Many historic meetings have taken place over the years — when Caesar met Cleopatra, when Stanley met Livingston, when Harry met Sally. Such a meeting took place on May 4, 1904. Henry Royce had operated an electrical and mechanical business in Manchester, England,. since 1884. His real interest, however, was automobiles. He built his first in 1904, the two-cylinder Royce 10. Charles Rolls had a motor car dealership selling imported luxury automobiles. The two were introduced, and before the end of the year they had struck a bargain: Rolls would take all the cars Royce could build. They would be sold exclusively by Rolls and would bear the name Rolls-Royce. The 10-hp automobile had its coming out party at the Paris Salon in December, and quickly became one of the world’s most prestigious brands.
Rolls-Royce Limited was formed in 1906. Throughout the 20th century and into the 21st, it manufactured some of the most luxurious and exclusive automobiles in the world, synonymous with royalty, celebrity and wealth. The iconic Rolls-Royce hood ornament, the Spirit of Ecstasy, was commissioned in 1911 by a Baron Scott-Montagu, its figure looking a lot like his secretary/mistress, her finger pressed to her lips, suggesting the secrecy of their affair. She has endured through the years, evolving with the current fashion. A redesign in 2022 made her more aerodynamic. “Previously she had stood with her feet together, legs straight and tilting at the waist,” said the company. “Now she is a true goddess of speed, braced for the wind, one leg forward, body tucked low, her eyes focused eagerly ahead.” Looking for a gas station.
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Now That’s a Hood Ornament
The first Grammy Awards (or Gramophone Awards as they were originally called) honoring achievement in the recording industry were held in 1959. And it was a banner year to start passing out those little gold gramophones.
In contention for Record of the Year was Perry Como with one of his three Top 10 singles for the previous year, “Catch a Falling Star,” Peggy Lee with her biggest hit of the rock era, “Fever,” Frank Sinatra crooning “Witchcraft,” and the are-you-kidding entry, “The Chipmunk Song” by David Seville. Taking home the statuette (to Italy) was Domenico Mondugno and the only foreign language recording to ever win the top prize, “Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu.” The recording also won Song of the Year.
Other winners included Van Cliburn, Henry Mancini, Louis Prima and Keely Smith, Count Basie, Andre Previn, the Champs and the Kingston Trio.
And Ella Fitzgerald of course. She placed one of her several songbook albums in the ring, this one dedicated to Irving Berlin. This was her first of 13 Grammy Awards. She also has 9 recordings in the Grammy Hall of Fame, the most of any female artist. The first to be inducted was her first hit, A-Tisket, A-Tasket.
Wretched Richard's Almanac 