by Barry Owen Furrer | Apr 26, 2024 | Biography
Although South Dakota attained statehood on November 2nd, 1889 as our 40th state, its national day is observed April 26th. Rich in Native American history, South Dakota takes its name from both Lakota and Dakota tribes. The Verendrye brothers were the first Europeans...
by Barry Owen Furrer | May 11, 2023 | Americana, Biography
Irving Berlin was born on May 11th, 1888 in Temun, Siberia. Born Israel Baline, his family fled to America in 1893 escaping Russian persecution of Jews while settling in Manhattan’s Lower East side. Without schooling or formal training, Berlin’s career began as a...
by Barry Owen Furrer | Oct 24, 2022 | Biography
After receiving his commission in the US Navy, John Philip Sousa set to work with his 300 piece “Jackie” Band taking them around the country on tours to raise money for the war effort. Here Sousa conducts the band at a Liberty Loan Campaign in in...
by Barry Owen Furrer | Oct 17, 2022 | Biography
October 17 is National Pasta Day. Here are John Philip Sousa’s recipes for Spaghetti and Polentas/Pelotas (meatballs). Three versions exist. One from 1907, 1916 and 1922. Try them all! POLENTAS, recipe by John Philip Sousa 1907 February 1907 issue of the...
by Barry Owen Furrer | Sep 26, 2022 | Biography
September 26th marks the 130th anniversary of the initial concert of Sousa’s New Marine Band held at the Stillman Music Hall in Plainfield, NJ. This would be the first of more than 15,550 concerts that would follow over the next thirty nine years which included four...
by Barry Owen Furrer | Sep 22, 2022 | Biography
Today, September 22nd, 1869 or 1870, marks the birth of Arthur Willard Pryor, who, due to his pyrotechnical abilities on the slide trombone, was crowned “trombone king;” or the “poet” or “Paganini” of the trombone while twelve years soloist with John Philip Sousa’s...
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