Many people ae unfamiliar with the Black American celebration known as “Watch Night”. This quiet, yet joyous welcoming in of the New Year often occurred in Black churches throughout the South, with church congregants awaiting midnight for the new year to start. It recognized the duty of faithful Christians to be ever vigilant, prepared to [...]
Entries from December 2008
December 31, 2008
ON THIS DAY IN BLACK MUSIC HISTORY: DECEMBER 31
#1 R&B Song 1955: “Adorable,” the Drifters
Born: Odetta (Odetta Gordon), 1930; Donna Summer, 1948
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1949 The Orioles charted R&B with their seasonal classic “(It’s Gonna Be a) Lonely Christmas,” reaching #5. Its B-side, the appropriately titled “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve,” would reach #9 after only two weeks on the charts.
1960 The future standard [...]
December 30, 2008
ON THIS DAY IN BLACK MUSIC HISTORY: DECEMBER 30
#1 Song 2000: “Independent Women, Part I,” Destiny’s Child
Born: Bo Diddley (Ellas Otha Bates McDaniel), 1928
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1950 Billy Ward & the Dominoes (with bass Bill Brown on lead) recorded their monster hit, “60 Minute Man,” which spent three and a half months at #1 R&B in 1951 (#17 pop).
1957 Alan Freed’s Brooklyn Paramount Christmas Show extravaganza [...]
December 30, 2008
KATRINA’S HIDDEN RACE WAR: UPDATE
Last week I posted on the murders of Black citizens in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in the area of New Orleans, LA known as Algiers Point, a mostly all-White neighborhood.
Here is the previous post: http://kathmanduk2.wordpress.com/2008/12/22/ethnic-cleansing-katrinas-hidden-race-war/
The deliberate hunting down and slaughtering of defenseless Black people by racists, the callous coldness of the local law enforcement [...]
December 29, 2008
ON THIS DAY IN BLACK MUSIC HISTORY: DECEMBER 29
#1 R&B Song 1962: “You Are My Sunshine,: Ray Charles
Born: Patti Drew, 1944; Yvonne Elliman, 1951
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1954 The Nutmegs’ “A Story Untold” (#2 R&B) was released. It took six months to hit the national charts.
1956 The Orioles’ “For All We Know” and the Ravens’ spiritual yet secular ballad “A Simple Prayer” were [...]
December 28, 2008
ON THIS DAY IN BLACK MUSIC HISTORY: DECEMBER 28
#1 R&B Song 1974: “Boogie On Reggae Woman,” Stevie Wonder
Born: Billy Williams, 1910; Johnny Otis (John Veliotes), 1921; Leonard “Chick” Carbo (the Spiders), 1927
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1956 Alan Freed’s Christmas show at the Brooklyn Paramount set a one-day attendance record of $27,200. The show was part of his eight-day Christmas extravaganza featuring the Moonglows, Shirley & Lee, the [...]
December 28, 2008
IN REMEMBRANCE: DECEMBER 28
EARTHA KITT, A SEDUCER OF AUDIENCES
By ROB HOERBURGER
Published: December 25, 2008
Eartha Kitt, who purred and pounced her way across Broadway stages, recording studios and movie and television screens in a show-business career that lasted more than six decades, died on Thursday. She was 81 and lived in Connecticut.
December 25, 2008
Popperfoto/Getty Images
Eartha Kitt in 1960, performing [...]
December 27, 2008
ON THIS DAY IN BLACK MUSIC HISTORY: DECEMBER 27
#1 R&B Song 1952: “I Don’t Know,” Willie Mabon & His Combo
Born: John “Buddy” Bailey (the Clovers), 1931
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1964 The Supremes made their TV debut on The Ed Sullivan Show.
1966 Ike & Tina Turner peformed at the Galaxy in Los Angeles as part of a weeklong engagement.
1969 B.B. King charted with “The Thrill Is Gone,” his [...]
December 27, 2008
REV. JESSE LEE PETERSON: THANKS GOD AND THE WHITE MAN FOR SLAVERY
“God was sure looking out for Black folks.”
“Greatest country in the world.”
Really?
“You see how bad Africa is.”
Yeah, what the hell, Black Americans didn’t really need all the history/culture/traditions that we had that American race-based slavery attacked and assailed before our black ancestors could barely be forced aboard slave ships. Thanks to [...]
December 26, 2008
ON THIS DAY IN BLACK MUSIC HISTORY: DECEMBER 26
#1 R&B Song 1952: “The Way You Make Me Feel,” Michael Jackson
Born: Abdul “Duke” Fakir (the Four Tops), 1935
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1960 The Shirelles, the Drifters, the Coasters, Chubby Checker, Little Anthony & the Imperials, Bo Diddley, and the Blue Notes, among others, appeared at the Paramount Theater in Brooklyn for an all-star Christmas Show.
1960 Charles Brown’s Christmas [...]
