We remember Duke Ellington (1899-1974)

We remember Duke Ellington who was born in Washington DC on this day in 1899.    He died in 1974.

Duke was a jazz giant.   However, I first heard of him many years ago when my father used to listen to The Voice of America in Cuba.

Duke’s “Take the A train” was the intro-music for Willis Conover’s jazz show broadcast to the world on short wave.     

Conover broke the Iron Curtain, The Berlin Wall and came into Communist Cuba, too. 

It was a very catchy tune and millions around the world came to know Duke that way.

P.S.  You can listen to my show.  If you like our posts, please look for ”Donate” on the right column of the blog page.

ABBA's "Waterloo" wins top song at Eurovision 1974

We've posted about ABBA a couple of times before.  

Back in 1974, ABBA won a European prize and it launched the group.

It took a couple of years for ABBA to click in the US.  However, they did in 1976 and the rest is history.

My first exposure to ABBA was listening to the radio in 1976 and hearing a song called "I do, I do, I do".  Again, I was convinced that they were the best two looking girls in Sweden.  

Click here for ABBA's "Waterloo".  It wasn't really about Napoleon & Waterloo but no one was angry with the girls for their view of history: