On this day in music, May 6, 1978, the soundtrack to Saturday Night Fever began an astonishing 18-week straight run at the top of the UK album chart. Across the Atlantic, it spent an unbroken 24-week run atop the Billboard 200 and was well on its way to being certified 16x Platinum by the RIAA. Primarily featuring music by the Bee Gees, the soundtrack spawned a multitude of hit singles, including “Stayin’ Alive,” “How Deep Is Your Love,” and “Night Fever” (all US No.1s). The film and album (which became one of the highest-selling soundtracks of all time) both played a major role in the disco phenomenon, while in 2014, the Library of Congress added Saturday Night Fever to its National Recording Registry.
In 2020, Kraftwerk co-founder and electronic music pioneer, Florian Schneider, died at age 73. The German band rose to fame with their 1974 album, Autobahn, and would go on to have a major influence on musicians in the 1970s and 1980s, including David Bowie. Schneider left the group in 2008.
In 1965, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards began working on the opening guitar riffs to “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” – now considered to be one of the greatest hooks of all time. Primarily composed in a hotel room in Clearwater, Florida, hours after Richards purchased a Gibson fuzz box, the song was recorded days later at Chicago’s storied Chess Studios. Released in June 1965, “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” gave the Rolling Stones their first No.1 hit in the US.
In 1995, Oasis scored their first UK No.1 with “Some Might Say.” The lead single off their second album, (What’s the Story) Morning Glory?, it was the Manchester band’s last song to feature all five original members of the band, as drummer Tony McCarroll left shortly after its release. Oasis’ first performance of the song, on Top of the Pops, was also their final with McCarroll (drummer Alan White would soon step in). Inspired by Grant Lee Buffalo’s “Fuzzy,” it also reached the Top Ten in several countries across Europe.
In 1973, Paul Simon embarked on his first solo tour, following the disbandment of Simon & Garfunkel and the release of his third album, There Goes Rhymin’ Simon. Featuring support by Urubamba and the Jessy Dixon Singers, the tour was captured on the live album, Paul Simon in Concert: Live Rhymin’.
BORN ON MAY 6
1927: Ronnie Hilton (Radio Host)
1945: Bob Seger
1951: Davey Johnstone
1960: John Flansburgh (They Might Be Giants)
1967: Mark Bryan (Hootie & the Blowfish)
1971: Chris Shiflett (Foo Fighters)
1987: Meek Mill
The Litchfield City Council had a fairly brief meeting on Monday evening with just a couple items of business on the agenda, but the Council met in a work session for two hours Monday morning. Mayor Ron Dingmann says they met with a consultant regarding the development of policy.
Mayor Dingmann says the department heads also attended the work session and most of them have decades of experience in their positions and they are a valuable source for the Council members as they develop policy. He says they may have another work session on May 18th to continue this discussion.
Mayor Dingmann says, during the regular meeting Monday evening, the Litchfield City Council heard a report from the Meeker County EDA’s Lisa Graphenteen regarding the Main Street Revitalization Program which the legislature developed in 2021 and 15 property owners in downtown Litchfield ended up with grants for up to 30% of their project cost to mainly improve the second story housing units in their buildings. He says the Council also approved of a certificate of appropriateness for Charles Burdick at 231 North Sibley Avenue for a project to replace 4 upper story windows at that property.
The Meeker County Board of Commissioners has reappointed Philip Schmalz as County Engineer. Schmalz was first appointed in 2018, then again in 2022, and will serve another 4-year term.
The Commissioners approved of a quote from Marco for the purchase, configuration and installation of 4 network switches for $39,048.38; approved of a proposal for carpet replacement at the Government Center from Tom’s Carpet for $26,105; approved of a quote from Climate Makers for upgrade controls for the air handler at the jail for $27,000; and accepted a federal boating safety grant in the amount of $38,748.
The Commissioners appointed Lorlane Schmeling of Cosmos to the Park Board; and heard a domestic violence report from Willie Swanson of the Department of Corrections. Land Use Records Division Director Greg Schultz presented some zoning ordinance amendments to the Board, and afterwards, Commissioner Paul Johnson moved to approve of the recommended feedlot animal use ordinance change, but not the R1/R2 lot size recommendation. The Commissioners approved of Johnson’s motion. Also during Tuesday’s meeting, Board Chair Beth Oberg announced that she would not be seeking another term as Meeker County Commissioner.
Deana Wheeler took over as the new Executive Director of the Chamber Serving the Meeker County Area last month. She had been the Chamber’s administrative assistant for about a year prior to that.
Wheeler says she is not a native Minnesotan, but went to Mankato State and when she and her husband, Todd, got married 30 years ago, they lived in several other states while raising 4 children and then decided to move back to Minnesota as Todd is able to work remotely, and they found a unique home that had been converted from a former dairy barn – south of Litchfield.
Wheeler says she has a degree in leisure planning and management and has worked in event planning and community engagement for various secular and faith-based organizations over the years. She says her experience has prepared her well for her role at the Chamber.
Wheeler says she’s hoping that the Chamber can become even more supportive of local businesses and she feels that supporting families is also important for community growth and she’s gotten herself involved in other organizations including LAMP/Kinship, FFA Alumni, the Litchfield Christian Church, Kiwanis and the Peanut Butter & Milk Festival Committee. She says she and Todd have hosted PB&M events at their home and also hosted the adults who attended last February’s festival from Alabama.
Wheeler says they’re hoping to hire an administrative assistant for the Chamber and they are also looking for volunteers to help with Chamber events. She says she’s looking forward to meeting more people and getting to know them in her new role as Chamber Executive Director.