popculturefanboy

2013-05-23T00:05:00.000-04:00

MAY 23, 2013

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1910 - Scatman Crothers, singer, drummer, guitarist, bandleader, dancer, motion picture and television actor, cartoon voice actor, and Capitol Records (1948-1949) and Aladdin Records (1951-1953) artist, is born Benjamin Sherman Crothers in Terre Haute, Indiana
1920 - Helen O’Connell, singer, motion picture actress, dancer, vocalist with Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra, television personality, wife of Capitol Records artist and bandleader Frank DeVol, and a Capitol Records artist, is born in Lima, Ohio
85 Years Ago Today In 1928 - Rosemary Clooney, singer, motion picture actress, and Capitol Records (on the 1965 album "That Travelin' Two Beat" with Bing Crosby) and United Artists Records (1976-1977) artist, is born in Maysville, Kentucky
1959 - Bill Vorn, synthesizer player and founding member of the Capitol Records band Rational Youth, is born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada
1967 - Phil Selway, drummer for the Capitol Records band Radiohead, is born Philip James Selway in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, England
1980 - Heather Peggs, Capitol Records A&R executive (2004-2009), founder and president of HELL YA! Records, is born in Wexford, Pennsylvania

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1947 - Wingy Manone and His Orchestra (Manone on trumpet; Charlie Griffard, Zeke Zarchy, and Ray Linn on trumpet; Bill Schaefer, Allan Thompson, and Carl Loeffler on trombone; Heinie Beau on clarinet; Fred Stulce and Leonard Hartman on alto saxophone; Herbie Haymer and Ted Nash on tenor saxophone; Moe Weschsler on piano; George Van Eps on guitar; Jack Ryan on bass; and Nick Fatool on drums) record the track "Box Car Blues", with Manone sharing vocals with Johnny Mercer, in Los Angeles, California which will be released as a single by Capitol Records with "Hello Baby" on the flip side. At the same session, The Pied Pipers, with Paul Weston conducting the same musicians (except for Wingy Manone), record the tracks "Just Plain Love" and "The Riddle Song" which Capitol Records will release together as a single.
1952 - Louis Bellson Just Jazz All Stars (Clark Terry on trumpet; Juan Tizol on valve trombone; John Graas on french horn; Willie Smith on alto saxophone; Wardell Gray on tenor saxophone; Harry Carney on baritone saxophone; Billy Strayhorn on piano; Wendell Marshall on bass; Louis Bellson on drums) record the tracks "The Jeep Is Jumpin'", "Passion Flower", and "Johnny Come Lately" (all three arranged by Strayhorn), "Sticks" and "Punkin'" (both arranged by Shorty Rogers), "Eyes" (arranged by Buddy Baker)", Rainbow" (arranged by Tizol), and "Shadows" (also arranged by Baker) in Los Angeles, California. All the tracks will be released on a 10" album by Capitol Records as part of it's "Classics in Jazz" series.
60 Years Ago Today In 1953 - Les Baxter and His Orchestra's Capitol Records single "April in Portugal" is #2 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Singles chart, Nat "King" Cole (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s single "Pretend" is #9, Jane Froman (with Orchestra conducted by Sid Feller)'s Capitol Records single "I Believe" is #11, and Les Baxter and His Orchestra's Capitol Records single "Ruby (theme from the movie Ruby Gantry)" enters the chart at #20
1960 - The Four Prep's Capitol Records single "Got A Girl" is #24 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1964 – Capitol Records releases The Beach Boys' single “I Get Around” with “Don’t Worry Baby” on the flip side
1965 - The Beach Boys' Capitol Records single "Help Me Rhonda", with "Do You Wanna Dance?" on the flip side, hits #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1967 - Buck Owens's Capitol Records single "Sam's Place" is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1967 - The Pink Floyd records Syd Barrett's "See Emily Play" at Sound Techniques Studios in England. The track will later be released in the United States on Tower Records, a subsidiary of Capitol Records.
1970 - Paul McCartney's Apple Records album "McCartney", distributed by Capitol Records in the United States, reaches #1 on Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart
1994 - The Beastie Boys' Grand Royal and Capitol Records album "Ill Communication" is released and will become their second #1 album and second album to be certified triple platinum
1996 - Capitol Records Nashville releases Suzy Bogguss' first single for the newly renamed label, "Give Me Some Wheels" with "Far And Away" on the flip side

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
130 Years Ago Today In 1883 - Douglas Fairbanks, Sr., motion picture actor and co-founder of United Artist Pictures which would go on to create United Artists Records, is born Douglas Elton Ulman in Denver, Colorado
1960 - Rick Nelson's Imperial Records single "Young Emotions" is #16 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart and Dion and The Belmont's Laurie Records single "When You Wish Upon A Star" is #30. EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company, currently owns the Imperial and Laurie Records catalogs.
1969 - Jimmy McHugh (born James McHugh), composer ("I Can't Give You Anything But Love", "On The Sunny Side Of The Street", "I'm In The Mood For Love", etc.) and pianist, dies in Beverly Hills, California at age 74. Capitol Records released a CD compilation of various Capitol Records artists covering McHugh's songs as part of it's "Capitol Sings" series.
1971 - The Rolling Stones' single "Brown Sugar", with a cover of Chuck Berry's "Let It Rock" on the flip side, hits #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart. The Rolling Stones' catalog is now released by Virgin Records, a subsidiary of Capitol Music Group's parent company EMI Music Group
30 Years Ago Today In 1983 - Pink Floyd's Columbia Records album "The Final Cut" is certified Gold by the R.I.A.A. Pink Floyd's entire catalog is now distributed by Capitol Records in the United States
2006 - The complete "Bugaloos" is released on DVD.

The Bugaloos with their Barris Custom buggy at the back entrance of The Capitol Tower. Photo courtesy of Bill Ung

Rhino Video releases a 3 DVD set with all 17 original episodes of the series, as well as some great extras. In 1970 Capitol Records released The Bugaloos only album and sponsored a promotional tour of in-store and personal appearances to support it. Bill Ung has a wondeful and massive tribute website to The Bugaloos and I've contributed some photos from the personal appearances in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Dallas, Texas, to it.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1910 - Artie Shaw, clarinet player and bandleader, is born Arthur Jacob Arshawsky in New York City, New York
1944 - Tiki Fulwood, drummer for the bands Parliament and Funkadelic, is born Ramon Fulwood in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
45 Years Ago Today In 1968 - John Lennon and George Harrison open Apple Tailoring (Civil And Theatrical) at 161 King's Road, London, England

2013-05-22T00:16:00.000-04:00

MAY 22, 2013

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
65 Years Ago Today In 1948 - Buddy Alan, singer, songwriter, guitarist, son of Capitol Records artists Buck and Bonnie Owens, step-son of Capitol Records artist Merle Haggard, and Capitol Records artist in his own right (1968-1976), is born Alvis Alan Owens in Mesa, Arizona

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
65 Years Ago Today In 1948 - The King Cole Trio (with orchestra conducted by Frank DeVol)'s Capitol Records single "Nature Boy" is still #1 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart and Peggy Lee (with Dave Barbour and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Manana" is #12
1954 - Frank Sinatra (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Young At Heart" is #3 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Kay Starr (with orchestra conducted by Harold Mooney)'s Capitol Records single "If You Love Me (Really Love Me)" is #6 and its flip side "The Man Upstairs" is #7, and Nat "King" Cole (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Answer Me, My Love" is #11
1961 - Faron Young's Capitol Records single "Hello Walls" is #18 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1965 - The Beatles' Capitol Records single "Ticket to Ride", with "Yes, It Is" on the flip side, hits #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1967 - The Knack (Mike Chain, Larry Gould, Dink Kaplan and Pug Baker), with producer Nick Venet and engineer John Krauss, record the tracks "Pretty Daisy" and "Banana Man" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will release the tracks together as a single (Capitol 5940).
1970 - Buck Owens and Susan Raye (on vocals, with unlisted musicians) record the tracks "Your Tender Loving Care", "Think Of Me", "I Thank You For Sending Me You", and "I Don't Care (Just As Long As You Love Me)" and overdubs for all the tracks but "Think Of Me" at Buck Owens Studios in Bakersfield, California. Capitol Records will issue "You're Tender Loving Care" as a single (Capitol 2871) with "The Great White Horse" on the flip side and all the tracks on the duo's album "Great White Horse" (ST-558).
1970 - Capitol Records group The Bob Seger System perform at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago, Illinois. Despite having to stop twice to fix the sound system the band gives a great show. Opening for them are Swedish five man group the Mecki Mark Men who are distributed by Limelight Records.
1972 - The Raspberries' second Capitol Records single from their self-titled debut album, "Go All The Way" with "With You In My Life" on the flip side, is released and will eventually peak at #5 on Billboard's singles chart
1976 - Paul McCartney & Wings' Apple Records single "Silly Love Songs", with "Cook Of The House" on the flip side, hits #1 on Billboard's singles chart
1977 - Hampton Hawes, pianist and member of many jazz bands including Stan Kenton's All Stars, Shorty Rogers and his Giants, Teddy Edwards' Septet, The Bud Shank - Bill Perkins Quintet, as well as leader of his own trio, quartet, quintet, septet, and nonet, Hampton Hawes dies of a stroke at age 48 in Los Angeles, California. The Jazz Discography Project has a great discography of Hawes' work.
2001 - Capitol Records releases The Beach Boys' 2 CD, 58 track, album "Hawthorne, CA — Birthplace of a Musical Legacy"
2005 - Keith Urban's Capitol Records Nashville single "Making Memories Of Us" is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts

2007 - Capitol Records releases The Beach Boys' greatest hits album "The Warmth Of The Sun"
5 Years Ago Today In 2008 - D Kilpatrick passes away at age 88. He was a music executive from the 1940s to the 1960s in Nashville. He was considered the first salaried producer based in Music City and produced sessions for Hank Thompson, Tex Ritter and Jimmie Skinner. Kilpatrick, born William David "D" Kilpatrick on July 18, 1919 in Charlotte, North Carolina, got into the record business as a salesperson for Capitol Records in his hometown. By the late 1940s, he was producing acts for the label, including James and Martha Carson. In 1956, Kilpatrick became manager of the Grand Old Opry, bringing in acts such as Porter Wagoner, the Everly Brothers and Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper. In 1958, he helped found the Country Music Association. He left the Opry in 1959 to form Acuff-Rose Artists Corp., a booking agency for Opry acts and pop stars such as Roy Orbison. He later returned to sales and promotion for Warner, Philips and Mercury Records. He eventually left the music business to run a drapery and fabrics business.
2009 - Capitol Records group Sick Puppies perform at Harrah's Casino Voodoo Lounge in Las Vegas, Nevada

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1959 - Morrissey, singer, songwriter, with the band The Smiths, and a solo artist who occasionally uses The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California to record in and to broadcast radio events from, is born Steven Patrick Morrissey in Manchester, England
1961 - Ernie K-Doe's Minit Records single "Mother-In-Law" is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart, Gene McDaniels's Liberty Records singe "A Hundred Pounds Of Clay" is #4, Rick Nelson's Imperial Records single "Travelin' Man" is #5 and his Imperial Records single "Hello Mary Lou" is #9, Steve Lawrence's United Artists Records single "Portrait Of My Love" is #13, and Al Caiola and His Orchestra's United Artists Records single "Bonanza" is #20
1977 - Former Capitol Records artist Stan Kenton, on tour with his orchestra, is found unconscious at 8 p.m., lying on the floor of the Abraham Lincoln Motor Inn in Reading, Pennsylvania. He underwent neurosurgery for a skull fracture with a blood clot on the brain.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1942 - Calvin "Thang" Simon, vocalist for the bands The Parliments, Parliament and Funkadelic, and a member of the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame, is born in Beckley, West Virginia
1950 - Lyricist Bernie Taupin is born in Lincolnshire, England

2013-05-21T00:22:00.000-04:00

MAY 21, 2013

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1916 - Dennis Day, tenor, radio, television and motion picture actor, and Capitol Records artist (whose single "Phil The Fluters Ball", with "Johnny Doughboy Found A Rose In Ireland" on the flip side, was fourth in the first records released by Capitol, and his album "Dennis Day Sings" was one of the first albums released by the label), is born Owen Patrick Eugene McNulty in Bronx, New York
1931 - Sleepy Willis, guitarist with Capitol Records artist Dick Curless' band and later his manager, is born Tasio Golios in Newport, Rhode Island
1941 Pauline "Polly" Smoot, Capitol Records employee in North Carolina, is born Pauline Huffman in Milton, North Carolina.

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1942 - Freddie Slack & His Orchestra (Slack on piano; George Wendt, Bob Goodrich, and John Kec on trumpets; Bruce Squires and Bill Anthens on trombones; Willie Martinez on clarinet and alto saxophone; Al Harding, John Hamilton, and Walter Clark on reeds; Jack Marshall on guitar; Jim Lynch on bass; and John Cyr on drums} record "Baby Doll", "Cow Cow Boogie" with vocals by 17 year old Ella Mae Morse and, as backing for vocalist Johnny Mercer, "The Air Minded Executive" in a split session with David Street from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM, with Johnny Mercer producing, at C. P. MacGregors Studios at 729 S. Western Avenue in Los Angeles, California
1944 - Benny Carter and His Orchestra record the tracks "I Can't Escape From You", "I'm Lost", "I Can't Get Started" and "I Surrender Dear" In Los Angeles, California for Capitol Records
1949 - Jo Stafford & Gordon MacRae (with Paul Weston and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "'A' You're Adorable" is #9 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Mel Tormé (with orchestra conducted by Pete Rugolo)'s Capitol Records single "Again" is #10, Margaret Whiting and Johnny Mercer's Capitol Records single "Baby It's Cold Outside" is #12, Jo Stafford & Gordon MacRae (with Paul Weston and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Need You" is #13, and Mel Tormé (with orchestra conducted by Pete Rugolo)'s Capitol Records single "Careless Hands" is #15
1949 - Capitol Records is given until May 26 to answer brought in a counter suit by Mercury Records that asks for an injunction to stop Capitol from releasing recordings licensed from Telefunken and an accounting of profits made from the recordings. Capitol had brought suit against Mercury after it had released recordings from the Telefunken label which Mercury said were part of a licensing deal it has with Gramophone Works of Czechoslovakia but had not released and had no plans to release the recordings using the Telefunken name.
1955 - Les Baxter and His Orchestra's Capitol Records single "Unchained Melody" is #2 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Tennessee Ernie Ford (with Cliffie Stone's Band)'s Capitol Records single "The Ballad Of Davy Crockett" is #7, Nat "King" Cole (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "A Blossom Fell" and it's flip side "If I May" with The Four Knights joining Cole and Riddle is #8, Nat "King" Cole (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Darling Je Vous Aime Beaucoup is #14, and Frank Sinatra (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Learnin' The Blues" is #16
1962 - Capitol Records releases Buck Owens' single "Save The Last Dance For Me" with "King Of Fools" on the flip side
1964 - "Four By the Beatles", an EP of 4 songs by The Beatles ("All My Loving", "This Boy", "Roll Over Beethoven" and "Please Mister Postman") is released by Capitol Records only in the United States
1969 - The Beatles announce that accountant Allen Klein will now handle their financial affairs.
1971 - Apple Records releases Paul McCartney's album “Ram" with Capitol Records distributing the album in the United States
25 Years Ago Today in 1988 - Capitol Records releases Poison's album "Open Up And Say... Ahh!"
2004 - Rick Henderson, alto saxophonist in Duke Ellington's Orchestra on Ellington's "Ellington 55" album on Capitol Records, dies at his home in Washington, D.C. at age 76
2006 - Billy Walker, country-music singer, guitarist, Capitol Records and Columbia Records artist, nicknamed "The Tall Texan", is killed at age 77 when the van he was driving back to Nashville after a performance in Foley, Alabama veered off Interstate 65 in Fort Deposit, Alabama and overturned.
2009 - Kimberly Caldwell signs with Vanguard Records, which currently is distributed by Capitol Records

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1912 - Dario Soria, co-founder of Cetra-Soria records, co-founding manager (along with his wife, producer Dorle Jarmel Soria) of Angel Records, is born in Rome, Italy. The Sorias ran Angel from 1953, when they sold their Cetra-Soria classical label (the largest catalog of recorded opera in the world) to EMI, until 1957 when Angel was folded into Capitol Records for distribution.
1940 - Tony Sheridan, singer and Polydor Records artist who was backed on recording sessions by The Beatles, is born Anthony Esmond Sheridan McGinnity in Norwich, England
1964 - The Beatles' "Sie Liebt Dich" (a version of their song "She Loves You" sung in German) with "I'll Get You" on the flip side is released on Swan Record
1969 - John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s “bed-in” begins at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal, Canada
25 Years Ago Today In 1983 - David Bowie's EMI America single "Let's Dance" is still #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
2002 - DRG Records re-issues the "Bells Are Ringing" motion picture soundtrack on compact disc. It was originally issued on CD in 1989 by Capitol Records and July 5, 1960 as a vinyl LP.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS
25 Years Ago Today In 1988 - Sammy Davis, Sr., dancer, singer and father of Capitol Records artist Sammy Davis, Jr., dies of natural causes at age 87 in Beverly Hills, California

2013-05-20T00:42:00.000-04:00

MAY 20, 2013

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
80 Years Ago Today In 1933 - Gil Garfield, member of the Capitol Records vocal group The Cheers, is born Gilbert Garfield in Los Angeles, California
1944 - Joe Cocker, singer and Capitol Records artist, is born John Robert Cocker in Sheffield, Yorkshire, England

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1944 - Jo Stafford (with Paul Weston and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Long Ago And Far Away" is #6 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart and it's flip side "I Love You" is #10
1944 - Stan Kenton and His Orchestra record the tracks "How Many Hearts Have You Broken" and "She's Funny That Way" with vocals by Gene Howard, and "I'm Going Mad For A Pad" as well as two versions (one without and one with piano accompaniment) of "And Her Tears Flowed Like Wine" with vocals by Anita O'Day, at C. P. MacGregor Studios on Western Avenue in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will release "And Her Tears Flowed Like Wine" as a single with "How Many Hearts Have You Broken" on the flip side.
1947 - Carl Kress is at WMCA studios in New York City to records the tracks "The Goose From Gander" and "Swan Of Tonnelle Avenue" with Kress are Tony Mottola on guitar, Paul Ricci on clarinet, Bob Haggart on bass and Terry Snyder on drums. The tracks will be released as part of Kress' self titled Capitol Records album in the label's "Classics In Jazz" series.
1950 - Jo Stafford and Gordon MacRae (with Paul Weston and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Dearie" is in a three way tie for #20 on Billboards' Best Selling Retail Records chart with Frankie Lane's single "The Stars And Stripes Forever", and Hoagy Carmichael and Cass Daley (with Matty Matlock's All-Stars)'s single "The Old Piano Roll Blues"
1956 - Comedian and Capitol Records recording artist Harry Stewart, aka Yogi Yorgesson, Hari Kari and Klaus Hammerschmidt, is killed at age 47 when his car goes off the rode near Tonopah, Nevada
1957 - Frank Sinatra records the tracks "Witchcraft", "Something Wonderful Happens In Summer", "Tell Her You Love Her" and "You're Cheating Yourself (If You're Cheating On Me)" at the Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California with Nelson Riddle conducting his own arrangements to the orchestra and produced by Voyle Gilmore
1964 - Buck Owens' Capitol Records single "My Heart Skips A Beat" is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
1972 - Merle Haggard's Capitol Records single "Grandma Harp" is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
35 Years Ago Today In 1978 - Paul McCartney & Wings' Capitol Records single "With A Little Luck" hits #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1997 - Capitol Records releases The Foo Fighters' self-titled debut album
15 Years Ago Today In 1998 - Frank Sinatra is interred at Cathedral City's "Desert Memorial Park" in Palm Springs, California at B-8, #151 with the inscription "The Best Is Yet To Come"

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1851 - Emile Berliner, inventor and developer of the disc gramophone, is born in Hanover Germany. His Berliner Gramophone Company would later become EMI, parent company of Capitol Music Group
1967 - Kit Clark, accordion player and vocalist with the Virgin Records America group Meet Danny Wilson, is born in Dundee, Scotland
2005 - A lage brick monument is dedicated at the site of Capitol Records band The Beach Boys' members Brian, Carl and Dennis Wilson's childhood home on 119th Street in Hawthorne, California, which had been demolished 20 years earlier to make way for a freeway. The site is also named an official California State Historical Landmark.
2011 - EMI's catalogue is now on eMusic in the United States.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1985 - Forty Hard Rock music artists (including Jimmy Bain, Vivian Campbell and Ronnie James Dio [all three from Dio], Don Dokken [Dokken], Geoff Tate [Queensrÿche], Yngwie Malmsteen, Rob Halford [Judas Priest], Ted Nugent, Vince Neil [Mötley Crüe], Dave Meniketti [Y & T], Dave Murray and Adrian Smith [Iron Maiden]) gather at A&M Records Studios to participate in the making of a record called "Stars", part of project known as Hear 'N Aid to raise money for famine relief efforts in Africa and around the world.
1989 - Comedienne and actress Gilda Radner dies of ovarian cancer at age 42 in Los Angeles, California. After her death her husband, Gene Wilder, and her cancer therapist, Joanna Bull, start Gilda's Club, now a worldwide support group helping those living with cancer.

2013-05-19T00:33:00.000-04:00

MAY 19, 2013

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL HISTORY
1945 - The King Cole Trio (Nat "King" Cole on piano and vocals, Oscar Moore (on guitar and Johnny Miller on bass) record the tracks "You're Nobody 'Til Somebody Loves You", "Don't Blame Me", "I"m In The Mood For Love", "What Can I Say Dear After I Say I'm Sorry" and "I'm Thru With Love" at Radio Recorders in Hollywood, California
1951 - Les Paul and Mary Ford's Capitol Records single "How High The Moon" is #1 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Nat "King" Cole (with Les Baxter conducting the orchestra using a Nelson Riddle arrangement)'s Capitol Records single "Too Young" is #3, and Les Paul and Mary Ford's Capitol Records single "Mockin' Bird Hill" is #5
1953 - Jean Shepard and Ferlin Husky record the duet "Dear John Letter" at Capitol's Melrose Avenue studios in Hollywood, California with producer Ken Nelson. The song would go on to be spend six weeks at #1 on the country charts.
1956 - Les Baxter and His Orchestra's Capitol Records single "Poor People Of Paris" is #3 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra's Capitol Records single "Lisbon Antiqua is #10,
55 Years Ago Today In 1958 - Peggy Lee records the track "Fever" at the Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California. "Fever"'s original recording, by Little Willie John, was brought to Lee's attention by her bass player, Max Bennett. Lee wrote additional lyrics and a stripped down arrangement, possibly with Bennett, which featured her vocals, Joe Mondragon on string bass, Shelly Manne with fingers on snare drums with the snares turned off, and finger snapping that may have been provided by guitarist Howard Roberts. Since he was the documented session conductor, Jack Marshall initially got credit for the arrangement, even getting a Grammy nomination for best arrangement. The song would also get Lee a Grammy nomination for best female vocal. At the same session, which was produced by "Big Dave" Cavanaugh, Lee would also record the tracks "Things Are Swinging", "Lullaby In Rhythm", and "You're Getting To Be A Habit With Me". This track would be released as a single with "You Don't Know" on the flipside and, during its 14 week run on Billboard's Hot 100 charts, would peak at #8 on August 25, 1958. The song would first appear on an album in 1960 as part of the compilation album "All Aglow Again". Gino Falzarano wrote a great article for "Fever"'s 30th anniversary that appeared in the July/August edition of Discoveries magazine, and was reproduced on peggylee.com. For more information about this and many other tracks, go to Iván Santiago and Steve Albin's amazing discography site created as a test for Brian, a discography database application.
55 Years Ago Today In 1958 - Judy Garland, with Nelson Riddle conducting his orchestra, records the track "Day In, Day Out" and re-records the track "Zing Went The Strings Of My Heart", which she first sang in the 1938 film "Listen, Darling" and first recorded in 1939 for Decca Records. Produced by Voyle Gilmore, the songs would be among the first Judy would record, outside of a film soundstage, in stereo and will be part of her first stereo Capitol album "Judy In Love", released on November 3, 1958. I wonder if Judy and Peggy ran into each other or heard each other's sessions on that day.
55 Years Ago Today In 1958 - Laurie London's Capitol Records single "He's Got The Whole World In His Hands" is #5 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Dean Martin (with Gus Levine and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Return To Me" is #6, Nat "King" Cole's Capitol Records single "Looking Back" is #8, and The Four Prep's Capitol Records single "Big Man" is #14,
1969 - Coleman Hawkins, Capitol artist (1945), tenor saxophonist and leader of the first bebop recording session, dies of pneumonia in New York City at age 64 and is interred at the Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx
35 Years Ago Today In 1978 - Darlene Edwards, aka Jo Stafford, gives her last public performance at a 25th anniversary celebration of SHARE, an organization devoted to work with mentally handicapped children, sharing the spotlight with Jo's old bandmate, Frank Sinatra
1987 - The Beatles' album "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" is released worldwide on CD
15 Years Ago Today In 1998 - Dorothy Donegan, pianist, leader of The Dorothy Donegan Trio, and a Capitol Records artist, dies at age 77 in Los Angeles, California
1999 - Capitol releases the original soundtrack to the motion picture "Hope Floats"
2004 - Keith Urban's Capitol Records Nashville single "You'll Think of Me" is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
2006 - Freddie Garrity, milkman, brush salesman, songwriter, singer and founder of Tower Records (a subsidiary of Capitol Records)' first released group Freddie and The Dreamers, dies at Bangor in North Wales, at the age of 69, after being taken ill while on holiday.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1932 - Alma Cogan, singer and HMV and EMI Records artist, is born Alma Angela Cohen in St. John's Wood, England
1956 - Fats Domino's Imperial Records single "I'm In Love Again" is #1 on the U.S. R&B singles charts and tied for #21 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart with Pat Boone's single "Long Tall Sally". Waller's other Imperial Records single "My Blue Heaven" is tied for #40 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart with Elvis Presley's RCA single "I Was The One"
55 Years Ago Today In 1958 - David Seville's Liberty Records single "Witch Doctor" is #2 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Rick Nelson's Imperial Records single "Belive What You Say" is #25, and its flip side "My Bucket"s Got A Hole In It" is #29
1962 - Jay and The American's United Artists Records single "She Cried" is #5 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart, Walter Brennan's Liberty Records single "Old Rivers" is #7, Joey Dee and The Starlighter's Roulette Records single "Shout (Part 1)" is #12, Dick and DeeDee's Liberty Records single "Tell Me" is #22, and Rick Nelson's Imperial Records single "Young World" is #31
45 Years Ago Today In 1968 - Bobby Goldsboro's United Artists Records single "Honey", with "Danny" on the flip side, hits #1 on the U.S. Country singles chart

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
140 Years Ago Today In 1873- Sime Silverman, founder of the trade magazine Variety, is born in Cortland, New York
55 Years Ago Today In 1958 - Atco Records releases future Capitol Records artist Bobby Darin's single "Splish Splash", making it the first eight-track recording ever released on 45

2013-05-18T00:04:00.000-04:00

MAY 18, 2013

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1902 - Meredith Willson, flute and piccolo player, bandleader, radio performer, motion picture scorer ("The Great Dictator") and composer of the Broadway musicals "The Music Man" and "The Unsinkable Molly Brown" (in which Capitol Records invested so that it could release their original Broadway cast albums) as well as "Here's Love" and "1491", is born Robert Meredith Reiniger in Mason City, Iowa
1922 - Kai Winding, trombonist, composer, member of the Benny Goodman, Stan Kenton and Miles Davis' Capitol Records bands (including four tracks with the Miles Davis Nonet on the "Birth Of The Cool" sessions) and Aladdin and Capitol Records artist, is born Kai Chresten Winding in Aarhus, Denmark.
1934 - Dwayne Hickman, television ("The Many Loves Of Dobie Gillis") and motion picture ("Dr. Goldfoot And The Bikini Machine" the soundtrack of which was released by Capitol Records subsidiary Tower Records) actor, CBS Television executive, and Capitol Records artist, is born in Los Angeles, California
60 Years Ago Today In 1953 - Feliciano "Butch" Tavares, who with his four brothers made up the Capitol Records group Tavares, is born in New Bedford, Massachusetts

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1946 - Alvino Rey and His Orchestra (with vocals by Rocky Coluccio)'s Capitol Records single "Cement Mixer (Put-Ti Put-Ti)" is #6 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart and Andy Russell (with Paul Weston & His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Laughing On The Outside (Crying On The Inside) is #8
1957 - Ferlin Husky's Capitol Records single "Gone" is #4 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart and Tommy Sand's Capitol Records single "Teenage Crush" is #34
1959 - Franck Pourcel's French Fiddles' Capitol Records single "Only You (Loin De Vous)", with "Rainy Night In Paris" on the flip side, is #10 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart and The Kingston Trio's Capitol Records single "Tijuana Jail" is #27
50 Years Ago Today In 1963 - The Beach Boys' Capitol Records single "Surfin' U.S.A" is #4 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart, The Kingston Trio's Capitol Records single "Reverend Mr. Black" is #8, and Al Martino's Capitol Records single "I Love You Because" is #10
45 Years Ago Today In 1968 - Glen Campbell's Capitol Records single "I Wanna Live", with "That's All That Matters" on the flip side, becomes his first #1 on the country charts
1969 - The Beatles' Apple Records single "Get Back", released by Capitol Records in the United States, is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1970 - Capitol Records releases The Beatles' Apple Records soundtrack album "Let It Be" in the United States
1970 - Capitol Records releases Buck Owens' single "The Kansas City Song"
1975 - Jesi Colter's Capitol Records single "I'm Not Lisa", with "For The First Time" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles chart
25 Years Ago Today In 1988 - Daws Butler (born Charles Dawson Butler), Capitol Records artist (on recordings of Stan Freberg and on various children's records), radio actor, and voice for many Warner Brothers and Hanna-Barbera cartoon characters, dies of a heart attack at age 71 in Los Angeles, California
2009 - Carol Cole, actress, niece and adopted daughter of Nat and Maria Cole, and administrator of her father's estate, has died at age 65.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1957 - Fats Domino's Imperial Records single "I'm Walkin'" is #12 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Rick Nelson's Imperial Records single of the same song is #33, and Eddie Cochran's Liberty Records single "Sittin' In The Balcony" is #38
1959 - Martin Denny's Liberty Records single "Quiet Village" is #8 on Billbard's Hot 100 Singles chart, The Fleetwood's Dolton (originally Dolphin) Records single "Come Softly To Me" (distributed by Liberty Records) is #21, Fats Domino's Imperial Records single "I'm Ready" is #27, and Rick Nelson's Imperial Records single "Never Be Anyone Else But You" is #40
50 Years Ago Today In 1963 - Lou Christie's Roulette Records single "Two Faces Have I" is #11 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart, Bobby Vee's Liberty Records single "Charms" is #20, and Jan and Dean's Liberty Records single "Linda" is 340
1981 - President Ronald Reagan announces his intention to nominate former VP of Capitol Records (1942-1951) and former president of Columbia Records (1951-1956), James B. Conkling, to be Associate Director of the International Communication Agency (Broadcasting)
1986 - Kenny Rogers' United Artists Records single "Tomb Of The Unknown Love", with "Our Perfect Song" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles chart
2004 - Elvin Jones, drummer, Blue Note, United Artists, and Roulette Records artist, dies at age 76 of heart problems in Englewood, New Jersey

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
130 Years Ago Today In 1883 - Walter Gropius, architect and founder of the Bauhaus, is born Walter Adolph Gropius in Berlin, Germany
1912 - Perry Como, singer and star on radio and television, is born Pierino Ronald Como in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania
1975 - Leroy Anderson, conductor and composer of light instrumental music ("Sleigh Ride", "The Typewriter", "The Penny Whistle Song", etc.) dies of cancer at age 66 in Woodbury, Connecticut

2013-05-17T00:33:00.000-04:00

MAY 17, 2013

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1957 - Audie Desbrow, drummer with the Capitol Records group Great White, is born in Los Angeles, California
1959 - Paul Di'Anno, vocalist with the Capitol Records and EMI America Records band Iron Maiden, is born in London, England

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1947 - The Pied Pipers (with Paul Weston and His Orchestra)' Capitol Records single "Mam'selle" is #10 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart
1952 - Kay Starr (with orchestra conducted by Harold Mooney)'s Capitol Records single "Wheel Of Fortune" is #2 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Ella Mae Morse (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Blacksmith Blues" is #7, Jane Froman (with orchestra conducted by Sid Feller)'s Capitol Records single "I'll Walk Alone" is #16, and Les Paul's Capitol Records single "New Carioca" is #19
60 Years Ago Today In 1953 - Capitol Records releases the original Broadway cast album of Cole Porter's "Can-Can"
1969 - Glen Campbell's Capitol Records single "Where's The Playground Susie", with "Arkansas" on the flip side, enters the U.S. Country singles charts
1971 - Apple Records releases Paul McCartney's second solo album, "Ram", with Capitol Records handling distribution in the United States
1976 - Dr. Hook's Capitol Records single "Only Sixteen", with "Let Me Be Your Lover" on the flip side, is certified Gold by the R.I.A.A.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1932 - Blue Note artist (1959-1967) and alto saxophonist Jackie McLean is born John Lenwood McLean in New York City, New York
1962 - Tracy Bryn, member of the band Voice Of The Beehive and daughter of Bruce Belland of the Capitol Records band The Four Preps, is born in Encino, California
2002 - Sharon Sheely, songwriter ("Poor Little Fool", "Something Else, "Hurry Up", etc.) and one-time fiancee of Liberty Records artist Eddie Cochran, dies of complications following a cerebral hemorrhage in Los Angeles, California at age 62. Sheely was also injured in the same cab crash in England that killed Cochran and injured Capitol Records artist Gene Vincent.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1846 - The saxophone is patented by Antoine Joseph Sax
50 Years Ago Today In 1963 - The first Monterey Folk Festival is held in California with Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, Pete Segers, and others performing

2013-05-16T00:31:00.000-04:00

MAY 16, 2013

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
100 Years Ago Today In 1913 - Woody Herman, bandleader, clarinetist, and Capitol Records artist (1948-1955), is born Woodrow Charles Herman in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
1949 - Bill "Sputnik" Spooner, guitarist for Capitol Records band The Tubes and then The Grateful Dead, is born William Spooner in Arizona

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1946 - Capitol Records group The King Cole Trio start a 13 week stint as a summer replacement for Bing Crosby's radio show "The Kraft Music Hall" when they sponsor their own 15 minute program, "King Cole Trio Time", the first radio program sponsored by a black performing artist.
60 Years Ago Today In - Les Baxter and His Orchestra's Capitol Records single "April In Portugal" is #3 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Nat "King" Cole (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Pretend" is #5, and Jane Froman (with orchestra conducted by Sid Feller)'s Capitol Records single "I Believe" is #14
55 Years Ago Today In 1958 - During a three hour session at RCA Studios in Nashville, Tennessee Esquerita, on piano and vocals with E.R. "Dutch" Miller on tenor saxophone, Vincent Moses on guitar, Floyd T. "Lightning" Chance on bass, and Johnny "Richardo" Young on drums, records "Katie Mae" with backing vocals by Atlanta-based The Gardenias (Calvin Arnold, Carlton Sheppard, Jr., Lloyd White and William Dixon), "Wait A Minute Baby" and (again with The Gardenias) "Rockin' The Joint".
1960 - The Four Prep's Capitol Records single "Got A Girl", with "Wait Till You) Hear It From Me" on the flip side, is #32 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1961 - Faron Young's Capitol Records single "Hello Walls" is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
1964 - The Beatles' Capitol Records single "I Want To Hold Your Hand", with "This Boy" on the flip side, re-enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart for 1 week after leaving the chart on April 17 after a 20 week run.
1965 - The Beatles' Capitol Records single "Ticket To Ride" is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1966 - The Beach Boys' Capitol Records album "Pet Sounds" is released
1966 - The last session is held for The Beatles' track "Taxman"
1967 - Twiggy's first Capitol Records single "When I Think Of You", with "Over And Over" on the flip side, is released
1969 - Merle Haggard records his the track "Workin' Man Blues" which will be released by Capitol Records as a single and will peak at #1 on the U.S. Country singles chart
1969 - Chuck Barris' Capitol Records single "Too Rich", with "I Know A Child" on the flip side, is released
1976 - Wings' Apple Records single "Silly Love Songs", distributed by Capitol Records in the United States with "Cook Of The House" on the flip side, is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles Chart
1990 - Sammy Davis, Jr., singer, dancer, impressionist, vaudeville, Broadway, motion picture and television actor and performer, and a Capitol Records solo artist and, posthumously, as a member of The Rat Pack, dies of throat cancer at his home in Beverly Hills, California at age 64

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1946 - The Irving Berlin musical, "Annie Get Your Gun", opens at The Imperial Theatre in New York City, New York and will run for 1,147 performances. Capitol Records will later release the soundtrack to a televised version of the show starring Mary Martin and Capitol Records artist John Raitt.
1960 - Rick Nelson's Imperial Records single "Young Emotions" is #22 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1964 - The Beatles' single "P.S. I Love You", the flip side of the "Love Me Do" single released on Tollie Records in the U.S., enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1966 - Janet Jackson, singer, television and motion picture actress, and Virgin Records America artist, is born Janet Damita Jo Jackson in Gary, Indiana
1981 - Kim Carnes' EMI America Records single "Bette Davis Eyes" is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart for the second of a five week stay at the top

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL HISTORY
1929 - The first Academy Awards ceremony is held at a banquet in the Blossom Room at The Roosevelt Hotel on Hollywood Boulevard
1937 - Yvonne Craig, motion picture ("Gidget", "Our Man Flint", and others) and television actress (best know for the role of Batgirl), is born
60 Years Ago Today In 1953 - Bill Haley and The Comets' Decca Records single "Crazy Man Crazy" debuts at #15 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart and is considered the first Rock 'N' Roll single to enter the chart

2013-05-15T00:46:00.000-04:00

MAY 15, 2013

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1944 - Graham Goble, guitarist with the Capitol Records group The Little River Band, is born in Adelaide, Australia
1951 - Jonathan Richman, singer, songwriter, founder of the band The Modern Lovers, solo artist, Capitol Records artist (on the motion picture soundtrack to "There's Something About Mary"), is born in Boston, Massachusetts

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
65 Years Ago Today In 1948 - Nat "King" Cole (with orchestra conducted by Frank DeVol)'s Capitol Records single "Nature Boy" is #1 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart and Peggy Lee (with Dave Barbour and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Mañana" is #3
1954 - Frank Sinatra (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Young At Heart" is #3 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Kay Starr (with orchestra conducted by Harold Mooney)'s Capitol Records single "If You Love Me (Really Love Me)" is #6 and it's flipside "The Man Upstairs" is #8, Nat "King" Cole (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Answer Me, My Love" is #11.
1954 - Jack Benny signs a contract with Alan Livingston to record tracks for Capitol's Children's Records Music Appreciation Series.
55 Years Ago Today In 1958 - Paul Peek and Gene Vincent "discovery" and major influence on Little Richard, Esquerita (Eskew Reeder, Jr.), starts a two day recording session at RCA Studios in Nashville, Tennessee, his first as a Capitol Records artist. On this day, between 7:00 pm and 11:00 pm, Esquerita, on piano and vocals with Andrew Lee Goodrich on tenor saxophone, Vincent Moses on guitar, Floyd T. Chance on bass, Johnny "Richardo" Young on drums, records "Oh Baby" with Atlanta-based vocal group The Gardenias (Calvin Arnold, Carlton Sheppard, Jr., Lloyd White and William Dixon), "Please Come On Home", "Sarah Lee" and (again with The Gardenias) the first version of "I Live The Life I Love".
1961 - Faron Young's Capitol Records single "Hello Walls" is #29 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1966 - Capitol Records is a sponsor of "A Tribute To Judy Holliday", a banquet to benefit The American Medical Center in Denver, Colorado.
1967 - Buck Owens' Capitol Records single "Sam's Place" is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
1970 - Harvest Records (a subsidiary of Capitol Records) band Pink Floyd perform a two-and-a-half-hour set at Crystal Palace in England, complete with fireworks and fifty-foot inflatable octopus, that is so loud that fish die in the nearby lake
1972 - Glen Campbell's Capitol Records compilation album "Greatest Hits" is certified Gold by the R.I.A.A.
1976 - The Sylvers' Capitol Records single "Boogie Fever", with "Free Style" on the flip side, becomes Capitol Records first R&B single to hit #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles Chart
1994 - John Berry's Liberty Records (later renamed Capitol Records Nashville) single "Your Love Amazes Me", with "What's In It For Me" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles chart
2011 - Bob Flanigan, original lead singer for the Capitol Records group The Four Freshmen, passed away just before 10 PM at his home in Las Vegas at age 84 of congestive heart failure. He was with several generations of his family and died peacefully with jazz music playing softly. Earlier in the afternoon, Rod Henley and a group of Vegas musicians came by his home and played for him, so music was a big part of Bob's last day on earth.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1856 - L. Frank Baum, creator and initial writer of "The Wizard of Oz" series of books and early motion pitcures, was born Lyman Frank Baum in Chittenago, New York. Capitol Records will release the children's record "Dorothy And The Wizard Of Oz" based on Baum's stories.
1914 - Norrie Paramor, pianist, bandleader, arranger, conductor, and an EMI Records UK artist who also worked on sessions with other EMI artists and Capitol Records artists who recorded using EMI's facilities in London, is born in London, England
60 Years Ago Today In 1953 - Mike Oldfield, composer, film scorer, and Virgin Records' first released artist ("Tubular Bells"), is born in Reading, Berkshire, England
1961 - Ernie K-Doe's Minit Records single "Mother-In-Law" is #2 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart, Gene McDaniels' Liberty Records single "A Hundred Pounds of Clay" is #3, Rick Nelson's "Travelin' Man" is #8, Steve Lawrence's United Artists Records single "Portrait Of My Love" is #12, and Rick Nelson's Imperial Records single "Hello Mary Lou" is #27
1971 - Two films by John Lennon and Yoko Ono, "Apotheosis" and "Fly", are shown at Cannes Film Festival in France
1980 - "The Great Rock and Roll Swindle" a documentary about EMI and Virgin Records band The Sex Pistols, is released
30 Years Ago Today In 1983 - David Bowie's EMI America Records single "Let's Dance", with "Cat People (Putting Out The Fire)" on the flipside, hits #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1986 - EMI opens its first CD manufacturing plant, located in Swindon, England
10 Years Ago Today In 2003 - June Carter Cash, singer, songwriter, wife of singer Johnny Cash and mother of Capitol Records artist Roseanne Cash, dies at Nashville Baptist Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee from complications from heart valve surgery at age 73. She is later buried in a light blue coffin at Hendersonville Memory Gardens in Hendersonville, Tennessee.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1945 - Billboard publishes its first album chart. At the time, an album consisited of more than one 78rpm shellac disc held in paper sleeves in a binder.
50 Years Ago Today In 1963 - Astronaut Leroy Gordon Cooper orbits the Earth 22 times aboard Mercury 9 spacecraft "Faith 7"

2013-05-14T00:14:00.000-04:00

MAY 14, 2013

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1885 - Otto Klemperer, conductor of various opera companies and theatres in Germany and The Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, composer, father of actor Werner Klemperer (best known as Col. Klink on "Hogan's Heroes"), and Capitol Records artist, is born in Breslau, Germany
115 Years Ago Today In 1898 - "Zutty" Singleton, drummer, bandleader and Capitol Records artist, is born Arthur James Singleton in Bunkie, Louisiana
105 Years Ago Today In 1903 - Jenks "Tex" Carman, Capitol Records country artist, is born in Hardinsburg, Breckinridge County, Kentucky. There's a short posting with biographical information on Jerry Douglas' Bulletin Board.
1925 - Al Porcino, trumpet player with Capitol Records group Stan Kenton and His Orchestra (1947-'48 and 1954-'55), played in the touring bands of Capitol Records artists Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland, and Peggy Lee, and a bandleader in Germany, is born in New York City, New York
1932 - Bob Johnston, record producer and Capitol Records executive, is born in Hillsboro, Texas
1936 - Bobby Darin, singer, motion picture actor, television variety show host and Atco and Capitol Records artist, is born Walden Robert Cassotto in New York City, New York
1956 - Steve Hogarth, keyboard player and vocalist with the Capitol Records band Marillon is born Ronald Steven Hoggarth in in Kendal, England
1962 - C.C. DeVille (aka (Cecil Cornelius DeVille), lead guitarist for the Capitol Records band Poison, is born Bruce Anthony Johannesson in the Bay Ridge area of Brooklyn, New York

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1951 - The Broadway musical "Flahooley", with a book by E. Y. Harburg and Fred Saidy, lyrics by Harburg, and music by Sammy Fain, opens at the Broadhurst Theater in New York City, New York. Although the show would only run 33 days until June 16, 1951, with only 40 performances, Capitol Records will release the original Broadway cast album later the same year. It features future Capitol Records artist Yma Sumac and is also Barbara Cook's debut recording.
1952 - Capitol Records artist Tex Ritter records the track "High Noon (Do Not Forsake Me)" for the soundtrack of motion picture "High Noon" which Capitol will release as a single with "Go On Get Out" on the flip side that will enter the U.S. Country singles charts on September 6, 1952
1955 - J.F. Lockwood, EMI, Ltd.'s Chairman of the Board announces that Glenn E. Wallich's, president of Capitol Records, Inc., has been elected to EMI's board.
45 Years Ago Today In 1968 - John Lennon and Paul McCartney appear on "The Tonight Show", with guest host Joe Garagiola, to announce that their new company, Apple, wants to help young artists
35 Years Ago Today In 1978 - Paul McCartney and Wings' Capitol Records single "With A Little Luck" is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1979 - The Motels begin recording sessions for their debut Capitol album with a cover of Bobby Troup's "Route 66" which didn't make it onto the album
15 Years Ago Today In 1998 - Frank Sinatra, singer, motion picture actor, Columbia and Capitol Records artist, father of Frank Jr., Nancy, and Tina Sinatra, and founder of Reprise Records for which he also recorded, is pronounced dead at 10:50 p.m. in the emergency room of Ceders-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California at age 82. His funeral is later held at St. Theresa Catholic Church in Palm Springs, California and he is buried next to his parents in Desert Memorial Park in Cathedral City, near Rancho Mirage, California.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1966 - Bob Dylan and future Capitol Records group The Band record "Tell Me Momma" and "Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues" in Liverpool, England
1989 - Paula Abdul's Virgin Records America single "Forever Your Girl" is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1897 - Sidney Bechet, saxophonist, clarinetist, and composer, is born Sidney Joseph Bechet in New Orleans, Louisiana and 62 years later to the day he would die in Paris, France
1944 - George Lucas, Screen writer, director, producer and studio founder and head, is born George Walton Lucas, Jr. in Modesto, California

2013-05-13T00:29:00.000-04:00

MAY 13, 2013

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
60 Years Ago Today In 1953 - Tom Cochrane, lead singer of the Canadian band Red Rider and solo artist on Capitol Records and EMI Records, is born in Lynn Lake, Manitoba, Canada

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1944 - Jo Stafford (with Paul Weston and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Long Ago (And Far Away) is #6 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart
1950 - Jo Stafford and Gordon MacRae (with Paul Weston and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Dearie" is #15 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart and Margaret Whiting and Jimmy Wakely's Capitol Records single "Let's Go To Church (Next Sunday Morning) is #20
1954 - Frank Sinatra records the tracks "It Worries Me" and "Half As Lovely (Twice As Nice)" (which will be released together as a single by Capitol Records), as well as "The Gal That Got Away" (which will be released by Capitol with "When I Stop Loving You" on the flip side which will be recorded on August 23, 1954), with arranger Nelson Riddle conducting the studio orchestra (Mahlon Clark, Chuck Gentry, Arthur "Skeets" Herfert, Arthur Kafton, Theodore Nash, and Warren Webb on reeds; Conrad Gozzo and Rubin "Zeke" Zarchy on trumpet; Dick Noel and Tommy Pederson on trombone;, George Roberts on bass trombone; Bobby Gibbons on guitar; Joe Comfort on bass; Bill Miller on piano; Kathryn Julye on harp; Alvin Stoller on drums; Victor Bay, Harry Bluestone, Walter Edelstein, George Kast, Nick Pisani, Mischa Russell, Eudice Shapiro, Paul Shure, and Felix Slatkin on violn; Maxine Johnson and Paul Robyn on viola; and Cy Bernard and Eleanor Slatkin on cello) at Capitol Records' Melrose Studios in Hollywood, California
1966 - Time Magazine runs an article about Capitol Records artist Mrs. Elva Miller and her upcoming appearance on the Ed Sullivan show (May 14, 1966)
1967 - Capitol Records artist Merle Haggard debuts on the Grand Ole Opry
1970 - The Beatles' film "Let It Be" is released
1975 - Bob Willis (born ames Robert Wills), fiddle and mandolin player, songwriter, bandleader (Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys), motion picture actor, 1968 Country Music Hall of Fame inductee, 1970 Nashville Songwriters Hall Of Fame inductee, 2000 Texas Country Music Hall of Fame inductee, and Capitol Records artist, dies of pneumonia at age 70 in his Fort Worth, Texas home
25 Years Ago Today In 1988 - Chet Baker (born Chesney Henry Baker Jr.), singer, trumpet player, Capitol Records, Pacific Jazz and Blue Note Records artist, and whose face is part of the mural on the side of The Capitol Tower, dies at age 59 after falling (or being pushed) from his second story hotel window in Amsterdam, Holland. His body is later brought home for internment in the Inglewood Park Cemetery in Inglewood, California.
1989 - Donny Osmond scores his first US Top 5 hit since 1972 when his Capitol Records single "Soldier of Love" moves to #5 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart
1996 - Liz Phair shoots a video for her Capitol Records single "Rocket Boy" on a soundstage in Hollywood, California

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1907 - Madame (later Dame) Nellie Melba lays the foundation stone for the Power House at the Hayes factory site of The Gramaphone and Typewriter Ltd., a company that would later become EMI
100 Years Ago Today In 1913 - Pianist, arranger and composer Gil Evans, is born Ian Ernest Gilmore Green (or Gilmore Ian Rodrigo Green) in Toronto, Canada. He would later take his stepfather's last name. Along with his own recordings and arranging for other bands (including Capitol and Pacific Jazz Records artists Billy Butterfield, Peggy Lee, Benny Goodman, Gerry Mulligan and others), Evans would provide the arrangements to the Miles Davis Nonet for the tracks "Moondreams" and "Boplicity" that were part of the "Birth Of The Cool" sessions for Capitol Records.
1924 - Future Capitol Records Marlene Dietrich marries Rudolf Sieber, and they will remain married for over 50 years
1945 - Magic Dick, musician with the EMI America Records group The J. Geils Band is born Dick Salwitz in New London, Connecticut
1946 - Danny Klein, bassist with the EMI America Records group The J. Geils Band, is born in New York City, New York
1947 - Liza Luise Rey, harpist, songwriter, and daughter of Capitol Records artist Alvino Rey and future Capitol Records artist Luise King (of The King Sisters), is born in Burbank, California, would later marry geologist Ned Butler, and now lives in South Harbor, Maine
1954 - "The Pajama Game" makes its debut on Broadway at the St. James Theatre in New York City, New York. It is producer Harold Prince's first Broadway endeavor. Capitol Records artist John Raitt and Janis Paige star in the leading roles. The show will run for 1,063 performances. Raitt will also star in the movie version long with Doris Day.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1941 - Ritchie Valens, singer, songwriter, and guitarist and motion picture performer, is born Richard Steven Valenzuela in Pacoima, California
70 Years Ago Today In 1943 - Motown singer Mary Wells is born Mary Esther Wells in Detroit, Michigan

2013-05-12T00:26:00.000-04:00

MAY 12, 2013

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1910 - Gordon Jenkins, pianist, bandleader, arranger, and Capitol Records artist (as Gordon Jenkins and His Orchestra) who performs as the orchestral background at Capitol Records first session, is born in Webster Groves, Missouri
1920 - "Tiny" Moore (a nickname due to his large frame), electric mandolin, fiddle, and banjo player and drummer, with Bob Wills' Texas Playboys and in Capitol Records artists Merle Haggard's band, The Strangers, is born Billie Moore in Port Arthur, Hamilton County, Texas. In the '50s, while touring with Haggard, he invents a five-string electric mandolin.
1921 - Joe Maphis, singer, guitarist, fiddle player, with the Capitol Records duo Joe Maphis & Rose Lee with his wife, session musician on sessions for Capitol Records artists Merle Travis, Wesley Tuttle, Tex Ritter, Skeets McDonald, Freddie Hart, Wynn Stewart, Wanda Jackson, Sonny James, Joe Carson, Hank Thompson, The Four Preps, Robert Mitchum, Tommy Collins, Dean Reed, Rose Maddox, Charles Lee Guy III and Imperial Records artist Rick Nelson, is born Otis W. Maphis in Suffolk, Virginia
1950 - Billy Squier, singer, guitarist, Capitol Records artist (1980-1993), and recently part of Ringo Starr & His All Starr Band, is born in Wellesley Hills, Massachusetts. If anyone knows his full name, please leave a comment.

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL HISTORY
1945 - Johnny Mercer, Jo Stafford & The Pied Pipers (with Paul Weston & His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Candy" is #3 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart.
1949 - On NBC's radio show, The Martin and Lewis Show, Dean and Jerry are at Capitol Records to record a new tune and get tips on how to sing folk songs from guest Burl Ives
1951 - Les Paul and Mary Ford's Capitol Records single "How High The Moon" is #1 on Billboard's Best Selling Singles chart, Nat "King" Cole (with orchestra conducted by Les Baxter using a ghost written arrangement by Nelson Riddle)'s Capitol Records single "Too Young" is #3, Les Paul and Mary Ford's Capitol Records single "Mockin'bird Hill" is #5,
1954 - 20th Century Fox releases the movie "Three Coins In A Fountain" with Frank Sinatra singing the title song over the opening credits
1956 - Les Baxter and His Orchestra's Capitol Records single "The Poor People Of Paris" is #3 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra's Capitol Records single "Lisbon Antigua" is #6, and Nat "King" Cole's Capitol Records single "Too Young To Go Steady" is tied for #38 with Frankie Lymon and The Teenagers "I Want You To Be My Girl"
55 Years Ago Today In 1958 - Twelve year-old Laurie London's Capitol Records single "He's Got The Whole World In His Hands" is #4 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Dean Martin (with Gus Levine and His Orchestra and Chorus)'s Capitol Records single "Return To Me" is #6, Nat "King" Cole's Capitol Records single "Looking Back" is #10, The Four Preps' Capitol Records single "Big Man" is tied at #23 with Paul Anka's "Crazy Love" and their single "Twenty Six Miles" is tied at #32 with Fats Domino's Imperial Records single "Sick And Tired"
1960 – Capitol Records artist Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley sing each other's hits on Sinatra's ABC-TV "Timex Spectacular" television special "Welcome Home Elvis", Elvis' first television appearance after being discharged from the U.S. Army. Elvis sings "Witchcraft" and Frank sings "Love Me Tender"
1964 - Buck Owens' Capitol Records single "My Heart Skips A Beat", with "Together Again" on the flip side, tops the U.S. Country singles charts
45 Years Ago Today In 1968 - Glen Campbell's Capitol Records single ""I Wanna Live", with "That's All That Matters" on the flipside, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
45 Years Ago Today In 1968 - John Lennon and Paul McCartney hold the first board meeting of Apple Corps in a Chinese junk sailing around New York's Statue of Liberty.
1979 - The Motels sign with Capitol Records

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
65 Years Ago Today In 1948 - Steve Winwood, singer, songwriter, musician, member of the United Artists band Spenser Davis Group, as well as the bands Traffic, Blind Faith and Ginger Bakers' Army, and a Virgin Records America solo artist, is born Stephen Lawrence Winwood in Great Barr, Birmingham, England. I worked on the design of the packaging, promotional items, and advertising for his album and single "Roll With It".
1956 - Fats Domino's Imperial Records single "I'm In Love Again" is #26 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart
55 Years Ago Today In 1958 - David Seville's Liberty Records single "Witch Doctor" is #1 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Rick Nelson's Imperial Records single "Believe What You Say" is #21 and his single "My Bucket's Got A Hole In It" is tied for #27 with Pat Boone (with Billy Vaughn and His Orchestra)'s single "Sugar Moon", and Fats Domino's Imperial Records single "Sick And Tired" is tied at #32 with The Four Prep's Capitol Records single "Twenty Six Miles"
1962 - Jay and The Americans' United Artists single "She Cried" is #6 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart, Walter Brennan's Liberty Records single "Old Rivers" is #7, Joey Dee and the Starlighters' Roulette Records single "Shout (Part 1)" is #10, Rick Nelson's Imperial Records single "Young World" is #22, and Dick and DeeDee's Liberty Records single "Tell Me" is #29
1962 - Emilio Estevez, actor and one-time husband of Virgin Records America artist Paula Abdul is born
50 Years Ago Today In 1963 - The Beatles lip sync "From Me To You" and "I Saw Her Standing There" at a taping for TV show "Thank Your Lucky Stars." that wil air May 18
1965 – Future Virgin Records artists The Rolling Stones begin the initial recordings of "Satisfaction" at Chess Studios in Chicago.
1971 – Future Virgin Records artist and member of The Rolling Stones, Mick Jagger, marries Bianca Perez Morena de Macias in St. Tropez, France, with the rest of The Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, and others as guests in attendance.
1986 - Glass Tiger's Capitol Records single "Don't Forget Me (When I'm Gone)" with Bryan Adams lending vocals for the duet and with "Ancient Evenings" and "Large Hole" on the flip side, hits #1 on the Canadian charts. The single was released by Capitol Records in Canada and Manhattan Records in the United States, where it would peak at #2 on the U.S. Billboard chart, and go on to win the 1986 Juno Award in Canada for "Single Of The Year".

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL HISTORY
1907 - Katharine Hepburn, Broadway and motion picture actress, is born Katharine Houghton Hepburn in Hartford, Connecticut
85 Years Ago Today In 1928 - Songwriter Burt Bacharach is born Burt Freeman Bacharach Kansas City, Missouri
1942 - Singer and leader of Kilburn and the High Roads and The Blockheads, Ian Dury, is born in Upminster Essex, England
1942 - Singer and musician Billy Swan is born in Cape Giradeau, Missouri and currently resides in Sherman Oaks, CA,
1971 - Tor Johnson, professional wrestler as well as an actor in many of Ed Wood's films dies at age 67 in San Fernando, California of a heart attack and is buried in Eternal Valley Memorial Park, Newhall, California, USA, in the Whispering Pines section, #177 E.

2013-05-11T00:53:00.000-04:00

JUNE 11, 2013

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
1952 - Donnie Van Zandt, vocalist, guitarist and founder of the Capitol (single "Teacher Teacher" and on the soundtrack album for the motion picture "Teacher") and Charisma Records (a subsidiary of Virgin Records) group 38 Special and with his brother Johnny Van Zant in the group The Van Zants, is born in Jacksonville, Florida

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1942 - At their first session for Capitol Records Tex Ritter (on vocals) and His Texans (Charles Linville on fiddle, Paul Sells on accordion, Johnny Bond on guitar, and Clifford Snyder [as "Cliffie Stone"] on bass), record the titles "Jingle, Jangle, Jingle", "Someone" (with Frankie Marvin on steel guitar), "Goodbye, My Little Cherokee", and "I've Done The Best I Could" (with Frankie Marvin on steel guitar) in Los Angeles, California (possibly at C.P. MacGregor Studios). Capitol Records will issue the first and third titles together as Capitol's first Country single (Capitol 110) and the second and fourth tracks together as a single (Capitol 132).
1946 - Peggy Lee is back at Radio Recorders studios in Los Angeles, California with The Four Of A Kind (Dave Barbour on guitar; Buddy Cole on piano, organ and celeste; Phil Stephens on bass; and Tom Romersa on drums) to record for radio transcription the tracks "The Best Man", "If You Were The Only Boy", "Love Doesn't Grow On Trees", "I Guess I'll Get The Papers And Go Home" and "My Sugar Is So Refined"
1947 - Julia Lee (on piano and vocals) and Her Boy Friends (Ernie Royal on trumpet, Dave Cavanaugh on tenor saxophone, Jack Marshall on guitar, Harry Babasin on bass, and Sam "Baby" Lovett on drums) record the titles "There Goes My Heart", "Snatch And Grab It", and "If You Hadn't Gone Away (I Woundn't Be Where I Am)" and then Julia (alone on vocals and piano) records the title "Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out" with producer Dave Dexter, Jr. at Radio Recorders' studios in Los Angeles, California between 8:30 PM and 11:30 PM. Capitol Records will issue the first and last titles together as a single (Capitol 1009), the second title as a single (Capitol Americana 40028) with "I Was Wrong" (recorded June 18, 1947) on the flipside, and the third title as a single (Capitol 1798) with "Scream In The Night" (recorded on July 22, 1950) on the flipside.
1949 - Margaret Whiting and Johnny Mercer (with Paul Whiting and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Baby, It's Cold Outside" is #6 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Mel Tormé (with orchestra conducted by Pete Rugolo)'s Capitol Records single "Again" is #9, and Jo Stafford and Gordon MacRae (with Paul Weston and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "'A' You're Adorable" is #16.
60 Years Ago Today In 1952 - At a split session held in Los Angeles, California first Lex Baxter conducts his own arrangements to His Orchestra (lineup unlisted) as they record the titles "Auf Wiederseh'n, Sweetheart" and "Padam...Padam" (with an uncredited chorus) then Helen O'Connell, with The Les Baxter Orchestra and Chorus, records the titles "One, For The Wonder (Of Your Kisses)" and "Long Ago Last Night". Capitol Records will issue the first two titles together as a single (Capitol 2143) and the last two titles as a single (Capitol 2149).
1955 - Les Baxter and His Orchestra's Capitol Records single "Unchained Melody" is #2 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Nat "King" Cole's double sided Capitol Records hit "A Blossom Fell" (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra) and "If I May" (with The Four Knights on backing vocals and Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra) is #4, Frank Sinatra (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Learnin' The Blues" is #9, Tennessee Ernie Ford (with Cliffie Stone's Band)'s Capitol Records single "The Ballad Of Davy Crocket" is #11, and Nat "King" Cole (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Darling, Je Vous Aime Beaucoup" is #22
1956 - Bing Crosby with Buddy Bregman's Orchestra record the album "Bing Sings Whilst Bregman Swings" in The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California
1966 - Capitol Records releases The Beatles' single "Paperback Writer" with "Rain" on the flipside. Rain would be the first popular single to use tape run backwards as part of the song. "Paperback Writer will peak at #1 and "Rain" at #23 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1980 – Paul McCartney & Wings' Apple Records single "Silly Love Songs", distributed by Capitol Records in the United States, certified Gold by the R.I.A.A.
1985 - Anne Murray's Capitol Records album "Heart Over Mind" is certified Gold by the R.I.A.A.
1985 - Neil Finn, with Nick Seymour, drummer Paul Hester, and Craig Hooper of The Reels, give their first peformance as The Mullanes (Mullane is Neil's middle name) in Melbourne, Australia. When the group, minus Seymour, relocate to Los Angeles, they change the name of the band to Crowded House (named after their living conditions in L.A.).
1996 - Capitol Records released the 2 CD compilation album "Dean Martin - The Capitol Years" with 40 tracks including previously unreleased material and studio chatter.
2006 - According to a news item on their website, Capitol Records group Queensryche is arrested at the Amsterdam airport for smuggling illegal firearms

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1940 - Joey Dee, actor and lead singer of the Roulette Records group Joey Dee and The Starlighters (best known for the single "Peppermint Twist" and not to be confused with The Starlighters who recorded for Capitol in the 1940's), is born Joseph DiNicola in Passaic, New Jersey. Nick & Renee DiNicola have put together a great site for Joey who still tours as Joey Dee and The Starlighters. Roulette Records' catalog is currently owned by EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company.
55 Years Ago Today In 1958 - Liberty Records releases Eddie Cochran's single "Summertime Blues" with "Love Again" on the flipside. Liberty Records' catalog is currently owned by Universal Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1941 - At ceremony #57, Barbara Stanwick and Robert Taylor leave their hand and footprints at Graumann's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California

2013-05-10T00:39:00.000-04:00

MAY 10, 2013

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1907 - "Pee Wee" Hunt, trombone player, bandleader and Capitol Records artist (whose single "Twelfth Street Rag" was Capitol's biggest seller in the label's first decade and almost didn't happen. Its master had been accidentally tossed and it had to be remastered from a 16" transcription disc that had been created for radio use to make the commercial discs after the Dixieland single became a surprize radio hit), is born Walter Hunt in Mount Healthy, Ohio
1929 - Mel Lewis, drummer, with the Capitol Records bands of Alvino Rey, Ray Anthony and Stan Kenton, and bandleader, arranger, composer and music director of the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra which performed every Monday night at the Village Vanguard club, is born Melvin Sokoloff in Buffalo, New York
1947 - Jay Ferguson, Capitol Records solo artist (albums "Terms and Conditions" and "White Noise"), and former lead vocalist of the bands Spirit and Jo Jo Gunne, is born John Ferguson in the San Fernando Valley in southern California
1967 - Young MC, singer, songwriter and Delicious Vinyl and Capitol Records artist (albums "Brainstorm" and "What's The Flavor"), is born Marvin Young in London, England

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1947 - The Pied Pipers (with Paul Weston and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Mam'selle", with "It's The Same Old Dream" on the flipside, is #9 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart
1952 - Hank Thompson's Capitol Records single "Wild Side of Life", with "Crying In The Deep Blue Sea" on the flip side, hits #1 on the U.S. Country singles chart
60 Years Ago Today In 1963 - Buck Owens' Capitol Records single "My Heart Skips A Beat", with "Together Again" on the flipside, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles chart
1965 - After spending the day shooting the Buckingham Palace scenes indoors at Cliveden House in Berkshire and in Bluebell Wood at Cliveden for their movie "Help", The Beatles return to Studio 2 at EMI's Abbey Road Studios in London, England to record the tracks "Dizzy Miss Lizzy" and "Bad Boy" in sessions that go late into the night
1970 - Sonny James' Capitol Records single "My Love", with "Blue For You" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles chart
1982 - Duran Duran's debut album "Rio" is released worldwide. In the U.S., the album is released on Harvest Records, a subsidiary of Capitol Records.
1989 - Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band's Capitol Records album "Beautiful Loser" is certified Platinum

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1899 - Fred Astaire, Broadway, motion picture and televison actor, dancer, singer, and EMI recording artist, is born Frederick Austerlitz in Omaha, Nebraska
1957 - Sid Vicious, singer and bass guitarist with the EMI, Virgin, and Warner Bros. Records group The Sex Pistols, is born John Simon Ritchie
50 Years Ago Today In 1963 - Future Virgin Records band The Rolling Stones, at their first recording session for Decca Records, cut the tracks "Come On" and "I Want To Be Loved" at Olympic Studios in London, England. Decca will issue both tracks together as the first single for the label.
1964 - The Beatles performance at the New Musical Express 1963-64 Annual Poll Winner's Concert at Empire Pool, Wembley, England was aired in the UK by ABC-TV on the special "Big Beat '64". They sang "She Loves You," "You Can't Do That," "Twist and Shout," "Long Tall Sally," and "Can't Buy Me Love." at a taping held on April 26, 1964
1981 - Kim Carnes' EMI America Records single "Bette Davis Eyes", with "Miss You Tonight" on the flip side, is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart. EMI America's catalog is currently owned by EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1909 - Mother Maybelle Carter, singer, guitarist, founding member of the singing group The Carter Family, and grandmother of future Capitol Records artist Roseanne Cash, is born Maybelle Addington in Nicklesville, Virginia

2013-05-09T00:34:00.000-04:00

MAY 9, 2013

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
1941 - Pete Birrell, bass player with the Tower and Capitol Records group Freddie and the Dreamers, is born in Manchester, England

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1947 - Jo Stafford (on vocals), with Paul Weston and his Orchestra (lineup unlisted) records the tracks "I'm So Right Tonight" and "Passing By (Vous Qui Passez San Me Voir)" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue both tracks together as a single (Capitol 423).
1947 - Little David Wheaton (on vocals and guitar with an unlisted musician on washboard) records an unissued take of the track "Don't Play Me For A Fool" and the tracks "It Just Ain't For Me", "I Just Couldn't Help It", and "There's All Kinds Of Women" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue the second track as a single (Capitol Americana 40139) with "That's What I'm Talkin' About" (recorded July 10, 1947) on the flipside and the third and fourth tracks together as a single (Capitol Americana 40009).
1952 - Bob Osgood (caller), with Jack Barbour and his Rhythm Rustlers (lineup unlisted), records the tracks "Virginia Reel", "Silver Bells (Rip Tide)", "Jackson's Breakdown (Forward Six Hash), "Bully Of The Town (Make An Arch)" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue the first and last tracks on the album "Square Dances With Calls" (DAS-4028) and the second and third tracks together on the album also called "Square Dances With Calls" (DAS-4027).
1952 - Tex Ritter (on vocals and guitar) with Billy Liebert on piano, Otis "Joe" Maphis, Merle Travis, and Wesley Tuttle on guitar, Wesley "Speedy" West on steel guitar, and Dale Warren on bass, records the tracks "Everybody Likes A Little Lovin'" and "Talk Gobbler Talk" at Capitol Records' studios on Melrose Avenue in Hollywood, California between 2:30 PM and 6:30 PM. Bear Family Records in Germany will issue both tracks on the compilation CD box set "Tex Ritter - High Noon" (BCD 16356).
1952 - During two session held today in New York City, New York, Leonard Pennario (on piano) records Johann Strauss' "Emperor Waltz, Part 1" and "Emperor Waltz, Part 2" at the first session and "On The Beautiful Danube (Blue Danube Waltz), Part 1" and "On The Beautiful Danube (Blue Danube Waltz), Part 2" at the second session. Capitol Records will issue all the tracks on Pennario's album "Johann STRAUSS Waltzes" (H-8167).
60 Years Ago Today In 1953 - Les Baxter and His Orchestra's Capitol Records single "April In Portugal" is #4 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Nat "King" Cole (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)"s Capitol Records single "Pretend" is #5, and Jane Froman (with orchestra conducted by Sid Feller)'s Capitol Records single "I Believe" is #14
1957 - Ruth Welcome (on zither, with unlisted other musicians) records the track "Star Dust", an unissue take of the track "No Other Love", and the tracks "My Melancholy Baby" and "Does Your Heart Beat For Me?" in New York City, New York. Capitol Records will issue the first, third, and last tracks together on Welcome's album "Hi-Fi Zither" (T 942).
1957 - Cannon and chime effects are overdubbed in Los Angeles, California on The Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra's (lineup unlisted, conducted by Felix Slatkin) recording from April 27, 1957 of Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture". Capitol Records will issue the final version of the track on the orchestra's album "Starlight Chorale" (P-8390).
1961 - Jean Shepard records the tracks "How Long Does It Hurt (When A Heart Breaks)" (which will be released by Capitol Records as a single with "If You Were Losing Him To Me" on the flip side in June 1961) and "I've Got To Talk To Mary" (which will be released by Capitol Records as her next single with "Biggest Cry" on the flip side on August 10, 1961) at the Bradley Film & Recording Studio in Nashville, Tennessee
1962 - Glen Campbell (on vocals), with an uncredited orchestra using arrangements by Jimmie Haskell, records the tracks "Too Late To Worry, To Blue To Cry", "Tomorrow Never Comes", "How Do I Tell My Heart Not To Break?", and "Walking The Floor Over You" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue all the tracks on Campbell's album "Too Late To Worry-Too Blue To Cry" (T 1881).
1962 - Gordon MacRae (on vocals with unlisted musicians) records the tracks "Lovely" and "Warmer Than A Whisper" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue both tracks together as a single (Capitol 4773).
1962 - Dinah Shore (on vocals), with Van Alexander conducting the orchestra (lineup unlisted), records the tracks "That'll Show Him" and "Just A Brief Encounter" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue both tracks together as a single (Capitol 4774).
1962 - Capitol Records files information in Los Angeles, California for the masters they purchased for Nelson Riddle (conducting his own arrangements) and His Orchestra's (featuring Don Fagerquist, Cappy Lewis, and Shorty Sherock on trumpet, Dick Nash and Tommy Shepard on trombone, Buddy Collette, Ronnie Lang, and Willie Schwartz on reeds, Frank Flynn on vibraphones, and Ray Sherman on piano, with an uncredited string section) tracks "Indiscreet", "Alone Too Long", "Queen Of Hearts", "Playboy's Theme", "Penny Ante", "You Fascinate Me So", "It's So Nice To Have A Man Around The House", "Witchcraft", "Finesse", "A Game Of Poker", "Red Silk Stockings And Green Perfume", and "Two Hearts Wild" which it will issue on Riddle's album "Love Is A Game Of Poker" (T 1817).
1962 - The Louvin Brothers (Charlie Louvin on vocals and guitar and Ira Louvin on vocals and mandolin) with (listed as probably) Marvin H. Hughes on piano, Jimmy Capps on electric guitar, Harold Ray Bradley on guitar and 6-string bass guitar, Roy M. "Junior" Huskey Jr. on bass, and William Paul Ackerman on drums, record the tracks "The First Time In Life", "There's No Easy Way", "Love Turned To Hate", and "Must You Throw Dust In My Face" in Nashville, Tennessee. Capitol Records will issue the first and last tracks together as a single (Capitol 4822), the second track as a single (Capitol 5075) with "Everytime You Leave" (recorded May 13, 1961) on the flipside, and the third track as a single (Capitol 4941) with "I Cried After You Left" (recorded on March 25, 1956) on the flipside.
1966 - Paul McCartney records vocal, piano and bass guitar tracks for the ballad "For No One" for The Beatles' "Revolver" album with Ringo Starr on drums. Vocals will be overdubbed on May 16 and the French horn solo by Alan Civil of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra will be overdubbed on May 19. John and George did not participate.
1967 - Overdubs are recorded for Sonny James' tracks "Rally 'Round Your Love" (which was later rejected), "Love Is A Happy Song", and "Today Is The End Of The World" in Nashville, Tennesee. After other overdubs are recorded for the first two tracks on December 13, 1969 Capitol Records will issue the final version of "Love Is Happy Song" on James' album "Heaven Says Hello" (ST 2937) and will issue "Today Is The End Of The World" on James' album "I'll Never Find Another You" (T 2788).
45 Years Ago Today In 1968 - Merle Haggard records the track "Mama Tried" which will be released by Capitol Records as a single in June 1968 with "You'll Never Love Me Now" on the flip side and will eventually peak at #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
1970 - Glen Campbell's Capitol Records single "Oh Happy Day", with "Someone Above" on the flip side, enters the U.S. Country singles chart
1976 - The Sylver's Capitol Records single "Boogie Fever" is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1986 - The Smithereens sign with Capitol Records

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1935 - Nokie Edwards, guitarist with Buck Owens band, bass player and lead guitarist with the Dolton and Liberty Records group The Ventures, solo artist, and television actor, is born Nole Edwards in Lahoma, Oklahoma
1952 - The Miles Davis All Stars (Miles Davis on trumpet, J.J. Johnson on trombone, Jackie McLean on alto saxophone, Gil Coggins on piano, Oscar Pettiford on bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums) record the tracks "Dear Old Stockholm", two takes of "Chance It", two takes of "Donna", two takes of "Would'n You", "Yesterdays" (without trombone and alto saxophone), and "How Deep Is The Ocean" (without trombone and alto saxophone) at WOR Studios in New York City, New York. Blue Note Records will issue the first, third, fifth, seventh, eighth and ninth tracks on Davis' album "Young Man With A Horn" (BLP 5013) and will issue all the tracks on the CD "Miles Davis, Volume 1" (7-81501-2).
1956 - Johnny Dale Owens, future Capitol Records artist Buck Owens' third son, is born in California
1960 - Rick Nelson's Imperial Records single "Young Emotions" is #33 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1962 - The Beatles sign a contract with Parlophone Records, a subsidiary of EMI Records, Ltd.
1962 - Lou Donaldson (on alto saxophone), with Tommy Turrentine on trumpet, John Patton on organ, Grant Green on guitar, and Ben Dixon on drums, records the tracks "Spaceman Twist", "People Will Say We're In Love", "That's All", "Funky Mama", "Loved Walked In", "Sow Belly Blues" and "Nice 'N' Greasy" in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. Blue Note Records will issue all the tracks exept the second on Donaldson's album "The Natural Soul" (BNLP4108) and all the tracks on album's release on CD (7-84108-2).
1964 - Louis Armstrong's single "Hello Dolly" becomes #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart, his first in his 41 year career, and knocks The Beatles out of the #1 spot on the chart for the first time in 14 weeks (a run which started February 1 when their single "I Want To Hold Your Hand" held top for 7 weeks, then "She Loves You" was #1 for 2 weeks and "I Want To Hold Your Hand" held the top spot for 5 weeks)
1964 - Kevin Saunderson, with the Virgin Records America group Inner City, is born
1969 - John Lennon and Yoko Ono's Apple Records album "Unfinished Music No. 2 - Life With The Lions" is released in the U.K. and will be released by Capitol Records in the United States on May 26
20 Years Ago Today In 1993 - Janet Jackson's Virgin Records single "That's The Way Love Goes" is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart

THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1949 - Billy Joel is born William Martin Joel in Levitown (near Hicksville), Long Island, New York
1949 - Columbia Records releases the Original Broadway Cast album of "South Pacific" featuring Mary Martin and Ezio Pinza
1957 - Eight years later to the day, Ezio Pinza, who had an earlier career as a renowned bass opera singer, dies in Stamford, Connecticut nine days before his sixty-fifth birthday
1984 - Nudie Cohn, clothing designer for the stars, dies in North Hollywood, California at age 81

2013-05-08T00:45:00.000-04:00

MAY 8, 2013

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1905 - "Red" Nichols, cornet player, bandleader (Red Nichols and His Five Pennies), and Capitol Records recording artist in the '50s and '60s, is born Ernest Loring Nichols in Ogden, Utah. The film "The Five Pennies" is based loosely on Nichols life with actor and Capitol Records artist Danny Kaye playing Nichols.
1940 - Rick Nelson, singer, radio, television, and motion picture actor, and Imperial and Capitol Records artist, is born Eric Hilliard Nelson in Teaneck, New Jersey

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL HISTORY
1947 - Jean Stewart signs with Capitol Records
1947 - At a split session held at Radio Recorders' studos in Los Angeles, California first Johnny Mercer (on vocals) and The Pied Pipers (vocal group - lineup unlisted), with Paul Weston and his Orchestra (Ray Linn, Zeke Zarchy, and Don Anderson on trumpet, Allan Thompson, Bill Schaefer, and Carl Loeffler on trombone, Fred Stulce, Matty Matlock, Herbie Haymer, Hap Lawson, and Len Hartman on saxophones, Milt Raskin on piano, George Van Eps on guitar, Jack Ryan on bass, Nick Fatool on drums, and a string section with unlisted musicians on 6 violins, 2 violas, 1 cello, and 1 harp), record the tracks "Tallahassee" and "Cecilia" and then Wingy Manone (on trumpet and vocals) and Johnny Mercer (on vocals), with the addition of unlisted reed players and without the string section, record the track "Box Car Blues". Capitol Records will issue the first two tracks together as a single (Capitol 422) and Mosaic Records will issue the last track on the compilation boxset "Classic Capitol Jazz Sessions" (LP - MQ19-170, CD - MD12-170) and Wingy Manone and His Orchestra will record another version of the track on May 23, 1947 with the same lineup and that version will be the one released as a single by Capitol Records (Capitol 442).
1947 - Freddie Stewart (on vocals), with The Buddy Cole Orchestra (Buddy Cole listed as possibly on piano, Ernie Felice on accordion, Dave Barbour on guitar, & other unlisted musicians), records the tracks "There's That Lonely Feeling Again" and "Sincerely Yours" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue both tracks together as a single (Capitol 426).
65 Years Ago Today In 1948 - Nat "King" Cole's Capitol Records single "Nature Boy" (with orchestra conducted by Frank DeVol) hits #1 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart for the first of an 8 week stay, and Peggy Lee with then husband Dave Barbour and His Orchestra's Capitol Records single "Mañana" ends its nine week stay at #1 and is now #3
1952 - Joe "Fingers" Carr (aka Lou Busch [Bush] on piano), with an uncredited orchestra, records the tracks "Twelfth Street Rag", "The Daughter Of Rosie O'Grady", and "Dardanella" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue all the tracks on Carr's album "Rough House Piano" (EBF-345).
1954 - Frank Sinatra (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Young At Heart" is #2 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Nat"King" Cole (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Answer Me, My Love" is #8, Kay Starr's double sided hit Capitol Records single has "If You Love Me (Really Love Me) at #9 and its flip side, "The Man Upstairs" at #10, and Les Paul and Mary Ford's Capitol Records single "I Really Don't Want To Know" at #19
1957 - Ann Leonardo (on vocals), with Dick Reynolds and His Orchestra and Chorus (lineup unlisted), record an unissued take of the track "Three Time Loser", the tracks "Lottery" and "One And Only" and an unissued take of the track "I Must Have Your Lovin'" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue the second and third tracks together as a single (Capitol F3733).
1957 - Jane Froman (on vocals), with Marion Evans conducting the orchestra (lineup unlisted but includes French horns, reeds, piano, guitar, bass, and drum players), records the tracks "Under A Blanket Of Blue", "Red Sails In The Sunset", "You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To", and "At Sundown" in New York City, New York. Capitol Records will issue all the tracks on Froman's album "Songs At Sunset" (T 889).
1959 - Frank Sinatra records the tracks "High Hopes" and "Love Looks So Well On You" with Nelson Riddle, who arranged both tracks, conducting the studio orchestra at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California. "High Hopes" would later be adapted to become John F. Kennedy's campaign song with Sinatra supplying the vocals to new lyrics.
1961 - Faron Young's Capitol Records single "Hello Walls" is #29 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1961 - Jean Shepard records the track "Two Voices Two Shadows Two Faces" at the Bradley Film & Recording Studio in Nashville, Tennessee which will be released by Capitol Records
1962 - During two sessions held this day at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California Vic Damone (on vocals), with Billy May conducting his own arrangements to the orchestra (Joe Graves, Bobby Bryant, and Mannie Klein on trumpet, Francis "Joe" Howard on trombone, Jules Jacob, Plas Johnson, Jules Kinsler, and Chuck Gentry on saxophones, Joe Parnello on piano, Al Hendrickson on guitar, Meyer Rubin on bass, Sidney Bulkin on drums, and a string section with Bob Barene, Jacques Gasselin, James Getzoff, Anatol Kaminsky, Lou Klass, Erno Neufeld, Stanley Plummer, Lou Raderman, Nathan Ross, Paul Shure, Felix Slatkin, and Marshall Sosson on violin, and Edgar Lustgarten and Eleanor Slatkin on cello), records the tracks "Cathy", "Ruby", "Laura", "Nina Never Knew", and "What Kind Of Fool Am I?" at the first session between 4:00 PM and 7:00 PM and then, with Conrad Gozzo and Uan Rasey replacing Joe Graves on trumpet, the addition of Milt Bernhart, Lew McCreary, and George Roberts on trombone and Billy Strange on guitar, records the tracks "I Want A Little Girl", "The Most Beautiful Girl In The World", "Marie", "Little Girl" and "Diane" at the second session between 8:30 PM and 12:00 AM on May 9, 1952. Capitol Records wlll issue all the tracks, except "Cathy" on Damone's album "The Lively Ones" (T 1748) and will issue "Cathy" as a single (Capitol 4799) with "Vieni, Vieni" (recorded June 6, 1962) on the flipside.
1967 - LaVern Andrews singer, motion picture actress and Capitol Records artist as part of The Andrews Sisters from 1956 to 1959, dies at age 55 of cancer in Brentwood, California and is later buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale, California
1967 - Tony Sandler and Ralph Young (on vocals), with Billy May conducting Sid Feller's arrangements to the orchestra (John Audino, Pete Candoli, Ray Triscari, and Uan Rasey on trumpet, Milt Bernhart, Phillip Teele, Lloyd Ulyate on trombone, and Harry Klee on bass clarinet and flute, Justin Gordon on clarinet, flute, and tenor saxophone, Abe Most on clarinet, alto saxophone, and flute, Jack Nimitz on clarinet, bass clarinet, and baritone saxophone, Arnold Ross on piano and organ, Al Hendrickson and Bob Bain on guitar, Chuck Berghofer on bass, and electric bass, Stan Levey on drums, and Gene Estes on percussion), record the tracks "Sentimental Journey", "Marie", "Cabaret", an unissued take of the track "The Exodus", and the track "The Late, Late Show" at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood California between 8:00 PM and 11:00 PM. Capitol Records will issue the second, third, and fifth tracks on Sandler and Young's album "" (T 2802) and the first track on the compilation CD "Spotlight On...,Vol. 11 - Sandler & Young" (8-32944-2).
1967 - Joanie Summers records the tracks "Trains And Boats And Planes", "Yesterday Morning (Woke Up This Morning)", and "Window Wishing" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue the first two tracks together as a single (Capitol 5936). There is no issuing information listed for the last track.
1967 - People (lineup unliste) record the track "She's A Dancer" and an unissued take of the track "Floor Talk" in listed as possibly Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue the first track on the group's album "Both Sides Of People" (ST-151).
1970 - Capitol Records releases The Beates' "Let It Be" soundtrack album in the United States
1972 - Billy May and The Time-Life Orchestra (lineup unlisted) recorded the tracks "Gigi", "Land Of Dreams", "Theme From 'Limelight'", and "Theme From 'A Summer Place'" at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California. Time-Life Records will issue the first, third, and last tracks as part of the "As You Remember Them" Series of 3 LP sets on the album "Volume 1 - Billy May" (STL 241) and the second track on the album "Volume 6 - Billy May" (STL 246).
1972 - Capitol Records registered the masters in licensed from Apple Records for John Lennon and Plastic Ono Band's tracks "Woman Is The Nigger Of The World" and "Sisters, O Sisters", Chris Hodge's tracks "We're On Our Way" and "Supersoul", and Dave Meadow's tracks "I Didn't Mean To Love You So Good, Juanita" and "Lucky Me". Capitol will distribute both of Lennon's tracks as a single (Apple 6244) and both of Chris Hodge's tracks together as a single (Apple 1850) on the Apple label in the United States but will not distribute either of Dave Meadow's tracks in the United States.
1982 - Bob Seger recorded an unissued take of the track "Sunset" in Los Angeles, California for Capitol Records.
25 Years Ago Today In 1988 - Nappy Lamare, guitarist, banjo player, bandleader and Capitol Records artist, dies in Newhall, California at age 81
2001 - Capitol Records releases Paul McCartney's album "Wingspan". I did the design and Photoshop work for the DVD packaging of the "Wingspan" documentary.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1912 - The Paramount company was founded by W. W. Hodkinson as a merger of 11 film rental bureaus. In 1917, Adolph Zukor bought Paramount and merged it with Famous Players to form the new firm called Paramount Pictures Corporation. Zukor also fired W. W. Hodkinson, who went on to found First National to challenge Paramount's distribution power. In 1919, First National and Paramount planned to merge, to gain full control of the market and to cut production cost, but the plan was uncovered by a private eye hired by Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks, Sr. and D.W. Griffith. In reaction to the plan, they decided to found their own distribution company, United Artists Pictures (which would later found United Artists Records), which effectively ended Paramount and First National's efforts to found a monopoly. Future Capitol Records co-founder Buddy DeSylva would become production chief of Paramount and during his reign music from it's films (with "Mona Lisa" from "Captain Carey, U.S.A." being the best know song from the least known movie) would be released by Capitol Records as would recordings by many of its stars including Betty Hutton and Bob Hope.
1942 - Jack Blanchard, singer, songwriter, saxophone and keyboard player, and member of the United Artists duo Jack Blanchard & Misty Morgan, is born in Buffalo, New York
70 Years Ago Today In 1943 - Toni Tennille, singer and wife of former keyboardist for The Beach Boys "Captain" Daryl Dragon (who also was a Capitol artist with his band The Dragons), was born Cathryn Antoinette Tennille in Montgomery, Alabama
1947 - Phil Sawyer, bass guitarist and guitarist for the United Artists band The Spencer Davis Group, is born in Birmingham, England
60 Years Ago Today In 1953 - Billy Burnette, singer, songwriter, guitarist, son of Liberty Records artist Dorsey Burnette and Alberta Burnette, member of Fleetwood Mac (1987-1995), and a solo artist, is born William Beau Burnette III in Memphis, Tennessee
1957 - The Horace Silver Quintet (Art Farmer on trumpet, Hank Mobley on tenor saxophone, Horace Silver on piano, Teddy Kotick on bass, and Louis Hayes on drums) records the tracks "Metamorphosis", "No Smoking", "The Back Beat", "Soulville", "My One And Only Love", and "Home Cookin'" in Hackensack, New Jersey. Blue Note Records will issue all the tracks on the group's album "The Stylings Of Silver" (BLP1562).
1961 - Ernie K-Doe's Minit Records single "Mother-In-Law" is #2 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart, Gene McDaniels' Liberty Records single "A Hundred Pounds Of Clay" is #3, Steve Lawrence's United Artists Records single "Portrait Of My Love" is #9, Rick Nelson's Imperial Records single "Travelin' Man" is #18, Al Caiola and His Orchestra's United Artists Records single "Bonanza" is #23, Rick Nelson's Imperial Records single "Hello Mary Lou" is #27, and The Fleetwoods' Dolton Records (distributed by Liberty Records) single "Tragedy" is #31
1962 - The Broadway production of "A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum" opens at The Alvin Theatre in New York City, New York, starring Zero Mostel. The show will run for a total of 964 performances and Capitol Records will record the show on May 13, 1962 and release the show's original Broadway cast album. The motion picture version, which also stars Mostel, will be directed by Richard Lester, who directed The Beatles' first two films.
1962 - At two straight days of sessions starting today Dinah Washington, with Don Costa conducting his own arrangements to the orchestra (lineup unlisted), records the tracks "Lover Man", "The Man That Got Away", and "Baby, Won't You Please Come Home?" for Roulette Records. Blue Note Records will reissue the first two tracks on the compilation CD "Jazz Profile 5 - Dinah Washington" (8-54907-2) and the last track in England on the compilation CD "Blue Divas" (8-53232-2).
50 Years Ago Today In 1963 - United Artists Pictures releases "Dr. No", the first James Bond film, and United Artists Records will release the soundtrack album. Capitol Music Group's parent company, EMI Music Group, currently owns the United Artists catalog.
1977 - Leo Sayer's Chrysalis Records single "When I Need You" is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart. Capitol Music Group's parent company, EMI Music Group, currently owns the Chrysalis catalog.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL HISTORY
1911 - Robert Johnson, singer, guitarist, and songwriter, is born in Hazlehurst, Mississippi. His 29 Blues recordings are amongst the most influential especially with English musicians including Eric Clapton and The Rolling Stones, who have both covered Johnson's tunes. This date has not been verified and if anyone knows for sure when Johnson's birthdate is, please leave a comment.
1945 - Victory in Europe (aka V.E. Day) during World War II is announced and there is a massive celebration in Times Square in New York City, New York and around the world in the allied nations.

2013-05-07T00:48:00.000-04:00

MAY 7, 2013

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
1950 - Prarie Prince, graphic designer, former drummer in the Capitol Records band The Tubes, and now with the band The New Cars, is born Charles L'Emprere Prince in Charlotte, North Carolina

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1946 - Peggy Lee, with the Four Of A Kind (Dave Barbour on guitar, Philip Stephens on bass, Buddy Cole on piano, celeste, and organ, and Tom Romersa on drums) records the tracks "I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me", "I've Had My Moments", "Them There Eyes", "Lonesome Road", and "You Brought A New Kind Of Love To Me" with arrangement by Heinrich "Heine" Beau at Radio Recorders, 7000 Santa Monica Boulevard, Hollywood, California for a transcription disc that will be released by Capitol Records for radio.
1947 - Ella Mae Morse (on vocals) with Buddy Cole's Boogie Woogie Seven (Vernon "Geechie" Smith on trumpet, Mahlon Clark on clarinet, Dave Cavanaugh on tenor saxophone, Edwin LeMar "Buddy" Cole on piano, Al Hendrickson on guitar, Harry Babasin on bass, and Lee Young on drums), records the tracks "Get It Off And Go", "Old Shank's Mare", and "A Little Further Down The Road A-Piece" in Studio B at Radio Recorders' studios in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue the first two tracks together as a single (Capitol 424), and the last track on the compilation album "Campus Capers" (BD-58).
1949 - Mel Torme (with orchestra conducted by Sonny Burke)'s Capitol Records single "Careless Hands" is #7 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Jo Stafford and Gordon MacRae (with Paul Weston and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "'A' You're Adorable" is #8, Mel Torme (this time with orchestra conducted by Pete Rugolo)'s Capitol Records single "Again" is #9, and Weston and MacRae (again with Weston and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Need You" is tied at #13 with Vaughn Monroe and His Orchestra's single "Red Roses For A Blue Lady", Margaret Whiting (with Frank DeVol & His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Forever And Ever" is #24, Jack Smith and The Clark Sisters (with Frank DeVol and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Cruising Down The River) is #28, and Margaret Whiting and Johnny Mercer (with Paul Weston and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Baby, It's Cold Outside" debuts at #30 in a tie with Bing Crosby (with Victor Young and His Orchestra)'s single "Galway Bay"
1950 - Nat "King" Cole performs "Mona Lisa" during the first of his eventual thirteen guest appearances on Ed Sullivan's CBS Television show.
1952 - Bob Hope and Jane Russell (on vocals), with Joseph (Joe) Lilley directing the orchestra (lineup unlisted), record the tracks "Wing Ding Tonight" and "Am I In Love?" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue both tracks together as a single (Capitol 2109).
1955 - Les Baxter and His Orchestra's Capitol Records single "Unchained Melody" is #2 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Tennessee Ernie Ford (with Cliffie Stone's Band)'s Capitol Records single "The Ballad Of Davy Crocket" is #7, Nat "King" Cole (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Darling, Je Vous Amie Beaucoup" is #10, Cole and Riddle are also at #20 with a double sided Capitol Records hit single "A Blossom Fell" and its flip side "If I May" (with backing vocals by The Four Knights), and Frank Sinatra (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Learnin' The Blues" debuts at #25
1957 - Ruth Welcome (on zither with other unlisted musicians), records the tracks "Song From 'Moulin Rouge'", unissued takes of the tracks "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" and "La Cumparsita", and the track "Charmaine" in New York City, New York. Capitol Records will issue the first and last tracks on Welcome's album "Hi-Fi Zither" (T 942).
1957 - Jackie Gleason conducts the orchestra (featuring Bernie Leighton on piano and Tony Mottola on guitar but otherwise unidentified), with The Voices of Artie Malvin, as the record the tracks "High On A Windy Hill", "Can This Be Love?", "Thine Alone", and "Dearest You're The Nearest To My Heart" in New York City, New York. Capitol Records will issue all the tracks on Gleason's album "Oooo!" (W 905).
1957 - The Louvin Brothers (Charlie Louvin on vocals and guitar and Ira Louvin on vocals and mandolin), with Paul Yandell and "Smiley" Wilson on guitar, Floyd T. "Lightnin'" Chance on bass, and Murray M. "Buddy" Harman Jr. on drums, record the tracks "Call Me", "I Wish You Knew", "Dogsled" and "When I Loved You" in Nashville, Tennessee. Capitol Records will issue the first two tracks together a single (Capitol F3804) and the last two tracks together as a single (Capitol F3871).
55 Years Ago Today In 1958 - Bobby Hackett continues recording sessions for his Capitol Records album "At The Embers" by recording the tracks "Cheek To Cheek", "It's Been So Long", "If I Had My Way", and "That Naughty Waltz"
1962 - Vic Damone (on vocals), with Billy May conducting his own arrangements to the orchestra (Joe Graves, Bobby Bryant, Ray Triscari, and Mannie Klein on trumpet, Francis "Joe" Howard, Milt Bernhart, Lew McCreary, and George Roberts on trombone, Jules Jacob, Plas Johnson, Justin Gordon, Chuck Gentry on saxophone, Joe Parnello on piano, Billy Strange and Al Hendrickson on guitar, Myer Rubin on bass, Sidney Bulkin on drums, and a string section with Bob Barene, Jacques Gasselin, James Getzoff, Anatol Kaminsky, Lou Klass, Erno Neufeld, Stanley Plummer, Lou Raderman, Nathan Ross, Paul Shure, Felix Slatkin, and Marshall Sosson on violin, and Edgar Lustgarten and Eleanor Slatkin on cello), records the tracks "Charmaine", "Cherokee", and "Dearly Beloved" at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California. Capitol Records will issue all the tracks on Damone's album "The Lively Ones" (T 1748).
1962 - Carol Ventura (on vocals with unlisted musicians) records the tracks "Yes Sir, That's My Baby" and unissued takes of an unknown title and "The Music Goes 'Round And Around" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue the first track as a single (Capitol 4782) with "(Hey) Mr. Muscles" (recorded April 27, 1962) on the flipside.
1966 - The Beach Boys' Capitol Records single "Sloop John B.", with "You're So Good To Me" on the flip side and the original A side, peaks at #3 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1967 - Buck Owens' Capitol Records single "Sam's Place" is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
1972 - Merle Haggard's Capitol Records single "Grandma Harp" is #1 on the U.S. Country singles chart
1982 - Space People (lineup unlisted) record the track "Love's Got You This Time" in (listed as possibly) Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue the track as a single (Capitol DLP-15003) with "You Really Got A Hold On Me" (recorded April 28, 1982) on the flipside.
1987 - The Boogie Boys record the track "Kick It" at an unlisted location. Capitol Records will issue the track on the group's album "Romeo-Knight" (C1-46917).
15 Years Ago Today In 1998 - Eddie Rabbitt, singer, songwriter, guitarist and Capitol Records artist (1990 to 1992, during which time he recorded recorded the top 10 hit "Runnin' With The Wind"), dies of lung cancer in Nashville, Tennessee at age 56.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1947 - Bab's Three Bips And A Bop (Tadd Dameron on piano and vocals, Pee Wee Tinney on guitar and vocals, Art Phipps on bass, and Babs Gonzales on vocals), using arrangements by Tadd Dameron, record the tracks "Runnin' Around" (without Tinney on guitar and vocals only by Gonzales), "Bab's Dream", "Dob, Bla Bli", and "Weird Lullaby" (again with vocals only by Gonzales) at WOR Studios in New York City, New York. Blue Note Records will issue the first two tracks together as a single (Blue Note 537) and the last two tracks together a single (Blue Note 536) and all the tracks on the CD "Weird Lullaby" (7-84464-2).
1966 - Del Shannon's Liberty Records single "The Big Hurt", with "I Got It Bad" on the flip side, enters Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart. The next time Shannon enters the chart will be in 1981.
1967 - Capitol Records artist Judy Garland's appearance on Jack Paar's NBC special, "A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To Hollywood", is the last time she's on a primetime network television show
1992 - At sessions held at Estudio Quarzo in Madrid that started today and went to May 12, 1992, Spain Gonzalo Rubalcaba (on piano, with Reynaldo Melian on trumpet, Felipe Cabrera on electric bass, and Julio Barreto on drums) records the tracks "Preludio Proyecto Latino", "Here, There, And Everywhere", "Tress Palabras", "Comienzo", "Nuestro Balance", "4 Y 20", "Siempra Maria" and "Quizas, Quizas, Quizas" and then (without Cabrera but adding Charlie Haden on bass) records the tracks "Transparence", "Our Spanish Love Song", "Love Letters", "Perfidia", "Nadie Me Ama" for the Somethin' Else label. Blue Note Records will issue all the tracks on Rubalcaba's CD "Suite 4 Y 20" (7-80054-2).
1997 - Pieces Of A Dream (James Lloyd on keyboards and background vocals, George Duke on synthesizer programming, Kevin Chokan on guitar, Curtis Harmon on drum programming and background vocals, and Mike Davis on vocals and background vocals, over sessions lasting until the next day, record the track Anyway You Want It" at Le Gonks West in Los Angeles, California. Blue Note Records will issue the track on the group's album Pieces (8-54052-2).

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1941 - Glenn Miller and His Orchestra record the track "Chattanooga Choo-Choo" for Bluebird Records (a subsidiary of RCA Victor Records) at the Victor Recording Studios in Hollywood, California. The single would later become the first record to be awarded a Gold record, for sales of 1 million copies. The idea for a Gold record was thought up as a publicity event by RCA Victor and later adopted by the R.I.A.A. in the 1950s
1945 - Representatives of the German army sign unconditional surrender documents ending World War II in Europe.
1946 - Tokyo Telecommunications Engineering (later renamed Sony) is founded
1949 - "A - You're Adorable" by Perry Como becomes the first song available on RCA'S new 45rpm format to hit #1 on the Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records charts
60 Years Ago Today In 1953 - Gerry Mulligan, Chet Baker, Carson Smith and Larry Bunker record "Love Me or Leave Me" and "Varsity Drag" for Gene Norman's GNP label.
1955 - Bill Haley and The Comets' Decca single "Rock Around The Clock", with "Thirteen Women" on the flip side, debuts at #22 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart
1956 - The Rock 'n' Roll Trio, consisting of Johnny Burnette, Dorsey Burnette, and Paul Burlison, has its first recording session for Coral Records at Pythian Temple Studio, in New York City, producing the single "Tear It Up" which will be covered by John Lennon on his Capitol Records "Rock 'n' Roll" solo album. Capitol wanted to sign the trio. but after the Burnettes and their manager, bandleader Henry Jerome, heard that Capitol might be also signing Gene Vincent, they decided to go with Coral. Capitol then signed Vincent who recorded "Be-Bop-A-Lula" three days before the Trio's session.
1962 - The Isley Brothers' single "Twist And Shout" is released. The track would later be covered by "The Beatles", with John Lennon doing lead vocals, on February 11, 1963.
1966 - Rolling Stones' single "Paint It Black", with "Stupid Girl" on the flip side, is released on London Records

2013-05-06T00:57:00.000-04:00

MAY 6, 2013

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
1945 - Bob Seger, singer, songwriter, guitarist, and Grammy award winning (and multi-platinum selling) Capitol artist, is born Robert Clark Seger in Ann Arbor, Michigan

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1944 - Jo Stafford with Paul Weston and His Orchestra's Capitol Records single "Long Ago (And Far Away)" debuts at #7 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart and Ella Mae Morse's Capitol Records single "Milkman Keep Those Bottles Quiet", with orchestra conducted by Dick Walters, debuts at #10
1950 - Jo Stafford and Gordon MacRae with Paul Weston and His Orchestra's Capitol Records single "Dearie" is #16 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart
1950 - Ray Anthony records the track "The Man With The Horn" which will be released as a single by Capitol Records
1957 - Capitol Records releases Judy Garland's album "Alone". The sessions were produced by Voyle Gilmore with arrangements by Gordon Jenkins, who also conducted the orchestra and chorus.
55 Years Ago Today In 1958 - Bobby Hackett (on cornet, with Pepe Moreale on piano, John Giuffrida [aka John Giuff] on bass, and Buzzy Drootin on drums) records the live tracks "C'est Magnifique", "Spring, Beautiful Spring", "All Of You", and "Rosalie" at The Embers in New York City, New York. The tracks will later be released by Capitol Records on Hackett's album "At The Embers".
1964 - On the Associated Rediffusion UK TV special "Around The Beatles", the band lip synchs, in front of a live audience, to tracks pre-recorded on April 19, 1964. The performance includes the tracks "Can't Buy Me Love"; "I Wanna Be Your Man"; "Long Tall Sally"; a medley that used "Love Me Do", "Please Please Me", "From Me To You", "She Loves You", and "I Want to Hold Your Hand"; "Roll Over Beethoven"; "Shout"; and "Twist and Shout". They also perform a comedy sketch based on "A Midsummer Night's Dream".
1966 - Bob Bain leads a overdub session with drummer Hal Blaine at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California between 7:00PM and 12:30 AM on May 7, 1966 recording new tracks for the titles "Silver Bird" and "Let Me Tell You, Babe" which Nat "King" Cole originally recorded on January 14, 1964 and "No Other Heart" which was originally recorded on December 3, 1964. Capitol Records will issue the new versions of these songs on Cole's album "Sincerely" (T 2680).
1970 - Paul McCartney's Apple Records album "McCartney", distributed by Capitol Records in the United States, peaks at #1 on Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart
1974 - Merle Haggard's Capitol Records single "Things Aren't Funny Anymore" is #1 on the U.S. Country Singles chart
25 Years Ago Today In 1988 - Pink Floyd's fans rip apart one of the band's flying pigs that descends on them at the first of two concerts at Sullivan Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts
1990 - Dan Seals' Liberty Records (later renamed Capitol Records Nashville) single "Love On Arrival" is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
1992 - Marlene Dietrich, motion picture actress, singer, and Capitol Records artist, dies in Paris, France at age 90 of old age.
1994 - Lisa Marie Presley divorces her first husband, Danny Keough
10 Years Ago Today In 2003 - Capitol Records reissues Warren Zevon's 1969 Imperial Records album "Wanted Dead Or Alive"
2004 - Barney Kessel, guitarist, arranger, writer, record producer, session artist on many Billy May and Mel Torme Capitol Records tracks, and member of The Oscar Peterson Trio, dies of brain cancer in San Diego, California at age 80
2006 - Pink Floyd's Capitol Records album "Dark Side Of The Moon" reaches 1,500 weeks on the Billboard charts

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1919 - L. Frank Baum, writer of "The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz" and a series of sequel books, dies at age 63. He is buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California. Capitol Records would record a 3 disc 78 rpm album of "Dorothy And The Wizard Of Oz", featuring Rosemary Rice, in 1948.
1970 - Al Jarvis, DJ (show: 'Jivin' With Jarvis), who would broadcast from Wallichs' Music City in Hollywood and was great friends with Capitol Records co-founder Glenn Wallichs, dies in Newport Beach, California at 60

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1915 - Orson Welles, Broadway, radio, motion picture and television actor, director and writer, is born George Orson Welles
1930 - The first "Looney Tunes" cartoon short, "Sinkin' In The Bathtub" featuring Bosko and his girlfriend Honey, is shown at The Warner Theatre in New York City
1937 - The Hindenburg explodes over Lakeland Naval Air Station in New Jersey and is captured on film by amateur George Willens, a Detroit printing company owner, and a audio description is given by NBC Radio’s Herbert Morrison, whose live on-site transcription of the tragedy and its immediate aftermath, was broadcast coast to coast on both the NBC Red and NBC Blue networks
50 Years Ago Today In 1963 - The Beatle's single "From Me To You", backed with "Thank You Girl" on the flipside, was released on Vee-Jay Records
1965 - Keith Richards, along with Mick Jagger, begin work on the track "Satisfaction" in their Clearwater, Florida hotel room after Richards, who had gotten a new Gibson fuzzbox, dreams the opening riff

2013-05-05T00:08:00.000-04:00

MAY 5, 2013

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1911 - Pete Daily, cornet player, band leader, and Capitol Records artist, is born in Portland, Indiana
80 Years Ago In 1933 - Bobby Austin, Capitol Records solo artist, songwriter and bassist for Wynn Stewart, Buck Owens and Tommy Collins, is born in Wenatchee, Washington. The first song that Austin wrote, co-written with with Johnny Paycheck, was Tammy Wynette's first recording, "Apartment #9". The track would be named Song Of The Year by the Academy of Country Music. Jason Odd wrote a great biographical article for the Traditional Country Hall of Fame website.
45 Years Ago In 1968? - Dominic Pandiscia, President of Caroline Records, formerly Executive Vice President Music Services at EMI and Senior Vice President and General Manager of EMI Label Services, Global/Caroline Distribution, an unlisted position with Capitol Music Group in New York City and Senior Vice President of Sales for Virgin Records in New York City, is born in Stanhope, New Jersey.

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1942 - Bobby Sherwood and His Orchestra record the tracks "The Elk's Parade" and "I Don't Know Why" which will be released together by Capitol Records as single #107
1945 - John Mercer, Jo Stafford, The Pied Pipers with Paul Weston and His Orchestra's Capitol Records single "Candy" is #2 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart and The Pied Pipers with Paul Weston and His Orchestra's Capitol Records single "Dream" debuts at #6
1951 - Les Paul and Mary Ford's Capitol Records single "How High The Moon" is still #1 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Nat "King" Cole with Les Baxter and His Orchestra's Capitol Records Single "Too Young" is #4, and Paul and Ford's Capitol Records single "Mockin'bird Hill" is #5
1956 - Les Baxter and His Orchestra's Capitol Records single "Poor People Of Paris" is #3 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra's Capitol Records single "Lisbon Antigua" is tied for #5 with The Platters featuring Tony Williams' single "The Magic Touch", and Nat "King" Cole's Capitol Records single "Too Young To Go Steady" is tied for #35 with The Dick Hyman Trio's single "Theme From 'Three Penny Opera'"
1957 - Ferlin Husky's Capitol Records single "Gone" is still #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
55 Years Ago Today In 1958 - Laurie London's Capitol Records single "He's Got The Whole World In His Hands" is #4 on Billboard's Best Selling Records chart, Dean Martin with Gus Levene and His Orchestra & Chorus' Capitol Records single "Return To Me" is #9, Nat "King" Cole's Capitol Records single "Looking Back" is #12, and The Four Prep's Capitol Records single "Twenty-Six Miles" is #33
55 Years Ago Today In 1958 - Capitol Records releases The Kingston Trio's single "Scarlet Ribbons", with "Three Jolly Coachmen" on the flip side
1965 - Buck Owens & His Buckaroos finish recording sessions at The Capitol Towers Studios for their album "Instrumental Hits". The sessions were produced by Ken Nelson. Besides Owens on guitar and electric guitar, the sessions featured Don Rich (acoustic & electric guitars, fiddle), Tom Brumley (steel guitar), Doyle Holly (bass), Willie Cantu (drums), along with Jelly Sanders (guitar, fiddle), Ralph Mooney, Jimmy Seals, Red Simpson (guitar), Jay McDonald (pedal steel guitar), George French, Jr. (piano), Bobby Austin, Kenny Pierce, Bob Morris (electric bass), Wayne "Moose" Stone, Mel King, Ken Presley (drums).
1969 - Capitol Records releases The Beatles' Apple Records single "Get Back", with "Don't Let Me Down" on the flip side, in the United States and Buck Owens' single "Johnny B. Goode"
40 Years Ago Today In 1973 - Harvest Records, a subsidiary of Capitol Records, releases Pink Floyd's single "Money", with "Any Colour You Like" on the flipside, in the United States
1975 - Capitol Records releases Tennessee Ernie Ford and Glen Campbell's album "Ernie Sings and Glen Picks"
1992 - Capitol Records releases Radiohead's first commercial EP, "Drill", which contains the tracks "Prove Yourself", "Stupid Car", "You", and "Thinking About You"
15 Years Ago Today In 1998 - Capitol releases Garth Brooks first boxed set "Limited Series" (only 2 million sets released worldwide). The collection will include Brooks' first six multi-platinum studio releases as well as a new bonus track on each CD, for a total of 66 cuts and over three hours of music. The package also includes a new photo booklet commemorating Brooks' career to date. Also released is Brooks’ single "To Make You Feel My Love" featured on the soundtrack for the feature film "Hope Floats"
20 Years Ago Today In 1998 - Capitol Records releases The Jesus Lizard's album "Blue"
1999 - Radiohead's "Meeting People Is Easy" becomes Capitol Records's first simultaneous DVD and Home Video release
1999 - Capitol Records Nashville artist Garth Brooks is named artist of the decade at the 34th annual Academy of Country Music Awards

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
70 Years Ago Today In 1943 - Michael Palin, comedian, television and motion picture actor, and member of the Virgin Records America group Monty Python, is born Michael Edward Palin in Sheffield, Yorkshire, England
55 Years Ago Today In 1958 - David Seville's Liberty Records single "Witch Doctor" is still #1 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Rick Nelson's Imperial Records single "My Bucket's Got A Hole In It" is #22 and its flip side, "Believe What You Say" is #24
55 Years Ago Today In 1958 - Imperial Records releases The Burnette Brothers' single "Warm Love" with "My Honey" on the flip side which will be their only single release for the label
1960 - The Quarry Men become The Silver Beetles
1962 - Rick Nelson's Imperial Records single "Young World" is #11 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart, Jay and The American's United Artists single "She Cried" is #13, Walter Brennan's Liberty Records single "Old Rivers" is #15
1991 - Roxette's EMI America single "Joyride" is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
2006 - EMI entered preliminary talks to buy Warner Music Group which would later reject EMI's offer

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1891 - Carnegie Hall officially opens with a concert by The Symphony Society of New York (also known as the New York Symphony), one of the two ensembles that merged in 1928 to form today’s New York Philharmonic. conducted by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky
1900 - The Billboard, a magazine for the music and entertainment industries, begins weekly publication after six years as a monthly
1961 - Alan Shepard becomes the first American to go into space
45 Years Ago Today In 55 Years Ago Today In 1968 - Ed Sullivan presents a tribute on CBS-TV to Irving Berlin on his 80th birthday

2013-05-04T00:03:00.000-04:00

MAY 4, 2013

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
85 Years Ago Today In 1928 - Maynard Ferguson, musician (trumpet, trombone, other horns), bandleader, winner of Down Beat Magazine reader's poll for best trumpet in 1950, '51 and '52, and member of the Capitol Records group Stan Kenton and His Orchestra, is born in Verdun, Quebec, Canada
1937 - Dick Dale, "King of the Surf Guitar" and Capitol Records artist (his first full-length album, "Surfer’s Choice", was picked up by Capitol Records in 1962 and distributed nationally), is born Richard Monsour in Boston, Massachusetts.
1942 - Nickolas Ashford, producer, songwriter, and singer in the Capitol Records duo Ashford & Simpson, is born in Fairfield, South Carolina
1952 - Jacob Miller motion picture actor, singer with the Capitol Records group Inner Circle, and a solo artist, is born in Madeville, Jamaica

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1945 - Stan Kenton and His Orchestra, with June Christy on vocals, record the track "Tampico" which will be released as a single by Capitol Records and become the group's first million selling record
1946 - Andy Russell with Paul Weston and His Orchestra's Capitol Records single "Laughing On The Outside" enters Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart at #8
1952 - Hank Thompson's Capitol Records single "The Wild Side Of Life" is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
1956 - Gene Vincent and His Blue Caps record the single "Be-Bop-A-Lula" at Owen Bradley's Studio in Nashville, Tennessee for Capitol Records. The session was produced by Ken Nelson and take #12 was used for the single. "Be Bop A Lula" was the second tune recorded that day. "Race With The Devil" was recorded first and became the group's second Capitol Records single. Capitol’s first rock ‘n’ roll record was rush-released and would be in stores within 2 weeks. "Be-Bop-A-Lula" would influence a generation of rockers around the world including John Lennon’s first band The Quarrymen.
1957 - Ferlin Husky's Capitol Records single "Gone" is #5 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Tommy Sands' Capitol Records single "Teenage Crush" is #13 in a three way tie with Harry Belafonte (with Bob Corwin and His Orchestra)'s single "Mama Look-A Boo Boo", and Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra (with The Arthur Malvin Singers)'s single "So Rare"
1959 - Capitol Records releases Judy Garland's album "The Letter" which has recently been re-released by GRP Records
1959 - The first Grammy Awards are presented by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Capitol Records artists Louis Prima and Keely Smith win Best Group or Chorus Vocal Performance with the single "That Old Black Magic", The Kingston Trio win Best Country and Western Performace with the single "Tom Dooley", Billy May wins Best Orchestra Performance with the album "Billy May's Big Fat Brass", Mereith Wilson wins Best Original Cast Album - Broadway or Television with "The Music Man", Felix Slatkin conducting The Hollywood Bowl Symphony wins Best Classical Performance - Orchestra with "Gaite Parisienne", The Hollywood String Quartet wins Best Classical Performance - Chamber Music with "Beethoven: Quartet No. 13", Roger Wagner Chorale win Best Classical Performance - Operatic or Choral with "Virtuoso", Stan Freberg wins" Best Documentary or Spoken Word Recording with "The Best Of The Stan Freberg Show", and Frank Sinatra wins "Best Album Cover" with his art direction of his album "Only The Lonely"
1959 - The Kingston Trio's Capitol Records single "Tijuana Jail" is #21 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart
50 Years Ago Today In 1963 - The Beach Boys' Capitol Records album "Surfin' USA" debuts on the US album charts
50 Years Ago Today In 1963 - The Beach Boy's Capitol Records single "Surfin' USA" is #8 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart, The Kingston Trio's Capitol Records single "Reverend Mr. Black" is #14, and Al Martino's Capitol Records single "I Love You Because" is #29
1964 – Capitol Records releases The Beatles' single "Can’t Buy Me Love" and The Kingston Trio's last album for the label, "Back In Town", recorded during a stint at hungry i in San Francisco that started on March 23, 1964
1969 - Merle Haggard's Capitol Records single "Hungry Eyes" is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
1974 - Grand Funk Railroad's cover single of "Loco-motion" is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart for the second of a two week stay
1977 - Capitol Records releases The Beatles live album "The Beatles At The Hollywood Bowl"
1979 – A congratulatory ad for “Phantasm” star Angus Scrim (The Tall Man) from Capitol Records appears in the Hollywood Reporter. Angus Scrim is the screen name for Rory Guy, Grammy winning writer of liner notes for Angel and Capitol Records, whose office was on the 5th floor of The Capitol Tower. Ron Waite has a great article online about a visit to Rory/Angus in the Tower with a young fan of the movie.
1982 – Duran Duran's second album, “Rio”, produced by Colin Thurston, was released worldwide with Capitol Records subsidiary Harvest Records initially handling distribution in the United States
1992 - Dudu Zulu, a principal member of the Capitol Records group Johnny Clegg & Savuka, was shot and killed on May 4, 1992 in his native Zululand as he was en route to his home.
15 Years Ago Today In 1998 - Capitol Records releases Robbie Williams' first U.S. album "The Ego Has Landed", culled from his first 2 UK albums
2011 - Gary West (aka Speedy West, Jr.), guitarist and son of Capitol Records artist Speedy West, dies in Oklahoma City of complications from lung cancer at age 58. A memorial service is set for 3 p.m. May 11 at St. Luke's United Methodist Church in Oklahoma City under the direction of Buchanan Funeral Service of Oklahoma City.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1947 – Capitol Records co-founder and artist Johnny Mercer sings "Huggin' and Chalkin'" on the Armed Forces radio show "Command Performance"
1957 - Fats Domino's Imperial Records single "I'm Walkin'" is #8 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart and Eddie Cochran's Liberty Records single "Sittin' In The Balcony" is #21
1959 - Liberty Records artist David Seville wins Best Comedy Recording and Best Recording for Childern with "The Chipmunk Song" and Ted Keep wins Best Engineered Recording - Novelty with "The Chipmunk Song" at the first Grammy Awards presentation
1959 - The Fleetwoods' Dolton (originally Dolphin) Records single "Come Softly" is #3 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Martin Denny's Liberty Records single "Quiet Village" is #19, Rick Nelson's Imperial Records single "Never Be Anyone Else But You is #26 and its flip side, "It's Late", is #29
50 Years Ago Today In 1963 - Bobby Vee's Liberty Records single "Charms" is #15 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart, Lou Christie's Roulette Records single "Two Faces Have I" is #23, and Jan and Dean's Liberty Records single "Linda" is #28
1986 - The Pet Shop Boys' EMI America single "West End Girls" is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL HISTORY
1886 - Chichester Bell and Charles S. Tainter are granted a patent on the gramophone
1929 - Audrey Hepburn, Academy Award-winning actress, who introduced the Johnny Mercer/Henry Mancini song “Moon River” in the film “Breakfast At Tiffany’s”, is born Edda Kathleen van Heemstra in Brussells, Belgium
1945 - Miles Davis records for the first time in a session with a band led by Herbie Fields
1958 - Keith Haring, artist, is born in Reading, Pennsylvania
1970 – Students Allison Krause, Sandra Lee Scheuer, Jeffrey Glenn Miller and William K. Schroeder were shot down by National Guard members during an anti-Vietnam War demonstration on the Kent State University Campus in Ohio
1975 - Moe Howard, vaudelville, Broadway, motion picture and television actor, comedian and member of The Three Stooges, dies at age 77
1977 - "Star Wars" debuts in movie theatres
1984 - Bob Clampett, cartoonist, director, television host, puppeteer, and creator of Tweety Bird and Beany and Cecil, dies at age 70, four days before his 71st birthday
2006 - I saw actor Kent McCord working on his website on a 12" iBook outside a coffee shop next to the Virgin MegaStore on Sunset and Crescent Heights. He appeared on "Ozzie and Harriett" as one of Rick Nelson's friends before going on to co-star on "Adam 12".

2013-05-03T00:46:00.000-04:00

MAY 3, 2013

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
110 Years Ago Today 1903 - Bing Crosby, singer, radio, motion picture, radio, and television actor, and a Decca and Capitol Records artist, is born Harry Lillis Crosby at 1112 North "J" Street in Tacoma, Washington
1912 - Virgil Fox, organist and Capitol Records artist, is born in Princeton, Illinois.
1950 - Mary Hopkin, singer (best known for "Those Were The Days") and Apple Records artist distributed by Capitol Records in the United States, is born in Pontardawe, Wales
1955 - Steve Jones, singer, disc jockey, and guitarist with the EMI and Virgin Records band The Sex Pistols, is born

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL HISTORY
1947 - The Pied Pipers with Paul Weston and His Orchestra's Capitol Records single "Mam'selle" debuts at #10 on Billboards Best Selling Retail Records chart
1947 - Merle Travis' Capitol Records single "So Round, So firm, So Fully Packed" is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
1952 - Kay Starr's Capitol Records single "Wheel Of Fortune" is still #1 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Ella Mae Morse's Capitol Records single is still #3, and Jane Froman's Capitol Records single "I'll Walk Alone", with orchestra conducted by Sid Feller, debuts at #19
45 Years Ago Today In 1968 - Capitol Records band The Beach Boys begins its US tour, with special guest Mahareshi, in New York City, New York
1969 - Margaret Young, popular comedienne and singer in the 1920s, Capitol recording artist in 1949 and aunt of Capitol artist Margaret Whiting, dies in Inglewood, California at age 78. She was born Margaret Youngblood.
1971 - Capitol Records band Grand Funk Railroad hold their first press conference with six journalists attending
1976 - Capitol Records band Wings end their "Wings Over America" tour after a three-night stand at The Forum, in Los Angeles, California or start their tour in Fort Worth, Texas marking Paul McCartney's first time back on a U.S. stage in a decade
1977 - Helmut Köllen, bassist, acoustic guitarist, vocalist and writer for the Capitol band Triumvirat, after a long day in the studio recording, is accidentally killed at age 27 by carbon monoxide poisoning while sitting in his car listening to a cassette tape of the day's tracks in his garage. A solo album named by his friends after one of his favorite Beatles' songs, "You Won't See Me", is released posthumously later that year by Harvest/EMI Records in Germany. Russ Schenewerk has written a great biographical article about Triumvirat and Köllen.
1980 - Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band's Capitol Records album "Against The Wind" is #1 on Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart
25 Years Ago Today In 1988 - Poison's album "Open Up And Say...Ahh!" is released on Enigma Records, and distributed by Capitol Records. The album was produced by Tom Werman after Kiss' Paul Stanley had to bow out after scheduling conflicts. The album was recorded and mixed at Conway Recording Studios in Los Angeles and contains the #1 hit "Every Rose Has It's Thorn".
15 Years Ago Today In 1998 - Garth Brooks' Capitol Records Nashville single "Two Pina Coladas" is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1936 - Future Capitol Records artist Joe DiMaggio plays his first major league baseball game in Yankee Stadium against the St. Louis Browns
1965 - The Beatles spend the day filming scenes for their United Artists movie "HELP!" on Salisbury Plain with the assistance of the British Army's Third Tank Division
1976 - Carmen McRae (on vocals, with concertmasters Gerry Vinci and David Frisina; Buddy Childers, Bobby Shew, Al Aarons, Snooky Young, Oscar Brashear, and Blue Mitchell on trumpet; Lew McCreary, George Bohannon, Kenny Shroyer, Maurice Spears, Grover Mitchell, and Ernie Tack on trombone; Bill Perkins, Lanny Morgan, Harry Klee, Abe Most, Bill Green, Jerome Richardson, Ernie Watts, Don Menza, Pete Christlieb, and Jack Nimitz on reeds; Artie Kane and Marshall Otwell on piano; Joe Sample, Dave Grusin, and Ian Underwood on keyboards; Larry Carlton and Dennis Budimir on guitar; Joe Mondragon, Chuck Berghofer, and Wilton Felder on bass;, Harvey Mason on drums; and Victor Feldman and Larry Bunker on percussion) begins recording tracks for her United Artists Records album "Can't Hide Love" with producer by Dale Oehler, executive producer George Butler, and mixing engineer Hank Cicalo assisted by Milt Caliceis, at A&M Recording Studios, Los Angeles, California
1994 - August Anna Brooks, daughter of Liberty Records (later renamed Capitol Records Nashville) artist Garth Brooks, is born
1997 - Former Capitol Records band Katrina & the Waves win the forty-second Eurovision Song Contest, held in Dublin, Ireland, for the United Kingdom singing "Love Shine a Light"

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL HISTORY
1919 - Betty Comden, lyricist (best known as partner to composer Adolph Green), is born in Brooklyn, New York
80 Years Ago Today In 1933 - James Brown, "The Godfather of Soul", is born in Barnwell, South Carolina
1956 - "Most Happy Fella", a musical by Frank Loesser, opens at The Imperial Theatre in New York City, New York
1960 - "The Fantasticks", by composer Harvey Schmidt and writer-lyricist Tom Jones, opens off-off-Broadway at the Sullivan Street Playhouse and would run continuously for the next 40 years, becoming the world's longest running musical. Its hit song, "Try To Remember", is introduced by Jerry Orbach, later better remembered for his stint on TV's "Law & Order" and as the voice of Lumier in the Walt Disney animated feature "Beauty And The Beast".
1972- Bruce Springsteen records 12 songs at an acoustic solo demo session for CBS talent scout John Hammond in New York City which eventually leads to his signing to the label
15 Years Ago Today In 1998 - Gene Raymond, actor (lead in "Flying Down to Rio", the first film to team Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers) and one-time husband of singer and actress Jeanette MacDonald, dies at age 89

BTW - It's also my brother Paul Nielsen's 51st birthday :)

2013-05-02T00:16:00.000-04:00

MAY 2, 2013

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1950 - Lou Gramm, singer and drummer in the Capitol Records band Black Sheep and the band Forienger, is born Louis Grammatico, in Rochester, New York
1954 - Prescott Niles, bass player in the Capitol Records band The Knack, as well as the bands The Game and The Front, is born in New York City, New York

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1946 - Andy Russell's Capitol Records single "Laughing On The Outside (Crying On The Inside)" is released
1947 - The Pied Pipers' Capitol Records single "Mam'selle" is released
60 Years Ago Today In 1953 - Nat "King" Cole's Capitol Records single "Pretend" is #4 on Billboard's Best Selling Records chart, Les Baxter and His Orchestra's Capitol Records single "April In Portugal" is #5, and Jane Froman's Capitol Records single "I Believe", with Sid Feller conducting the orchestra, is #17
60 Years Ago Today In 1953 - Frank Sinatra records the tracks "Anytime, Anywhere", "My One And Only Love", "From Here To Eternity", and "I Can Read Between The Lines" at Capitol Records' Melrose Studios in Hollywood, Callifronia. All the tracks were arranged and conducted by Nelson Riddle. The session was produced by Voyle Gilmore and musicians included Arthur “Skeets” Herfurt, Ted Nash, and James Williamson on reeds; Clyde Hurley and Emanuel Klein on trumpet; Milton Bernhart and James Priddy on trombone; John Cace and Vincent De Rosa on french horn; Victor Bay, Walter Edelstien, Henry Hill, Alex Murray, Mischa Russell, and Gerald Vinci on violin; Alfred Barr and Paul Robyn on viola; Eleanor Slatkin on cello; Bill Miller on piano; Phil Stephens on bass; Alton Hendrickson on guitar; Alvin Stoller on drums; and Kathryn Julve (harp).
1955 - Jackie Gleason records the track "That Certain Party" for Capitol Records
1956 - The Louvin Brothers record the track "Cash On The Barrelhead" for Capitol Records
1964 - The Beatles' Capitol Records album "Second Album" hits the #1 spot on Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart two weeks after its release, making it the first album ever to reach #1 that quickly.
1966 - Capitol Records releases Buck Owens' album "Dust On Mother's Bible"
1967 - Capitol Records pulls the plug on Brian Wilson's "Smile" album for The Beach Boys. Thirty eight years later, after a series of concert performances by Brian Wilson, the album and a documentary film will finally be released.

40 Years Ago Today In 1973 - June Hutton, who replaced Jo Stafford in the Capitol Records group The Pied Pipers in June 1944 and was the wife of arranger Axel Stordahl, dies at age 53. She is later interred in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California next to her husband.
1986 - Anne Murray's Capitol Records single "Now And Forever" is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
1992 - Capitol Records artist Bonnie Raitt receives an honorary Doctor of Music Degree from Berklee College of Music during commencement ceremonies in Boston. The principal speaker at the commencement is Capitol Records boss Joe Smith.
2004 - Keith Urban's Capitol Records Nashville single "You'll Think Of Me" is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1885 - Hedda Hopper, American actress, gossip columnist, radio show host, mother of motion picture and television actor William Hopper (best known as Paul Drake on "Perry Mason"), and whose estate was an early tenant of The Capitol Tower, is born Elda Furry in Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania
1964 - The Beatles' Tollie Records single "Love Me Do" enters the Top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1964 - Imperial Records releases Billy J. Kramer's single "Little Children" in the United States
1981 - Sheena Easton's EMI America single "Morning Train" is still #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
25 Years Ago Today In 1988 - Jim Fifield is appointed President and Chief Operating Officer of EMI Music Worldwide, based in New York. He becomes President and Chief Executive Officer the following year.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL HISTORY
1895 - Larry Hart, lyricist, writer, composer, producer and partner of Richard Rodgers, is born Lorenz Milton Hart in New York City, New York
1932 - NBC introduces a new entertainer to their network's radio audience - Jack Benny
75 Years Ago Today In 1938 - Future Capitol Records artist Ella Fitzgerald and the Chick Webb Orchestra record the track "A Tisket A Tasket" in New York City, New York. Written by Van Alexander & Ella Fitzgerald, the track features Fitzgerald on vocals; Mario Bauza, Bobby Stark, and Taft Jordan on trumpet; Sandy Williams, Nat Story, and George Matthews on trombone; Garvin Bushell, Louis Jordan, Wayman Carver, and Teddy McRae on reeds; Tommy Fulford on piano; Bobby Johnson on guitar; Beverley Peer on bass; and Chick Webb on drums.

2013-05-01T00:54:00.000-04:00

MAY 1, 2013

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
1929 - Sonny James (aka "The Southern Gentleman"), singer, guitarist, and Capitol Records artist, is born James Loden in Hackleburg, Alabama

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
65 Years Ago Today In 1948 - Capitol Records holds the #1 and #2 spots on Billboard's Best Selling Singles Chart with Peggy Lee's "Mañana" at # 1 for the 9th straight week and Nat "King" Cole's first solo recording, "Nature Boy", at # 2 (it would hit #1 the following week and stay for 7 weeks)
1954 - Frank Sinatra with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra's Capitol Records single "Young At Heart" is #5 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Nat "King" Cole's Capitol Records single "Answer Me, My Love" is #6, Kay Starr's Capitol Records single "If You Love Me (Really Love Me) is #11, and it's flip side, "The Man Upstairs", is at #12
1954 - Capitol Records artist Andy Griffith debuts at The Grand Ole Opry
1957 - Frank Sinatra records the tracks "Maybe You'll Be There" and "Where Are You?" at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California
55 Years Ago Today In 1958 - The Kingston Trio make their TV debut on the Playhouse 90 episode "Rumors Of Evening" when they play WW2 pilots as well as sing.
1961 - Faron Young's Capitol Records single "Hello Walls" is at #39 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart
1966 - The Beatles' last scheduled concert in the UK is held at the New Musical Express Poll Winner's Show at Empire Pool, Wembley. The Beatles played a fifteen-minute set performing the songs, "I Feel Fine," "Nowhere Man," "Day Tripper," "If I Needed Someone," and "I'm Down."
1969 - Peggy Lee's Capitol Records album "Natural Woman" is released
25 Years Ago Today In 1988 - Pink Floyd's Capitol Records album "Dark Side Of The Moon" finally leaves Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart after 725 weeks
1999 - Matador Records ends it distribution relationship with Capitol Records and goes independent
2001 - After a transition period, Andy Slater starts full time as president of Capitol Records

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL HISTORY
145 Years Ago Today In 1868 - Tom Dula, the basis for the Kingston Trio's first million selling single "Tom Dooley", is hung in Statesville, North Carolina
95 Years Ago Today In 1918 - Jack Paar, television host who, via a short clip, introduced The Beatles to the U.S. television audience on "The Jack Paar Show" on NBC-TV , is born in Canton, Ohio
1951 - Bud Powell (on piano, with Curly Russell on bass and Max Roach on drums) records three versions of his "Un Poco Loco", a pair of takes on "A Night in Tunisia", and unaccompanied piano work on "Over the Rainbow" and "It Could Happen to You" at a session for Blue Note Records
1961 - Ernie K-Doe's Minit Records single "Mother-In-Law" is #2 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records Chart, Gene McDaniel's Liberty Records single "A Hundred Pounds Of Clay" is #4, Steve Lawrence's United Artists Records single "Portrait Of My Love" is #11, Al Caiola and His Orchestra's United Artists Records single "Bonanza" is #33, and Ricky Nelson's Imperial Records single "Travelin' Man" is #34
50 Years Ago Today In 1963 - Future Virgin Records band The Rollin' Stones sign Andrew Loog Oldham as manager
1967 - Elvis Presley and Priscilla Beaulieu are married at the Aladdin Hotel in Las Vegas by District Court Judge David Zenoff. They will become the parents of future Capitol Records artist Lisa Marie Presley.
45 Years Ago Today In 1968 - D'Arcy Wretsky-Brown, with the Virgin Records America group Smashing Pumpkins, is born

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1901 - The Pan-American Exposition opens in Buffalo, New York
1909 - Kate Smith, singer and radio, television and motion picture performer, is born Kathryn Elizabeth Smith in Greenville, Virginia
1931 - The Empire State Building is dedicated in New York City
1941 - Orson Welles's Citizen Kane premieres in New York City
1965 - Spike Jones (born born Lindley Armstrong Jones), comedian, motion picture and television performer, musician and bandleader, dies at age 53 and later interred in the Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, California

2013-04-30T00:55:00.000-04:00

APRIL 30, 2013

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1947 - Mel Blanc is in the studio to record the track "Porky Pig In Africa" for the Capitol Records children's album "Bugs Bunny Stories For Children". The track is produced by Alan Livingston with music by Billy May and story by Tedd Pierce and Warren Foster.
1949 - Mel Tormé (with orchestra conducted by Sonny Burke)'s Capitol Records single "Careless Hands" is #9 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Jo Stafford and Gordon MacRae (with Paul Weston and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "'A' You're Adorable" is #11, Mel Tormé (with orchestra conducted by Pete Rugolo)'s Capitol Records single "Again" is #13, Jo Stafford and Gordon MacRae (with Paul Weston and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Need You" is #15, Mel Tormé's Capitol Records single "Blue Moon" is #23, Jack Smith and The Clark Sisters (formerly called The Sentimentalists when they recorded with Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra) with Frank DeVol and His Orchestra's Capitol Records single "Crusing Down The River" is tied with Gordon MacRae (with studio orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "So In Love" (from the Cole Porter musical "Kiss Me Kate") at #27, and Margaret Whiting (with Frank DeVol and His Orchestra) is tied with herself at #29 with her Capitol Records single "Forever And Ever" and its flip side "A Wonderful Guy" (from the Rodgers & Hammerstein musical "South Pacific")
60 Years Ago Today In 1953 - Nelson Riddle conducts his first recording session with Frank Sinatra (Sinatra's second session for Capitol Records) with Voyle Gilmore producing. Recorded that day in Capitol Records' Melrose Studios (the former KHJ radio studios) are the first arrangements credited to Riddle for Sinatra: "I've Got The World On A String", "Don't Worry 'Bout Me", and "I Love You". Riddle "ghost" arranges for Billy May, who is credited on the songs "South Of The Border" and "From Here To Eternity". May is on tour with his own band at the same time as this session. Not bad for a single day's work.
1955 - Les Baxter and His Orchestra's Capitol Records single "Unchained Melody" is #4 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Tennessee Ernie Ford with Cliffie Stone's Band's Capitol Records single "The Ballad Of Davy Crocket" is #8, Nat "King" Cole with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra's Capitol Records single "Darling, Je Vous Aime Beaucoup" is #10 and both sides of their single "A Blossom Fell" with "If I May" on the flip side debut at #27
1961 - Faron Young's Capitol Records single "Hello Walls" is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
1966 - After being introduced by Ernest Tubb, Capitol Records artist Ray Pillow, best known at the time for his duets with Jean Shepard, is made a member of The Grand Ol' Opry
1966 - The Beach Boys' Capitol Records single "Caroline, No" peaks at #32 on the Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart. The track was recorded January 31, 1966 at Western Recorders, Hollywood, California and released March 7, 1966 as Capitol single 5610 with Brian Wilson on lead vocals.
1967 - Sonny James' Capitol Records single "Need You" is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
1969 - Paul McCartney and John Lennon record overdubs and sound effects for their Apple Records track "You Know My Name (Look Up The Number)" at EMI's Abbey Road Studios in London, England
40 Years Ago Today In 1973 - George Harrison's Apple Records single, "Give Me Love", released by Capitol Records in the United States, hits #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1974 - Merle Haggard records the track "Old Man From The Mountain" for Capitol Records
1977 - Glen Campbell's Capitol Records single "Southern Nights" is still #1 on Billboard's singles chart
1977 - Klaatu's self-titled debut album on Capitol Records peaks at #32 on the Billboard album charts and will stay there for 3 weeks
35 Years Ago Today In 1978 - Dick Curless, bandleader and Capitol Records artist, is inducted into the Maine Country Music Hall of Fame
1985 - Mickey Katz, comedian, klezmer style clarinet player, member and vocalist with Spike Jones and His City Slickers, father of Broadway, motion picture and television actor and Capitol Records artist Joel Grey, grandfather of motion picture and television actress Jennifer Grey, and a Capitol recording artist, dies at age 75 and is later interred in the Valley of Remembrance section of Hillside Memorial Park in Los Angeles, California
1987 - Apple Records releases The Beatles' albums "Help!", "Rubber Soul" and "Revolver" on CD for the first time with there original UK track order and with Capitol Records handling distribution in the United States
1995 - Capitol Records artist Roseanne Cash and record producer John Leventhal are married
2000 - Jonah Jones, trumpet player and Capitol Records solo artist, dies at age 91

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1870 - Franz Lehar, composer of the operettas "The Merry Widow and "Naughty Marietta" (selections from both were later recorded by Gordon MacRae and released first as separate 10" albums and later together as a single 12" LP by Capitol Records), is born in what is now Komrno, Slovakia
85 Years Ago Today In 1928 - Ten year old Stubenville, Ohio native Dino Crocetti (aka future Capitol Records artist Dean Martin) has his first Holy Communion and takes the name Paul as his confirmation name
80 Years Ago Today In 1933 - Willie Nelson, singer, songwriter, disc jockey, motion picture and television actor, founder of Farm Aid, and Liberty Records artist, is born Willaim Hugh Nelson in Abbott, Texas
75 Years Ago Today In 1938 - The Warner Bros. cartoon short "Porky's Hare Hunt", debuts in movie theaters, introducing future Capitol Records "artist" Bugs Bunny.
70 Years Ago Today In 1943 - Bobby Vee, singer and Liberty Records artist (1959-1970), is born Robert Thomas Velline in Fargo, North Dakota

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL HISTORY
1927 - Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford become the first to put their hand and footprints in cement outside Sid Graumann's Chinese Theatre at 6925 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California
1934 - Jerry Lordon, composer of "Apache", the first big hit for the UK group The Shadows, was born in London, England
30 Years Ago Today In 1983 - Muddy Waters (born McKinley Morganfield), Blues legend, dies in his sleep at age 68 at his home in Westmont, Illinois

2013-04-29T00:50:00.000-04:00

APRIL 29, 2013

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1899 - Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington, pianist, composer, bandleader, and Capitol Records artist, is born in Washington, D.C.. Ellington would record his last popular hit "Satin Doll" for Capitol Records with producer Dave Dexter, Jr. On his 70th birthday in 1969, Ellington will receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
1919 - Celeste Holm, Broadway, motion picture and television actress and Capitol Records artist (original motion picture soundtrack for the movie "High Society") is born in New York City, New York
80 Years Ago Today In 1933 - Rod McKuen, singer, poet, actor, writer, Capitol and Liberty Records artist, and composer of the song "Two-Ten, Six-Eighteen" recorded by Capitol recording artists The Kingston Trio, is born Rodney Marvin McKuen in Oakland, California.
1934 - Otis Rush, guitarist and Capitol Records artist (signed in 1970), is born near Neshoba, Mississippi
1942 - Klaus Voormann, graphic designer and illustrator (cover of The Beatles' Revolver and Anthology albums), bass player with Manfred Mann, Apple Records group Plastic Ono Band, and on various George Harrison projects including "The Concert For Bangladesh", is born in Berlin, Germany
45 Years Ago Today In 1968 - Carnie Wilson, singer, television talk show host, daughter of Brian Wilson of the Capitol Records group The Beach Boys and Marilyn Rovell Wilson of the Capitol Records group The Honeys, and co-founder of the SBK Records group Wilson Phillips, is born in Bel Air, California
? - Rick Zaccaro, manager of sales and marketing at EMI Music, EMI Music Distribution and EMI Music Marketing in the U.S. and bass player in band The Seventh Hour, is born

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1944 - The King Cole Trio's Capitol Records single "Straighten Up and Fly Right", with "I Can't See For Lookin'" on the flip side, hits #1 on the "Black" charts for the first of ten weeks, and would later cross over to the country and pop charts. The track came from the Trio's first session for Capitol Records.
1944 - Jo Stafford (with Paul Weston and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "I Love You", with "Long Ago And Far Away" on the flip side, is #10 on Billboard's Best Selling Singles chart
1946 - Les Baxter signs with Capitol Records
1950 - Jo Stafford and Gordon MacRae (with Paul Weston and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Dearie", with "Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday" on the flip side, is #11 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart and Margaret Whiting and Jimmy Wakely's Capitol Records single "Let's Go To Church (Next Sunday)", with their track "Why Do You Say Those Things?" on the flip side, debuts at #19 and was also #2 on Billboard's Country Best Selling Singles chart
60 Years Ago Today In 1953 - Nelson Riddle signs a contract to conduct his first Sinatra session at Capitol which will be held the next day on April 30, 1953
1957 - Frank Sinatra records the tracks "Lonely Town" and "Baby, Won't You Please Come Home" with arranger Gordon Jenkins
50Years Ago Today In 1963 - Capitol Records releases Buck Owens' album "On The Bandstand". The album was produced by Ken Nelson during sessions that occurred between May and September 1961 in the Capitol Studios in Hollywood and featured Owen's on guitar and vocals, Don Rich on fiddle, guitar, and vocals, Jay McDonalds on steel guitar, Kenny Pierce on electric bass and vocals and Ken Presley on drums.
1974 - Wings' Apple Records album "Band On The Run", distributed by Capitol Records in the United States enters Billboard's Top 100 Albums chart
2011 - David Mason, classical trumpet player who played the piccolo trumpet solo on The Beatles' single "Penny Lane" as well as playing trumpet on sessions for "A Day in the Life", "Magical Mystery Tour" and "All You Need Is Love", dies at age 85 after a brief battle with leukemia.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1931 - Lonnie Donegan, singer, songwriter, guitarist, and Chrysalis Records artist, is born Anthony James Donegan in Bridgeton, Glasgow, Scotland. Bruce Eder has written a great biography for the Memorable Music Hall of Fame on the man who invented Skiffle and influenced a generation of future British rock and blues musicians including The Beatles.
65 Years Ago Today In 1948 - Tommy James, singer, member of the Roulette Records group Tommy James and The Shondells, is born Thomas Jackson in Dayton, Ohio
60 Years Ago Today In 1953 - The Gerry Mulligan Quartet begin a two day recording session for Pacific Jazz that will produce "Darn That Dream", "I May Be Wrong", "I'm Beginning To See The Light", "The Nearness Of You" and "Tea For Two". The quartet includes Mulligan on saxophone, Chet Baker on trumpet, Larry Bunker on drums, and Carson Smith on bass.
1992 - Virgin Records America artist Paula Abdul marries actor Emilio Estevez in Santa Monica, California. It is the first marriage for both and Paula will resume her concert tour in two days.
2006 - Former Capitol Records artist Keely Smith and Trio perform live at the Catalina Bar and Grill in Hollywood, California. Showtimes were at 8:30 and 10:30 PM. For more info, check out the Catalina's website. They also played the previous night. Any first hand accounts would be much appreciated!