Media

Gaslighting Another Black Community For Fun & Profit

Scratch beneath any story in Coconut Grove and you’ll discover the issue of race lurking. We’ll get to that eventually, but this true fable — with a twist on the race issue — starts with the approval of a Wawa gas station in the City of Coral Gables. So what? Cities approve gas stations all the time. However, this approval didn’t have any public consultation with the community, nor public hearings, both of which would normally have taken place. And, that’s ...

It’s Only A Northern Song ► Monday Musical Appreciation

On this day in 1963 The Beatles formed the music publishing company Northern Songs — with Dick James owning 51% — which is how Michael Jackson eventually came to own ...

Take the “A” Train ► Monday Musical Appreciation

On this day in 1941 the Duke Ellington Orchestra recorded the classic Billy Strayhorn tune “Take The ‘A’ Train.” It made the charts in July, and stayed there for 7 ...

Del Shannon & Me ► Monday Musical Appreciation

Del Shannon in Swinging London, 1963 While, I don’t usually commemorate the death of celebrities, I will make an exception for Del Shannon, the first superstar that I ever met. He ...

The 45 Is Introduced ► Monday Musical Appreciation

Hey Jude clocked in at 7:11, one of the longest singles to reach #1 It was 67 years ago today — in 1949 — that RCA Records introduced the 45, also ...

Paul McCartney Deported From Japan ► Monday Musical Appreciation

It was 36 years ago today, Sgt. Pepper taught the band to — OOPS! On this day in 1980, Paul McCartney was kicked out of Japan for trying to smuggle ...

The Danger of Speaking Truth to Power ► Monday Musical Appreciation

Forty-eight years ago today the blacklist of Eartha Kitt began. It was the day after her birthday in 1968 when Kitt was invited to a luncheon at the White House. While ...

David Bowie Dead at 69 ► Monday Musical Appreciation

Woke up this morning to the news that David Bowie has died at the age of 69. This coming just days after his birthday, the same day he released his ...

The Hit Parade ► A Musical Appreciation

The first issue of The Billboard Advertiser It was 80 years ago today that Billboard Magazine launched The Hit Parade, a countdown of the most popular recordings in the country based ...

Kicking 2015 to the Curb ► The Ultimate Throwback Thursday

As we all look forward to a New Year, some highlights before all the sand runs out of this one: THE JOHNNY DOLLAR WARS Maybe I was just asking for trouble, but ...

A Big Day for Florida & Music ► Monday Musical Appreciation

Two musical events occurred on this day in history — 8 years apart — that changed South Florida and music. In 1960 the teen comedy Where the Boys Are was released ...

Zappa, Elvis & Nixon ► Monday Musical Appreciation(s)

Frank Zappa before the mustache There are two big events in today’s music history and I couldn’t decide between them. On this day in 1940 Frank Zappa was born. In unrelated ...

Spike Jones on the Box ► Monday Musical Appreciation

On this day in 1911 Lindley Armstrong Jones was born. He later got the nickname Spike because he was as thin as a railroad spike. Spike Jones was, essentially, a drummer. ...

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