Happy New Year!

already?

Uh, that’s the Chinese New Year which is the Year of the Dragon.

Also, National Pie Day.

What’s your favorite pie?  Around here we should be partial to pecan pie.

And finally, today is National Handwriting day, always on the birth date of John Hancock, flamboyant signer of the Declaration of Independence.

1964: The 24th amendment to the U.S. Constitution, eliminating the poll tax in federal elections, was ratified.

1970: The judge at the infamous trial of the Chicago Seven denied a witness permission to "sing" her testimony. The witness was: Judy Collins.

By the summer of 1976 the biggest guessing game in the record business was trying to figure out when today’s featured artist would release his next album. When it finally happened, it produced today’s

It had been two years since his previous album and promise dates had come and gone. He even took to wearing t-shirts that read “we’re almost finished.” When he finally was, critics said the double album was his finest, most mature work. And by January 23^rd, 1977 its first single was number one in America. The album itself debuted at number one because the anticipation was so high. The album was entitled, “Songs in the Key of Life.” It’s Stevie Wonder and the 101 number one song of the day: “I Wish.”