We remember George Martin, the man behind The Beatles (1926-2016)

George Martin was born on this day in 1926.  

Martin was the perfect choice for a band like The Beatles.   He encouraged experimentation in the studio.   He listened to their ideas and then arranged them into songs like "Yesterday" and "A day in the life".

Martin died at age 90.   He produced 13 LPs and 22 singles for The Beatles.   He also produced some of Paul McCartney's solo albums in the 1980’s.  All together, his name was on 700 records, from classical to jazz to pop.

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1961: US broke diplomatic relations with Cuba

On this day in 1961, the US broke diplomatic relations with Cuba.  It happened at the end of the Eisenhower administration. We assume that it had the consent of the incoming Kennedy team taking over in 2 weeks. 

My father, who passed away December 2015, told me that most people were very disillusioned at this point with the Castro regime:  No elections, Political prisons, shortages of this and that.   What came to be known as The Bay of Pigs invasion was around the corner or April 1961.  And last but not least, the Kennedy-Nixon debates a few months before had raised some expectations about a change coming to Cuba soon. 

My guess is that most thought that breaking diplomatic relations would lead to a change in Cuba.   Unfortunately, opportunities were missed at The Bay of Pigs and The Missile Crisis.  

In the end, another anniversary in January and more misery for the Cuban people, specially the ones who stayed behind. 

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1993: A great day for Buffalo Bills fans!

Most NFL fans think of Buffalo for three reasons:

1) very good fans;

2) Jack Kemp's old AFL team; and

3) losing 4 consecutive Super Bowls to New York, Minnesota and twice to Dallas in 1991-94.    Nobody remembers the team that loses the Super Bowl but these Bills were a very good team.

On this day in 1993, the Bills treated their fans to the greatest comeback in NFL history.   

They were down to Houston, 28-3, in an AFC wild card game.    They won 41-38 in overtime.

I watched it and could not believe it.   It was truly amazing!    

The Bills were coached by Mark Levy.

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1959: Alaska admitted to the Union

On this day in 1959, Alaska became the 49th state.

More recently, Alaska gave us Governor Palin who was the GOP nominee for Vice President in 2008.

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We remember Phil Everly who died in 2014

We take a moment to remember Phil Everly of the legendary Everly Brothers who passed away in 2014..  

The brothers' influence on rock and many of the groups or artists who followed them was tremendous. 

The brothers' 2-part harmony was imitated by John Lennon and Paul McCartney in Liverpool and lots of other young rockers all over the world.

Rolling Stone wrote this of the brothers:

"The Everly Brothers are the most important vocal duo in rock. The enduring influence of their close, expressive harmonies is evident in the work of British Invasion bands like the Beatles and the Hollies, and of folk-oriented acts such as Simon and Garfunkel, not to mention countless solo artists, among them Dave Edmunds, Gram Parsons, Emmylou Harris, and Linda Ronstadt. "

RIP Phil Everly.  Thank you for all of those great songs and harmonies.

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"I me mine", the last studio song recorded by The Beatles

Here is a little Beatles' trivia.    I just learned that George Harrison's "I me mine" was the last studio song recorded by The Beatles.     It was eventually included in the "Let it be" LP and film.

Frankly, it was not a great song but the guitar is fabulous!

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