Moscow in McDowell

[CoolBreeze]

Thank God for the former Commies...

KEYSTONE, W.Va. -- Russian mining and steel producer Mechel OAO says it's building a $12 million coal processing plant in Keystone.

The company says the plant announced today will double production of metallurgical grade coal from its southern West Virginia mines. Asia's booming steel business has pushed up demand and prices for metallurgical coal worldwide.

Moscow-based Mechel operates mines and power plants and produces steel, among other things.

http://www.wvgazette.com/News/201012130605

[Scott Reppert]

Okay, I'm nuts. First thing I thought of when I saw the post topic.

Definitely one of the greatest instrumentals ever recorded.

Dig the reel-to-reel footage, too...

[CoolBreeze]

OK... call ME nuts, because that song for some strange reason reminded me of Acker Bilk, a Jazz musician that made the charts in America with "Stranger on the shore" in 1962.

But more importantly, Bilk was the very first first British artist to have a single in the number one position on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.

[Scott Reppert]

But more importantly, Bilk was the very first first British artist to have a single in the number one position on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.

Uh, no. The Tornados' "Telstar", if memory serves me correct. Hey, I said I was nuts, so that could make me wrong...

[genlock]

Mister Acker Bilk, you mean.

[Scott Reppert]

Okay. They count as first GROUP. Vera Lynn (1952 and pre-Hot 100) hit #1 on the "Best Sellers" chart and Laurie London (1958) hit #1 on the "Disk Jockey" chart. Mr. Bilk was the first single artist to hit #1, The Tornados the first group.

[genlock]

The Russians were looking for a place to mine coal and Googled "coal, god-forsaken hell hole"
out of Gulag habit and MacDowell County, West Virginia popped up.

[lastone]

And to think that this may have all started in the early 70's when the tiny Mingo County town of Vulcan WV applied for international aid from Russia to build a bridge ....and Russia was going to grant it!.

Embarased WV gave them the bridge and then Vulcan washed away in the 77' flood. The bridge (in 97) went to one house.

[CoolBreeze]

Okay. They count as first GROUP. Vera Lynn (1952 and pre-Hot 100) hit #1 on the "Best Sellers" chart and Laurie London (1958) hit #1 on the "Disk Jockey" chart. Mr. Bilk was the first single artist to hit #1, The Tornados the first group.

We're talking the Billboard Top 100, no other charts. But you're correct otherwise.

[Tom Taggart]

I may be getting flaky after driving an Omnia up to Cleveland today (lots of snow north of Akron)---but I swear I could tell left from right from that clip....
and I can't hear stereo!!! (deaf in one ear)

(Too many years of watching VU meters )

[SHADOW]

In late 1962 I was working at WCHS Radio in Charleston. I had the shift before the "Night Mayor" of Charleston, Hugh McPherson. The Charleston Jazz club had just brought Kenny Ball in for a performance. Joe Farris asked me to take a tape recorder and mixer to the Sterling Restaurant, to record a session of Kenny Ball and his Jazzmen. I had already been playing their release of "Midnight in Moscow". I thought this to be very cool instrumental. I set up four microphones and recorded for over an hour. I remember that The Beatles were just becoming known, and that U.S. Immigration had delayed allowing Kenney ball and his Jazzmen to come into the States because they were not as well respected as the Beatles. The old folks that made up the Charleston Jazz Club found that humorous. Dixieland Jazz in Charleston was a big at the time. After the performance, I drove Mr. Ball to the studio for Hugh to do an interview and playback the tapes I had just recorded. Scott, thanks for the memory brought back by this post.

[Greg Goodfellow]

(From 'lastone') "And to think that this may have all started in the early 70's when the tiny Mingo County town of Vulcan WV applied for international aid from Russia to build a bridge ....and Russia was going to grant it!"

Wow...maybe this is the way Tyler County will finally get a bridge. Worth a try, anyhoo.

Somebody better teach the Russkies that it's pronounced "MACK dowell," or we're gonna have an international incident on our hands (or maybe a good 'YouTube' moment).