This post is a little different than others I have written. One reason I stopped posting was I felt the posts were too formulaic. I like putting all of the information in the posts, but I think I’d like this blog to be more personal.I love music, especially pop, top 40 music from the 20th Century. So that’s what I want to talk about. I hope you like it.

Anyway, last night, we saw the Mormon Tabernacle Choir in Salt Lake City. They are celebrating 100 years of recording music. Their first recording, which was recorded on a wax cylinder was recorded in 1910, just 100 years ago. They are the longest running recording performers in the world.

One song they did last night which is also my favorite by them was “Battle Hymn of the Republic”. This song did not reach number one (which is what this blog is all about and why I’m saying I may not stick strictly to that standard anymore). It peaked at number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1959. The significant thing about this song was it was the first song (and may be the last, I’m not sure) that is considered classical to hit the pop charts.

The other record it broke (and still holds), was that this is the largest group of people singing on a record to have hit the charts. At the time the choir was made up of 375 people. It was then conducted by Richard Condie. He died in 1985. The choir goes on today with the longest continuously running radio chow in history. They showed a film of some of the early days of the choir and showed a picture of an album they did in the last 40’s called “The Lord’s Prayer”. I leaned over to my wife and said “I have that album!”.

It was a great concert. We enjoyed it very much and hope the choir can go for many years to come. If you haven’t heard this lately, here is an opportunity thanks to YouTube: