Birth of Johnny Mercer
John Herndon Mercer was born on November 18, 1909, in Savannah, Georgia. A lyricist, songwriter, and singer, Mercer wrote more than 1,500 songs during his career, many of which were popularized in films and on Broadway.
Music
-
-
Birth of Ignacy Paderewski
Ignacy Jan Paderewski was born on November 6, 1860, in Kuryłówka, Podolia (in present-day Ukraine). He was an accomplished pianist and composer as well as the first Prime Minister of independent Poland.
-
Battle of Ball’s Bluff
The Civil War Battle of Ball’s Bluff was fought in Loudoun County, Virginia on October 21, 1861. Though a minor battle and loss for the Union, it had some long-lasting effects on the war and some interesting historical connections.
-
Birth of George Gershwin
George Gershwin was born Jacob Gershwine on September 26, 1898, in Brooklyn, New York. A successful composer and pianist, he created beloved orchestral compositions, popular jazz standards, as well as Broadway and Hollywood hits.
-
Birth of Otis Redding
Otis Ray Redding, Jr., was born on September 9, 1941, in Dawson, Georgia. Despite his brief career, it’s been said that his marriage of traditional R&B with folk music in the 1960s took soul to a new level.
-
Happy Birthday, Jimmie Rodgers
James Charles Rodgers was born on September 8, 1897, in Meridian, Mississippi. He was known for his distinctive yodel and has been called the “Father of Country Music.”
-
Birth of Dinah Washington
Singer Dinah Washington was born Ruth Lee Jones on August 29, 1924, in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Known as the “Queen of Blues”, she was one of the best-known and most popular female rhythm & blues singers during the 1950’s.
-
Fort McHenry National Monument & Historic Shrine
On August 11, 1939, Congress established Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine. The monument honors and preserves this historic fort where our national anthem was born. It’s also the only place in the National Park system to be designated a Historic Shrine.
-
Birth of Dorothy Fields
Lyricist Dorothy Fields was born on July 15, 1904, in Allenhurst, New Jersey. She wrote more than 400 songs for Broadway and film, including “The Way You Look Tonight” and “On the Sunny Side of the Street.”
