WASHINGTON, Feb. 9 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Following is the daily "Profile America" feature from the U.S. Census Bureau:

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090226/CENSUSLOGO)

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 9: FIRST GOLD RECORD

Profile America — Tuesday, February 9th.  The idea of awarding performers a gold record for a big selling performance dates back to this week in 1942.  During a live radio broadcast, surprised band leader Glenn Miller was given the first gold record for his million selling hit, "Chatanooga Choo-Choo."  The award wasn't revived until 1958, for Perry Como's single "Catch a Falling Star." The first award for an album was the cast recording of the musical "Oklahoma."  The best selling album of the 20th century, with over 26 million copies, was The Eagles — "Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975."  Even with the increasing popularity of downloading music, Americans still spend over $8.5 billion a year on physical recordings, mostly CDs.  Profile America is in its 13th year as a public service of the U.S. Census Bureau.

Sources: American Speakers Calendar of Events

440 International Calendar of Events, Those Where the Days

Statistical Abstract of the United States 2010, t. 1103

Profile America is produced by the Public Information Office of the U.S. Census Bureau. These daily features are available as produced segments, ready to air, on a monthly CD or on the Internet at http://www.census.gov (look under the "Newsroom" button).  

SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau

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