November 18 Radio History

➦In 1951…The newsmagazine and documentary series "See It Now," hosted by Edward R. Murrow and created by Murrow and Fred W. Friendly, began its 6½-year run on CBS-TV. The show was an adaptation of radio's "Hear It Now," also produced by Murrow and Friendly.

➦In 1954…At radio station WGST in Atlanta, Georgia, Ray Charles recorded "I've Got A Woman."




➦In 1954...ABC radio and T-V banned “Mambo Italiano,” a hit by Rosemary Clooney for so-called “offensive lyrics,” most likely due to the exaggerated Italian vernacular, including the words “goombah” and “gidrool.”

➦In 1957…At Master Recorders in Hollywood, Ricky Nelson recorded "Stood Up" and "Waitin' In School" with James Burton playing lead guitar on a Nelson session for the first time.

➦In 1963…The Beatles first appeared on U.S. television in a feature story on NBC-TV's "The Huntley-Brinkley Report" that included a film clip of the band performing in England.

➦In 1985...Howard Stern debuted on WXRK, New York.

➦In 1987...CBS Inc. announced that it had agreed to sell its record division to Sony Corp. for approximately $2 billion.

➦In 1994...the inimitable Cab Calloway died in a Delaware nursing home following a stroke. He was 86.

The big band leader, who became nationally known through radio broadcasts in 1931, had never recovered from a stroke he suffered June 12 at his home. He was best known for his trademark “hi-de-ho” song “Minnie the Moocher.” He was also featured in the movie “The Blues Brothers.” In October of ’94, the month previous, he’d been honored at a White House ceremony by President Clinton for his contribution to the arts.

➦In 2000...President Bill Clinton conducted his Saturday morning radio address from Hanoi, Vietnam.

➦In 2004...Howard Stern handed out 500 SIRIUS radios in downtown Manhattan plus 20,000 vouchers for free radios with SIRIUS subscriptions.