52 years ago, Don McLean released the album, “American Pie.” The single version of the title song would hit the air waves on October 24. The story of the deaths of Buddy Holly, J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson and Richie Valens became a cultural phenomenon that transcended generations and continues to capture the imagination of music enthusiasts to this day. The lyrics were debated and decoded. For many years, McDean wouldn’t confirm or deny our theories.
Notable:
Things to do this weekend!
The Holly Harvest Festival features hay rides, bingo, costume contest, closed road trick-or-treating, games, activities and more.Tonight and tomorrow, 6pm. Holly Recreation Area – McGinnis Lake Unit, 5300 McGinnis Road in Holly. 6pm (Rec Passport Required)
The Windsor’s Fall Beer and Cider Festival. Saturday, 6-11pm. Tickets: $15.
The Corktown Sounds Fall Festival with food, pumpkin carving, cider and a beer tent. Saturday, 2-11pm. Tickets: $20.
Detroit Book City’s annual Fall Family Book Fair; the state’s largest book fair of Black authors. Saturday 12:30-5pm in Southfield. Free!
The Red Wings vs the Tampa Bay Lightning. Little Caesars Arena 2645 Woodward Ave. Saturday 7:00pm (Tickets)
Sound like a native speaker without learning the language. A new smart phone app can translate your content into any language. Just shoot a video selfie in the Lipdub app and it takes care of the rest.
“Moonlighting,” is back! The dramady which catapulted Bruce Willis to fame, is streaming on Hulu. Subscribers can view the complete series of 67 episodes, featuring Cybill Shepherd, Bruce Willis, Allyce Beasley, and Curtis Armstrong. The show’s title track, sung by Al Jarreau, received a Grammy nomination.
Today in History:
1957 – CBS airs “The Edsel Show,” a one-hour special promoting Ford’s new Edsel cars, starring Bing Crosby with guests Frank Sinatra, Rosemary Clooney, Louis Armstrong, and Lindsay Crosby. The show is nominated for an Emmy as the Best Single Program of the Year. It is the oldest surviving video taped television program. (Watch It)
1958 – Billboard magazine runs a story about The Teddy Bears, mentioning 18-year-old Phil Spector, who wrote their hit “To Know Him is to Love Him,” studying to be a court reporter. This marks the last edition including the Best Sellers In Stores chart, with sales figures now part of calculating The Hot 100, an industry standard
1958 – Little Anthony And The Imperials achieve their biggest hit with “Tears On My Pillow” peaking at #4. Over the next seven years, they enjoy six more hits, including two Top Ten entries: “Goin’ Out Of My Head” in 1964 and “Hurt So Bad” in 1965.
1962 – Don Everly of The Everly Brothers collapses during rehearsal in London, on the eve of a 22-date UK tour, with Phil performing solo.
1963 – The term “Beatlemania” is coined after Beatles appear at the London Palladium
1963 – The Beatles appear on BBC’s “Sunday Night at the Palladium,” marking one of the first known demonstrations of Beatlemania as fans battle with the police to attend. Around 15 million British viewers watch the show on TV.
1965 – The Who records “My Generation,” a song expressing teenage anger and frustration. Roger Daltrey later mentions stuttering the lyrics to fit the music. The BBC initially refuses to play the song over concerns of offending people who stammer, but later reverses its decision. The song rises to number 2 in the UK but stalls at number 74 in the US.
1967 – The Who‘s “I Can See for Miles” is released in the UK, peaking at #12. In the US, it reaches #9 and becomes the group’s biggest hit through 1982.
1972 – The Four Tops released the single “Keeper Of The Castle.”
1974 – Ed Sullivan, known for introducing The Beatles and others to North America, passes away at 73 from esophageal cancer. His Sunday night variety show ran for 23 years and wins an Emmy and two Golden Globe Awards for Best Television Variety Show.
1978 – Queen releases their single “Fat Bottomed Girls,” with “Bicycle Race” on the flip side, reaching #11 on the British chart.
1978 – “52nd Street” 6th studio album by Billy Joel is released (Grammy Award Album of the Year 1979)
1979 – “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough” becomes Michael Jackson‘s second Billboard #1 single, marking his first Top Ten hit since 1972.
1983 – In Chicago, Ameritech Mobile Communications launched the first U.S. cellular network.
1984 – Stevie Wonder starts a three-week run at the top of the Billboard singles chart with “I Just Called To Say I Love You,” his seventh US #1. The song, produced by Lionel Ritchie, also reaches #1 in the UK and 11 other countries.
1988 – The Shroud of Turin, revered by many Christians as Christ’s burial cloth, is shown by carbon-dating tests to be a fake from the Middle Ages
1993 – Tim Burton’s animated film “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” featuring the voices of Chris Sarandon, Catherine O’Hara, and Paul Reubens, had its New York City premiere.
Today’s Birthdays:
1925 – Margaret Thatcher, British Prime Minister (Conservative: 1979-90), born in Grantham, Lincolnshire, England.(d. 2013)
1939 – Melinda Dillon, Actress (Close Encounters; Slap Shot; A Christmas Story), born in Hope, Arkansas (d. 2023)
1941 – Paul Simon (age 82) – (“50 Ways To Leave Your Lover” and tons more).
1944 – Robert Lamm (age 79) – vocals / keyboards for Chicago (“Make Me Smile”) .
1947 – Sammy Hagar (age 76) – vocalist for Van Halen (“Jump”).
1947 – Dorothy Moore (age 76) – (“Misty Blue”).
1951 – John Ford Coley (age 72) of England Dan and John Ford Coley (“I’d Really Love To See You Tonight”).
1959 – Marie Osmond (64) – of the famed Osmond family. Sister of Donny (“Paper Roses”).
1971 – Sacha Baron Cohen (age 52), British comedian and actor (Ali G, Borat), born in London, England
