Post by Frank Beacham

Jan. 6: Syd Barrett, founding member of Pink Floyd, was born 75 years ago today; banjo star Earl Scruggs was born 97 years ago today; Carl Sandburg, poet and an urban folk singer, was born 143 years ago; Khalil Gibran, Lebanese-American artist, poet and writer of the New York Pen League, was born 138 years ago; in 1958 — 63 years ago — Gibson launched the “Flying V” electric guitar; and “Stagecoach” Mary Fields (1832-1914) was born a slave in Tennessee and following the Civil War, she became became the first African American carrier for the U.S. Postal Service. Also, on January 6, 1975 — 46 years ago today — a crowd of 2,000-plus at the Boston Garden rioted at a Led Zeppelin concert; “Johnny B. Goode,” a song written and originally performed by Chuck Berry, was recorded on this day in 1958 — 63 years ago; and on this day in 1838 — 183 years ago — Samuel Morse's telegraph system was demonstrated for the first time at the Speedwell Iron Works in Morristown, New Jersey. www.beachamjournal.com