… of David Carradine. Kwai Chang Caine is 70.
… of James MacArthur. Danno can book 69 years worth.
… of Jerry Butler. His precious love is 67.
… of Gregg Allman. Not such a ramblin’ man now that he’s 59.
As the principal architects of Southern rock, the Allman Brothers Band forged this new musical offshoot from elements of blues, jazz, soul, R&B and rock and roll. Along with the Grateful Dead and Cream, they help advance rock as a medium for improvisation. Their kind of jamming required a level of technical virtuosity and musical literacy that was relatively new to rock & roll, which had theretofore largely been a song-oriented medium. The original guitarists in the Allman Brothers Band – Duane Allman and Dickey Betts – broke that barrier with soaring, extended solos. Combined with organist Gregg Allman’s gruff, soulful vocals and Hammond B3 organ, plus the forceful, syncopated drive of a rhythm section that included two drummers, the Allman Brothers Band were a blues-rocking powerhouse from their beginnings in 1969. (Rock and Roll Hall of Fame)
… of Bill Bryson. The humor writer is 54. Not much funny about that.
… of Kim Basinger. Might take her more than 9½ weeks now that she’s 53.
… of Teri Hatcher. She’s desperate at 42.
… of Sinead O’Connor. Nothing compares 2 her at 40.
Sammy Davis Jr. was born 80 years ago today.
John Lennon was killed on this date in 1980.
Jeanette Rankin cast the sole vote in Congress against the U.S. declaration of war on Japan on this date in 1941. She had also voted against entry into World War I. When elected in 1916, Rankin was the first woman member of the U.S. House of Representatives. She was not re-elected in 1918, after voting against entry in the First World War, but was returned to Congress for one term in 1940. Jeanette Rankin was a social worker and a lobbyist for peace and women’s rights. She died just before her 93rd birthday in 1973. She is one of the two Montanans honored in The National Statuary Hall Collection of the U.S. Capitol.
In 1702, the Duke of Alburquerque, Francisco Fernandez de la Cueva Enriquez, arrived in Mexico City to become Viceroy. In a kiss-ass move a few years later, some folks around here named a town after him.
One-hundred-years ago today was a good day for national parks: El Morro, Montezuma Castle, and Petrified Forest were all proclaimed national monuments on December 8, 1906.