A cowboy crooner hits number one, a yellow muscle car, and a quiet quote for the road.

Good evening, friends, Jack Reynolds checking in. January 7 always takes me back to when Gene Autry first sang about a red-nosed reindeer and caught the whole country humming along. Wait till you see that Sebring Yellow muscle car, my neighbor polished one just like it every Saturday morning. Brings it all back, doesn’t it?

On January 7, 1950, Gene Autry’s “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” hit the top of the U.S. charts, and I bet every radio in America was playing it. He almost passed on the song, but it ended up selling 25 million copies worldwide. My mom hummed it all year long. Click to read how the Singing Cowboy nearly missed his biggest hit.

The 1970 Oldsmobile 442 W-30 was the gentleman’s muscle car, but it packed a mean punch. It listed around $4,000 new, and today a genuine W-30 can command over $100,000. That 455 V8 cranked out 500 pound-feet of torque. My neighbor waxed his until the stripes looked wet. Click to see the factory specs and auction values.

That Chicago Theatre sign lit up State Street like a beacon in 1953. You could catch a double feature for around 50 cents, and the smell of roasting nuts from the corner stand filled the cold air. Today, the theater stands, but the prices sure changed. My dad loved a big city night. Click for the full neon view and what plays there now.

“It’s not nice to fool Mother Nature!” brought a sudden crack of thunder into our living rooms starting in 1971. Dena Dietrich played the part perfectly for a decade, helping put Chiffon on the map. My kids always jumped when the lightning struck. Click to watch the original spot and hear that famous warning.

Molly Ringwald was the "It Girl" of the 1980s, anchoring hits like The Breakfast Club and Pretty in Pink. She famously turned down huge roles to live a quiet life in Paris for years. Today she is back as an author and TV regular. Click to trace her path from the Brat Pack to today.

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Tonight’s “Your Memory” comes from Jerry in Milwaukee, taking us back to a noisy bowling alley in January 1964. He remembers the smell of lane oil and french fries while his dad’s team laughed over a spare. Jerry sat on the hard plastic bench keeping score with a yellow pencil. That rumble of the ball on wood stays with you.

Tonight’s Quote comes from Andy Rooney, who figured, “Everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you're climbing it.” I watched him grumble on 60 Minutes for years, and he usually had it right. The joy is in the work, not just the resting. You can learn more about him here. Click to see the career behind those famous eyebrows.

See you tomorrow. Same time, same station.

– Jack

Images are AI-generated or sourced from public-domain archives. Reader photos used with permission.