on current and past musical trends. The show caught on, was hugely successful with popular music fans and continues to be broadcast each week today; and the show made the Billboard Charts, which were already well-known among music fans in the U.S., a popular culture item.
Today Billboard still chronicles popular music hits and trends. And as you might expect in 2014 they also have a website which offers more information on the same items – here’s the link:
And here’s a link to a New York Daily News article which offers a brief introduction to Casey Kasem and American Top 40:
January 5:
Oscar winning actress Diane Keaton was born on January 5, 1946 in Los Angeles, California. Keaton was raised in Santa Ana, California and moved to New York City to peruse an acting career shortly she graduated from high school. She studied at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre and then began working as an actress in Broadway plays which included the original production of “Hair” from 1968 and the Woody Allen produced “Play It Again, Sam” for which Keaton was nominated for a Tony Award.
Keaton first came to the attention of mainstream American movie goers for her comedic work in a number of Woody Allen’s films including “Sleeper” from 1973, “Manhattan” from 1979 and “Annie Hall” the 1977 film for which she won an Oscar for her performance in the title role.
Keaton went on to portray Kay Adams, the girlfriend and future wife of Michael Corleone, the younger son of the Mafia family leader Vito Corleone who eventually becomes the family leader, or “Don,” himself, in the iconic Godfather series of films of the 1970s and early 1980s: “The Godfather,” “The Godfather, Part II,” and “The Godfather, Part III;” she co-starred with Warren Beatty in the 1981 drama “Reds” for which she received a second Oscar nomination and returned to the comedy genre for “Baby Boom” a 1987 film in which she played a successful business woman who unexpectedly finds herself the guardian of her cousin’s baby.
Keaton has shown over the years that she can be equally brilliant as comedic and dramatic actress and n the 1990s turned her attention to directing, directing episodes of the TV series “Twin Peaks” and the film “Unsung Heroes.”
Some of Keaton’s more recent films include “Town & Country” from 2001 and “Something’s Gotta Give” which co-starred Jack Nicholson from 2003.
Diane Keaton celebrates her 68 birthday this year.
Here’s a link to a Biography bio of Diane Keaton:
http://www.biography.com/people/diane-keaton-9361481
And a link to a clip from the film “Annie Hall;”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBzHphcc2Jw
January 6:
Pulitzer Prize winning writer Carl Sandburg was born January 6, 1878 in Galesburg, Illinois. Sandburg was a writer, folklorist and historian who was known as the “Bard of the American Heartland,” because his poetry well described the people and places of the middle section of the Unites States, which is known as the Heartland.
Sandburg started writing as a youth and published his first book of poetry, “Reckless Ecstasy” in 1904. Sandburg published his last collection of poems, “Honey and Salt,” in 1963 and in between those years was a very prolific writer. Some of his most important works are “Chicago: Poems” from 1914 in which he gave Chicago its nickname of “The Windy City,” “Cornhuskers” from 1918, “Smoke & Steel” from 1920, “The People, Yes” from 1936 and “The American Songbag” from 1950.
Sandburg won two Pulitzers during his career one for the second volume of his multi-volume biography of Abraham Lincoln titled “Abraham Lincoln the War Years” from 1939, and the second for his 1950 collection “Complete Poems.”
Carl Sandburg died in 1967.
Here’s a link to a Poetry Foundation biography of Carl Sandburg:
http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/28
And a link to a Google Books public domain copy of his 1916 work “Chicago Poems:”
January 7:
President Millard Fillmore was born on January 7, 1800 in Summerhill, New York. Fillmore grew up in the Finger Lakes region of New York State. He became a lawyer in 1823, was elected to the New York State legislature, became Comptroller of New York State and was then elected President Zachary Taylor’s Vice President in 1848. President Taylor fell ill and died in 1849 and Millard Fillmore became the 13th President of the United States. Fillmore served as President from 1850 – 1853 and died in 1874.
Here’s a link to a White House biography of President Fillmore:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/millardfillmore
January 8:
Rock N’ Roll legend Elvis Presley was born on January 8, 1935 in Tupelo, Mississippi. Elvis’s first recording contract was with Sun Records in 1954. Sun Records sold his contract to the larger and more prestigious company RCA Records in 1955 and by 1956 Elvis was an international singing sensation. His hit singles of this period include songs that have since become American pop classics and they include “I Forgot to Remember to Forget,” “Heartbreak Hotel,” “Love Me Tender,” “Don’t Be Cruel,” “Hound Dog,” “Jailhouse Rock” and “All Shook Up.”
In addition to singing Elvis also turn to acting and made 33 films during his career including “Love Me Tender,” “Jailhouse Rock,” “Girl Happy,” “Speedway,” “Double Trouble,” “Charro!” and “This is Elvis.”
And if you’re wondering just how many songs Elvis has sold over the years consider these stats – According to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame he had more top forty hits than any other recording artists in history at 104, he holds the record for the most top 10 hits at 38 and his number 1 singles spent a combined 80 weeks at number 1!
Elvis died in 1977.
Here’s a link to the previously mentioned Rock Hall of Fame biography of Elvis:
https://rockhall.com/inductees/elvis-presley/bio/
And here’s a link to Elvis singing “Heartbreak Hotel” on the Milton Berle show in 1956:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71fuhzYDeT4
January 9:
Folk singer/songwriter and civil rights activist Joan Baez was born on January 9, 1941 in Staten Island, New York. Baez began playing and singing folk songs as a youth and even appeared at the prominent music event the Newport Folk Festival in 1959 when she was only 18. Her crystal clear soprano voice made her stand out from among the crowd of folk musicians of the late fifties and early sixties. Like the iconic folk legend Bob Dylan, who first came to national attention during the early sixties era too, Baez started out singing traditional folk songs and then branched out to play pop/rock influenced folk music that featured songs with lyrics that highlighted social injustices as a means to promote civil rights.
Some of Joan Baez’s most prominent songs include “There But For Fortune,” “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down,” “Silver Dagger,” “House of the Rising Sun,” “With God On Our Side,” “Love is Just A Four Letter Word,” and “Diamonds and Rust.”
Joan Baez continues to perform and record to the present day.
Here’s a link to an All Music biography of Joan Baez:
http://www.allmusic.com/artist/joan-baez-mn0000069153/biography
And a link to a YouTube clip of Joan Baez’s classic song Diamonds & Rust, which offers insight into her early relationship with another folk legend — Bob Dylan. The clip features the lyrics displaying as Joan sings:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcaZi_G3xVs
January 10:
On January 10, 1971 Masterpiece Theatre made its debut on American Television. The series, which is broadcast by the Public Broadcasting Station network (PBS), is now simply called “Masterpiece” and continues to run through the present day. Over the years Masterpiece Theatre/Masterpiece has showcased some of the best English language drama programs shown on television. The great majority of the programs shown on the anthology series are created by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and many are historical dramas. This program has become a staple of Sunday night viewing for many American households. A selection of the different series shown on the program over the years include “The Churchills,” “Poldark,” “Upstairs Downstairs,” “I, Claudius,” “The Forsyte Saga” “Sherlock” and “Downton Abbey.”
And here’s a link to the official Masterpiece website where you can find out more!
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/
Have a great week!
Linda R.
References
About Us. Billboard. Online. Accessed January 4, 2014, http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/467859/about-us
American President: Millard Fillmore (1800-1874). Miller Center: University of Virginia. Online. Accessed January 4, 2013. http://millercenter.org/president/fillmore
Carl Sandburg. Poets.org. Online. Accessed January 4, 2014, http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/28
Carl Sandburg. Biography. Online. Accessed January 4, 2014, http://www.biography.com/people/carl-sandburg-9470854
Chase’s Calendar of Events 2014. New York. McGraw-Hill. 2014.
Diane Keaton. Biography. Online. Accessed January 4, 2013, http://www.biography.com/people/diane-keaton-9361481
Elvis Presley. Biography. Online. Accessed January 4, 2013, https://rockhall.com/inductees/elvis-presley/bio/
Elvis Presley Biography. Elvis Presley Official Site of the King of Rock N’ Roll. Online. Accessed January 4, 2014,
http://www.elvis.com/about-the-king/biography_.aspx
Hinckley, David. (2010, July 1). From Casey Kasem to Ryan Seacrest, ‘America’s Top 40’ celebrates 40th year on the airwaves. The New York Daily News. Online. Accessed January 4, 2014, http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv-movies/casey-kasem-ryan-seacrest-america-top-40-celebrates-40th-year-airwaves-article-1.467411
Joan Baez. Biography. Online. Accessed January 5, 2014, http://www.biography.com/people/joan-baez-9195061
Masterpiece. PBS. Online. Accessed January 5, 2014, http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/
Ruhlmann, William. Joan Baez: Artists Biography. allmusic. Online. Accessed January 5, 2014, http://www.allmusic.com/artist/joan-baez-mn0000069153/biography
The American Dream Starts @ The Southeast Steuben County Library 