This Day in History December 22, 2010

This became an important document on this date just last year.  The date on the certificate is December 20, but evidently it was the 22nd when it became official.

There he is.  Chris Brown.  It was the students that I taught down in Texas that introduced me to his music.  I even studied his life and presented it as an example of a clean cut kids.  Little did anyone know what would happen.

Most of you know that he and Rhianna were dating, and he allegedly beat her up.  I believe that did happen--it may have been embellished, but I am not certain.  But I remember the day that it was reported he did it.

He was sentenced to take a Domestic Violence course--52 weeks.  This was in addition to fines and probation.  And it was on this date that it was announced that he completed this course--and that was just a year ago.

I absolutely hate what happens to these young kids in the music business.  Maybe you can understand why I think so much of Taylor Swift.  I get so sick of Hollywood sometimes.

Well, here are a couple links you can check out for more information.
http://www.femalefirst.co.uk/music/musicnews/Chris+Brown+Domestic+Violence-88823.html
http://www.dipity.com/timeline/Chris-Brown-Twitter/
http://www.thehollywoodhotspot.com/2010/12/22/chris-brown-graduates-from-domestic-violence-classes-%E2%80%93-congrats-chris/

This Day in History September 3, 1955

I thought this would be a nice change for this day in history today.  Those of you who have followed me for a while know that I love music--I am a certified music teacher--and that I lived in Texas for quite some time.  So when I learned that on this day in 1955 that Mitch Miller had the number one song The Yellow Rose of Texas, I knew that this was what I would share about today.

The song The Yellow Rose of Texas was actually written in 1853.  The history is somewhat sketchy at best, but here is what seems to be the story.  Emily West, a free black teenager, arrived in the wilderness of Texas in 1835.  She worked for Colonel James Morgan as an indentured servant.  When Santa Anna came through the area, he took her as his "wife."  Supposedly, it was because of his activities with her that led to his capture by Sam Houston.  It is said that the true love of her life from whom she was separated wrote this song for her.  

This is Mitch Miller (who died just last year at the age of 99), and he is best-remembered as a record executive and sing-along host.  He was one of the early pioneers who brought country music into pop music (and here we thought that was a new idea!).  It was on this day in 1955 that his band's rendition of The Yellow Rose of Texas went to #1, and I remember reading that it was at #1 for 6 weeks.  Not bad for an old song!



For more information, please check out the following links:

• http://www.thisdayinmusic.com/
• http://www.blackpast.org/?q=perspectives/yellow-rose-texas-ironic-origins-state-song
• http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/02/AR2010080202954.html