In the news on January 23, 1969: Ocala, FL (AP) – An itinerant male hairdresser was jailed in Ocala, Florida, after police said he staged an Aretha Franklin show by forcing a penniless Virginia singer to pose on stage as the $20,000 a week soul singer. Lavell Hardy, ’24, of New York was booked into Marion County Jail under $500 bond on false advertising charges after he bought radio ads and plastered Ocala with posters advertising “The Aretha Franklin Review” for Thursday night at hall here. The girl, Vickie James, 26, protective custody. Investigator Martin Stephens said Miss James and Hardy staged a show for 1,000 persons at $5.50 each last Saturday night at the High Hat Club in Fort Myers, the first of nine appearances arranged by Hardy. Prosecutor C. G. Musleh said police were kept by agents for Miss Franklin after the Fort Meyers show. Musleh said party brought Ms. Jones to Florida from her home in Petersburg, VA., promising to get her in to a show with Miss Franklin, currently writing high in pop music circles as “Soul Sister No. 1”.

Quick Takes:

We often forget that Mark Hamill had many TV appearances before his Star Wars fame. Our video link takes you to his title card in the series “Eight is Enough” A versatile guy and a great actor.

Baseball is the ultimate game of statistics. Here’s one surprising data point. In its entire history, nobody has made the Hall of Fame unanimously on the first ballot, until now.

As we process Oscar nominations today, a useful vid about how accurate our favorite film rating site, Rotten Tonatoes really is.

A good idea from C. Robert Cargill. While pundits, and even Academy voters may have points of view about the best films of the year, the ultimate Oscar vote is your wallet.

More pubs are headed behind the paywall. Condé Nast’s Vogue, GQ and Bon Appétite are headed there by the end of 2019.

It’s rare for the Billboard team to make a mistake where data is concerned. In this case the “West Side Story” soundtrack had a longer run than did “Thriller”, making classical composer Leonard Bernstein a true hit maker. Trivia: His other hit film score? “on The Waterfront”.

Sarah Jessica Parker, “Sex in the City’s” Carrie Bradshaw returns in a water PSA, thanks to Matt Damon.

The BBC has always impressed me with their understanding of how to leverage multimedia to purpose content. Love the video use here. Note the captions for those of us on mute.

“Don’t post a meme if you don’t know what a meme is.” Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez schools Stephen Colbert on her social media strategy

Fashions come in and out of vogue, as evidenced by this and for some 1979s fashion. But the Temptations never Seem to go out of style. Is February Check out the February issue of Vogue Magazine.

And how about this look back at a clothing ad from the 1970s? I don’t miss Disco and I definitely don’t miss this.

What happened to #Genx? Fred Jacobs Talks about a forgotten generation.

Whether it’s music, movies or politics, the old sales adage that we buy from people we like applies.

I can totally relate to Richard Branson’s message. Grandparenthood is the best.

Today in History:

1956, Cleveland Rock n’ Roll fans under the age of 18 were banned from dancing in public (unless accompanied by an adult), after Ohio Police decided to enforce a law dating back to 1931.

1965, Petula Clark becomes  the first UK female singer to have a No.1 in the US since Vera Lynn in 1952. “Downtown” was recorded in just three takes (with the second take ultimately chosen as the completed track), session players in the studio recording included future Led Zeppelin front man, Jimmy Page.

1969, The Beatles (with Billy Preston on keyboards) recorded ten takes of a new song called ‘Get Back’ at the Abbey Road Studios.

1971, George Harrison becomes the first solo Beatle to have a No.1 when ‘ ‘My Sweet Lord’ tops the UK single charts. The song from his ‘All Things Must Pass’ LP held the spot for 5 weeks.

1971, Dawn starts a three week run at the top of the US singles chart with ‘Knock Three Times’. Their signature hits include “Candida“, “Knock Three Times“, “Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree“, “Say, Has Anybody Seen My Sweet Gypsy Rose“, and “He Don’t Love You (Like I Love You)“.

1973, President Richard Nixon announces an accord has been reached to end Vietnam War

1976, 70% of 10,000 respondents tell advice columnist Ann Landers they wouldn’t become parents if they had to do it all over again.

Much More Music:

One of the first 45s I ever bought. A classic 1964 tune from the Riviera’s. Here’s “California Sun”. (Video)

The Doobie Brothers were transformed when Michael McDonald took over on the microphone. Here’s one of his first contributions from 1976. “Takin It To The Streets”. (Video)

Today’s Quote Worth Re-Quoting: “Opportunity doesn’t knock it presents itself when you beat down the door.” ~Kyle Chandler

We leave you with Thelma Houston, Number One on the Billboard Disco Chart, 42 years ago today, with “Don’t Leave Me This Way.”