Today we remember the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving our country.

Memorial Day, originally known as Decoration Day, emerged in the aftermath of the American Civil War. The earliest recorded observance of Decoration Day took place on May 1, 1865, in Charleston, South Carolina. As the practice of honoring fallen soldiers spread across the country, Decoration Day began to evolve. In 1868, General John A. Logan, the commander-in-chief of the Grand Army of the Republic, issued an official proclamation designating May 30 as Decoration Day. However, Detroit’s first observance of the holiday actually occurred one year earlier on May 30, 1868 at Elmwood Cemetery. It became a day for the entire nation to decorate the graves of fallen soldiers with flowers. Over time, Memorial Day extended beyond honoring Civil War veterans to encompass those who perished in subsequent conflicts, including World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.

The name “Memorial Day” gradually gained prominence and acceptance over the decades. In 1968, the Uniform Monday Holiday Act was signed into law, officially moving Memorial Day from its traditional May 30 date to the last Monday in May. This change aimed to create a three-day weekend and encourage more Americans to observe the holiday. The transition solidified Memorial Day as a national day of remembrance and allowed for more significant participation in commemorative events and activities.

Memorial Day serves as a timeless tribute to the men and women who gave their lives for our nation. As we enjoy the long weekend and partake in festivities, let us pause to honor the fallen heroes and express our gratitude for their unwavering dedication to the best ideals of our nation and her people.

Today in History:

1922 – The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that organized baseball is not subject to antitrust laws because it is a sport.

1942 – Bing Crosby, backed by the Ken Darby Singers and the John Scott Trotter Orchestra, recorded Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas,” which became the biggest-selling single of all time until Elton John surpassed it with “Candle In The Wind (Princess Diana Tribute)” in 1997. Crosby re-recorded “White Christmas” in 1947 and that is the version heard most often on the radio at Christmastime.

1958 – In New York City, Little Anthony and the Imperials recorded “Tears On My Pillow.”

1959 – Ray Charles, the Drifters, B.B. King and Jimmy Reed performed for an estimated 9,000 people at Atlanta’s Herndon Stadium. It was one of the rock era’s first outdoor music festivals.

1962 – Former Negro League 1st baseman/manager John “Buck” O’Neil became the first African-American coach in major league baseball when he accepted the job with the Chicago Cubs.

1962 – Barbra Streisand appeared on CBS-TV’s “The Garry Moore Show.” She sang “When The Sun Comes Out,” a few bars of “Moanin’ Low,” and, for the first time in public anywhere, her classic slow-tempo version of “Happy Days Are Here Again.”

1963 – Del Shannon’s cover of the Beatles’ “From Me to You” became the first song written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney to appear on the American record charts.

1969 – “Crosby, Stills & Nash,” the trio’s debut album, was released.

1973 – Roger McGuinn, formerly of the Byrds, made his solo debut at New York’s Academy of Music.

1973 – Mike Oldfield released his “Tubular Bells” album. The title track later became the theme for the movie “The Exorcist.”

1974 – U.S. President Richard Nixon agreed to turn over 1,200 pages of edited Watergate transcripts.

1977 – In Orlando, Florida, Fleetwood Mac, Bob Seger, Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke, and Kenny Logins performed at the Tangerine Bowl. Tickets cost $10-$12.50 each.

1984 – Tina Turner began her comeback with the release of the “Private Dancer” album, her first in five years. In 1989, it was ranked #46 on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of The 100 Greatest Albums of the ’80s.

1989 – Future model and actress Danielle Riley Keough, Elvis Presley’s first grandchild, was born to Lisa Marie Presley.

1999 – U.S. space shuttle Discovery completed the first docking at the International Space Station.

Today’s Birthdays: 

1903 Bob Hope – English-born American actor, comedian and entertainer, born in London. (d. 2003)

1914 Stacy Keach, Sr.- American actor (Pretty Woman; The Parallax View), born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 2003)

1917 John F. Kennedy – 35th President of the United States (1961-63) and Senator (D-Mass), born in Brookline, Massachusetts. (d. 1963)

1935 Sylvia Robinson – American singer (Mickey & Sylvia – “Love Is Strange”; solo – “Pillow Talk”), record producer, and record label executive (Sugar Hill Records), born in Harlem, New York City (d. 2011)

1939 Al Unser – American auto racer (Indianapolis 500 1970-71, 78, 87), born in Albuquerque, New Mexico (d. 2021)

1939 Sir Monti Rock III / (Joseph Montanez Jr.) – Flamboyant Puerto Rican-American performer, musician and 60s TV entertainment show guest, opened the disco era with the LP Disco Tex And His Sex-O-Lettes (1975) with producer Bob Crewe (The Four Seasons), scored the hit “Get Dancin’” (#10, 1975) and several others, performed on the Vegas club circuit through the 00s

1941 Roy Crewsdon – Guitarist for British Invasion novelty/comedy pop-rock ‘n’ roll Freddie & The Dreamers, “I’m Telling You Now” (#1, 1965), now operates a bar in Tenerife

1945 Gary Brooker – Co-founder, chief songwriter, multi-genre keyboardist and lead vocalist for prog/psych rock Procol Harum, co-wrote the powerful hit “A Whiter Shade Of Pale” (#5, UK #1, 1967) and wrote nearly every other song for the group and was its driving force over fifty years, during several hiatuses worked as a bandmember and/or session/touring musician for George Harrison, Eric Clapton, Alan Parsons Project, Ringo Starr’s All-Starr Band and Bill Wyman’s Rhythm Kings, released a Procol Harum album in 2017 and two new songs in 2021, died from cancer on 2/19/2022, age 76.

1947 Joey Levine – Unabashed bubblegum pop music songwriter, record producer and vocalist, as part of the Jerry Kasenetz/Jeffrey Katz team sang lead vocals for studio group Ohio Express (“Yummy Yummy Yummy,” #4, 1968) and other groups comprised of studio musicians, wrote and produced multiple pop hits by The 1910 Fruitgum Company, The Music Explosion and others, formed his own branding company and wrote jingles for national or global brands including Pepsi, Chevrolet and Anheuser-Busch

1947 Junior Campbell / (William Campbell, Jr.) – Lead guitar for pop/rock the Gaylords, then Marmalade, “Reflections Of My Life” (#10, 1970)

1949 – Francis Rossi – Co-founder and lead guitarist for Brit psych-boogie rock Status Quo, “Pictures Of Matchstick Men” (#12, 1968), solo

1953 Danny Elfman – American singer-songwriter (Oingo Boingo – “Weird Science”), and Emmy and Grammy Award-winning composer (The Simspons Theme; Good Will Hunting; Tim Burton films), born in Los Angeles, California.

1956 LaToya Jackson – American singer (“If You Feel the Funk”), and model, born in Gary, Indiana

1958 Annette Bening – American actress (Grifters, Bugsy, American Beauty), born in Topeka, Kansas

1961 Melissa Etheridge – American Grammy and Academy Award-winning rock singer-songwriter and guitarist (Never Enough; Come To My Window), born in Leavenworth, Kansas

Singles released on this date:

• “Twist and Shout” by The Isley Brothers (1962)
• “When a Man Loves a Woman” by Percy Sledge (1966)
• “Brown Eyed Girl” by Van Morrison (1967)
• “Get Back” by The Beatles with Billy Preston (1969)
• “Rainy Night in Georgia” by Brook Benton (1970)
• “Ain’t No Sunshine” by Bill Withers (1971)
• “Oh Girl” by The Chi-Lites (1972)
• “You’re So Vain” by Carly Simon (1973)

Who was Carly singing about in “You’re So Vain?” It’s been a subject of speculation and intrigue for many years. She has never publicly confirmed the exact person the song is about, but one popular theory is that the song is partially inspired by actor/director Warren Beatty. In several interviews, Carly has stated that the song is not solely about Beatty. Other names that have been speculated include Mick Jagger, Cat Stevens, and even James Taylor, who Carly Simon was married to at the time.