Another snowy mess today. Be safe out there!
50 Years ago Today:
Miami (AP) – In a surprise move, Cuban authorities allowed the immediate return of passengers and plane that had been hijacked Monday by a gun toting fat man. who said his father was dying in Cuba. There were 111 passengers and 8 crew members aboard Eastern air lines flight 950 when it was diverted at gunpoint while in route from San Juan, Puerto Rico to Miami. When the hijacking occurred a steward had to quiet one of the passengers — a 268 pound wrestler, Abdullah the Butcher, of Hamilton, Ontario. “I wanted to knock the man down,” said Abdullah afterward, “but the steward said there were to many people involved.” The hijacking brought to 1,182 the number of people making the Havana hop since the first of the year. It was the 14th commercial hijacking since January 1 and the sixth Eastern plain pirated. (No mention of the incident is made in Abdullah’s Wikipedia page.)
Factoid: There were over 130 hijackings over a four year period before the U.S. tightened airport security.
Quick Takes:
Tuesday Trivia: Disney’s “Spin and Marty” starred David Stollery as Martin “Marty” Markham and Tim Considine as Spin Evans, Summer campers at the Triple R Ranch. Stollery grew up to be an Industrial designer. Considine is a professional photographer. Spin and Marty aired as part of original The Mickey Mouse Club. 60 years later, we’re watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on Disney Junior with our grandkids.
Would you pay to see a hologram of a dead rock star “in concert”? Roy Orbison‘s afterlife on stage hasn’t generated much buzz. Frank Zappa‘s has. A 16 city tour is set to kick off in April with stops in both the US and the UK. (Via Ultimate Classic Rock)
In an encore post, Fred Jacobs talks about the power of an audio signature. Detroiters will remember this iconic TV TV spot for WRIF, featuring Kelly Harmon. Sister ABC O&O, WPLJ in New York copied the spot as did dozens of other RIF wannabes across the country, although few could afford Kelly’s fee. The logo was pretty powerful, too. (Via Jacobs Media)
Disney is set to produce 4 animated Marvel Superhero series for Hulu. “Howard The Duck” will finally get his day. (Via CNBC)
Speaking of Hulu, George Clooney is directing a mini-series remake of Catch 22. It debuts on May 17. The Theatrical version of Joseph Heller‘s best seller was directed by Mike Nichols. Here’s the trailer.
This Date in History:
Today in 2000 Charles M. Schulz, left us at age 77. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential cartoonists of all time, cited by cartoonists including Jim Davis, Bill Watterson, and Matt Groening as their inspiration. Schulz drew a total 17,897 Peanuts strips; 15,391 dailys 2,506 Sundays. His inspiration for Charlie Brown’s unrequited love for the Little Red-Haired Girl was Donna Mae Johnson, an Art Instruction Inc. accountant with whom he fell in love. When Schulz finally proposed to her in June 1950, shortly after he had made his first contract with his syndicate, she turned him down and married another man.
Happy Birthday to: Lorne Greene, 1915 (d. 1987); Gene McDaniels, 1935 (d. 2011); Ray Manzarek (Doors), 1939 (d. 2013); Michael McDonald, 1952; Arsenio Hall, 1955; Chynna Phillips, 1968; Josh Brolin, 1968
Much More Music:
Let’s play a few birthday tunes..
Ringo –Lorne Greene‘s one hit wonder from December of 1964. While he thought the song was about Johnny Ringo, the lyrics don’t sync up with any events in the famous outlaw’s life. For you trivia fans, the flip side of the single is Greene’s version of the Bonanza theme song (Video). Two notable Wrecking Crew members can be heard: Hal Blaine on drums and Tommy Tedesco on guitar. Some think that “the tarnished star above the name of Ringo” had to do with Ringo Starr. The album was recorded before the Beatles became popular in the U.S. We present the LP version, with Greene’s narrative in front of the opening measures. (Video)
Some say Michael McDonald was single handedly responsible for the resurgence of the Doobie Brothers‘ career. His unique vocal style stands out on “What a Fool Believes”& “Takin it to the Streets”. That’s also him singing backup on Christopher Cross‘ first hit, “Ride Like the Wind”. He was a Motown fan, recording an album full of favorites from Berry Gordy’s cannon. Our birthday selection comes from a collaboration with bass player Nathan East: A swingin big band version of Van Morrison‘s “Moondance”. (Video)
Ray Manzarek is best known as the keyboard guy who came up with the memorable licks on the Doors‘ “Light My Fire”. He died in 2013 of the same rare cancer (cholangiocarcinoma – bile duct cancer) that killed Ernie Harwell. In 1974, he cut a solo LP entitled “The Golden Scarab“. One unusual track therein is something called “He Can’t Come Today”, cut one on side one. It was a deep track on some FM stations in the day, notable for an amazing cowbell solo at the the 2:36 mark. Fast forward the video to find it. (Video)
What tune to pick to celebrate Chynna Phillips‘ birthday? With Wendy and Carney Wilson, Wilson Phillips had three number ones in the 90s, “Hold On”, “Release Me” and “You’re In Love”. I found this interesting rendition of Brian Wilson’s magnum opus, “Good Vibrations”. There’s some technological help to fill out the vocals, but it’s a worthy performance that got some airplay on Adult Contemporary stations, making it to number 25 on the Billboard AC chart in 2012. (Video)
And finally, we conclude our eclectic playlist with a remake of Stevie Wonder‘s “Don’t You Worry Bout a Thing”. It’s an impressive layered recording by Jacob Collier, that he created himself in his native England. The home made video is just as fascinating as Jacob’s vocal construction. This tune took off as enthusiasts discovered it on YouTube, an example of how a great piece of viral art can lead to mainstream success. (Video)
Thought for Today: Successful writers create flawed characters and throw obstacles in their paths. We love redemption stories. Write your own!
We leave you with Nashville’s premiere studio funk band, Tim Akers and the Smoking Section. It’s well worth drinking in their takes on “Uptown Funk” and “Shake It Off” on YouTube. Today, enjoy their reimagining of Adele’s smash, “Hello”. Those interested in what happens in the studio will love this (Video). Everyone involved is having a blast.
