music · 10 February 1942 · 82 years ago
'Chattanooga Choo Choo' by Glenn Miller and his Orchestra became the first recording to be awarded a Gold record. It was actually just a master copy of the disc sprayed with gold lacquer by RCA as a publicity stunt. The actual award recognized today as a Gold Record would not be initiated for another sixteen years when the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) borrowed the idea and trademarked the Gold Record. The first Gold single was awarded to Perry Como in 1958 for 'Catch A Falling Star' and the first Gold album was given to Gordon McRae for the soundtrack to 'Oklahoma'.
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