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Today in 1626,Dutch explorer Peter Minuit landed on Manhattan Island. He would later purchase the island from native Indians for about $26 in shiny trinkets.
Today in 1959,the first GRAMMY Awards were presented by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Among the attendees were Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Junior, Dean Martin, Gene Autry, Johnny Mercer, Henry Mancini and André Previn. The award night was held in hotel ballrooms on both coasts in Los Angeles, California and New York City, New York. Frank Sinatra led all the nominees with a total of six nominations. The very first Record of the Year and Song of the Year awards went to Domenico Modugno’s “Nel Blue Dipinto Di Blu (Volare)” and Album of the Year went to Henry Mancini for “The Music From Peter Gunn.”