A Bob Dylan Debut...
For those who worship at the altar of Bob Dylan, this is a special day. On April 24, 1961, Dylan would make his recording debut. Actually it was Robert Zimmerman who walked into the recording studio that day since Dylan wouldn't legally become Bob Dylan until the following year...
Now you might be wondering what vocal Dylan sang that day but it was as a musician that the pop icon debuted, playing harmonica. Bob Dylan was 20 years old when he played on the title track of Harry Belafonte's (yes, that Harry Belafonte) "Midnight Special" album on RCA (RCA LPM-2449)...
And what pricely sum did the future pop icon get for his efforts ? Reportedly, less than one hundred dollars...
Can't you just see Harry and Bob Dylan performing on the same stage ?
More April 24 Memories...
1833] Jacob Evert and George Dulty are granted a patent for the 1st soda fountain...
1897] William Price becomes the 1st White House news reporter...
1898] Spain declares war on the U.S. after rejecting America's ultimatum to withdraw from Cuba...
1901] The 1st official American League game is played with the Chicago White Stockings beating the Cleveland Blues 8-2 before more than 10,000 in Chicago (the 1st game was promoted by the former sportswriter Ban Johnson as a rival to the already established National League)...
1923] Colonel Jacob Schick patents Schick Shavers...
1953] Winston Churchill is knighted by Queen Elizabeth II (the Queen, not the ship) at Buckingham Palace (Churchill lights up a stogie to celebrate and is quickly escorted out of Buckingham Palace)...
1957] Ricky Nelson releases his 1st record, "A Teenager's Romance"...
1961] Robert Zimmerman a.k.a. Bob Dylan makes his recording debut (see feature story)...
1961] President Kennedy accepts "sole responsibility following the Bay of Pigs fiasco...
1963] Led by Bob Cousy & Bill Russell, the Celtics win their 5th straight NBA title...
1968] Apple Records passes on David Bowie...
1968] War protesting students at Columbia University begin a weeklong occupation of several campus buildings...
1984] Jerry Lee Lewis and Kerrie McCarver rock down the aisle (wife #6 for The Killer)...
1990] Space shuttle Discovery blasts off from Cape Canaveral carrying the $1.5 billion Hubble Space Telescope...
1990] Junk-bond salesman Michael Milken pleads quilty to 6 felonies and agrees to a $600 million penalty (Milken is later sentenced to 10 years in prison)...
1992] Exactly 24 years after being turned down by Apple, David Bowie signs another kind of contract with model Iman in Switzerland...
1994] The New York Rangers sweep the Islanders in the NHL playoffs...
2000] ABC-TV airs the TV movie "The Three Stooges"...
[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in the timeline]...
Happy Birthday To...
1934] Shirley MacLaine...
1942] Barbra Streisand (did you get a card from the President, Babs ?)...
1945] Doug "Cosmo" Clifford...
1964] Cedric the Entertainer...
1977] The Mets' Carlos Beltran...
Doug "Cosmo" Clifford..."Then and Now"...
Drummer Doug Clifford, Stu Cook and John Fogerty formed The Blue Velvets in the late 50's. They would morph into Creedence Clearwater Revival and John's brother Tom would join the trio when they became CCR. Together they would become the hottest group in America until October, 1972 when the group would split up. In 1993 when CCR was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the broken relationship took a turn for the worse when John Fogarty wouldn't allow the other members of CCR to join him on stage at induction ceremonies. John stood there alone (brother Tom had died in 1990)...
Doug Clifford now performs with Creedence Clearwater Revisited, formed by Doug and former CCR guitarist Stu Cook who also celebrates his 61st birthday tomorrow...
[Today is the 114th day of 2006 with 251 days remaining in the year and 35 days until Memorial Day]
