‘Burgh a bevy of entertaining trivia

You live in Pittsburgh now. Say goodbye to that little hamlet an hour north or south of the… You live in Pittsburgh now. Say goodbye to that little hamlet an hour north or south of the city or that area “outside Philly” where you spent 18 years – this is your new home.

That being the case, it would suit you well to know a bit about our fine city’s history. No, I’m not talking about our actual political and social history – that would be the news editor’s job to explain. I’m the A’E guy – rather, it’s time to explore Pittsburgh’s past in the arts. And what a glorious past it is.

1864 – Steven Foster dies. Oh, Pittsburgh, don’t you cry for Steve. One of the city’s first famous musicians, Steven Foster was the songwriting genius behind “Oh! Susanna,” “Camptown Races” and “Old Folks at Home (Swanee River).” He’s known as the father of American music, and he grew up and lived much of his life right here in Pittsburgh. Though his work today would have made him rich, Foster died in New York City with 38 cents in his pocket at the age of 37. Three plus seven is 10 – exactly the number of letters in the word “Pittsburgh.” Add a heart icon and you’ve got 11, which is three and eight, or 38. Clearly, Steven Foster hearted this city.

1964 – The Beatles play Pittsburgh, enough said. While nowadays we’re stuck with tired acts like Bob Dylan (last fall) and Tom Petty (this summer) – kidding, kidding – we had a taste of greatness a few decades back. The tour, called “The Beatles Show,” stopped at Pittsburgh’s Civic Arena on a Monday night, and tickets were – get this – $5.90. You can’t even buy a beer at a concert for that much today, and back then that price got you the entire show