Herbie Hancock, celebrated jazz keyboardist, celebrates his birthday today. Unless it's a weekday, in which case he'll probably wait til the weekend to celebrate. His initials are the same forwards AND backwards, imagine!
Bill Haley recorded Rock around the Clock this day in 1954, and even today it's still considered an old song. Rock around the Clock, of course, was featured in the movie Blackbeard Jungle, in which Glenn Ford plays a retired pirate, trying to make a comeback as an inner-child, oops, inner-city school teacher. Anne Francis (who?) plays the school librarian who is made to walk the plank. Do the sharks get her? Uh-uh, no spoilers here!
Interestingly (for me at least), the song Shake, Rattle, and Roll was released this very same day as Haley's recording gig. I wonder if it's a sign of a new trend in music?....Naah.
And in the slow music history day department, David Cassidy (of the Partridge Family) celebrates his birthday. Here's a toast to David and to the hope that tomorrow has something more interesting to remember.