Glenn Miller and His Orchestra topped the American pop charts
with the ebullient "In the Mood" as war raged overseas on this
day in history, Feb. 10, 1940.
His most famous song, along with other iconic hits, made Miller
the biggest bandleader of his era and provided the swinging
soundtrack of the Greatest Generation during World War II.
Glenn Miller (1904-1944)
America met the Beatles on “The Ed Sullivan Show” on this day
in 1964. It is estimated that 73 million Americans were watching
that night as the Beatles made their live U.S. television debut.
The Beatles with TV host Ed Sullivan during their first appearance on his show.
On February 7, 1964, Pan Am Yankee Clipper flight 101 from
London Heathrow lands at New York’s Kennedy Airport—
and “Beatlemania” arrives.
It was the first visit to the United States by the Beatles, a
British rock-and-roll quartet that had just scored its first No.
1 U.S. hit six days before with “I Want to Hold Your Hand.”
At Kennedy, the “Fab Four”—dressed in mod suits and
sporting their trademark pudding bowl haircuts—were
greeted by 3,000 screaming fans who caused a near riot
when the boys stepped off their plane and onto American
soil.
On January 17, 1966, the National Broadcasting Corporation
ordered 32 episodes of a new TV show, "The Monkees," for
its upcoming fall schedule. Little did producers know that the
fake pop music band they were launching would become an
actual pop culture sensation—whose records would even
outsell the Beatles. The sitcom aired from 1966 to 1968.
SANDY KOZEL
Sir Roderick David Stewart is a British rock and pop singer
and songwriter. Born and raised in London, he is of Scottish
and English ancestry. With his distinctive raspy singing voice,
Stewart is among the best-selling music artists of all time,
having sold more than 120 million records worldwide.
Stewart has had 10 number-one albums and 31 top-ten singles
in the UK, six of which reached number one. He has had 16 top-
ten singles in the US, with four reaching number one on the
Billboard Hot 100. He was knighted in the 2016 Birthday
Honors for services to music and charity. Rod is 79 today.
