Memorial Day, May 30, 1949. William Higgins, a surviving U.S. military member who served in the Spanish American War was the grand marshall in the NYC Memorial Day Parade and the 45 RPM was just a month old.  The top ten on the Billboard chart were still only available on 78 RPM.  Number one for the past 3 weeks had been Ghost Riders In The Sky by Vaughn Monroe on RCA Victor Records. By this date only RCA had issued records in the new 45 RPM format, mostly promotional discs and free discs with the purchase of a new Victrola 45 record player. The first commercially available 45 was by Eddy Arnold and anyone who had the means to play a 45 could buy it, ordering it from a catalogue in a record store. Most record stores wouldn't be stocking the new format for several more months. Columbia Records had refused to adopt the new seven inch, 45 format in this "war of the speeds" between Columbia and RCA. Columbia promoted it's 33 1/3 speed issuing their seven inch discs in that speed but would give in a year later and make the switch to 45. Soon Decca, Capitol and Mercury would make the switch as well as a few smaller independent record labels that had or soon would. On this Memorial Day let us take time out from this "war of the speeds" to remember and salute all veterans who served, those who gave their lives, and to support and honor the men and women who are still proudly serving this great nation.

Mother Day 65 years ago.

This blog takes as break in the forward progress of the story of the 45rpm to reminisce and pay tribute to mothers everywhere on the blogosphere. Sixty-five years ago it was Sunday May 8th, Mother's Day. The 45rpm had been out for a little over a month and most records were still on 78rpm. The number one song on May 8, 1949 was Riders In The Sky by Vaughn Monroe. It had been at number one for eleven weeks, released on both 78 and 45. Only RCA VICTOR was issuing 45rpm singles. Columbia would begin releasing seven inch singles at 33 1/3rpm soon. Mothers everywhere could for the first time watch the Emmy Awards on television. A few lucky mothers received the first ever Polaroid Camera as a Mother's Day gift.  South Pacific was on Broadway and Mother's Day tickets would have been a very special  gift. If mom was receiving that new RCA VICTOR Victrola phonograph as a gift, she had a wide range of records to choose from, even though they were all from RCA.  The next year would bring many more 45s from a few more companies to choose from for that special Mother's Day gift. This year I hope all the mothers received great gifts from their children, spouses and relatives. I'd like to thank Thomas Edison's mother (posthumously) because without that first tin foil phonograph in 1877, the 45rpm may never have arrived when it did. To mothers everywhere Happy Mother's Day.