Edward C. "Ed" King (September 14, 1949 – August 22, 2018)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) – Ed King, the former guitarist for Lynyrd Skynrd,
has died at his home in Nashville. He had been battling cancer in the months
prior to his death.

King’s family made the announcement in a Facebook post, ending with ‘We
thank his many friends and fans for their love and support of Ed during his
life and career."

The rocker played guitar for Lynyrd Skynyrd from 1972 to 1975 and helped
write iconic songs such as, "Sweet Home Alabama."

King was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006

SANDY KOZEL

Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union signed a non-aggression treaty
on this day in 1939.

It was on this day in 1927, despite worldwide demonstrations in
support of their innocence, Italian-born anarchists Nicola Sacco
and Bartolomeo Vanzetti are executed for murder.

On April 15, 1920, a paymaster for a shoe company in South
Braintree, Massachusetts, was shot and killed along with his
guard.

Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti.

Former priest John Geoghan, a notorious pedophile
whose case sparked the clergy molestation scandal 
for 18 months, died on this day in 2003 after being
attacked at the state prison in Shirley.

It was on this day in 1926.

1921

Rudolph Valentino
(Rodolfo Alfonso Raffaello Pierre Filibert Guglielmi)
(May 6, 1895 – August 23, 1926)

James Edward Burton was born in Dubberly, Louisiana.

Since the 1950s, Burton has recorded and performed with an
array of notable singers, including Elvis Presley, Ricky Nelson,
Johnny Cash, The Everly Brothers, Merle Haggard, Jerry Lee
Lewis, Glen Campbell, Roy Orbison, Vince Gill and the list 
goes on.

Burton has been a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
since 2001. He has also been recognized by the Rockabilly Hall
of Fame and the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum.

Critic Mark Demming writes that "Burton has a well-deserved
reputation as one of the finest guitar pickers in either country
or rock, Burton is one of the best guitar players to ever touch
a fretboard."         

From left: Elvis Presley and James Burton.

James Burton (left) and Ricky Nelson (center) with bassist James Kirkland.

From 1963 with James Burton on lead guitar.

Boris Yeltsin (right) with Mikhail Gorbachev after the failure of the
August 21, 1991 coup.

Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev returns to Moscow from the
Crimea on August 22, 1991 after a hardline coup failed.

It was on this day in 1940.

Nat Turner, a former slave, led a violent insurrection in Virginia on
this day in 1831. He was later executed.

Hawaii became the 50th state on this day in 1959. President Dwight
D. Eisenhower (second from left) also issued the order for the 50
star flag.

After signing Executive Order adding 50th star to US flag, for Hawaii, President Eisenhower (third from left) holds up the new flag.

Kenneth Ray Rogers is 80 years old today. He was born in Houston,
TX.

Country icon Kenny Rogers has sold more than 100 million albums over
the course of his career. His 1970s albums The Gambler and Kenny went
5x platinum and 3x platinum, respectively. In 2013, he was inducted into
the Country Music Hall of Fame.

CAMILLE BOHANNON

U.S. military forces attacked a terrorist camp in Afghanistan and a chemical plant in Sudan on this day in 1998. Both targets were
chosen for cruise missile strikes due to their connection with
Osama bin Laden.

In a speech to the nation, President Bill Clinton detailed strikes
against terrorist-related facilities in Sudan and Afghanistan.

On this day in 1968, the Soviet Union and other Warsaw Pact nations began invading Czechoslovakia to crush the "Prague Spring" liberalization.

Voyager 2 was launched by the United States on this day in 1977 and
aboard was a copper 12 inch phonograph record containing greetings
in dozens of languages, samples of music and sounds of nature.

A photo of the 12 inch copper record that was sent into
space on both Voyager 1 and Voyager 2.

Robert Anthony Plant is 70 years old today.

Iconic rock star Robert Plant gained fame as the vocalist and songwriter
of the classic rock band Led Zeppelin, known for such hits as "Stairway
to Heaven" and "When the Levee Breaks." He was named the #1 Lead
Singer of All Time by Rolling Stone Magazine in 2011. Plant was once 
training as a chartered accountant, but quit to become part of the
English Midlands blues scene.