1935
July - As a gift from his wife Ginger, Johnny Mercer, then under contract to Paramount Studios, has an auto radio installed at one of the four Wallichs’ Radio Shops and meets Glenn Wallichs for the first time.
1938
Glenn Wallichs merges his fifth shop with Al Jarvis’ Stomp Shop (Al Jarvis is Los Angeles’ first disc jockey and was heard on KFWB) to start Hollywood House of Music which devoted half of its space to a commercial recording studio. Wallichs first met Jarvis while working as a technician at KFWB and learned about pop music and its makers from him. Specializing in custom recording, Wallichs created all of his own equipment, including turntables, and recorded weddings, parties and air checks of radio shows. Jarvis’ KFWB show “Make Believe Ballroom” was broadcast from the store. This is where Wallichs first met Stan Kenton. Wallichs actually performs on one record, a.k.a. “The World's Worst Record,” which was recorded in the shop with Kenton, Paul Weston and Jo Stafford (on drums) using the aliases The Katzenjammers with Stu Becker, Frankenstein Mark, Bunny Donnen, and Tony Schroeder. Jarvis holds onto the record for 16 years as blackmail (joke) and presents the record to Glenn at The Los Angeles Ad Club lunch honoring Glenn on groundbreaking day for the Capitol Records Tower, September 27, 1954.
1940
July - On an insufferably hot night, 29 year old Glenn Everett Wallichs holds an unshuttering ceremony which opens Wallichs’ Music City at the north west corner of Sunset and Vine (1501 N. Vine Street), Hollywood, CA with The King Cole Trio performing. This leased space will be the first in a chain of stores in the Los Angeles area. Well-wishers included Spike Jones, Decca Records’ Jack Kapp, Freddie Slack, Skinny Ennis and fast-rising young personal manager Carlos Gastel, who had driven 3000 miles from New York with Dave Dexter, Jr. to meet “a hell of guy with a hell of a future.” The popularity of the store, as well as its close proximity to the motion picture and national radio network studios, lets Wallichs become the close pal and confidant of Hollywood’s most renowned singers, musicians and picture studio and radio luminaries.
1941
Fall/Winter - Fed up with having to get his records from franchised dealers, Glenn Wallichs suggest to Johnny Mercer the idea of starting their own record company. Mercer, tired of hearing his songs poorly recorded, agrees.
1942
February 2 - It's a Monday and Johnny Mercer arranges a lunch attended by himself, Glenn Wallichs, and Buddy DeSylva, head of production at Paramount Studios, at Lucey’s Club Restaurant at 5444 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood, California to discuss Paramount financing the new label. DeSylva tells them Paramount isn't interested but he agrees to personally put up an initial $10,000 and will later put in another $15,000, though Wallichs and Mercer will only use $15,000 of the initial investment.
February 7 - The check clears and Liberty Records is born.
March 27 - Papers are signed by George G. DeSylva, John Mercer, and Glenn E. Wallichs before Los Angeles County and California state Notary Public Leta Miccum to acknowledge that they have executed articles of incorporation for Liberty Records, Inc.
April 6 - Liberty Records holds its first recording session which features Martha Tilton, Johnny Mercer, The Mellowaires, Gordon Jenkins and His Orchestra, Phil Silvers, Hubert "Bumps" Myers, and Jimmy Van Heusen.
April 9 - Liberty Records, Inc. incorporation papers are officially filed in California. Its first quarters are in “The Chateau” on De Longpre Avenue in Hollywood, California.
May 21 - From 3:00 to 5:50 pm, Johnny Mercer is in the booth at C.P. MacGregor’s Recording Studios as Freddie Slack & His Orchestra, along with 17 year old vocalist Ella Mae Morse, record “Cow-Cow Boogie” in a split session with David Street.
Sometime in May - Unable to get approval to use the name from Liberty Music Shops in NYC, Mrs. Ginger Mercer (Johnny’s wife), at a dinner at Chasen's Restaurant, suggests Capitol Records. Glenn Wallichs comes up with the idea of the four stars above the Capitol dome logo.
May 27 - George G. DeSylva, John Mercer, and Glenn E. Wallichs apply for a Certificate of Amendment, again before Leta Miccum, to change the name of the corporation to Capitol Records, Inc.
June 1 - A certificate of amendment is officially filed in California changing the name of the corporation from Liberty Records, Inc. to Capitol Records, Inc.June 4 - Glenn Wallichs decides, for the first time in the history of the American music industry, to give promotional copies of releases to disc jockeys and reviewers for free and starts by personally giving a pre-release copy of "Cow-Cow Boogie" to disc jockey Peter Potter, creator of “The Juke Box Jury” radio show in Hollywood, California. This concept quickly makes Capitol Records a favorite of disc jockeys across the country and forces the rest of the industry for the first (and by no means the last) time to follow Capitol. "Cow-Cow Boogie will quickly become Capitol’s first big seller, soon to be followed by Johnny Mercer’s “Strip-Polka” and Bobby Sherwood’s “Elk’s Parade".
Also, Capitol Records officially starts in rented office space at 1483 Vine Street, Hollywood, California (now the Bank of America building). It’s 15 feet wide and about 50 feet long, with no air-conditioning, and would be the company’s home until moving above Wallichs’ Music City in 1946.
Along with the founders, among the first employees were sales manager (later vice president) Floyd Bittaker, Dave Shelly in charge of artists, Auriel MacFie (the company's first female employee) who operated the small switchboard and was also the company's receptionist and typist, and former Down Beat Magazine and Billboard Magazine columnist, songwriter and producer Dave Dexter, Jr., who joins Capitol Records as publicity, pubic relations and advertising chief as well as writing for Capitol News and doing a&r and producing chores for various Jazz and R&B artists on Capitol. He will later head the Capitol of the World division and select which acts Capitol would release from EMI’s offerings, in the process rejecting The Beatles twice.
Offices were also quickly opened in NYC at Modern Music Sales Company, one of Capitol Records’ first distributors, at 629 Tenth Avenue.
June 5 - Sessions with Paul Whiteman and His Orchesstra are held at C.P. MacGregor’s Recording Studios at 729 S. Western Ave. in Hollywood, California which will yield the recordings used for Capitol's first single release, "I Found A New Baby" and "The General Jumped At Dawn" (Capitol 101). Almost all of Capitol’s early recording sessions were held there.
June 12 - Billie Holiday records “Travelin’ Light” with Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra using pseudonym of “Lady Day”
June 18 - Capitol Record’s first reviews in Billboard Magazine with praises for “Cow-Cow Boogie” and “Strip-Polka” two weeks before official release. June 29 - Capitol Records officially releases its first six 78 RPM singles in Hollywood, California according to an article in the July 4, 1942 issue of The Billboard magazine.
They singles released are:
101. A Side “I Found A New Baby” - Paul Whiteman and his Orchestra: Buddy Weed at Piano
B Side “The General Jumped At Dawn” - Paul Whiteman and his Orchestra
102. A Side “Cow-Cow Boogie” - vocal Ella Mae Morse
B Side “Here You Are” - Freddie Slack and his Orchestra
103. A Side “Strip-Polka” - vocal Johnny Mercer
B Side “The Air-Minded Executive” - vocal Johnny Mercer
104. A Side “Johnny Doughboy Found A Rose In Ireland” - vocal Dennis Day
B Side “Phil, The Fluters Ball” - vocal Dennis Day
105. A Side “The Angels Cried” - vocal Martha Tilton and The Mellowaires
B Side “I’ll Remember April” - vocal Martha Tilton with Gordon Jenkins and his Orchestra
106. A Side “He Wears A Pair Of Silver Wings” - vocal Connie Haines
B Side “I'm Always Chasing Rainbows” - Gordon Jenkins and his Orchestra
July 13 - Capitol Records releases three more singles:
107. A Side “Elk’s Parade”
B Side “I Don’t Know Why” - Bobby Sherwood and his Orchestra
108. A Side “Serenade In Blue” - vocal Martha Tilton with Paul Whiteman and his Orchestra
B Side “I’ve Got A Gal In Kalamazoo” - Paul Whiteman and his Orchestra - vocal The Mellowaires
109. A Side “Windmill Under The Stars”
B Side “Conchita Lopez” - Johnnie Johnston
The first nine releases are listed in the July 11, 1942 issue of The Billboard magazine in an ad placed by Modern Music Sales Company.
July 15 - “New Capitol Records Splended” was the headline of Capitol Records’ first review in Down Beat Magazine by Mike Levin.
July 30 - The American Federation of Musicians’ “Petrillo Ban” starts, banning all new recordings by musicians, effectively starting the end of big bands and the rise of the solo artist and vocal groups, who are are able to record either a cappella or with simple accompaniment
Also in 1942: Johnny Mercer, Tex Ritter, Martha Tilton, Margaret Whiting, Ella Mae Morse, Freddie Slack and Johnnie Johnston are among the first artists signed to Capitol Records - Paul Weston becomes musical director of Capitol Records, will eventually marry Jo Stafford and become the first president of National Association of Recording Arts and Sciences (N.A.R.A.S.) - Sales of the first 25 singles released totaled $195,000
Top 10 Singles
Johnny Mercer “Strip Polka”
Freddie Slack & His Orchestra “Cow Cow Boogie”
Freddie Slack & His Orchestra “Mr. Five By Five”
Bobby Sherwood “Elk’s Parade”
1943
March 1943 - “Capitol News” started. It includes background and tour info on artists as well as the latest in trends and upcoming releases.
October 9, 1943 - A.F.M. President James Petrillo lifts record ban for Capitol Records and Decca Records. It will be another year before Columbia Records and RCA/Victor Records come to terms with the A.F.M. A fund for unemployed musicians is established.
November - “All For You” by The King Cole Trio is Capitol Records’ 39th 78rpm single release and goes top 10 on pop charts
November - Stan Kenton records his first Capitol Records session which produces “Artistry In Rhythm”
November 30 - The King Cole Trio have their first Capitol Records recording session which produces “Straighten Up And Fly Right”
Also in 1943: Capitol Records starts Trans-Continental Music, first music publisher on the west coast - Chicago Distribution office on 1809 Indiana Avenue opens - Dave Dexter, Jr. and Glenn Wallichs go on a master recording “hunt” for releases during recording ban and get Bob Sherman’s “Lovely Hannah,” Cecille Burke’s “From Twilight ‘Til Dawn,” and The King Cole Trio’s “Vim, Vom, Veddle” and “All For You” - Andy Russell, Jo Stafford, Pied Pipers, Benny Carter and Paul Weston are signed to Capitol Records - Sales reach $750,000
Top 10 Singles
The King Cole Trio “All For You”
Stan Kenton “Eager Beaver”
Johnny Mercer “G.I. Jive”
Ella Mae Morse “Shoo-Shoo Baby”
Freddie Slack & His Orchestra “That Old Black Magic”
Margaret Whiting “My Ideal”
1944
March - Capitol Records signs production deal with Scranton Record Company with an option to buy for $2 million
May - Capitol Records first 78rpm album, “Songs by Johnny Mercer,” is released
September 21, 1944 - Capitol Records Distribution Company is formed.
Also in 1944: James B. Conkling joins Capitol Records, will become V.P. then will go on to Columbia Records as president
First children’s record “Puss in Boots” released - Dave Dexter, Jr. produces compilation “New American Jazz,” Capitol Records third 78rpm album release, which brings Peggy Lee out of retirement as part of an all-star ensemble - Betty Hutton, Peggy Lee and The Dinning Sisters are signed to Capitol Records - Benny Carter’s “I’m Lost” is number 1 on the R& B charts - Sales reach $2,250,000
Top 10 Singles
Benny Carter “Hurry, Hurry”
The King Cole Trio “Straighten Up And Fly Right” - reaches number 9 in April
Stan Kenton & His Orchestra “Do Nothin’ Till You Hear From Me”
Stan Kenton & His Orchestra “And Her Tears Flowed Like Wine”
Stan Kenton & His Orchestra “How Many Hearts Have You Broken?”
Johnny Mercer “Accentuate The Positive”
Ella Mae Morse “No Love, No Nothin’”
Ella Mae Morse “Milkman, Keep Those Bottles Quiet”
Ella Mae Morse “The Patty Cake Man”
The Pied Pipers’ “Mairzy Doats”
The Pied Pipers’ “The Trolley Song”
Andy Russell “Besame Mucho”
Andy Russell “Amor”
Andy Russell “I Dream Of You”
Jo Stafford “I Love You”
Jo Stafford “It Could Happen To You”
Martha Tilton “I’ll Walk Alone”
1945
April 18 - Capitol Records Recording Department is established with Bill Miller as boss.
Also in 1945: Buddy DeSylva suffers severe heart attack - Dave Dexter, Jr.’s 4 volume series of 78rpm albums, “History of Jazz,” is released - Plans for Capitol Records’ first Los Angeles Plant are set - “Johnny Mercer’s Record Shop,” a nightly radio show, debuts on NBC with regular guests Paul Weston and Jo Stafford - Coleman Hawkins is signed to Capitol Records - Sales reach $6,392,000
Number 1 Albums
The King Cole Trio “The King Cole Trio” - Capitol Records’ first Number 1 album
Freddie Slack “Boogie Woogie”
Number 1 Singles on Billboard’s Hot 100 Chart:
July 28 - Johnny Mercer “On the Atchison, Topeka and Sante Fe” - Capitol Records’ first number one single - stays on top for seven weeks and wins an Academy Award for Best Song
Top 10 Albums
Billy Butterfield “Gershwin”
The Dinning Sisters “The Dinning Sisters”
St. Luke’s Choristers “Christmas Carols”
Paul Weston “Music For Dreaming”
Top 10 Singles
Billy Butterfield & His Orchestra “There Goes That Song Again”
Jerry Colonna “Bell Bottom Trousers”
Betty Hutton “Stuff Like That There”
Johnny Johnston “(All Of A Sudden) My Heart Sings”
Johnny Johnston “Laura”
Johnny Johnston “There Must Be A Way”
Stan Kenton & His Orchestra “Tampico”
Stan Kenton & His Orchestra “It’s Been A Long, Long Time”
Peggy Lee “Waitin’ For The Train To Come In”
Johnny Mercer with Jo Stafford and The Pied Pipers “Candy” - listed as a number 1 single in 50th Anniversary book but wasn’t
The Pied Pipers “Dream” - listed as a number 1 single in 50th Anniversary book but wasn’t
Andy Russell “I Can’t Begin To Tell You”
Jo Stafford “There’s No You”
Jo Stafford “Out Of This World”
Jo Stafford “That’s For Me”
Jo Stafford “Symphony”
Martha Tilton “I Should Care”
Martha Tilton “Stranger In Town”
Paul Weston & His Orchestra “It Might As Well Be Spring”
1946
April - Capitol Records issues first stock; 95,000 shares with the founders holding on to 70%. 1500 new stock holders on record
June - Bob Hope releases “I Never Left Home” - a collection of shows performed at various armed forces camps
September - Bozo the Clown, a creation of new Childrens Records VP Alan Livingstion, is introduced with the 78rpm album “Bozo at the Circus” along with another Livingston creation, the Record Reader album, which allow listeners to read along with the record, giving them sound cues to turn the page. The album goes on to sell 100,000 copies in its first month
Also in 1946: Scranton Record Company & Distribution Center purchased for $2 million - Capitol Records ranks among the top 4 record companies in the United States - Capitol Records’ first Los Angeles plant is opened - Capitol Records releases its first Orignal Broadway Cast Album “St. Louis Woman” - Capitol Records home office moves to 1507 N. Vine Street, the north west corner of Sunset and Vine, in space above Wallich’s Music City - The King Cole Trio records “The Christmas Song,” which peaks at number 3 on the pop charts, as well as “Route 66” and “(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons” - Merle Travis’ “Divorce Me C.O.D.” is the number 1 country single for 14 weeks - Alvino Rey, Merle Travis, Julia Lee, Sam Donahue and Jack Smith are signed to Capitol Records - Fred Rice joins Capitol Records as an art director and designs the inital look of Bozo. He will go on to become director of the display arts department and eventually manager of national merchandising development by the time he leaves Capitol Records in 1974 - Sales reach $12,885,857
Number 1 Albums
The King Cole Trio “King Cole Trio - Volume 2”
Number 1 Singles on Billboard’s Hot 100 Chart:
March 2 - Betty Hutton “Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Chief” hits number one for a week
March 9 - Johnny Mercer “Personality” knocks Betty Hutton out of the top spot - stays on top for a week
Top 10 Albums
Stan Kenton “Artistry in Rhythm”
Top 10 Singles
Billy Butterfield & His Orchestra “Rumors Are Flying”
The King Cole Trio “You Call It Maddness”
The King Cole Trio “The Christmas Song” peaks at number 3
Sam Donahue & His Orchestra “Dinah”
Sam Donahue & His Orchestra “Just The Other Day”
Sam Donahue & His Orchestra “Put That Kiss Back Where You Found It”
Sam Donahue & His Orchestra “A Rainy Night In Rio”
Skitch Henderson & His Orchestra “Five Minutes More”
Stan Kenton & His Orchestra “Shoo-Fly Pie And Apple Pan Dowdie”
Peggy Lee “I Don’t Know Enough About You”
Peggy Lee “It’s A Good Day”
Peggy Lee “It’s All Over Now”
Johnny Mercer “Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah”
Johnny Mercer “My Sugar Is So Refined”
Johnny Mercer “A Gal In Calico”
The Pied Pipers “In The Moon Mist”
Alvino Rey & His Orchestra “Cement Mixer (Put-ti Put-ti)” - His first single for Capitol Records - goes top 5
Andy Russell “Laughing On The Outside (Crying On The Inside)”
Andy Russell “They Say It’s Wonderful”
Andy Russell “Pretending”
Freddie Slack & His Orchestra with Ella Mae Morse “The House Of Blue Lights”
Jo Stafford “Day By Day”
Jo Stafford “The Things We Did Last Summer”
Jo Stafford “White Christmas”
Paul Weston & His Orchestra “Ole Buttermilk Sky”
Margaret Whiting “Guilty”
Margaret Whiting “Oh, But I Do”
1947
March - Capitol Records opens International Division
August - Nat King Cole records “Nature Boy,” his first solo recording
Winter - Julia Lee’s “King Size Papa” goes number 1 on the R&B chart for 21 weeks and cracks top 15 on pop charts
Also in 1947: Buddy DeSylva resigns, Johnny Mercer resigns, Glenn Wallichs elected to Chairman of the Board/President - Jo Stafford with Red Ingle & The Natural Seven’s “Temptation (Tim-tayshun)” hits number 1 on the country charts - Merle Travis’ “So Round, So Firm, So Fully Packed” is the number 1 country single for 14 weeks - Benny Goodman, Les Paul and Hank Thompson are signed to Capitol Records - Sales reach $14, 510, 206
Number 1 Singles on Billboard’s Hot 100 Chart:
February 15 - The King Cole Trio “(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons” -stays for one week
August 9 - Tex Williams and his Western Caravan “Smoke!, Smoke!, Smoke! (That Cigarette)” on the Capitol Americana label - stays for 6 weeks. It will be number 1 on the country charts for 16 weeks and go on to sell over 2 million copies.
Top 10 Singles
Clark Dennis “Peg O’ My Heart”
Hal Derwin “The Old Lamplighter”
The Dinning Sisters “My Adobe Hacienda”
Sam Donahue & His Orchestra “My Melencholy Baby”
Sam Donahue & His Orchestra “I Never New”
Sam Donahue & His Orchestra “Red Wing”
Sam Donahue & His Orchestra “The Whistler”
Betty Hutton “I Wish I Didn’t Love You So”
Red Ingle & The Natural Seven with Jo Stafford “Temptation (Tim-tayshun)” - listed as a number 1 single in the 50th anniversary book but wasn’t
Peggy Lee “Chi-Baba, Chi-Baba (My Bambino Go To Sleep)”
Freddie Martin “Lady From 29 Palms”
Johnny Mercer “Winter Wonderland”
Johnny Mercer “Huggin’ And A-Chalkin’”
Johnny Mercer “Sugar Blues”
The Pied Pipers “Open The Door, Richard”
The Pied Pipers “Mam’selle”
Alvino Rey & His Orchestra “Near You”
Andy Russell “Anniversary Song”
Jack Smith “Civiization (Bongo, Bongo, Bongo)
Jo Stafford “Sonata”
Jo Stafford “Feudin’ And Fightin’”
Jo Stafford “Serenade Of The Bells”
Martha Tilton “How Are Things In Glocca Mora?”
Martha Tilton “That’s My Desire”
Martha Tilton “I Wonder, I Wonder, I Wonder”
Paul Weston & His Orchestra “Linda”
Paul Weston and Matt Dennis’ “Ole Buttermilk Sky”
Margaret Whiting “You Do”
Margaret Whiting “Pass That Peace Pipe”
1948
March 28 - Nat “King” Cole marries Maria Ellington
Also in 1948: Capitol Records issues first stock dividend - Capitol Records signs distribution agreements with Mexico and Germany - Capitol Records signs 3 year deal with Decca Records, Ltd. of London for UK distribution - Capitol Records becomes first company to use magnetic tape during recording session - American Federation of Musicians imposes another recording ban that lasts for most of the year - Hank Thompson’s first single for Capitol Records, “Humpty Dumpty Heart,” is a smash on country chart -Nellie Lutcher’s brother Joe Lutcher’s “Shuffle Woogie” is an R&B top 10 hit - Blu Lu Barker, Scatman Crothers and Mel Blanc are signed to Capitol Records - Sales reach $18,000,000 on 405 singles and 44 albums
Number 1 Albums
The King Cole Trio “King Cole Trio - Volume 3”
Stan Kenton “A Presentation Of Progressive Jazz”
Number 1 Singles on Billboard’s Hot 100 Chart:
March 13 - Peggy Lee “Manana” - stays for 9 weeks
May 15 - Nat King Cole “Nature Boy” knocks Peggy Lee out of the top spot - stays for seven weeks
August 28 - Pee Wee Hunt “Twelfth Street Rag” - stays for 8 weeks and will become the biggest hit of Capitol Records’ first 10 years.
October 9 - Margaret Whiting “A Tree in the Meadow” knocks Pee Wee Hunt out of the top spot - stays for two weeks
Top 10 Albums
Jan Gerber “College Medleys”
Peggy Lee “Rendezvous With Peggy Lee”
Nellie Lutcher “Nellie Lutcher”
Top 10 Singles
Blu Lu Barker “A Little Bird Told Me” - Capitol Records’ first R& B artist to get into the top 10 of the pop charts
The Dinning Sisters “Button And Bows”
Benny Goodman & His Orchestra “On A Slow Boat To China”
Peggy Lee “Golden Earrings”
Gordon MacRae “It’s Magic”
Gordon MacRae “Hair Of Gold, Eyes Of Blue”
The Pied Pipers “My Happiness”
Alvino Rey & His Orchestra “I’m Looking Over A Four-Leaf Clover”
The Sportsmen “You Can’t Be True Dear”
The Sportsmen with Mel Blanc “Woody Woodpecker Song” - spends 5 weeks at number 2 during the summer
Jo Stafford “Serenade Of The Bells”
Jo Stafford and Gordon MacRae “Say Something Sweet To Your Sweetheart”
Jo Stafford and Gordon MacRae “My Darling, My Darling” - check to see if it was number one
Jimmy Wakely “One Has My Name (The Other Has My Heart)”
Margaret Whiting “Now Is The Hour (Maori Farewell Song)”
Margaret Whiting “Far Away Places”
1949
January 10, 1949 - Capitol Records moves its recording from C.P. MacGregor’s to facilities at 5515 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood. Completely remodeled, the studio makes all recordings on tape
March - Nat “King” Cole records Billy Strayhorn’s “Lush Life”
June - Capitol Records of Canada Ltd. is incorporated. All shares are bought by Lockwood Miller, a business man from London, Ontario - originally from Los Angeles
Also in 1949: The A.F.M.’s recording ban ends - Capitol Records acquires the Telefunken Records classical library - Capitol Records releases first classical album as part of the Capitol Classics series - Capitol Records begins manufacturing phonographs, needles and accessories - Capitol Records becomes first record company to release in three speeds (78, 45 and 33 rpm) - Sugar Chile Robinson is signed and becomes America’s youngest recording star - Buddy DeSylva paints a scene of the first meeting with Glenn Wallichs and Johnny Mercer at Lucey’s Club Restaurant - Margaret Whiting and Jimmy Wakely’s “Slippin’ Around” goes to number 1 on the country charts - Les Paul and Mary Ford are married with 4-year-old Steve Miller’s father, a Dallas doctor, as best man. Paul becomes Miller’s first hero in the music business - Les Baxter’s “Music Out Of The Moon” is Capitol Records’ first 4 color seperation album cover - Miles Davis begins recording the 12 tracks that will eventually become "The Birth Of The Cool" after 8 of the tracks are released in 1954 on a 10" in the "Classics In Jazz" series - Ray Anthony and Tennessee Ernie Ford are signed to Capitol Records
Top 10 Albums
The King Cole Trio “King Cole Trio - Volume 4”
Jan Garber “More College Medleys”
Stan Kenton “Stan Kenton Encores”
Jo Stafford and Gordon MacRae “Kiss Me Kate”
Cliffie Stone “Square Dances”
Art Van Damme “Cocktail Capers”
Paul Weston “Songs Without Words”
Margaret Whiting/Gordon MacRae/Peggy Lee “South Pacific”
Original Motion Picture Soundtrack “So Dear To My Heart” - Capitol Records’ first full-length movie soundtrack album and its first children’s album to reach top 10 on pop charts
Various Artists “Giants Of Jazz”
Top 10 Singles
Tennessee Ernie Ford “Mule Train” - his first single for Capitol Records
Peggy Lee “Riders In The Sky (A Cowboy Legend)
Dean Martin “Powder You Face With Sunshine (Smile, Smile, Smile)
Johnny Mercer with Margaret Whiting “Baby It’s Cold Outside” - reaches top 5
Jack Smith “Crusing Down The River”
Jo Stafford “Some Enchanted Evening”
Jo Stafford “Ragtime Cowboy Joe”
Jo Stafford and Gordon MacRae “‘A’ You’re Adorable (The Alphabet Song)”
Jo Stafford and Gordon MacRae “Need You”
Jo Stafford and Gordon MacRae “Whispering Hope”
Kay Starr “So Tired”
Mel Torme “ Careless Hands” - listed as a number 1 song in 50th anniversary book but wasn’t
Mel Torme “Again”
Mel Torme “The Four Winds And Seven Seas”
Paul Weston & His Orchestra “Some Enchanted Evening”
Margaret Whiting “Forever and Ever”
Margaret Whiting and Jimmy Wakely “Slippin’ Around” - listed as a number 1 song in 50th anniversary book but wasn’t
Margaret Whiting and Jimmy Wakely “I’ll Never Slip Around Again”
Margaret Whiting and The Crew Chiefs “Far Away Places”
Yogi Yorgesson with The Johnny Duffy Trio “I Yust Go Nuts At Christmas”
Yogi Yorgesson with The Johnny Duffy Trio “Yingle Bells”
1950
February 5 - Natalie Cole is born
March 11 - Nat “King” Cole records “Mona Lisa” in the studios at 5515 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood using a Nelson Riddle arrangement with Les Baxter conducting
May 15 - Nat “King” Cole’s “Mona Lisa” sells first million copies
July 11 - Buddy Desylva dies
Also in 1950: Tennessee Ernie Ford’s “Shot Gun Boogie” tops country charts for 14 weeks - Les Paul and Mary Ford’s first single, “Tennesse Waltz,” is released - Nellie Lutcher and Nat “King” Cole’s duet on “For You, My Love” becomes a top 10 R&B hit
Number 1 Albums:
Yma Sumac’s “Voice Of The Xtabay” - for 6 weeks - produced by Les Baxter - check to see if it went number 1
Number 1 Singles on Billboard’s Hot 100 Chart:
July 15 - Nat King Cole’s “Mona Lisa” hits the top of Billboard’s Hot 100 Chart and stays for 5 weeks
Top 10 Albums:
William Boyd “Hopalong Cassidy And The Singing Bandit” - Capitol Records’ first original children’s album to reach top 10 on pop charts
Pete Daily “Daily’s Dixieland Band”
Stan Kenton “Innovations is Modern Music”
Stan Kenton “Stan Kenton Presents”
Gordon MacRae “New Moon”
Paul Weston “Music For The Fireside”
Various Artists “Honky Tonk Piano”
Top 10 Singles:
Ray Anthony “Sentimental Me”
Ray Anthony “Count Every Star”
Ray Anthony “Can Anyone Explain”
Ray Anthony “Harbor Lights”
Ray Anthony “Nevertheless (I’m In Love With You)”
Joe “Fingers” Carr “Sam’s Song”
Nat “King” Cole with Stan Kenton & His Orchestra “Orange Colored Sky”
Tennesse Ernie Ford with Kay Starr “I’ll Never Be Free”
Peggy Lee with Mel Torme “The Old Master Painter”
Les Paul “Nola”
Jo Stafford and Gordon MacRae “Dearie”
Jo Stafford “No Other Love”
Jo Stafford “Good night, Irene”
Kay Starr “Hoop-Dee-Doo”
Kay Starr “Bonaparte’s Retreat”
Kay Starr “Oh, Babe!”
Mel Torme “Bewitched”
Margaret Whiting and Jimmy Wakely “Bushel And a Peck”
1951
March 12 - Tex William’s “Smoke, Smoke, Smoke” sells first million copies
April 16 - Capitol Custom Division started
July 2 - Peggy Lee’s “Manana,” Pee Wee Hunt’s “Twelfth Street Rag,” Margaret Whiting & Jimmy Wakely’s “Slipping Around” and Jo Stafford & Red Ingle’s “Timtayshun” sell their first million copies
August 17 - Nat “King” Cole and The King Cole Trio record “Unforgettable” with Nelson Riddle as both arranger and conducter. Cole will re-record the song nearly ten years later in stereo on March 20, 1961
August 20 - Les Paul and Mary Ford’s “The World is Waiting for the Sunshine” sells its first million copies
October 29 - Nat “King” Cole’s “Nature Boy” sells its first million copies
Also in 1951: International distribution broadened to Japan, Australia and New Zealand - Exclusive contract signed with Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and its conductor, William Steinberg - Capitol Records begins development of New York City recording studios - 78 rpm records were fast becoming obsolete - The original Broadway cast album of Johnny Mercer’s “Top Banana” with Phil Silvers and Rose Marie is released - Paul Weston resigns as musical director - Jim Conklin resigns as vice-president of Capitol Records to become president of Columbia Records - Peggy Lee collaborates with Billy May on her single "I Get Ideas"
Number 1 Singles on Billboard’s Hot 100 Chart:
April 21 - Les Paul and Mary Ford “How High the Moon” - stays for 9 weeks
June 23 - Nat King Cole “Too Young,” orchestrated by Les Baxter, knocks Les Paul and Mary Ford out of the top spot -stays at number one for 5 weeks and near the top of the charts for seven months
Top 10 Albums:
Les Paul and Mary Ford "New Sound - Volume 1"
Les Paul and Mary Ford "New Sound - Volume 2"
Top 10 Singles:
Ray Anthony "Undecided"
Les Baxter & His Orchestra "Because Of You"
Mel Blanc "I Taught I Taw A Puddy Tat" - Arranged by Billy May and written by Alan Livingston
Nat “King” Cole "Frosty The Snowman"
Helen O'Connell "Slow Poke"
Les Paul "Whispering"
Les Paul "Jingle Bells"
Les Paul and Mary Ford “Tennesse Waltz”
Les Paul and Mary Ford "Mockin' Bird Hill"
Les Paul and Mary Ford "The World Is Waiting For The Sunrise"
Les Paul and Mary Ford "Just One More Chance"
Kay Starr "Come On-A My House"
1952
January 7 - Ella Mae Morse’s “Blacksmith Blues” sells its first million
February 11 - Kay Starr’s “Wheel of Fortune” sells its first million
June - Sonny James is signed to Capitol Records by Ken Nelson
October 6 - Johnny Standley’s “It’s in the Book Parts 1& 2” sells its first million
Also in 1952 - Capitol Records celebrates its 10th anniversary - Ray Anthony discovers and promotes “The Bunny Hop” - Paul Weston and Jo Stafford leave Capitol Records for Columbia Records - Promotional film “Wanna Buy A Record,” with Mel Blanc and Billy May is filmed - Hank Thompson’s “The Wild Side Of Life” tops the country charts for 15 weeks - Original Broadway cast album of “Pal Joey” is released with Jane Froman vocals - Original Broadway Cast Album of the restaging of George and Ira Gershwin’s “Of Thee I Sing” is released - Capitol Records signs Jackie Gleason and Faron Young
Number 1 Albums:
Original Motion Picture Soundtrack - Jane Froman “With A Song In My Heart” - for 23 weeks
Number 1 Singles on Billboard Hot 100 Chart:
March 15 - Kay Starr “Wheel of Fortune” - stays for 9 weeks - was rush recorded in January, released and hit number 1 in 5 weeks
November 22 - Johnny Standley “It’s in the Book Parts 1& 2” - stays for 1 week
Top 10 Albums:
Ray Anthony “Houseparty Hop”
Nat “King” Cole “Penthouse Serenade”
Billy May “Big Band Bash”
Billy May “A Band Is Born”
Clyde McCoy “Sugar Blues”
Les Paul and Mary Ford “Bye Bye Blues”
Walter Schumann “Romance In The Air”
Yma Sumac “Legend Of The Sun Virgin”
Various Artists’ “Today Top Hits - Volume 1”
Top 10 Singles:
Ray Anthony “At Last”
Ray Anthony “As Time Goes By”
Les Baxter & His Orchestra “Blue Tango”
Nat “King” Cole “Somewhere Along The Way”
Nat “King” Cole “Walkin’ My Baby Back Home”
Ella Mae Morse “Blacksmith Blues” - peaks at number 3 and is Nelson Riddle’s first time as composer-arranger, check to see if it might have also been first time as producer
Les Paul “Meet Mister Callaghan”
Les Paul and Mary Ford “Tiger Rag”
Les Paul and Mary Ford “My Baby’s Coming Home”
Kay Starr “Come A-Long A-Love”
1953
January - Jackie Gleason’s first album, “Music For Lovers Only,” is released
March 10 - Les Paul and Mary Ford’s “How High the Moon” sells its first million copies
March 16 - Nat King Cole’s “Too Young” and Les Paul and Mary Ford’s “Tennessee Waltz” sell their first million copies
April - Frank Sinatra is signed to Capitol Records by Alan Livingston with a 1 year contract with no advance and has to cover his own recording costs. Sinatra angrily turns down initial offering of a&r management by Dave Dexter, Jr., who had years earlier written some bad reviews of Sinatra for Down Beat Magazine and instead is assigned to Voyle Gilmore who will eventually make Nelson Riddle Sinatra’s new producer, ousting long-time Sinatra producer Axel Stordahl
April 1 - Capitol Records acquires CETRA Opera Library
April 20 - Pee Wee Hunt’s “Oh!” sells its first million copies
Summer - Frank Sinata’s first single for Capitol Records, “I’ve Got The World On A String,” is released
September 14 - Dean Martin’s “That’s Amore” sells its first million copies
September 21 - Stan Freberg’s “St. George and the Dragonet” sells its first million copies
Also in 1953: Nat “King” Cole’s “Unforgettable” album is released, Billy May signs an exclusive contract with Capitol Records - Ferlin Husky and Jean Shepard’s duet on “A Dear John Letter” tops the country chart for 6 weeks
Number 1 Albums:
Jackie Gleason “Music For Lovers Only” - spends 17 weeks at number 1 and stays on the charts for more than 2 years and is eventually certified Gold
Number 1 Singles on Billboard’s Hot 100 Chart:
August 8 - Les Paul and Mary Ford “Vaya Con Dios” - stays for 11 weeks
October 10 - Stan Freberg “St. George and the Dragonet” knocks Les Paul and Mary Ford out of the top spot - stays for 4 weeks
Gold Album:
Nat “King “ Cole “Unforgettable”
Top 10 Albums:
Original Broadway Cast Album “Can Can”
Jackie Gleason “Lover’s Rapsody”
Stan Kenton “Stan Kenton New Concepts”
Billy May “Bacchanalia”
Les Paul and Mary Ford “Hit Makers”
Kay Starr “Kay Starr Style”
Top 10 Singles:
Ray Anthony “Dragnet”
Les Baxter & His Orchestra “April In Portugal”
Les Baxter & His Orchestra “Ruby”
Nat “King” Cole “Pretend” - hits number 2 and stays on charts for 21 weeks
The Four Knights “Oh, How Happy”
Stan Freberg “Little Blue Riding Hood”
Pee Wee Hunt “Oh!”
Dean Martin “That’s Amore”
Les Paul and Mary Ford “Bye Bye Blues”
Les Paul and Mary Ford “I’m Sitting On Top Of The World”
Jean Shepard and Ferlin Husky “A Dear John Letter”
Frank Sinatra “I’m Walking Behind You”
Kay Starr “Side By Side”
Kay Starr “Half A Photograph”
Kay Starr “Changing Partners”
1954
January 18 - Frank Sinatra’s “Young at Heart” sells its first million copies
April - Frank Sinatra records “Swing Easy” album
April 30 or July 1 - Capitol Records Distributors of Canada Limited established when Capitol Records USA terminates its relationship with Lockwood Miller. Head offices are in Toronto, with a branch office in Montreal and three independent distributors in the west. Capitol began contracting to RCA plan in Smith Falls, Ontario
July - Sir Alexander Aikman of EMI approaches Glenn Wallichs about selling Capitol Records
August - Plans are approved for The Capitol Records Tower
Fall - Patty Andrews, of The Andrews Sisters, signs a solo contract with Capitol Records and will release 6 singles, the biggest hit being “Suddenly, There’s A Valley” before rejoining with her sisters who will sign with Capitol Records in 1956
September 27 - Ground breaking for The Capitol Records Tower begins. It is also Glenn and Dorothy Wallichs’ 21st wedding anniversary
Also in 1954: Frank Sinatra’s first album for Capitol Records, “Songs For Young Lovers” is released early in the year - Nat “King” Cole’s “Answer Me My Love” becomes a million seller - Capitol Records signs Nelson Riddle as a recording artist
Number 1 Albums:
Jackie Gleason “Music, Martinis And Memories” - eventually certified Gold
Top 10 Albums:
Ray Anthony “I Remember Glenn Miller”
Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Eddie Cantor “The Eddie Cantor Story”
June Christy “Something Cool”
Nat “King” Cole “Two In Love”
Nat “King” Cole “Tenth Anniversary”
The Four Freshmen “Voices In Modern”
Jackie Gleason “Music To Make You Misty”
Jackie Gleason “Tawny”
Frank Sinatra “Songs For Young Lovers”
Frank Sinatra “Swing Easy”
Top 10 Singles:
Les Baxter & His Orchestra “High And Mighty”
Nat “King” Cole “Answer Me My Love”
Nat “King” Cole “Smile”
The Four Knights “Oh Baby Mine (IGet So Lonely)”
Deacon Andy Griffith “What It Was, Was Football”
Les Paul and Mary Ford “I’m a Fool to Care”
Les Paul And Mary Ford “Whither Thou Goest”
Frank Sinatra “Young-At-Heart”
Frank Sinatra “Three Coins In The Fountain”
Kay Starr “The Man Upstairs”
Kay Starr “If You Love Me (Really Love Me)”
1955
January - Sir Joseph Lockwood becomes Chairman of Hayes in Meddlesex conglomerate Electrical & Musical Industries (EMI)
January 15- EMI purchases 70 percent of Capitol Records, and a 96.41 percent equity controlling interest, for $8,500,000 giving EMI the premiere position among diskeries throughout the world. It’s an investment that will pay off a hundred fold by 1971. Sir Joseph Lockwood joins Capitol Records’ Board of Directors
April - Glenn Wallichs is made a director on the board of EMI
May 16 - Les Paul and Mary Ford’s “Via Con Dios” sells its first million copies
October 17 - Tennessee Ernie Ford’s “Sixteen Tons” sells its first million copies
November 21 - Nelson Riddle’s “Lisbon Antigua” sells its first million copies
November 28 - Dean Martin’s “Memories are Made of This” sells its first million copies
December 7 & 9 - Benny Goodman and Harry James reunite in NYC to record Capitol Records’ soundtrack to the motion picture “The Benny Goodman Story”
Also in 1955: Peggy Lee teams with Sonny Burke to write the score for Walt Disney’s “The Lady & The Tramp” which Capitol Records releases as a Record Reader album - A 20 minute documentary, “The Nat ‘King’ Cole Story” is released - Kay Starr leaves Capitol Records for RCA Victor Records but will return in 1959 - Jean Shepard is inducted into The Grand Ol’ Opry - Judy Garland's first Capitol Records album "Miss Show Business" is released - Sales top $20 million for the first time
Number 1 Albums:
Jackie Gleason “Lonesome Echo” - cover art by Salvidor Dali
Original Motion Picture Soundtrack “Oklahoma” Gordon MacRae and Shirley Jones - will be Capitol Records’ first certified Gold album in 1958
Top 10 Albums:
Ray Anthony “Golden Horn”
Judy Garland “Miss Show Business”
Jackie Gleason “Music To Remember Her”
Jackie Gleason “Romantic Jazz”
Benny Goodman “B.G. In Hi-Fi”
Harry James “Harry James in Hi-Fi”
Billy May “Sorta May”
Frank Sinatra “In The Wee Small Hours”
Number 1 Singles on Billboard’s Hot 100 Chart:
November 26 - Tennessee Ernie Ford “Sixteen Tons” - stays for 7 weeks and is number 1 on the country charts for 10 weeks
Top 10 Singles:
Les Baxter “Unchained Melody” - listed as a number 1 record in the 50th anniversary book but it wasn’t
Les Baxter “Theme From ‘Medic’”
Les Baxter “Wake The Town And Tell The People”
Nat “King” Cole “A Blossom Fell”
Nat “King” Cole “Darling Je Vous Aime Beaucoup”
Nat “King” Cole “Sand And The Sea”
Nat “King” Cole and The Four Knights “If I May”
Tennesse Ernie Ford “Ballad Of Davy Crocket”
Les Paul and Mary Ford “Hummingbird”
Frank Sinatra “Learning The Blues” - listed as a number 1 single in the 50th anniversary book but it wasn’t
Frank Sinatra “Love And Marriage”
Frank Sinatra “The Tender Trap”
1956
January - Frank Sinatra records “Songs For Swinging Lovers” album
January 30 - Les Baxter’s “Poor People of Paris” sells its first million copies
February 22 - The first recording session held in Capitol Records Tower is held in Studio B when Frank Sinatra conducts an orcherstra for his instrumental album “Tone Poems of Color”
March - October - Frank Sinatra records “Close To You” album
April 6 - Capitol Records’ Studio A officially opens with the first recording session of Frank Sinatra’s “Tone Poems of Color”
April 24 - The Capitol Records Tower officially opens. It will be fondly called “Glenn’s Silo” as well as “The House Bozo Built” and “The House Nat (“King” Cole) Built” to recognize the contribution that their sales played in financing the building of the Tower.
June 4 - Gene Vincent and the Blue Caps (guitar: Cliff Gallup and William Williams; bass: Jack Neil; drums: Dickie Harrell) play first-ever gig at Myrtle Beach, US. Later that year, they will release "Be-Bop-A-Lula” as their debut on Capitol Records.
August 20 - Bing Crosby and Grace Kelly‘s “True Love” sells its first million copies
December 10 - Sonny James’ “Young Love” sells its first million copies
Also in 1956: First imported pop record on new “Capitol of the World” label is released - Capitol Records Distribution of Canada moves into 2nd floor offices at 635 Queen St. East, Toronto (sandwiched in between Coca-Cola on the 1st and 3rd floors) - Capitol Record Club of Canada formed on Broadview Avenue, Toronto - Peggy Lee is nominated for an Academy Award for her role in “Pete Kelly’s Blues” whose soundtrack is released by Capitol Records - Ken Nelson, a&r chief of Capitol Records’ country music division, signs Gene Vincent on the strength of a demo made of “Be-Bop-A-Lula” and becomes his producer on a studio version of the song recorded at Owen Bradley’s Nashville, TN studio. Vincent convinces Nelson to use his own band, The Blue Caps (whose name was inspired by the head wear president Eisenhower wore on the golf course) who helped him record the demo versus studio musicians and that the song should be credited to Gene Vincent and The Blue Caps - The Andrews Sisters are signed to Capitol Records with Voyle Gilmore being assigned as their a&r man and producer
Number 1 Singles on Billboard’s Hot 100 Chart:
January 14 - Dean Martin “Memories are Made of This” knocks Tennessee Ernie Ford out of the top spot - stays for 5 weeks
February 25 - Nelson Riddle “Lisbon Antigua” - stays for 4 weeks
March 24 - Les Baxter “The Poor People Of Paris” knocks Nelson Riddle out of the top spot - stays for 4 weeks
Top 10 Albums
Les Baxter “Tamboo!”
Original Motion Picture Soundtrack “Carousel” Gordon MacRae and Shirley Jones - eventually certified Gold
The Four Freshmen “Four Freshmen And 5 Trombones”
Jackie Gleason “Music To Change Her Mind”
Jackie Gleason “Night Winds”
Original Motion Picture Soundtrack “High Society” Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly and Frank Sinatra
Original Motion Picture Soundtrack “The King And I” - eventually certified Gold
Frank Sinatra “Songs For Swingin’ Lovers” - eventually certified Gold
Frank Sinatra “This Is Sinatra!” - eventually certified Gold
Top 10 Singles:
Bing Crosby and Grace Kelly “True Love” - peaks at number 3 and is eventually certified Gold - is nominated for an Academy Award
Don Robertson “Happy Whistler”
Frank Sinatra “Hey! Jealous Lover”
Gene Vincent and The Blue Caps “Be-Bop-A-Lula”
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