Good Thursday morning, just adding a few facts to This Day In The History Of Music. Enjoy the read. 1). On this day in 1931 "The Star-Spangled Banner" was recognized for official use by the United States Navy in 1889, and by U.S. President Woodrow Wilson in 1916, and was made the national anthem by a congressional resolution on March 3, 1931 (46 Stat. 1508, codified at 36 U.S.C. § 301), which was signed by President Herbert Hoover. 2). On this day in 1931 “Minnie the Moocher,” the first of a long-running series of hits, with a debut recording in 1931. At the time of the recording, Calloway and his band had recently replaced the Duke Ellington Orchestra at the Cotton Club in Harlem. Even before he recorded “Minnie the Moocher". It also became the first Jazz piece to sell over one million copies. 3). Symphony No. 2 premiered on March 3, 1944, by the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Serge Koussevitzky conducted the premiere performance at Symphony Hall in Boston, MA. Revisions Samuel Barber withdrew the symphony in 1964 and ordered the destruction of the score and parts. His explanation implied to some that his piece was war propaganda. 4). On this day in 1955, Elvis Presley performed on the radio version of the program 1954 and made his first television appearance on the television version of Louisiana Hayride. 5). John Smith Hurt (March 8, 1893 – November 2, 1966), better known as Mississippi John Hurt, was an American country blues singer and guitarist. Raised in Avalon, Mississippi, Hurt taught himself to play the guitar around the age of nine. On March 3rd, 1963, Tom Hoskins, a blues enthusiast, located Hurt and convinced him to relocate to Washington, D.C. where he was recorded by the Library of Congress in 1964. This helped further the American folk music revival, which had led to the rediscovery of many other bluesmen of Hurt's era. Hurt entered the university and coffeehouse concert circuit with other Delta blues musicians brought out of retirement. As well as playing concerts, he recorded several albums for Vanguard Records. Over the years John Hurt's songs have been recorded by Bob Dylan, Jerry Garcia, Beck, Doc Watson, John McCutcheon, Taj Mahal, Bruce Cockburn, David Johansen, Bill Morrissey, Gillian Welch, Guthrie Thomas, and Rory Block. 6). On this day in 1973 Grammy Awards included, Roberta Flack who won Song of the Year and Record of the year with 'The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face' and Harry Nilsson won Best pop vocal performance for 'Without You.' 7). On this day in 1984 Nena started a three-week run at No.1 on the UK singles chart with '99 Red Balloons.' Originally sung in German, '99 Luftballons' was re-recorded in English as '99 Red Balloons'. The song was a No.2 hit in the US and the only UK hit for Nena making her a One Hit Wonder. 8). On this day in 2005, 50 Cent released The Massacre, the follow-up to his 6x platinum debut 'Get Rich or Die Tryin'. The album sold over 1 million copies in its first week, going 4x platinum in two months. The success of the album gave 50 Cent five top-five singles in 2005. 9). The Album Rockferry is the Grammy and Brit Award-winning, debut studio album by Welsh singer Duffy, first released on 3 March 2008 by Mercury Records in collaboration with Universal Records in the US and with Polydor Records in the UK. The album became a worldwide success, becoming the best-selling album in the UK in 2008, with 1.7 million copies sold. The album was the fourth best-selling album of 2008 worldwide. The album won a Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards, which were presented on 8 February 2009. Rockferry was ranked number 30th on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the Best Albums of 2008. The album also won Album Of The Year at the 2009 BRIT Awards. At the end of 2008, Q named the album the 6th best album of 2008 and Mojo named it the 31st best album of 2008. Rockferry also received the award for Mastercard British Album at the 2009 BRIT Awards, in a night that saw Duffy take home three awards. The album was the 4th biggest selling of 2008 in the world, according to the IFPI, as well as being the biggest selling of the UK. The album is considered an amazing commercial success, especially in the UK, where it was at number four 52 weeks after its release, spending most of them in the top ten albums, and a significant amount in the top three. 10). Born on this day in 1923, American bluegrass, folk, country, blues guitarist, songwriter Doc Watson. Blind from a young age he won seven Grammy awards as well as a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Watson's fingerstyle and flat-picking skills, as well as his knowledge of traditional American music, were highly regarded. He died on 29 May 2012 at age 89. 11). Born on this day in 1944, Jance Garfat, bassist, with American rock band Dr. Hook who had the 1970s hits 'The Cover of Rolling Stone', 'A Little Bit More', 'When You're in Love with a Beautiful Woman' and 'Sylvia's Mother'. (Sylvia's Mother is one of my top 10 all-time favorites). 12). Born on this day in 1947, Jennifer Warnes, singer, (1982 US No.1 & UK No.7 single 'Up Where We Belong' with Joe Cocker). 13). Born on this day in 1966, American actor, rapper, voice actor, and producer Tone- Loc, (Antony Smith), who had the 1989 UK No. 13 single, 'Funky Cold Medina' for which he was nominated for a Grammy Award. 14). Born on this day in 1997, Cuban-American singer, songwriter Camila Cabello who was a member of the girl group Fifth Harmony, formed on The X Factor (US) in 2012. Her debut studio album Camila (2018) debuted at No.1 on the Billboard chart, with its lead single 'Havana' featuring Young Thug topping the charts in several countries, including the UK and the US. Have a great Thursday, take care, and stay safe.
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