National Karaoke Week
April 26
Karaoke was born in a Japanese town called Kobe when a band failed to show up for a gig in a bar. The innovative owner played some music and asked his customers to come up and sing. The word Karaoke means ‘Empty Orchestra’ in Japanese. There are over 100,000 karaoke bars in China alone. The Guinness World Record for longest karaoke marathon by an individual lasted 101 hours, 59 minutes and 15 seconds. Singer Leonardo Polverelli broke the record in Pesaro, Italy, in September 2011. During the event Polverelli sang a total of 1,295 songs! The largest worldwide karaoke session consisted of 160,000 participants. The most requested song at Karaoke Bars across the world is “Billie Jean” by Michael Jackson.
Audubon Day
April 26
April 26 is designated as National Audubon Day, in memory John Audubon, the famed ornithologist, naturalist and painter born on this date in 1785. Audubon is known for his extensive studies of American birds and his detailed illustrations of the birds in their natural habitats. He shot and killed every bird he painted. Audubon was a noted hunter and taxidermist, and much of the money he made during his lifetime was from selling animal skins, a practice that in part helped to fund the printing of “Birds of America.” He did not found the National Audubon Society. Audubon died in 1851 after a brief period of declining mental health. The National Audubon Society was founded in 1905 and named in his honor.
Today’s Birthdays of Note….
Melania Trump – First Lady – born in Novo Mesto, Slovenia
Carol Burnett – Comic Actor – born in San Antonio, Texas
