50 years ago in Expo history: Sonny and Cher could never, one S-R music critic argued in his rave review of the fair’s Rita Coolidge and Kris Kristofferson performance

Spokesman-Review music critic Les Blumenthal raved about the Kris Kristofferson-Rita Coolidge concert at Expo ’74.

He said they performed “the type of music that doesn’t fit into any neat, little category, except perhaps beautiful.”

They sang their hits, including “Sunday Mornin’ Coming Down,” “Help Me Make It Through the Night,” and “Me and Bobby McGee.”

“If you will excuse the comparison, Kristofferson and Coolidge are the real version of what Sonny and Cher try to project.”

In other Expo news, the S-R noted that pets were not allowed on the Expo grounds – but that didn’t mean there were no animals there. Marmots, of course, were a common sight. A photo showed a boy from Inchelium attempting to feed a pretzel to a marmot.

From 100 years ago: Spokane’s local Radio Association announced plans to raise money for a 500-watt broadcasting station.

Spokane already had several relatively low-powered stations, many of which had come and gone. Now, however, commercial radio stations were beginning to thrive around the country.

“We want this station to be an Inland Empire station owned and operated by the majority of radio fans of this district,” said the chairman of the association.

Also on this day

(From onthisday.com)

1868: Christopher Latham Sholes patents the Sholes and Glidden typewriter, the first commercially successful of its kind.

1960: 1st contraceptive pill is made available for purchase in the U.S.