WASHINGTON, Nov. 17, 2010 \/PRNewswire-USNewswire\/ — Following is the daily “Profile America” feature from the U.S. Census Bureau:<\/p>\n
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 17: FIRST JUKEBOX<\/strong><\/p>\n Profile America<\/em> \u2014 Wednesday, November 17th. \u00a0One of the enduring symbols of American popular entertainment \u2014 the jukebox \u2014 was unveiled in San Francisco this month in 1889. \u00a0Early machines that played music for coins worked much like music boxes. \u00a0The classic jukebox came along in 1946 from the Wurlitzer Company. \u00a0It was an art deco delight of neon and moving lights, playing 78 rpm records by such artists as Tommy Dorsey and Hank Williams for a nickel. \u00a0Surviving examples are highly prized by collectors. \u00a0While there are modern versions of jukeboxes in some eating and drinking places, most people now prefer to buy their own music, either on CDs or to play on their iPods, to the tune of just under $8.5 billion annually. \u00a0Profile America<\/em> is in its 14th year as a public service of the U.S. Census Bureau.<\/p>\n Sources: \u00a0440 International Calendar of Events, Those Were the Days<\/p>\n Kane’s Famous First Facts, 7007<\/p>\n Statistical Abstract of the United States 2010, t. 1103<\/p>\n