December 8
Singer/Songwriter & Poet Jim Morrison was born in Melbourne, Florida on December 8, 1943. As a young man Morrison studied film at UCLA and it was during this time that he met keyboardist Ray Manzarek, guitarist Robby Krieger and drummer John Densmore and formed the rock group “The Doors.” The Doors recorded and performed from 1966 and 1971. The group was known for Morrison’s poetic lyrics and on stage antics and for the excellent musicianship of Manzarek, Krieger and Densmore which is particularly notable during the long, free flowing instrumental sections of their songs.
Jim Morrison died in 1971.
Here’s a link to an All Music biography of Jim Morrison:
http://www.allmusic.com/artist/jim-morrison-mn0000031022/biography
And here’s a link to a YouTube clip of the Doors performing the song “Riders on the Storm” which gives one a good idea of the sound of the group:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DED812HKWyM
December 9
Actor Dick Van Patten was born December 9, 1928 in Queens, New York. Van Patten was raised in a theater loving family and landed his first acting role in 1935 in the Broadway production of “Tapestry in Gray.”
From the 1940s to the 1970s, in addition to his theater work, Van Patten appeared in television shows and movies including: “Mama,” “The Jackie Gleason Show,” “I Dream of Genie,” “Sanford and Son” and the Oscar Award winning film “Charly.” However, it was in 1978 that Van Patten landed the role that made him a household name and pop culture icon in the U.S. – that of patriarch Tom Bradford in the hit show “Eight is Enough.” Bradford portrayed the father of eight children in the dramatic, comedy tinged series. In each episode of the series at least one family member was working to overcome some type of challenge and the patient, kind, caring and occasionally exasperated father Tom (Van Patten) was always on hand to offer assistance.
Here’s a link to a Bio biography of Dick Van Patten:
http://www.biography.com/people/dick-van-patten-9542423
A link to a YouTube clip showing the opening sequence of season 3 of the series – which gives you a good idea of what the show is like:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tincTKPfpw
And a link to a TV Episode Guide for the series Eight is Enough:
http://www.tv.com/shows/eight-is-enough/episodes/
December 10
Poet Emily Dickinson was born December 10, 1851 in Amherst, Massachusetts. Dickinson grew up and lived her life within a close knit family that was well-off. Additionally of note, she received more education than was usual for a woman in America during the 19th century; she attended the Amherst Academy and later spent a year at the Mount Holyoke Female Seminary before returning to her family home and living a very quiet life that included a great deal of writing and spending time with family and a few friends.
After her death in 1886 Dickinson’s family had her poems, which numbers approximately 1,800, published and Dickinson has since become known as a great American poet for the creativity and depth of her poetry.
Here’s a link to a an 1892 free book edition of Dickinson’s poems titled “Poems by Emily Dickinson;”
December 12
Iconic singer Frank Sinatra was born December 12, 1915 in Hoboken, New Jersey. Frank Sinatra began singing as a child and decided to become a professional singer as a youth. Sinatra sang with Harry James and his Orchestra and Tommy Dorsey and his Orchestra before launching a solo career. Sinatra became the quintessential American male vocalist of the 20th Century, preforming and recording albums from the 1920s through the 1990s. Sinatra was known for his smooth vocal performances on many, many songs over the years including: “In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning,” “Nice ‘N’ Easy,” “Night And Day,” “My Way,” “New York, New York,” and “Strangers In The Night.”
Here’s a link to a concise biography of Frank Sinatra found on the Bio website:
http://www.biography.com/people/frank-sinatra-9484810
And a link to an official, and more in-depth, Sinatra Family biography of Frank Sinatra found on the Sinatra Family website:
http://sinatrafamily.com/biography/
And here’s a link to a YouTube clip of Sinatra singing “Come Fly With Me;”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmQq6yLe2ww
December 13
On December 13, 1862 the American Civil War Battle of Fredericksburg unfolded near Fredericksburg, Virginia. The Battle of Fredericksburg saw the Army of Northern Virginia, under the command of Confederate General Robert E. Lee, win a decisive victory over the Union Army of the Potomac, under the command of Union General Ambrose Burnside. The battle was a very blood one for the Union Army as more than 12,000 Union soldiers were killed as compared to approximately 4,000 Confederate soldiers; and this 1862 Union loss cast a gloomy over Union Troops during the winter of 1862-1863. Eventually, however, the tide of the war turned and the Union Army was eventually victorious leading to the surrender of Confederate forces under General Robert E. Lee at Appomattox Court House in Appomattox, Virginia to Union General, and future U.S. President, Ulysses S. Grant on April 9, 1865.
Here’s a link to History site webpage that offers a general overview of the Battle of Fredericksburg:
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/battle-of-fredericksburg
A second related link to a National Parks webpage that offers a more in-depth description of the Battle of Fredericksburg:
http://www.nps.gov/frsp/fredhist.htm
And a link to a History webpage that offers a brief description of the surrender of Robert E. Lee’s and his Confederate Army to General U. S. Grant’s and his Union Army – which essentially ended the Civil War – on April 9, 1865:
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/robert-e-lee-surrenders
Have a great week!
Linda R.
References
Battle of Fredericksburg. National Parks Service. Online. Accessed December 10, 2013, http://www.nps.gov/frsp/fredhist.htm
Chase’s Calendar of Events 2013. New York. McGraw-Hill. 2013.
Dick Van Patten Biography. Bio. Online. Accessed December 8, 2013, http://www.biography.com/people/dick-van-patten-9542423?page=1
Dickinson, Emily. Poems by Emily Dickinson. Robert Brothers. Boston. 1892. Accessed via Google Books December 8, 2013, http://goo.gl/TCgp6b
Emily Dickinson’s Biography. Emily Dickinson Museum. Online. Accessed December 8, 2013, http://www.emilydickinsonmuseum.org/emilys_biography
Frank Sinatra. Bio. Online. Accessed December 8, 2013, http://www.biography.com/people/frank-sinatra-9484810
Huey, Steve. Jim Morrison: Artist Biography. All Music. Online. Accessed December 8, 2013, http://www.allmusic.com/artist/jim-morrison-mn0000031022/biography
Sinatra: Frank Sinatra Biography. Sinatra Family. Online. Accessed December 8, 2013, http://sinatrafamily.com/biography/
This Day in History: Apr 9, 1865: Robert E. Lee surrenders. History. Online. Accessed December 10, 2013, http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/robert-e-lee-surrenders
This Day In History: Civil War: December 13, 1862: Rebels repel Yankees at the Battle of Fredericksburg. History. Online. Accessed December 10, 2013, http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/battle-of-fredericksburg
The American Dream Starts @ The Southeast Steuben County Library 