Week of December 15, 1980
President-elect Ronald Reagan nominates Gen
Alexander M Haig Jr. to be secretary of state.
Algeria relays Tehran’s “final” terms for freeing the 52
American hostages to the United States and Iran says
it must get back its $8 bullion in frozen assets and gold
bullion before the captives are released.
Seven imprisoned Irish guerillas who began a hunger
strike “to the death” 53 days earlier for political prisoner
status call it off without winning that demand.
About 3,000 jam the streets of Lynn, Mass to catch money being dropped by
helicopter as a gift to its citizens, but most of the money went out into the ocean.
The money was given out by Walter Dyer, owner of a local, family-run leather
company. When thrown from the helicopter, the money went up in the air and the
winds mostly carried it out to sea.
President-elect Ronald Reagan announces his first appointment of a woman to a
to-level position and names former federal trade Commissioner Elizabeth Dole as
assistant to the President for public liaison.
Up, Up and Up - At the tale-end of the Carter Administration - the prime rate
advances to a record 21.5%! It’s a record!
President-elect Reagan says he will not impose any “extralegal or unusual legal
measures of he decides to declare a national economic emergency after his
inauguration in January. He is considering a federal hiring freeze and curbs on
spending and borrowing. Top Reagan aides already have discussed a series of
emergency measures to deal with the financial crisis after the change of
administration Jan. 20.
After nearly a year of big deficits, the United States posts its first surplus in
international trade of good and services in the third quarter.
Lee A. Iacocca says Chrysler Corp. Has “no future” if the
federal government fails to approve its latest cost-cutting
proposals. “This is a touch, solid plan, it’s a workable plan
and it’s going to do the job for us.’ Said Iacocca.
Census Bureau says - America’s fastest-growing city is
San Jose, CA, which gained 36.1% in population over the
Week of December 15, 1980
past decade. The largest percentage drop in population among the top 4 cities
wasn’t St. Louis, where the population fell 27.9% over the same period. Houston
swapped places with Detroit, moving up to fifth place.
First Lady Rosalynn Carter says that Nancy Reagan called her to deny reports
that she wished the Carter family would move out of the White House before the
inauguration so the family quarters could be redecorated. “She just said she did
not make those statements,” said the First Lady, about Mrs. Reagan.
Passing - former Soviet Premier Alexei K.
Kosygin (76) - prime architect of détente and a
foreign policy troubleshooter for 16 years. He died
less than two months after resigning from the job he
took away from Nikita Khrushchev in 1964.
Near Palm Springs - California’s first wind turbine
producing electrical energy for a utility is dedicated
in the San Gorgonio Pass. The windmill is designed
to produce 3,000 kilowatts of electrical power in
40mph wind. Winds of about 12mph are necessary
for the blades to turn. It will soon be joined in the
windy pass by another wind-turbine generator, one
shape like a giant inverted eggbeater. Will more be
on the way?
Saudi Arabia announces it is raising its crude prices about $2 a barrel - to $32,
retroactive to Nov. 1
Sports -
Slugger/outfielder Dave Winfield
becomes the richest free agent in
baseball history signing a multi-year
contract with the New York
Yankees, at estimates of $1.5 million
a year for 10 years.
Technology -
Satellite Television Corp asks the
FCC for permission to build satellites
for the first phase of a system that is
expected to be the first to serve TV
customers directly to homes from
space.
Week of December 15, 1980
Media - Gannett Co which owns the largest chain of daily newspapers,
announces plans to publish prototype editions next year of a national, general
interest daily paper to be called “USA Today.” If the reactions of advertisers and
readers to the test publications are positive, Gannett probably will begin daily
publication and distribution throughout the country in 1982, Chairman Allen
Neuharth told publishers of the company’s 81 dailies at a luncheon meeting.
American Telephone & telegraph becomes the first corporation ever to report
profits of more than $6 billion in a 12-moth period.
Passing - Harland Sanders (90) - the white-haired,
white-suited Kentucky colonel who parlayed sales
ability and a secret recipe into a fried chicken empire.
John Lennon -
Sunday - More than 100,000 pack hillsides and
valleys in Central Park during John Lennon
commemorative services. A smaller crowd gathered
outside the Dakota, the apartment house where
Lennon lived and was shot.
Yoko Ono asks fans “to pray for John’s soul” for 10
minutes on Sunday. She thanked the millions of fans
and friends who paid tribute to Lennon in a worldwide
outpouring of tears and silent prayer. She said she
saw her husband “smiling in the sky.”
The station’s to listen to in
New York were WNEW-FM
and WPLJ-FM for John
Lennon. WNEW-FM
prepared the selections for
the Sunday Central Park
gathering and they included
classical selections and
Beatle songs. WNEW-FM
went commercial-free for 12
hours after the murder was
reported to the media.
Lennon Tribute recordings -
Within a week of John
Week of December 15, 1980
Lennon’s death, four tributes of the slain Beatle have been recorded. The first
one, on Shelby Singleton’s Sun Label, was written, recorded and shipped within
48 hours of the murder. Three of the four songs came from Nashville. The fourth,
“We won’t say Goodbye, John,” was recorded in Los Angeles. Here they are:
“John” - Baxter, Baxter & Baxter
“John Would Agree” - Contains Beatles-flavored tracks - by Bob Farnsworth.
“Elegy For the Walrus” - Sid Bradley.
“We Won’t say Goodbye - Iren Koster
More music news - The Peppermint Lounge in New York
is reopened. The site had bee occupied for the past two
years by the G.G. Barnum Room, which moves next door.
Investigators from the New York state Attorney general’s
office Madison square Garden, promoter Ron Delsener and
Bruce Springsteen’s management company are looking into
allegations that thousands of tickets to Springsteen’s four
sol-out dates at the Garden have been diverted to ticket
scalpers.
Radio news - In Philly - Country WRCP-FM (104.5) goes
adult contemporary as WSNI.
“Live From Gilley’s,” Westwood One’s new hour-long weekly
radio series of live concerts to bop stars in country music, has hit 200 stations.
Less music for WABC - Jay Clark operations manager devoted 3 ½ hours to
coverage of the New York marathon Oct 26 that included having talent reporting
from the event, including overnight DJ Howard Hoffman.
Dr. Demento celebrates his 10 th anniversary in
radio.
Television news -
NBC sinks to last place and three series
premieres faired poorly in the ratings. Marie
Osmond’s new variety show ranked 54 th out of 66
shows. “The Steve Allen Comedy Show” did
worse - 56. “Number 96” - NBC’s highly touted
comedy soap opera faired poorly as well.
Public Broadcasting’s WNET/New York will enter
the home video market next year.
Week of December 15, 1980
At the movies -
Popeye
Any Which Way You Can
Flash Gordon
Smokey & The Bandit
Stir Crazy
The Hunter
Final Countdown
The Mirror Crack’d
9 to 5
Empire Strikes Back
Raging Bull
Seems Like Old Times
The formula
Inside Moves
A Change of Seasons
Top videocassette sales -
Star Trek
Close Encounters
Blues Brothers
Alien
Coal Miner’s Daughter
American Gigolo
The Muppet Movie
The Godfather
Billboard’s Top Pop Artists For
1980
Male -
Kenny Rogers
Michael Jackson
Billy Joel
Waylon Jennings
Smokey Robinson
Christopher Cross
Herb Alpert
Kenny Loggins
Dan Fogelberg
Barry Manila
Week of December 15, 1980
Elton John
Boz Scaggs
Wilie Nelson
Jermaine Jackson
Isaac Hayes
Gary Numan
Rupert Holms
Chuck Mangione
Pete Townshend
Bob Dylan
Eric Clapton
Stevie Wonder
Paul McCartney
Prince
Steve Forbert
Teddy Pendergrass
Robbie Dupree
Frank Sinatra
Neil Diamond
Joe Jackson
Jimmy Buffett
Billboard’s Top
Female Pop Artists
For 1980 -
Donna Summer
Pat Benatar
Dionne Warwick
Anne Murray
Linda Ronstadt
Diana Ross
Stephanie Mills
Barbra Steisand
Angels Bofill
Bette Midler
Joan Armatrading
Carole King
Emmylou Harris
Kim Carnes
Patrice Rushen
Natialie Cole
Melissa Manchester
Bonnie Raitt
Week of December 15, 1980
France Joli
Teena Marie
Phyllis Hyman
Olivia Newton-John
Bonnie Pointer
Nicolette Larson
Brenda Russell
Carly Simon
Grace Slick
Billboard’s Top New Pop Artists For 1980 -
Christopher Cross
Pretenders
Lipps Inc.
Air Supply
Ray, Goodman & Brown
Prince
The Dirt Band
Robbie Dupree
Bob James & Earl Klugh
The S.O.S. band
Change
Ray parker Jr. & Raydio
Bruce Cockburn
Rocky Burnette
Luciano Pavarotti
Rossington Collins Band
Hiroshima
Festival
Larry Graham
Benny mardones
38 Special
Squeeze
Top Country -
One In A Million - Johnny Lee
That’s All that Matters To Me - Mickey Gilley
Lover’s Live Longer - Bellamy Brothers
I Think I’ll Just Stay Here and Drink - Merle Haggard
The Best of Strangers - Barbara Mandrell
A Bridge That Just Won’t Burn - Conway Twitty
I Love A Rainy Night - Eddie Rabbit
Why Lady Way - Alabama
Week of December 15, 1980
Texas In My rear View Mirror - Mac Davis
Top Disco Hits -
It’s A War/Ahjia - Kano
Celebration - Kool & The Gang
All My Love - L.A.X.
Lovely One/Can You Feel It/Walk Right Now - The Jacksons
Uptown/Dirty Mind/Head - Prince
Look Up/ Never Gonna Give You Up _ Patrice Rushen
You ought To Be Dancin’ - People’s Choice
Action Satisfaction- Melody Stewart
Top Hits In Britain -
Super Trouper - Abba
The Tide Is High - Blondie
Embarrassment - Madness
Banana Republic - Boomtown Rats
Never Knew Like This Before -
Stephanie Mills
Do You Feel My My Love - Eddie
Grant
The earth dies Screaming - UB40
I Cold Be So Good For You -
Dennis Waterman
Fashion - David Bowie
Celebration - Kool & The Gang
To Cut A Long Story Story Short -
Spandau Ballet
Top Hits In Canada -
Lady - Kenny Rogers
(Just Like) Starting Over - John Lennon
Hungary Heart - Bruce Springsteen
More than I Can Say - Leo Sayer
Dreaming - Cliff Richard
I Got You - Split Enz
Don’t Stand So Close - Police
Love On The Rocks - Neil Diamond
Woman In Love - Barbra Streisand
Week of December 15, 1980
Top Albums This Week -
Hotter Than July - Stevie Wonder
Greatest Hits - Kenny Rogers
Guilty - Barbra Streisand
Back in Black - AC/DC
Eagles Live - Eagles
Crimes of Passion - Pat Benatar
The River - Bruce Springsteen
The Game - Queen
Gaucho - Steely Dan
Double Fantasy - John/Yoko Ono
Live/Greatest Hits - Heart
The Jazz Singer - Neil Diamond
Zenyatta Mondatta - Police
Triumph - The Jacksons
Faces - Earth, Wind & Fire
Autoamerican- Blondie
Remain in Light - Talking Heads
Making Movies - Dire Straits
Anne Murray’s Greatest Hits
Greatest Hits - The Doors
One Step Closer - Doobie Brothers
Christopher Cross - Christopher Cross
The Turn of a Friendly Card - Alan
Parsons Project
Seconds of Pleasure - Rockpile
Hits - Boz Scaggs
Celebrate - Kool & The Gang
Barry - Barry Manila
Hawks and Doves - Neil Young
Foolish Behaviour - Rod Stewart