Happy Birthday Phonograph!!

Today is the 131st anniversary of the invention of the phonograph, also know as Vinyl Record Day. Which ultimately lead to the Vinyl record!
The phonograph was the first invention to bring Thomas Edison worldwide fame. At the time, he was 30 years old and nearly deaf. In later years when asked about the phonograph, Edison would say, "Of all my inventions, I liked the phonograph best."

The Edison Phonograph shown above is an exact replica of Edison's first phonograph with the exception of a slight modification made for its us in General Motors Corporation's educational outreach programs on technology. It was made from patterns and blueprints borrowed by General Motors from the Laboratory of Thomas A. Edison. The modification is the addition of a slot milled across the cylinder to permit securing the lead foil "record" to the cylinder by means of a spring clip instead of using shellac as Mr. Edison did.

The lead foil "record" is four-thousandths of an inch thick. To record, the recording sound box is moved towards the cylinder so that the stylus makes approximately one thousandth of an inch indentation into the lead foil. Coupling a speaking tube to the sound box and speaking into it while turning the cylinder records the voice. To play back the recording, the recording sound box is backed away from the cylinder, and the cylinder is turned back to its original starting position.

How to Participate in Vinyl Record Day:

August 12th get together with friends or family and have a Vinyl Record Day party. Everyone who has them brings two or three of their favorite albums. Have fun with it. If you want, have a Twist or Limbo contest for kids and adults Or have someone play DJ, perhaps have dedications, or tell why a certain song is important to the person who brought it, what are the memories (the secrets!), the people, the places associated with the music. You can decorate with a music theme, make it festive with balloons. Or you can just simply play the music, heck move the furniture and make room to dance. Whatever you do, make it a point to celebrate the music you and friends or family most enjoy. There is no other purpose except to have a good time and let our favorite music remind us regardless of national news or ecological challenges, life always has its goodness.

Above you see panoptica's personal tribute to the records birthday! She says "I made this B.J. Thomas fun wall art out of a vinyl record I bought on a thrift shop."
What an awesome way to celebrate!

Tell us how you are celebrating in the comments!