JANUARY 31, 2008

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1892 - Eddie Cantor, Vaudeville, Broadway, motion picture, radio and television actor, singer, songwriter, and Capitol Records artist, is born Edward Israel Iskowitz in the Lower East Side of New York City, New York
1915 - Bobby Hackett, coronet, trumpet and guitar player, member of Benny Goodman and His Orchestra (played at the 1938 Carnegie Hall concert), and Glenn Miller and His Orchestra (initally as a guitarist while his lip was healing, then on short solos such as on "String Of Pearls"), band leader, a Capitol Records solo artist, and on Jackie Gleason's Capitol Records albums, is born Robert Leo Hackett in Providence, Rhode Island

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1947 - Dorothy Lamour signs with Capitol Records
1953 - Nat "King" Cole's single "Pretend", with "Don't Let Your Eyes Go Shopping" on the flip side, enters the top 40 of the U.S. Pop singles chart
1963 - The Beach Boys record the tracks "Surfin' U.S.A." and "Shutdown"
1968 - Merle Haggard records the track "The Legend of Bonnie and Clyde" with producer Ken Nelson at Capitol Recording Studios in Hollywood. Merle wrote the song, which will enter the U.S. Country charts in March 1968 and will become Haggard's 4th #1 hit.
1969 - The Beatles record tracks for the songs "The Long And Winding Road", "Let It Be", and "Two Of Us"
1970 - Glen Campbell's 17th Capitol Records single to chart, "Honey Come Back" with "Where Do You Go" on the flip side, peaks at #2 on the U.S. Country singles charts
1990 - Capitol Records releases Buck Owens' last single for the label, "Tijuana Lady", with "Brooklyn Bridge" on the flip side

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1894 - Isham Jones, fiddler, tenor saxophonist, bandleader (whose members would include future Capitol Records artists Benny Goodman and Woody Herman), songwriter ("I'll See You In My Dreams", "The One I Love Belongs To Somebody Else" which was covered by Capitol Records artist Nellie Lutcher and became one of her biggest hits, "It Had To Be You" which was covered by Capitol Records artist Betty Hutton, and others) is born in Coalton, Ohio
1956 - Johnny Rotten, lead singer with the EMI and Virgin Records group The Sex Pistols and Virgin Records Group Public Image Ltd. (aka PIL), is born John Lydon in Finsbury Park, London, England
1969 - Billy Preston signs with Apple Records
1981 - Blondie's Chrysalis Records single "The Tide Is High" is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1982 - The J. Geils Band's EMI America single "Centerfold" is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL HISTORY
1876 - On a black day in the country's history, the government of the United States of America orders all Native Americans to move into reservations.
1936 - "The Green Hornet" radio show debuts on WXYZ radio in Detroit, Michigan and was created by George Trendle and Fran Striker who also created The Lone Ranger which also was broadcast from the same station. A further tie-in is that the Hornet's alter-ego, Britt Reed, is the great nephew of The Lone Ranger's young sidekick Dan Reed.
1945 - On another black day in U.S.A. history, U.S. Army Private Eddie Slovik becomes the first American soldier since the Civil War to be executed for desertion
1961 - Ham the Chimp travels into outer space on an early version of NASA's Mercury rocket, performs well on some reponse tests and returns safely to Earth
1990 - The first McDonald's opens in Moscow, Russia
2004 - Mystery Science Theater 3000 ends its run on the Sci-Fi Channel.

JANUARY 30, 2008

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
1934 - Tammy Grimes, Broadway, motion picture, television and radio actress, singer, and Capitol Records artist (1960 - Original Cast Album for "The Unsinkable Molly Brown"), is born in Lynn, Massachusetts. If anyone knows her middle name, please leave a comment.

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1957 - Dean Martin finishes sessions for his Capitol Records album "Pretty Baby" after he records the tracks "Only Forever", "Maybe", "I Don't Know Why (I Just Do)", "You've Got Me Crying Again", "Once in a While", "The Object of My Affection" for his Capitol Records album "Pretty Baby" at The Capitol Tower studios in Hollywood, California with Gus Levine conducting the orchestra (Alvino Rey and Vincent Terri on guitar, Joseph G. "Joe" Comfort on bass, Nick Fatool on drums, Edwin L. "Buddy" Cole on piano, Julian C. "Matty" Matlock on clarinet, Charles T. "Chuck" Gentry and Edward R. Miller on saxophone, Elmer R. "Moe" Schneider on trombone, Charles Richard "Dick" Cathcart on trumpet)
1961 - Capitol Records releases The Kingston Trio's album "Make Way"
1963 - Nat "King" Cole signs his last contract with Capitol Records
1964 - Capitol Records releases The Beatles' single "Please Please Me" with "From Me To You" on the flip side.
1967 - The Beatles begin two straight days of shooting for a promo film for their Parlophone single "Strawberry Fields Forever" in Sevenoaks, Kent, England. The single will be released in the United States by Capitol Records and the footage would appear in "The Beatles Anthology" distributed by Capitol Video in 1995 that also includes home movies from the set of the shoot
1969 - The Beatles, with Billy Preston on keyboards, give their last public performance, an impromptu concert on the roof of Apple Records' offices at 3 Savile Row, London, England, after the roof was shored up to hold the weight. The performance was filmed until it was stopped after 42 minutes by the police. The footage will later appear in the documentary "Let It Be" and recordings of the songs performed, "Get Back" (three takes), "Don't Let Me Down" (two takes), "I've Got A Feeling" (two takes), "One After 909", and "I Dig A Pony", would later appear on the "Let It Be" Apple Records soundtrack, released by Capitol Records in the United States. The band also performed a version of "God Save The Queen" that was not recorded.
1997 - Tower Mastering duplicates a very limited quanitity of a 3-song cassette sampler of alternate takes of Paul McCartney's songs "The World Tonight", "Young Boy", and "Somedays" to promote his Capitol Records album "Flaming Pie".

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1958 - Future Capitol Records artist Merle Haggard was found guilty on a burglary charge in California

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1933 - The first of 2,956 radio episodes of "The Lone Ranger" airs. My dad loved this show as a kid (he even saved his Lone Ranger badge) and when nostalgia for Old Time Radio happened in the early '70s, many programs were released on LP so he collected and played them for me and my siblings and we just loved them.

JANUARY 29, 2008

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1946 - Cootie Williams and His Orchestra (Williams and Bob Merrill on trumpet and vocals; E. V. Perry, George Treadwell, Billy Ford, and Clarence "Gene" Redd on trumpet; Ed Burke, Edward Johnson, and Bob Horton on trombone; Rupert Cole and John Jackson on alto saxophone; Sam Taylor and Everett Gaines on tenor saxophone; Bob Ashton on baritone saxophone; Arnold Jarvis on piano; Sam "Christopher" Allen on guitar; Norman Keenan on bass; Butch Ballard on drums; and Johnny Mercer on vocals), record the tracks "Stingy Blues" (Merrill on vocal), "He Should'a Flip'd When He Flop'd" (Mercer on vocal), and the instrumental tracks "Echoes Of Harlem" and "That's The Lick" at WMCA's studios in New York City, New York for Capitol Records. Mercer's track would go unissued until it was included in Mosaic Records 1997 box set "Classic Capitol Jazz Sessions". The other tracks would be included on the 1972 Capitol Recors compilation album "Capitol Jazz Classics Vol. II Big Band Bounce" that would also include tracks by Benny Carter
1949 - Margaret Whiting's Capitol Records single "Far Away Places", with "My Own True Love" on the flip side is #2 on the U.S. Pop singles charts and Jimmy Wakely's Capitol Records single "I Love You So Much It Hurts" with "I Don't Want Your Sympathy" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles chart
1965 - Sonny James' Capitol Records single "You're The Only World I Know", with "Tying The Pieces Together" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
1966 - The Beatles' Capitol Records single "We Can Work it Out", with "Day Tripper on the flip side, hits #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1977 - Capitol Records releases Mel McDaniel's single "All The Sweet" with "A Little More Country" on the flip side
1989 - Sheriff's Capitol Records single "When I'm With You", with "Crazy Without You" on the flip side, is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1996 - Capitol Records Nashville artist Garth Brooks said that Hootie and the Blowfish had done more for music that year than he did, so he refused to accept his American Music Award for Favorite Overall Artist.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1944 - Johnny Wakley, singer, guitarist, and son of Capitol Records artist Jimmy Wakely, is born in Hollywood, California
1961 - Eddie Jackson, bass player for the bands The Mob and EMI America and Rhino Records group Queensrÿche, is born in Robstown, Texas
1969 - "The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour" debuts on CBS-TV
1973 - Johnny Rivers' United Artists Records single "Rockin' Pneumonia & The Boogie Woogie Flu", with "Come Home America" on the flip side, is certified Gold by the R.I.A.A.
1977 - Kenny Rogers's United Artists Records single "Lucile", with "Till I Get It Right" on the flip side, debuts on the U.S. Country charts
1983 - Kenny Rogers and Sheena Easton's Liberty Records single "We've Got Tonight", with Rogers' solo track "You Are So Beautiful" on the flip side, enters the U.S. Country charts where it will peak at #1
1990 - EMI America releases Eddie Cochran's compilation album "Legendary Masters: Eddie Cochran" as part of the label's "Legendary Masters" series

JANUARY 28, 2008

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1948 - Peggy Lee's Capitol Records single "Golden Earrings", with "I'll Dance At Your Wedding" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Pop singles charts
1950 - Capitol Records releases Tommy Duncan's single "Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy" with "Just a Plain Old Country Boy" on the flip side
1951 - Tennessee Ernie Ford's Capitol Records single "Shotgun Boogie", with "I Ain't Gonna Let It Happen No More" on the flip side, is still #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
1957 - Dean Martin begins the first of two sessions (the second will be on January 30, 1957) at The Capitol Tower studios, recording the tracks "I Can't Give You Anything But Love", "Sleepy Time Gal", "Pretty Baby", "For You", "It's Easy To Remember", and "Nevertheless (I'm In Love With You)" for his Capitol Records album "Pretty Baby" with Gus Levene conducting the orchestra (Alvino Rey and Vincent Terri on guitar, Joseph G. "Joe" Comfort on bass, Nick Fatool on drums, Edwin L. "Buddy" Cole on piano, Julian C. "Matty" Matlock on clarinet, Charles T. "Chuck" Gentry and Edward R. Miller on saxophone, Elmer R. "Moe" Schneider on trombone, Charles Richard "Dick" Cathcart on trumpet)
1964 - Buck Owens records the tracks "Together Again" and "My Heart Skips A Beat" that Capitol Records will release together as a single. Both sides will reach #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts.
1966 - Kay Starr records tracks for her final Capitol Records album "Tears And Heartaches / Old Records" with producer Lex De Azevedo and arranger Billy Liebert conducting some of the tracks at the second of three sessions for the album
1969 - The Beatles record tracks for the songs "I Dig A Pony", "Get Back", "Don't Let Me Down", "I've Got A Feeling", and "One After 909" that will appear on their Apple Records album "Let It Be" that's released by Capitol Records in the U.S.
1971 - John Lennon's second solo Apple Records album "Plastic Ono Band", distributed by Capitol Records in the United States, is certified Gold by the R.I.A.A.
1972 - Merle Haggard's Capitol Records single "Carolyn", with "When The Feelin's Gone Away" on the flip side, is #1 on Billboard's Country singles chart
1984 - Duran Duran's Capitol Records single "New Moon On Monday", with "Tiger Tiger" on the flip side, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1997 - Capitol Records releases T-Connection's compilation CD "The Best of T-Connection: Everything's Still Cool" as part of the label's "Heart Of Soul" series
1998 - Hammer's Capitol Records single "Addam's Groove", with "Addam's Groove - instrumental (The Addams Family Theme)" on the flip side, is certified Gold by the R.I.A.A.
2003 - Capitol Records releases Glen Campbell's compilation CD "All The Best"

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1967 - The Spencer Davis Group's United Artists Records single "Gimme Some Lovin'" enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart. United Artists' catalog is currently owned by Capitol Records parent company EMI Music. The group's lead singer, Steve Winwood, would later become a solo artist on Virgin Records America. I worked on the design and production of the packaging "Roll With It", his first album for the label, as well as promo materials, advertising and the 45 and CD single (including a 3" CD) versions of the first single from album, also called "Roll With It".

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1706 - John Baskerville, printer and typefounder, is born in England
1917 - William Gottlieb, columnist (The Washington Post), editor (Down Beat magazine), author (with articles and photos in The Record Changer, The Saturday Review and Collier's magazines, children's books and "The Golden Age Of Jazz"), and photographer of the jazz scene in the 1940s, is born William Paul Gottlieb in Brooklyn, New York
1985 - More than 40 artists gather at A&M's Hollywood studios to record "We Are The World" under the collective name USA for Africa with proceeds from the single to go toward worldwide hunger prevention
1986 - The liquid hydrogen tank for the space shuttle Challenger explodes 73 seconds after take off, killing the ship's entire crew (Commanders Francis "Dick" Scobee and Michael J. Smith, Dr. Judith A. Resnik, Dr. Ronald E. McNair, Lt. Colonel Ellison S. Onizuka, Gregory B. Jarvis and school teacher Christa McAuliffe)

JANUARY 27, 2008

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1895 - Buddy DeSylva, songwriter (alone and as part of the writing and publishing partnership DeSylva, Brown and Henderson), singer, Broadway and motion picture producer, and one of Capitol Records three founders, is born George Gard DeSylva in New York City, New York
1916 - Milt Raskin, lyricist (with Pete Rugalo for Stan Kenton's Capitol Records album "Artistry in Voices and Brass"), composer with lyricist and Capitol Records co-founder Johnny Mercer ("I Never Wanna Look Into Those Eyes"), session pianist for Billie Holiday, Gene Krupa, and Capitol Records artists Wingy Manone and Anita O'Day, arranger and conductor for Capitol Records artists Peggy Lee, Nat "King" Cole, and Vic Damone, conductor for M-G-M, Columbia and Disney's studio orchestras, arranger for the soundtracks to the motion pictures "The Agony and the Ecstacy" and "Lawrence of Arabia" and the television shows "Naked City" and "The Fugitive", is born Milton W. Raskin in Boston, Massachusetts
1918 - Skitch Henderson, pianist, bandleader ("The Tonight Show" orchestra, with both Steve Allen and Johnny Carson, until 1966), composer, and Capitol Records artist, is born Lyle Russell Cedric Henderson
1930 - Dick Meldonian, alto, tenor, and baritone saxophone player, flute and clarinet player, with both Capitol Records artists Freddie Slack and Stan Kenton's orchestras, is born in Providence, Rhode Island
1945 - Nick Mason, composer and drummer with the Tower, Harvest, Columbia (UK and US) and Capitol Records band Pink Floyd (and its only remaining original member), is born Nicholas Berkeley Mason in Birmingham (Downshire Hills), England
1951 - Seth Justman, songwriter, record producer, keyboardist and vocalist with the Capitol Records group The J. Geils Band, is born in Washington, DC
1957 - Janick Gers, composer and guitarist with the Capitol Records band Iron Maiden, is born Janick Robert Gers in England

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1944 - Ella Mae Morse (with the Dick Walters Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "No Love, No Nothin'", the flip side of "Shoo Shoo Baby", enters the top 40 of the U.S. Pop singles charts
1947 - The King Cole Trio's Capitol Records Single "(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons", the flip side of "The Best Man" is still #1 on the U.S. Pop singles chart and Johnny Mercer's Capitol Records single "A Gal In Calico", the flip side of "Winter Wonderland" is still #2
1969 - The Beatles record tracks for the songs "Get Back" and "I've Got A Feeling" that will be released on their Apple Records album "Let It Be" and distributed by Capitol Records in the United States
1979 - Little River Band's Harvest Records (a subsidiary of Capitol Records) single "Lady", with "Take Me Home" on the flip side, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1998 - Capitol Records Nashville artist Trace Adkins and his wife welcome a new baby girl, Mackenzie Lynn Adkins, at 3:44 p.m. at Baptist Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee. Mackenzie weighs 5 lbs., 15 1/2 oz. and measures 19 inches in length.
2005 - Capitol Records artist Houston attempts to jump out of a London hotel window, is prevented from doing so by his security staff, is locked in his room, and then gouges out one of his eyes

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1919 - Ross Bagdasarian (aka David Seville), singer, songwriter ("Come On A My House", "Witch Doctor", "The Chipmunk Song [Christmas Time Is Here Again]"), actor, creator of Alvin and The Chipmunks, and Liberty Records artist, is born in Fresno, California
1961 - Martin Degville, guitarist for the EMI America group Sigue Sigue Sputnik, is born somewhere in England. If anyone knows for sure where, please leave a comment

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1756 - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, composer and pianist, is born in Austria
1885 - Jerome Kern, composer (Broadway shows including "Sunny", "Show Boat" and "Roberta", motion pictures "Love Me Tonight", "Swing Time", "Cover Girl") is born Jerome David Kern in New York City, New York. His life was the basis for the M-G-M motion picture musical "As Clouds Roll By" which had segments that feature future Capitol Records artists Frank Sinatra and Judy Garland and future United Artists Records artist Lena Horne. In 1992, Capitol Records releases "The Song Is You: Capitol Sings Jerome Kern", a compilation of various Capitol Records artists singing Kern's best known works, on CD and cassette as part of its "Capitol Sings" series.
1895 - Harry Ruby, pianist, Broadway and motion picture songwriter ("I Want To Be Loved By You" and for the Marx Brothers films "Animal Cracker", "Horse Feathers", and "Duck Soup" with partner Bert Kalmar) and screenwriter, is born in New York City. His life would become the basis of the 1950 M-G-M motion picture musical "Three Little Words"
1997 - Gerald Marks, composer (best known for the song "All of Me" that's been covered by many Capitol Records artists including Frank Sinatra and Nat "King" Cole) dies at age 96

JANUARY 26, 2008

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1880 - Douglas MacArthur, U.S. Army General (5 star General of the Army), Commander of Allied Forces in the Pacific, and Capitol Records artist (an album of a collection of speeches), is born in Little Rock, Arkansas
1950 - Paul Pena (aka Earthquake), songwriter ("Jet Airliner"), guitarist, singer (self-taught Tuvan throat singer which later became the basis for the documentary "Genghis Blues"), and Capitol Records artist (1972-1973), is born in Hyannis, Massachussets
1951 - David Briggs, guitarist with the Capitol Records group "Little River Band", is born in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1946 - Tex Ritter's Capitol Records single "You Will Have to Pay", with "Christmas Carols By The Old Corral" is still #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
1969 - The Beatles record tracks for the songs "Dig It", "Let It Be", and "The Long And Winding Road" which will end up on their Apple Records album "Let It Be" that will be released in the United States by Capitol Records
1970 - John Lennon writes the song "Instant Karma" in the morning and records it in the afternoon with producer Phil Spector, who mixes it the same day. The single will be released in just 10 days.
1974 - Ringo Starr's Apple Records single "You're Sixteen", with "Devil Woman" on the flip side, is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1985 - Tina Turner's Capitol Records single "Private Dancer" enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1992 - Jose Ferrer (born José Vicente Ferrer de Otero y Cintrón), Broadway, motion picture, and television actor and Capitol Records artist (soundtrack to "Cyrano de Bergerac"), dies
2007 - EMI Group chairman Eric Nicoli announces the merger of Capitol Records and Virgin Records into a new company called Capitol Music Group. Virgin Records president Jason Flom is named head of the combined group. Capitol Records president Andrew Slater is let go six months into a five year contract renewal. I rode by The Tower that morning on the bus at about 7:50 and it looked like the flag was at half mast and wrapped around the pole. Probably just a coincidence. I found out later that the flag was at half staff as part of an ongoing tribute to former United States president Gerald Ford who had recently died.

ON THIS DAY IN NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1913 - Jimmy Van Heusen, songwriter (including the Academy Award winning songs "Swinging on a Star" [1944], "All the Way" [1957], "High Hopes" [1959], and "Call Me Irresponsible" [1963], and, with lyricists Johnny Burke and Sammy Cahn, wrote over 75 songs recorded by Frank Sinatra including "My Kind of Town", and "Second Time Around"), is born Edward Chester Babcock in Syracuse, New York
1915 - William Hopper, actor ("The Bad Seed" and Paul Drake on "Perry Mason") and son of actress and gossip columinist Hedda Hopper (whose estate had offices in The Capitol Tower), is born William DeWolf Hopper, Jr. in New York City, New York
1963 - "Jazzie B.", singer and founding member of the Virgin Records America group Soul II Soul, is born Beresford Romeo in Finsbury Park, London, England. I adapted the packaging designs for the U.S. market for the band's first two albums and as well as designing packaging for their first few promotional U.S. CD singles
1970 - "The Magic Christian", starring EMI artist Peter Sellers and Apple/Capitol Records artist Ringo Starr, as well as featuring music by Apple/Capitol Records artist Paul McCartney which is performed by Apple/Capitol Records group Badfinger, premieres in Beverly Hills, California
1981 - Blondie's Chrysalis Records album "Auto American" is certified Platinum by the R.I.A.A. Chrysalis' catalog is currently owned by Capitol Records' parent company EMI Music.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1934 - The Apollo Theatre opens in Harlem, New York City

JANUARY 25, 2008

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1924 - Speedy West, pedal steel guitarist and Capitol Records artist(1949-1962), is born Wesley Webb West in Springfield Missouri
1950 - Michael Cotton, keyboard and synthesizer player with the Capitol Records group The Tubes, is born in Kansas City, Missouri

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1945 - Tex Ritter's Capitol Records single "I'm Wastin' My Tears On You", with "There's A New Moon Over My Shoulder" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
1945 - Rex Stewart's Big Eight (Stewart on cornet, Lawrence Brown on trombone, Al Sears on tenor saxophone, Harry Carney on baritone saxophone, Eddie Heywood piano, Ulysses Livingston on guitar, Junior Raglin on bass, Keg Purnell on drums, and Joya Sherrill on vocals) records the instrumental tracks "T'ain't Like That" (2 versions, with the first released and the second unissued), "Dutch Treat", and "Rexercise" which will be released by Capitol Records, and "Blue Jay" (with Sherrill on vocals) which will be released by Pausa 9033, in Los Angeles, California. All the tracks are included on Mosaic Records 1997 box set "Classic Capitol Jazz Sessions"
1951 - Mel Blanc (as Henery Hawk, Foghorn Leghorn, and Daffy Duck) records the track "Henery Hawk", with words by Warren Foster and Michael Maltese, music by Billy May, and produced by Alan Livingston, that will be released as a single (3058) by Capitol Records with the track covering both sides
1964 - The Beatles' Capitol Records single "I Want To Hold Your Hand" with "I Saw Her Standing There" on the flip side is #1 on Cashbox Magazine's Top Singles chart and will peak at #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart the next week on February 1, 1964
1969 - The Beatles record tracks for the songs "Two Of Us", "For You Blue", and "Let It Be"
1977 - Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band's Capitol Records album "Night Moves" is certified Gold by the R.I.A.A.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1929 - Benny Golson, tenor saxophonist, composer, arranger, member of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, and United Artists Records artist, is born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
1963 - Cilla Black makes her stage debut at Liverpool's Cavern Club
1963 - After Capitol Records passes on them, EMI awards the US record label Vee-Jay the right to distribute Beatles records in the United States
1964 - Swan Records releases The Beatles' single "She Loves You", with "I'll Get You" on the flip side
1981 - Blondie's Chrysalis Records single "The Tide Is High" is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1987 - Dan Seals EMI America single "You Still Move Me", with "I'm Still Strung Out On You" on the flip side, is #1 on Billboard's Country singles chart
1990 - Ava Gardner, actress and second wife of Capitol Records artist Frank Sinatra, dies of pneumonia
1998 - Janet Jackson's Virgin Records single "Together Again" is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1927 - Antonio Carlos Jobim, guitar, pianist, composer (converted the Brazilian Samba into the intimate Bossa Nova), singer, is born in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
1938 - Etta James, singer, is born Jamesetta Hawkins in Los Angeles, California
1949 - The first Emmy Awards are presented at a ceremony at The Hollywood Athletic Club

JANUARY 24, 2008

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1936 - Jack Scott, singer, guitarist, and Capitol Records artist (1961-1964), is born Giovanni Dominico Scafone Jr. in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. There are also references to him being born on January 28 and on both days in 1938. If anyone knows for sure when Jack Scott was born, please leave a comment
1939 - Ray Stevens, comedian, actor, singer, 1980 Nashville Songwriters Hall Of Fame inductee, and Prep Records (1957, the label was a subsidiary of Capitol Records) and Capitol Records (1958) artist, is born Harold Ray Ragsdale in Clarksdale, Georgia
1944 - Neil Diamond, singer, songwriter, motion picture actor, and Capitol Records artist (1980 - soundtrack to "The Jazz Singer"), is born Neil Leslie Diamond in Brooklyn, New York

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1953 - Kay Starr's Capitol Records single "Side By Side", with "Noah" on the flip side, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Pop singles chart
1962 - Future Parlophone and Capitol Records artists The Beatles sign a management contract with Brian Epstein at his office at the NEMS record store in Whitechapel
1968 - Merle Haggard's Capitol Records single "Sing Me Back Home", with "Good Times" on the flip side, is #1 on Billboard's Country singles chart
1979 - Brian Wilson, member of the Capitol Records group The Beach Boys, divorces his wife, Marilyn Rovell
1982 - Juice Newton's Capitol Records single "The Sweetest Thing (I've Ever Known)", with "Ride 'Em Cowboy" on the flip side, is #1 on Billboard's Country singles cart
1986 - Gordon MacRae (born Albert Gordon MacRae), singer, Broadway, motion picture, and television actor, and Capitol Records artist (1947-1969), dies of of pneumonia, the result of complications from cancer of the mouth and jaw, at age 65 in Lincoln, Nebraska
2006 - Capitol Records releases Roseanne Cash's album "Black Cadillac", Linda Ronstadt's 2 CD compilation "The Best Of Linda Rondstadt", and Starsailor's album "On The Outside". EMI/Capitol Records releases Al Green's album "Livin' For You"

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1925 - Jimmy Scott, conga drummer, is born Jimmy Anonmuogharan Scott Emuakor in Nigeria. Paul McCartney, who got to know Scott when he played in London night clubs, used Scott's catch phrase "ob-la-di ob-la-da" (a Yoruba tribal phrase meaning "life goes on") as the basis of The Beatles' track "Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da".
1945 - Spirits of Rhythm record the tracks "Honeysuckle Rose", "Last Call Blues", "She Ain't No Saint", and "Scattin' The Blues" for Black & White Records in Los Angeles, California. EMI Music, Capitol Records parent company, currently owns the Black & White catalog
1947 - Warren Zevon, singer, songwriter, and Virgin Records America artist (1987), is born in Chicago, Illinois
1964 - Brian Epstein signs Sounds Incorporated to a management and agency contract with NEMS Enterprises and gets them a deal with EMI
1986 - Vincent Minnelli (born Lester Anthony Minnelli), Broadway and motion picture director, father of Capitol Records artist Liza Minnelli and husband for six yearst to Capitol Records artist Judy Garland, dies at age 82 and is later interred in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California
1987 - Future Capitol Records/Grand Royal Records artists The Beastie Boys' Def Jam single "(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party)", with "Paul Revere" on the flip side, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart

JANUARY 23, 2008

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1925 - Marty Paich, pianist, composer, arranger (with and/or for Peggy Lee, Shorty Rogers’ Giants, Dorothy Dandridge, Shelley Manne, Art Pepper, Shorty Rogers, Dave Pell, Mel Torme, Ray Brown, Anita O’Day, Stan Kenton, Terry Gibbs, Ella Fitzgerald, and Buddy Rich) and record producer, is born Martin Louis Paich in Oakland, California
1950 - Pat Simmons, singer, guitarist, with the Capitol Records group The Doobie Brothers, is born Patrick Simmons in Aberdeen, Washington

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1947 - Merle Travis records the track "Steel Guitar Rag" and Capitol Records will release it as the flip side of the single "Three Times Seven"
1948 - Peggy Lee's Capitol Records single "Manana", with "All Dressed Up With A Broken Heart" on the flip side, enters the top 40 of the U.S. Pop singles charts
1951 - Tennessee Ernie Ford's Capitol Records single "Shot Gun Boogie", with I Ain't Gonna Let It Happen No More" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
1953 - Billy May finishes recording tracks for his Capitol Records album "Big Band Bash"
1963 - The Kingston Trio records the track "The Reverend Mr. Black" with producer Voyle Gilmore for their Capitol Records album "The Kingston Trio #16"
1965 - Peter and Gordon's Capitol Records single "I Go To Pieces", with "True Love Ways" on the flip side, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1966 - The Beatles' Capitol Records single "We Can Work It Out", with "Day Tripper" on the flip side, returns to the #1 spot on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1975 - Merle Haggard's Capitol Records single "Kentucky Gambler", with "I've Got A Darlin' For A Wife" is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
1981 - Bobby Sherwood, singer, actor (motion picture "Pal Joey"), orchestra leader ("The Milton Berle Show"), and Capitol Records artist (his Capitol Records single "Elk's Parade", with "I Don't Know Why" on the flip side, [both recorded May 5, 1942] is the label's seventh single, is part of Capitol's first release schedule, and is the label's third biggest seller during its first decade), dies of throat cancer at age 66 in Auburn, Massachusetts
1985 - Iron Maiden signs with Capitol Records
1991 - Megadeth's Capitol Records album "Rust In Peace" is certified Gold by the R.I.A.A.
1991 - Poison's Capitol Records single "Something To Believe In", with "Ball And Chain" on the flip side, is certified Gold by the R.I.A.A.
1991 - Garth Brooks' Liberty Records (later renamed Capitol Records Nashville) single "Unanswered Prayers", with "Alabama Clay" on the flip side, is still #1 on Billboard's Country singles chart
1993 - Duran Duran's Capitol Records single "Ordinary World", with "Save A Prayer" on the flip side, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1996 - Capitol Records releases Jo Stafford's compilation CD "Spotlight On Jo Stafford" as part of the label's "Great Ladies Of Song" series
1999 - Capitol Records Nashville releases Ty England's album "Highways & Dance Halls"

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1943 - Future Capitol Records artist Duke Ellington, and his orchestra, perform at their first concert at Carnegie Hall in New York City, New York
2007 - Blue Note Records releases the companion soundtrack to the documentary "Billy Strayhorn: Lush Life". Blue Note Records is a subsidiary of Capitol Records, Inc.

JANUARY 22, 2008

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1946 - Cootie Williams and His Orchestra record the tracks "Jumping To Conclusions (part one)", "Jumping To Conclusions (part two)", "Someone I Knew", and "You're The One For Me, Sweetheart" at the WMCA studios in New York City, New York for Capitol Records. The tracks will remain unreleased until they are included in Mosaic Records 1997 box set "Classic Capitol Jazz Sessions"
1960 - Capitol Records opens a new pressing plant in Los Angeles, California. It has been closed for a while but there's a recent photo of the site on Flickr.com.
1965 - The Beach Boys record the instrumental tracks for their song "Wouldn't It Be Nice" at Gold Star Recording Studios, Hollywood, California with engineer Larry Levine. The vocal tracks will be recorded in March and April 1966 at Columbia Studios, Hollywood, California with engineer Ralph Balantin. The finished song will be released on July 18, 1966 as a single, with "God Only Knows" on the flip side, and will be included on their Capitol Records album "Pet Sounds"
1966 - The Beatles' Capitol Records single "Day Tripper" peaks at #5 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart. On the same date, the single's flip side, "We Can Work It Out", is currently #11 on the chart, after peaking at #1 on January 8, 1966.
1969 - The Beatles record the tracks for the songs "I Dig A Pony", "I've Got A Feeling", and "Don't Let Me Down". On the same day, George Harrison, at a meeting held at the Apple Corps. offices, persuades Billy Preston to join The Beatles' "Get Back" sessions, which will later be released by Capitol Records in the United States as the album "Let It Be"
1969 - Glen Campbell's Capitol Records single "Wichita Lineman", the flip side of "Fate Of Man" is certified Gold by the R.I.A.A.
1977 - Wings' Capitol Records album album "Wings Over America" hits #1 on Billboard's album chart
1982 - The J. Geils Band's Capitol Records single "Centerfold", the flip side of "Rage In The Cage" is #3 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
2004 - Billy May, trumpet player, composer, arranger, band leader, conductor, and Capitol Records artist, dies of a heart attack at his home in in San Juan Capistrano, California at age 87

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1914 - Frank and Ethel Gumm, parents of future Capitol Records artist Francis Gumm (aka Judy Garland) are married
1963 - Gerry and The Pacemakers, at their first session for Parlophone Records, record the track "How Do You Do It?" written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, as well as the tracks "Away From You" and "Pretend", with producer George Martin
1968 - Apple Corps (home of the boutique and the label) opens opens its first London headquarters at 95 Wigmore Street, Marylebone, London, 4th floor
1972 - Don McLean's United Artists Records album "American Pie" hits #1 on Billboard's album chart
1977 - The Sex Pistols leave the EMI label 3 1/2 months after signing with label and will later write and record the song "EMI" about their experiences with the label which will be released on the band's Virgin Records album "Never Mind The Bollocks". Virgin Records catalog is currently owned by EMI Music and the label is now owned by EMI.
1985 - Zak Starkey, eldest son of Ringo Starr, marries Sarah Menikides at a private ceremony in a registry office in Bracknell, Berkshire, England

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1875 - D.W. Griffith, playwright, actor, director, film producer, and one of the four founders (Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks and Charlie Chaplin were the other three) of United Artists Studios (which many years later would release three movies and one soundtrack by The Beatles as well as the James Bond franchise and spawn the United Artists Records label whose catalog is currently owned by EMI Music, Capitol Records' parent company), is born David Llewelyn Wark Griffith in La Grange, Kentucky
1889 - The Columbia Phonograph Company is formed in Washington, DC. The record label would eventually morph into the Columbia Broadcast System, better known today as CBS. The record label is currently owned by Sony.
1947 - KTLA, Channel 5 in Hollywood, California, broadcasts for the first time, becoming the first commercial television station west of the Mississippi River
1968 - "Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In", filmed in "beautiful downtown Burbank", California, debuts on NBC-TV

JANUARY 21, 2008

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1949 - Buddy Cole, Tennessee Ernie Ford, and The King Sisters sign with Capitol Records and Ford has his first recording session for Capitol Records
1959 - The Kingston Trio's Capitol Records single "Tom Dooley" is certified Gold by the R.I.A.A.
1966 - George Harrison marries Patricia Anne Boyd at the Esher Register Office, Surrey, England with fellow member of the Capitol Records group The Beatles Paul McCartney, and their manager Brian Epstein, in attendance. Harrison met Boyd on the set of the motion picture "A Hard Day's Night" where Boyd appeared in the train scenes with Harrison.
1979 - Crystal Gale's Capitol Records single "Why Have You Left The One You Left Me For" is #1 on Billboard's Country singles chart
1987 - Imperial and Capitol Records artist Ricky Nelson, Liberty Records artist Eddie Cochran, Virgin Records America artist Roy Orbison, as well as Carl Perkins, Smokey Robinson, Aretha Frankin, Jackie Wilson and others are inducted into The Rock 'N' Roll Hall Of Fame in New York City, New York at the organization's second induction ceremony.
2002 - Peggy Lee, singer, songwriter, one-time wife of fellow Capitol Records artist Dave Barbour, and a Capitol Records solo artist, dies of a heart attack at age 81 in Bel Air, California and is later interred in the Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Westwood, California.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1976 - Emma Bunton (aka "Baby Spice") singer, with the Virgin Records group The Spice Girls, is born in Barnet, Hertfordshire, England
1984 - John Lennon's single "Nobody Told Me" entered the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1956 - Bill Haley and The Comets' album "Rock Around The Clock" becomes the first Rock 'n' Roll album to enter the U.S. album charts

JANUARY 20, 2008

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1888 - Leadbelly, singer, guitarist, and Capitol Records artist, is born Huddy Ledbetter on a plantation near Mooringsport, Louisiana
1922 - Ray Anthony, trumpet player, bandleader, one time husband of actress Mamie Van Doren, and Capitol Records artist, is born Raymond Antonini in Bentleyville, Pennsylvania
1929 - Jimmy Cobb, drummer, in Capitol Records artist Cannonball Adderly's band, as well as Nat Adderly's and the Miles Davis Quintet, is born in Washington, DC

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1958 - Both The Four Preps' Capitol Records single "26 Miles (Santa Catalina)", with "It's You" on the flip side, and Frank Sinatra's Capitol Records single "Witchcraft" with "Tell Her You Love Her" on the flip side, enter the top 40 of Billboard's Pop singles chart
1964 - Capitol Records releases Johnny Burnette's second single for the label "The Opposite", with "You Taught Me the Way To Love You" on the flip side. The Beatles' first album for the label, "Meet The Beatles", is also released. As part of a promotional campaign, all Capitol executives and salesmen are ordered to wear Beatle wigs for one week beginning today. Burnette's single did not chart. The Beatles' album will peak at #1 on Billboard's Pop album chart in less than a month on February 15, 1964.
1964 - The Beach Boys record the instrumental tracks for their song "Pom Pom Playgirl". When the vocals are later recorded, the track will be the band's first to feature Carl Wilson on lead vocals. The final track will be delivered to Capitol on February 20, 1964 and will be included on The Beach Boys' Capitol Records album "Shut Down Vol. 2".
1967 - The Beatles begin recording the track "A Day In The Life" at EMI's Abbey Road studios in London, England
1969 - Capitol Records releases The Beach Boys' album "20/20"
1974 - Ringo Starr's Apple Records single (distributed by Capitol Records in the U.S.) "You're Sixteen", with "Devil Woman" on the flip side, is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1996 - Gerry Mulligan (born Gerald Joseph Mulligan), baritone saxophonist, pianist, clarinet player, arranger, band leader, and Pacific Jazz, Blue Note and Capitol Records artist, dies of complications from a knee infection at age 68 in Darien, Connecticut
1988 - Capitol Records artists The Beach Boys, The Beatles, Leadbelly, and Les Paul are inducted into the Rock 'N' Roll Hall Of Fame
1998 - EMI-Capitol Entertainment Properties releases Garth Brooks' video "Garth Live From Central Park", distributed in the United States by Orion Home Video. The video will debut at No. 1 on the Billboard Home Video chart on Februay 2, 1998

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1924 - Slim Whitman, singer, yodeler, guitarist, and United Artists Records artist is born Otis Dewey Whitman, Jr., in Tampa, Florida. EMI Music, Capitol Records' parent company, currently owns United Artists' catalog.
1957 - Ricky Nelson's Imperial Records album "Ricky" hits #1 on Billboard's Pop album chart
1979 - Kenny Roger's United Artists Records album "The Gambler" is #1 on Billboard's Pop album chart. United Artists' catalog is currently owned by Capitol Records' parent company, EMI Music.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1896 - George Burns, vaudeville, radio, motion picture (played Mr. Kite in "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band") and television performer (best know as part of the duo Burns and Allen with his wife Gracie Allen) is born Nathan Birnbaum in New York City, New York
1965 - Alan Freed, radio disc jockey (called "Moon Doggy" at WJW Radio in Cleveland where he coined the phrase “Rock ’N’ Roll” before moving to WABC in New York) and motion picture actor, dies of uremia at age 43 in Palm Springs, California

JANUARY 19, 2008

2008 - REST IN PEACE - John Stewart, singer, guitarist, songwriter, member of the Capitol Records group The Kingston Trio, and a solo artist, has died after suffering a stroke in San Diego, California (also the city where he was born) at age 68. Services are pending.

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1911 - Ken Nelson, Capitol Records producer, founding member of the Country Music Association (CMA), and 2001 Country Music Hall Of Fame inductee, is born in Caledonia, Minnesota
1917 - John Raitt, singer, Broadway and motion picture actor, father of Capitol Records artist Bonnie Raitt, and a Capitol Records artist, is born John Emmett Raitt in Santa Ana, California
1919 - Rollin Sullivan, singer, comedian, and "Oscar" of the Capitol Records duo Lonzo and Oscar, is born in Edmonton, Kentucky
1944 - Laurie London, singer in English and German, actor, Odeon and Capitol Records artist, and the first and youngest person (at age 13) to have single certified Gold by the R.I.A.A. ("He's Got The Whole World In His Hands" with "Handed Down" on the flip side, Capitol 3891), is born in London, England and would retire from singing at age 19
1949 - Robert Palmer, singer, guitarist, solo artist and lead singer of the Capitol Records band Power Station, is born Robert Allen Palmer in Batley, Yorkshire, England
1971 - John Wozniak, guitarist, lead singer, and songwriter with the Capitol Records group Marcy Playground, is born in Saint Paul, Minnesota

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1947 - The King Cole Trio's Capitol Records single "For Sentimental Reasons", with "The Best Man" on the flip side is still #1 on the U.S. Pop singles charts and Johnny Mercer's Capitol Records single "A Gal In Calico", with "Winter Wonderland" on the flip side, is #3
1951 - Mel Blanc's Capitol Records single "I Taut I Taw A Puddy Tat", with "Yosemite Sam" on the flip side (both tracks were written by Capitol Records VP Alan Livingston), enters the top 40 of the U.S. Pop Singles charts
1959 - Ray Anthony's Capitol Records single "Peter Gunn", with "Tango For Two" on the flip side, enters the top 40 of the U.S. Pop singles charts
1967 - The Beatles begin recording the track "A Day In The Life" at EMI's Abbey Road studios in London, England
1971 - George Harrison's Apple Records single "My Sweet Lord", with "Isn’t It a Pity" on the flip side, is still #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1994 - Capitol Records artists The Band and John Lennon are inducted into the Rock 'N' Roll Hall Of Fame

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1932 - Richard Lester, television and motion picture producer and director (The Beatles' "A Hard Day's Night" and "Help!", "The Knack...And How to Get It", Petulia, John Lennon's "How I Won The War", "Robin And Marion", "The Three Musketeers" and its sequals, and many more), is born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
1957 - Johnny Cash makes his first network TV appearance on Capitol Records artist Jackie Gleason's CBS-TV show "The Jackie Gleason Show"
1963 - Caron Wheeler, singer with the Virgin Records America band Soul II Soul, is born in London, England. Virgin Records is owned by EMI Music, Capitol Records' parent company.
1976 - The former members of The Beatles are offered fifty million dollars to reform by concert promoter Bill Sergent. They decline the offer. The offer becomes a parody on NBC-TV's "Saturday Night Live" when producer Lorne Michaels makes an on-air offer to The Beatles of $5000 dollars to reform on his show. The gag reappears when former member George Harrison appears on the show and is told the offer was only good if all four members appear.
1985 - Sheena Easton's EMI America Single "Sugar Walls" (written by Prince), with "Straight Talk" on the flip side, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart. EMI America's catalog is currently owned by EMI Music, Capitol Records' parent company.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1953 - Desi Arnaz, Jr., actor, drummer with the group Dino, Desi, and Billy, and singer, is born via Caesarian section on the same day the episode airs where his mother's character of Lucy Ricardo gives birth to "Little Ricky" on his parents' television show "I Love Lucy". It becomes the highest rated television show up to that time as sixty-eight percent of all TV sets in the U.S. are tuned in to watch.
1995 - Gene MacLellan, singer and songwriter ("Snowbird", a worldwide hit for Capitol Records artist Anne Murray), dies in Summerside, Prince Edward Island, Canada at age 54
1998 - Carl Perkins, singer, songwriter, ("Blue Suede Shoes" and three songs covered by Capitol Records group The Beatles: "Matchbox", "Honey Don't", and "Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby"), guitarist, 1985 Nashville Songwriters Hall Of Fame inductee, and 1987 Rock 'N' Roll Hall Of Fame inductee, dies from throat cancer at age 65 and is later interred in the Ridgecrest Cemetery in Jackson, Tennessee

JANUARY 18, 2008

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
1913 - Danny Kaye, motion picture and television actor (played the role of Capitol Records artist Red Nichols in the biopic "The Five Pennies"), comedian, singer, dancer, UNICEF ambassador, and Capitol Records artist, is born David Daniel Kaminski in Brooklyn, New York

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1946 - Tex Ritter's Capitol Records single "You Will Have To Pay", with "Christmas Carols By The Old Corral" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
1956 - The Hollywood String Quartet sign with Capitol Records
1960 - Capitol Records releases The Louvin Brothers single "Nellie Moved To Town" with "The Stagger" on the flip side
1962 - Shirley & Lee sign with Capitol Records
1964 - The Beatles appear on Billboard's Pop singles chart for the first time with their Capitol Records single "I Want To Hold Your Hand"
1969 - The Capitol Records soundtrack to United Artists' animated feature film "Yellow Submarine" debuts on Billboard's Pop albums chart
1973 - Pink Floyd begin the last 11 of 38 days of recording tracks at EMI's Abbey Road studios in London, England for their album "Dark Side Of The Moon", after taking a break on October 27, 1972 for touring. Sessions will end on February 1 and the completed album will be distributed by Capitol Records in the United States.
1993 - Capitol Records releases Hoyt Axton's album "American Originals"

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1932 - Irene Kral, singer, and a United Artists Records artist (whose UA album "The Band And I" has been reissued on the Capitol Jazz label by Blue Note Records), is born in Chicago, Illinois
1944 - The Metropolitan Opera House in New York City hosts it's first jazz concert which features performances by future Capitol Records artists Benny Goodman, Jack Teagarden, and Lionel Hampton (who recorded for Capitol as part of Goodman's bands), as well as Louis Armstrong (who would record tracks for Verve Records at The Capitol Tower Studios as well as perform on the soundtrack for the motion picture "High Society" which was released by Capitol), Artie Shaw, and Roy Eldridge
1969 - The Foundations' UNI single "Build Me Up Buttercup", with "New Direction" on the flip side, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart. Capitol will later release the track as part of its soundtrack to the movie "There's Something About Mary" in 1998
1975 - Epic Records releases future Capitol Records artist Minnie Ripperton's single "Lovin' You" with "Edge Of A Dream" on the flip side. Capitol Records currently distributes Ripperton's catalog.
1996 - Future Capitol Records artist Lisa Marie Presley files for divorce from Michael Jackson
1992 - Right Said Fred's Charisma Records (a division of Virgin Records America, 'whose catalog is now owned by EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company) single "I'm Too Sexy", with a 7" version on one side and a Spanish version on the flip side, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1892 - Oliver Hardy, comedian and motion picture actor, best known as part of the team Laurel and Hardy, is born Oliver Norvell Hardy in Harlem, Georgia
1952 - Curly Howard (born Jerome Lester Horwitz), vaudeville and motion picture actor, comedian, brother of Moe and Shemp Howard, and member of The Three Stooges dies at age 48 in San Gabriel, California
1954 - Sydney Greenstreet, stage and motion picture actor, dies at age 74 and is later interred in Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery, in Glendale, California
1987 - Billy Vera & The Beaters's single "At This Moment" peaks at #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart. The single, reissued by Rhino Records after being featured on the television series "Family Ties", was originally issued in 1981 by Alfa Records, which was shuttered by its Japanese owners, and Rhino licensed the track from ATCO. The single was originally released by Rhino with Vera's own composition "I Can Take Care Of Myself" on the flip side but later, according to Billy, "Rhino got word that 'Peanut Butter' was popular within the Carolinas Beach Music scene, so they repressed with that song on the flip...". Billy's still busy performing, writing and producing, and is currently launching a redesign of his website.

JANUARY 17, 2008

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
1913 - Vido Musso, clarinetist and tenor saxophonist with Benny Goodman and His Orchestra, Gene Krupa and His Orchestra, Harry James and His Orchestra, Woody Herman and His Orchestra, Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra, and Capitol Records artist Stan Kenton and His Orchestra (1945-1947) as well as his own small groups, is born in Carini, Italy
1931 - Clifford Solomon, tenor saxophonist with Capitol Records artist Johnny Otis as well as John Mayall, Charles Brown, Ray Charles and others, is born in Los Angeles, California

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1946 - Johnny Mercer's Capitol Records single "Personality", with "If I Knew Then" on the flip side, enters the top 40 of the U.S. Pop singles charts
1952 - Kay Starr is called into Capitol Records' Melrose studios in Hollywood, California late at night to quickly record the track "Wheel Of Fortune" for a rush release. The track will be released as a single in February 1952 with "Angry" on the flip side and become Starr's first gold record and will eventually become the #2 selling single of 1952.
1965 - Sonny James' Capitol Records single "You're The Only World I Know", with "Tying The Pieces Together" on the flip side, is #1 on the Country singles charts.
1969 - Nat "King" Cole's Capitol Records album "The Christmas Song" is certified Gold by the R.I.A.A.
1972 - Capitol Records releases Buck Owens' single "I'll Still Be Waiting For You" with "Full Time Daddy" on the flip side
1976 - Merle Haggard's Capitol Records single "Roots Of My Raising", with "The Way It Was In '51" on the flip side, enters the Country singles charts
1992 - Liberty Records (later renamed Capitol Records Nashville) artist Garth Brooks' first TV special airs on NBC-TV
1996 - Tower, Harvest, and Capitol Records group (The) Pink Floyd is inducted into the Rock 'N' Roll Hall Of Fame
1998 - Cliffie Stone, singer, songwriter, bandleader, radio and television variety show host, personal manager, 1989 Country Music Hall Of Fame inductee, Capitol Records A&R executive and record producer, dies in Los Angeles, California at age 80

ON THIS DATE NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1918 - Elmore James, guitarist and songwriter (whose Blues songs have been covered by Capitol Records artists from The Raspberries to Bonnie Raitt) is born in Durant, Mississippi
1981 - John Lennon's Geffen/Lenono Music Records single "Woman", with Yoko Ono's "Beautiful Boys" on the flip side, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart. Capitol Records currently distributes the John Lennon and Yoko Ono catalogs.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1978 - Benny Goodman returns to Carnegie Hall forty years and one day after his 1938 concert to celebrate the show's anniversary. Goodman puts together a big band, which includes George Benson on guitar, but does not recreate the first concert's playlist. A recording of the new show will be released in 1982.

JANUARY 16, 2008

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
1942 - Bill Francis, keyboardist with the Capitol Records group Dr. Hook, is born William Francis in Mobile, Alabama
1946 - Ronnie Milsap, singer and Capitol Records artist (1996), is born Ronnie Lee Milsap in Robbinsville, North Carolina

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1960 - Capitol Records artist Gene Vincent and Liberty Records artist Eddie Cochran appear together on ITV's pop show "Boy Meet Girl" in England
1961 - Buck Owens and Rose Maddox record the tracks "Loose Talk" and "Mental Cruelty" which will be released as both sides of the same single by Capitol Records
1973 - Merle Haggard records the track "If We Make It Through December" for Capitol Records
1975 - Paul McCartney and Wings arrive in New Orleans to begin sessions on their Capitol Records album "Venus and Mars" at Allen Toussaint's Sea Saint studios
1976 - Final overdubs are recorded for Natalie Cole's tracks "Can We Get Together Again?", "No Plans For The Future", "Mr. Melody", "Hard To Get Along (Without You)", "Good Morning Heartache", "Keep Smiling", "Touch Me", "Not Like Mine", "Sophisticated Lady (She's A Different Lady)", and "Heaven Is With Me" at an unlisted location. Capitol Records will issue the final versions of all tracks on Cole's album "Natalie" (ST-11517).
1980 - Kenny Rogers' Capitol Records album "Kenny" is certified Gold and Platinum by the R.I.A.A.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1937 - Bob Bogle, bass guitarist and lead guitarist with the Dolton Records (a subsidiary of Liberty Records, whose catalog is currently owned by Capitol Records' parent company EMI Music) group The Ventures, is born Robert Lenard Bogle at his family's home near Wagoner, Oklahoma
1938 - Future Capitol Records artist Benny Goodman, his orchestra, and his quartet, with future Capitol Records artist Martha Tilton supplying vocals, play Carnegie Hall for the first time at the venue's first Jazz and Swing concert. The performance is broadcasted by CBS Radio, transcribed, and later released on album and CD by Columbia Records. Anyone for a 12 plus minute version of "Sing, Sing, Sing (With A Swing")? Wow! It's my favorite Big Band track.
1957 - The Cavern Club opens under Matthew Street in Liverpool, England.
1972 - Ross Bagdasarian (aka David Seville), actor, songwriter, singer, record producer, creator (and voices) of the Liberty Records group The Chipmunks, dies at age 52 of a heart attack in Beverly Hills, California and is later cremated at the Chapel of the Pines Crematory in Los Angeles, California
1976 - The television variety show "Donny and Marie", starring future Capitol Records artists (as solo performers) Donny and Marie Osmond, debuts on ABC-TV
1980 - Paul McCartney is jailed in Tokyo, Japan, for possession of a half-pound of marijuana found in his luggage. He will spend ten days in jail before being thrown out of the country by the Japanese authorities, forcing the cancellation of his Japanese tour.
1988 - George Harrison's Dark Horse Records single "I Got My Mind Set On You", with "Lay His Head" on the flip side and distributed by Warner Bros. Records in the United States, hits #1 on Billboard's Top 100 Singles chart setting a record for longest span between #1s (23 years and 11 months after The Beatles' "I Want To Hold Your Hand" hit #1 in February 1964). Harrison's record will be broken the same year by Capitol Records artists The Beach Boys when their Elektra Records single "Kokomo" (from the soundtrack to the motion picture "Cocktail"), with Little Richard's "Tutti Frutti" on the flip side, hits #1 on November 5, 1988 (24 years and 6 months after their Capitol Records single "I Get Around" hit #1 in May 1964).
1996 - Former Capitol Records artist Wayne Newton performs his 25,000th show in Las Vegas

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1884 - Irving Mills, agent and music publisher, is born in New York City, New York
1909 - Ethel Merman, Broadway, motion picture, and television actress and singer, is born Ethel Agnes Zimmerman in Astoria, New York
1921 - Charlie Chaplin's motion picture "The Kid" co-starring Jackie Coogan (later known for his role of Uncle Fester on the ABC-TV series "The Addams Family") opens

JANUARY 15, 2008

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1920 - Yvonne King, singer and member of the Capitol Records group The King Sisters, is born Cornelia Yvonne Driggs in Ephraim, Sanpete, Utah
1937 - Margaret O'Brien, motion picture, radio and television actress, and Capitol Records artist (1944-1948), is born Angela Maxine O'Brien in San Diego, California
1951 - Martha Davis, singer, songwriter, and member of the Capitol Records band The Motels, is born in Berkeley, California
1959 - Pete Trewavas, bass player, backing vocalist, and member of the Capitol Records group Marillion, is born in Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, England

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1948 - Jack Guthrie (born Leon Jerry Guthrie), singer, songwriter, cousin of Woody Guthrie, and Capitol Records artist (1945-1948), dies of tuberculosis at Livermore Veterans Tubercular Hospital near Sacrament, California at age 32 and is later buried in Sacramento's Memorial Cemetary
1949 - Gordon MacRae & Jo Stafford's Capitol Records single "My Darling, My Darling", with "Girls Were Made To Take Care Of Boys" on the flip side, hits #1 on the U.S. Pop singles charts
1952 - Ramblin' Jimmie Dolan (with Maurice Cameron Hill on guitar) records the tracks "Got My Heart Set On You", "Trade Winds Never Lie", "There's A Blue Sky Way Out Yonder", and "Stingy" for Capitol Records
1955 - Electric Musical Industries (EMI) of Great Britain buys 70 percent of Capitol Records, and a 96.41 percent equity controlling interest, for $8,500,000 and Sir Joseph Lockwood joins Capitol Records’ Board of Directors. EMI's investment will payoff a hundred fold by 1971.
1957 - The Four Freshmen begin recording tracks for their album "The Four Freshmen And Five Saxes" at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California
1964 - Jack Teagarden (born Weldon Leo Teagarden), trombonist, bandleader, singer, radio and motion picture performer, and Capitol Records (1942, 1943, 1955-1959) and Roulette Records (1959-1961) artist, dies of bronchial pneumonia at age 58 in his room at the Prince Conti Hotel in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana after playing a gig there the night before, and is later buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery, in Los Angeles, California
1964 - Capitol Records obtains an injuction in Chicago, Illinois which prohibits Vee-Jay Records from manufacturing or distributing any further Beatles records. Vee-Jay files suit against Capitol and Swan Records, which owned the rights to "She Loves You".
1965 - The Beach Boys' finish the second of two sessions to record the stereo track "Kiss Me, Baby" at Western Studios in Los Angeles, California
1966 - The Beach Boys' Capitol Records single "Barbara Ann", with "Girl Don't Tell Me" on the flip side, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart at #31 and will peak at #2 for two weeks on January 29, 1966
1971 - Apple Records finally releases George Harrison's single "My Sweet Lord", with "Isn't It A Pity" on the flip side, in the U.K.
1977 - Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band's Capitol Records single "Night Moves", with "Main Street" on the flip side, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart at #36 and will peak at #4 for two weeks on March 12, 1977
1991 - Garth Brooks' Capitol Records Nashville single "Unanswered Prayers", with "Alabamba Clay" on the flip side, is #1 on Billboard's Country Singles chart
1996 - Les Baxter, bandleader, arranger, music director, and Capitol Records artist (1947-1962), dies of a heart attack brought on by kidney failure at age 73 at Hoag Memorial Hospital in Newport Beach, California at age 73

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1961 - Blue Note Records releases Kenny Dorham (with Hank Mobley, Kenny Drew, Paul Chambers, and Philly Joe Jones)'s album "Whistle Stop". Blue Note's catalog is currently owned by Capitol Records parent company, EMI Music.
1972 - Don MacLean's United Artists Records single "American Pie" (with part 1 on one side and part 2 on the flip side) peaks at #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart where it will stay for four weeks
1993 - Sammy Cahn, lyricist (responsible for such Oscar-winning songs recorded by Capitol Records artist Frank Sinatra [and many others] as "Call Me Irresponsible", "Three Coins in the Fountain", and "All the Way", as well as many other standards) dies in Los Angeles, California at age 79
1994 - Harry Nilsson (born Harry Edward Nelson III), singer, songwriter, friend of John Lennon, and RCA Records artist, dies of heart failure at his home in Agoura Hills, California at 52 after completing the vocal tracks for his last album ""Harry's Got a Brown New Robe" with producer Mark Hudson earlier that day. The album has yet to be released. Among his biggest hits were the theme from the 1969 film "Midnight Cowboy", "Everybody's Talkin'" (composed by Capitol Records artist Fred Neil), and 1972's "Without You, (composed by Pete Ham and Tom Evans, of the Capitol Records group Badfinger and which on this day in 1972 entered the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart). Among my favorites of his other tracks are "Jump In To The Fire" (which heavily influenced The Cult's single "She Sells Sanctuary"), "Coconut", "Me And My Arrow" from Nilsson's score for the full length animated feature "The Point", as well as the soundtrack to the motion picture "Skidoo" (in which he also had an acting role).
1986 - The Del Lords (featuring Scott Kempner, Eric Ambel, Manny Caqiate, and Frank Funaro making unlisted contributions) record the tracks "Drug Deal", "Saint Jake" and "Against My Will" at an unlisted location. EMI America will issue all the tracks on the band's album "Johnny Comes Marching Home" (AML 3103) in England. EMI America's catalog is currently owned by Capitol Music's parent company, EMI Music.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1947 - Elizabeth Short (aka The Black Dahlia) is found dead, her body badly mutilated, in a vacant lot on the 3800 block of South Norton Avenue in the Leimert Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. Her murder has yet to be solved and has spawned many books and a motion picture.
1974 - "Happy Days" premieres on ABC-TV

JANUARY 14, 2008

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
1917 - Billy Butterfield, trumpeter, fluglehorn player, cornetist, band leader, and Capitol Records artist, is born Charles William Butterfield in Middletown, Ohio
1937 - Billie Jo Spears, singer and Capitol Records artist (1968-1975) and United Records artist (1975-1980), is born Billie Jean Spears in Beaumont, Texas
1938 - Jack Jones, son of actor and singer Allan Jones, singer, motion picture and television actor, and Capitol Records artist (1959 album "Jack Jones In Love"), is born John Allan Jones in Hollywood, California
1949 - Maury Muehleisen, guitarist and Capitol Records artist (1970), is born in Trenton, New Jersey
1969 - Dave Grohl, drummer, composer, member of the group Nirvana and the Capitol Records group Foo Fighters, is born David Eric Grohl in Warren, Ohio

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1946 - Stan Kenton and His Orchestra (Buddy Childers, Ray Wetzel, John Anderson, Russ Burgher, and Bob Lymperis on trumpet; Freddie Zito, Ray Klein, Milt Kabak on trombone; Bart Varsalona on bass trombone; Al Anthony and Boots Mussulli on alto saxophone; Vido Musso and Bob Cooper on tenor saxophone; Bob Gioga on baritone saxophone; Kenton on piano; Bob Ahern on guitar; Eddie Safranski on bass; Ralph Collier on drums; and June Christy and Gene Howard on vocals) record the tracks "All The Time" (vocal by Howard, Solos by Musso and Kenton), "That's The Least You Can Do" (Vocal by Howard), "Intermission Riff" (solos by Kenton, Safranski, Musso, and Musulli), and "Four Months, Three Weeks, Two Days, One Hour Blues" (with vocals by Christy and solos by Mussulli and Musso) at Radio Recorders studios in Hollywood, California
1950 - Jo Stafford and Gordon MacRae record the track "Dearie" which will be released by Capitol Records as a single (858)with "Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday" on the flip side and enter Billboard's Pop singles chart on March 3, 1950 where it will last for 11 weeks and peak at #12
1956 - Dean Martin's Capitol Records single "Memories Are Made Of This", with "Change Of Heart" on the flip side, is still #1 on Billboard's Pop singles chart
1958 - Faron Young begins three straight days of sessions at his only time recording at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California, recording tracks for his second album "The Object of My Affection", with producer Ken Nelson and Buck Owens on guitar
1958 - Arranger and songwriter Johnny Richards (with Al Stewart, Johnny Bello, Burt Collins, and Ray Copeland on trumpet; Jimmy Cleveland, Jim Dahl, and Billy Byers on trombone; Julius Watkins on french horn; Jay McAllister on tuba; Gene Quill on alto saxophone; Frank Socolow on tenor saxophone; Billy Slapin on baritone saxophone and piccolo; Shelly Gold on bass saxophone; Bob Pancoast on piano; Chet Amsterdam on bass; Jimmy Campbell on drums; and Joe Venuto on percussion) records tracks in New York City for his Capitol Records album "Experiments In Sound"
1960 - Nat "King" Cole performs live at The Sands in Las Vegas. The show is recorded and highlights are released by Capitol Records as Cole's album "Nat King Cole At The Sands" in 1966
1968 - Merle Haggard's Capitol Records single "Sing Me Back Home", with "Good Times" on the flip side, is #1 on Billboard's Country Singles chart
1999 - Capitol Records Nashville artist Garth Brooks appears on "Sesame Street"

JANUARY 13, 2008

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
1962 - Trace Adkins, singer, songwriter, and Capitol Records Nashville artist, is born Tracy Darrell Adkins in Sarepta, near Springhill, Louisiana

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1949 - Jimmy Wakely's Capitol Records single "I Love You So Much It Hurts", with "I Don't Want Your Sympathy" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
1964 - Capitol Records releases The Beatles' single "I Want To Hold Your Hand" with "I Saw Her Standing There" on the flip side
1965 - The Gerald Wilson Orchestra records their album "On Stage" at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California
1969 - Capitol Records releases the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack to United Artists' animated feature film "The Yellow Submarine"
1975 - Helen Reddy's Capitol Records single "Angie Baby", with "I Think I'll Write A Song" on the flip side, is certified Gold by the R.I.A.A.
1988 - Capitol Records releases Megadeth's third album for the label, "So Far, So Good… So What?" which features new member Jeff Young on guitar and Chris Behler on drums
1993 - Clark Yocum (born Clark Albert Yocum), singer, brother of music copyist Verne Yokum, member of the local and national boards of directors of AFTRA, AFofM contract and recording session supervisior, and member of the Capitol Records group "The Pied Pipers", dies of compications of diabetes at age 80 in Las Vegas, Nevada. His daughter, Judy Yocum Check, helped write an online biography page for her dad.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1948 - Future Capitol Records artist Buck Owens marries fifteen-year-old Bonnie Campbell, who will later divorce Owens and marry Capitol Records artist Merle Haggard
1957 - Hank Mobley And His All-Stars (Mobley on tenor saxophone, Milt Jackson on vibraphones, Horace Silver on piano, Doug Watkins on bass, and Art Blakey on drums) record the tracks "Reunion", "Lower Stratosphere", "Don't Walk", "Ultramarine", and "Mobley's Musings" with producer Alfred Lion and recording engineer Rudy Van Gelder at the Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, New Jersey for Blue Note Records. Blue Note's catalog is currently owned by Capitol Records parent company, EMI Music and Blue Note Records is currently a division of Capitol Records, Incorporated.
1958 - The Horace Silver Quintet (Horace Silver, piano and composer; Art Farmer, trumpet; Clifford Jordan; tenor saxophone; Teddy Kotick, bass; Louis Hayes, drums) records the track "Moon Rays" for Blue Note Records at the Van Gelder Studio in Hackensack, New Jersey
1981 - Past and future Capitol Records artist Merle Haggard's MCA Records single "I Think I’ll Just Stay Here and Drink", with "Back To The Barrooms Again" on the flip side, is #1 on Billboard's Country Singles chart

JANUARY 12, 2008

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1904 - Mississippi Fred McDowell, singer, guitarist and Capitol Records artist (1969 - the album "I Do Not Play No Rock'n'Roll") is born in Rossville, Tennessee
1905 - Tex Ritter, singer, guitarist, motion picture actor, television host, 1964 Country Music Hall Of Fame inductee, 1971 Nashville Songwriters Hall Of Fame inductee, the father of actor John Ritter, and Capitol Records' first Country artist, is born born Maurice Woodward Ritter in Murvaul, Panola County, Texas
1959 - Per Gessle, singer, songwriter, with the Capitol Records group Roxette, is born in Halmstad, Sweden

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1949 - Tommy Duncan & His Western All-Stars (which includes Maurice Cameron Hill on guitar) records the tracks "I'm Thru Wastin' Time On You", "Worried Over You", "Take Me Back To Tulsa", and "Time Changes Everything" at Capitol Records' new Melrose Avenue studios in Hollywood, California at their first session for the label
1956 - Bert Convey, with the group The Cheers, signs with Capitol Records
1959 - Capitol Records releases Ferlin Husky's single "My Reason For Living" with "Wrong" on the flip side
1966 - The Guy Lombardo Orchestra signs with Capitol Records
1975 - Merle Haggard's single "Kentucky Gambler", with "I've Got A Darlin' (For A Wife)" is #1 on Billboard's Country Singles chart
1998 - Gene Vincent, Capitol Records artist, is posthumously inducted into the Rock 'N' Roll Hall Of Fame

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1958 - Eddie Cochran records the track "Jeannie, Jeannie, Jeannie" in Los Angeles, California for Liberty Records
1968 - Chynna Phillips, singer with the SBK Records group Wilson, and daughter of John and Michelle Phillips (members of the group The Mamas & the Papas) is born, in Los Angeles, California
1974 - Melanie Chisholm , singer, songwriter, with the Virgin Records group The Spice Girls (as "Sporty Spice), and a solo artist using the name Mel C, is born in Widnes (near Liverpool), England
1986 - Dan Seals' EMI America single "Bop", with "In San Antone" on the flip side, is #1 on Billboard's Country Singles chart

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1965 - NBC-TV airs the first episode of the pop show "Hullabaloo!" designed to compete with ABC's popular "Shindig" show. The first broadcast features guests The New Christy Minstrels, Gerry and the Pacemakers, The Zombies (introduced by Brian Epstein), and Woody Allen.
1966 - "Batman", a live action half hour cliffhanger show that will air twice a week, debuts on ABC-TV.

JANUARY 11, 2008

2008 - REST IN PEACE - Pete Candoli, trumpet player, arranger of sessions for Capitol Records artists Judy Garland, , member of the Capitol Records bands of Stan Kenton and Woody Herman as well as the bands of Tommy Dorsey, Tex Beneke and Les Brown, and one-time husband of Capitol Records artist Betty Hutton and actress and singer Edie Adams, has died of prostate cancer at his home in Studio City at age 84. His funeral will be held on Tuesday, January 15 at 3pm at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills, 6300 Forest Lawn Drive, Los Angeles, California. There is a wonderful website that stands as a tribute to Pete and his brother, trumpet player Conte Candoli.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
1911 - Tommy Duncan, singer, front man for Bob Wills' Texas Playboys, and Capitol Records solo artist (signed by Lee Gillette in 1948), is born Thomas Elmer Duncan in Hillsboro, Texas

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1952 - Les Paul and Mary Ford's Capitol Records single "Tiger Rag", with "It's A Lonesome Old Town" on the flip side, enters the top 40 of the U.S. Pop singles charts
1952 - Nat "King" Cole (on piano and vocals), with John Collins on guitar, Charlie Harris on bass, and Jack Costanzo on bongo, records the tracks "You Stepped Out Of A Dream" and "It's Crazy" with arranger Pete Rugolo conducting his orchestra for Capitol Records at the label's Melrose Avenue Studios in Hollywood, California
1955 - Skeets MacDonald records the track "Number One In Your Heart" for Capitol Records with producer Ken Nelson at the label's Melrose Avenue studios in Hollywood, California
1957 - Jack Teagarden records the tracks "Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child" and "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" for his Capitol Records album "Swing Low Sweet Spiritual" at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California
1965 - The Beach Boys record the track "Do You Wanna Dance" for Capitol Records
1971 - Capitol Records releases Buck Owens' single "Bridge Over Troubled Waters"
1974 - The Steve Miller Band's Capitol Records single "The Joker", with "Something To Believe In" on the flip side is still #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1974 - Paul McCartney & Wing's Apple Records single (distributed in the United States by Capitol Records) "Junior's Farm", with "Sally G." on the flip side, peak at #3 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1975 - John Lennon's Apple Records single "#9 Dream", with "What You Got" on the flip side and distributed by Capitol Records in the United States, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1991 - Garth Brooks' Capitol Records Nashville single "Unanswered Prayers", with "Alabama Clay" on the flip side, becomes his fourth #1 on Billboard's Country singles chart
1992 - Hammer's Capitol Record single "2 Legit 2 Quit", with a long version on one side and a short version on the flip side, peak at #5 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
2005 - Capitol Records releases the original motion picture soundtrack to the film "Coach Carter"

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1972 - Capitol Records artists Merle Haggard and Buck Owens, along with Johnny Cash, are the featured guests on tonight's episode of Capitol Records artist Glen Campbell's CBS-TVs variety show "The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour"

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1963 - The Whisky-A-Go-Go night club on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles, California opens. Liberty Records artist Johnny Rivers would lead the house band and one of the clubs early features was Go-Go dancers in cages. I saw Virgin Records America artists Keith Richards and His Expensive Winos play their first West Coast concert at a remodeled version of the club (no cages) in September 1988.
1964 - Billboard magazine publishes its first country and western album chart. Johnny Cash's album "King of Fire - The Best of John Cash" is its first #1
1972 - The ABC-TV movie "Kolchak, The Night Stalker", starring Darren McGavin and produced by Dan Curtis, airs for the first time and will become the highest rated "Made For TV" movie of the time. A sequal, "The Night Strangler", will be created and then a television series based on the original movie, with McGavin returning as Kolchak will air in 1973 for one season. In 2005, a new version of the series, without Darren McGavin as Kolchak, will air on ABC-TV for eight episodes.

JANUARY 10, 2008

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1925 - Max Roach, percussionist, drummer, composer, teacher, co-founder of Debut Records with Charles Mingus, and Capitol Records artist (with Miles Davis' Nonet on some of the "Birth Of The Cool" sessions), is born Maxwell Lemuel Roach in New Land, North Carolina
1927 - Gisele MacKenzie, singer, violinist, radio, television, and musical theatre performer, and Capitol Records artist (1953-1960), is born Gisèle Marie-Louise Marguerite LaFlèche in Winipeg, Manitoba, Canada
1927 - John Raitt, singer, Broadway and motion picture actor, Capitol Records artist (1957) and father of Capitol Records artist Bonnie Raitt, is born in Santa Ana, California
1943 - Jim Croce, singer, songwriter, guitarist, and Capitol Records artist as part of a duo with his wife Ingrid, is born James Joseph Croce in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1947 - Johnny Mercer (with The Pied Pipers and Wingy Manone on additional vocals, and Paul Weston and His Orchestra) records the track "Tuscaloosa Bus" and (with just The Pied Pipers on additional vocals and Weston and His Orchestra) the tracks "Avalon" and "I Do Do Do Like You" in Los Angeles, California for Capitol Records
1949 - Capitol Records opens its own recording studios at 5515 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, California in the former KHJ Radio studios. The site is currently home to the studios of television station KCAL, Channel 9.
1956 - Frank Sinatra, with arranger Nelson Riddle conducting the orchestra, records the tracks "Pennies From Heaven", "How About You?", "We'll Be Together Again", and "You're Getting To Be A Habit With Me" at Capitol Records' Melrose Avenue studios in Hollywood, California for his Capitol Records album "Songs For Swingin' Lovers"
1966 - Capitol Records releases Peter and Gordon's single "Woman" with "Wrong From The Start" on the flip side
1988 - Dan Seals' Capitol Records single "One Friend", with "Bop" on the flip side, is #1 on Billboard's Country Singles chart
1993 - Garth Brooks' Liberty Records single "Somewhere Other Than The Night", with "Mr. Right" on the flip side, is #1 on Billboard's Country Singles chart. Liberty Records is know known as Capitol Records Nashville.
2007 - The United States Post Offices issues a commerative stamp featuring a portrait of one-time Capitol Records artist Ella Fitzgerald.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1944 - Frank Sinatra, Jr., singer, band leader, and son of future Capitol Records artist Frank Sinatra and his wife Nancy, is born Franklin Wayne Sinatra in Jersey City, New Jersey
1953 - Pat Benatar, singer and Chrysalis Records artist is born Patricia Andrzejewski in Brooklyn, New York. Chrysalis' catalog is currently owned by Capitol Records' parent company, EMI Music.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1904 - Ray Bolger, singer, dancer, Broadway, motion picture, and television actor, is born Raymond Wallace Bulcão in Dorchester, Massachusetts
1949 - The Radio Corporation of America (aka RCA, whose logo in the United States is "His Master's Voice", Capitol Records' parent company EMI's corporate logo in the rest of the world) announces that it has developed a seven-inch vinyl record to be played at 45 rpm and will be the first record company to release its artists' tracks using the format. Capitol Records will join them quickly, becoming the first record company to release its artists' tracks (including full albums) in the 33, 45, and 78 rpm formats.
1982 - Ronnie Milsap's RCA single "I Wouldn't Have Missed It For The World", with "It Happens Every Time" is #1 on Billboard's Country Singles chart. The track was remastered and released in 2000 on Milsap's Virgin Records 2 CD compilation "40 #1 Hits". Virgin Records is a subsidiary of Capitol Records.

JANUARY 9, 2008

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1944 - James Talley, singer, songwriter, certified commercial investment member in Nashville, Tennessee, and Capitol Records artist (1975-1977), is born in Pryor, Oklahoma
1951 - Crystal Gayle, singer, younger sister of singer Loretta Lynn, and Capitol Records artist, is born Brenda Gail Webb in Paintsville, Kentucky

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1956 - Frank Sinatra, with arranger Nelson Riddle conducting the orchestra, records the tracks "You Brought A New Kind Of Love To Me", "I Thought About You", "You Make Me Feel So Young", and "Memories Of You" for his Capitol Records album "Songs For Swingin' Lovers" at Capitol's Melrose Avenue Studios in Hollywood, California
1965 - The Beatles' Capitol Records album "Beatles '65" hits #1 on Billboard's Pop album chart and will stay there for nine consecutive weeks
1972 - Merle Haggard and The Strangers' Capitol Records single "Carolyn", with When The Feelin' Goes Away" on the flip side, is #1 on Billboard's Country Singles chart
1986 - Capitol Records group Marillion begins two consecutive days of concerts at London's Hammersmith Odeon where the tracks "Kayleigh", "Script For A Jester's Tear", and "Fugazi" are recorded and later released by Capitol on the mini album "Brief Encounter"
1990 - Tommy Smith begins 5 consecutive days of recording sessions for his Capitol Records album "Peeping Tom" with producer Gary Burton and recording and mixing engineer Jan Erik Kongshaug at Rainbow Studios, in Oslo, Norway

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1945 - Mushmouth Robinson records the tracks "Let's Get Some", "I Got The Blues", "I'm Hip To These Women", and "Boogie Boo Blues" in Los Angeles, California for Black & White Records. Black & White's catalog is currently owned by EMI Music, Capitol Records' parent company.
1972 - Don McLean's United Artists Records single "American Pie" (the song is broken up as Parts 1 and 2 and takes up both sides of the single) is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart. EMI Music, Capitol Records' parent company, currently owns the United Artists catalog.
1977 - Crystal Gayle's United Artists Records single "You Never Miss A Real Good Thing", with "Forgettin' About You" on the flip side, is #1 on Billboard's Country Singles chart. EMI Music, Capitol Records' parent company, currently owns the United Artists catalog.
1983 - Merle Haggard and The Strangers' Epic Records single "Going Where The Lonely Go", with "Someday Your Going To Need Your Friends Again" on the flip side, is #1 on Billboard's Country Singles chart. Capitol Records currently distributes the track on Haggard's compilation CDs.
2001 - Capitol Records releases the compilation CD "From The Vaults, Volume 4: Love Letters", compiled and produced by Billy Vera who also wrote the liner notes.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1988 - Twenty years ago today, Kristine Anne Jennifer Heimback married me at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Eggertsville, New York

JANUARY 8, 2008

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1912 - Jose Ferrer, Broadway and Motion Picture actor, one time husband of Rosemary Clooney, and Capitol Records artist (original motion picture soundtrack for "Cyrano de Bergerac") is born
1926 - Soupy Sales, television children's show host, motion picture actor, Capitol Records artist (1966 - single 5766: "Use Your Noggin" with "The Backwards Alphabet" on the flip side, arranged by Mort Garson), and father of musicians Hunt (bass player) and Tony (drummer) Sales (best know for their work with Todd Rundgren, Iggy Pop, and as members of the bands Tony & The Tigers and Tin Machine), is born Milton Supman in Franklinton, North Carolina

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1966 - The Beatles' Capitol Records album "Rubber Soul" hits #1 on US album chart and their Capitol Records single "We Can Work it Out", with "Day Tripper" on the flip side, hits #1 on US single chart
1968 - Capitol Records releases Buck Owens' single "How Long Will My Baby Be Gone" with "Everybody Needs Somebody" on the flip side
1969 - Buck Owens records the track "Tall Dark Stranger" for Capitol Records
1973 - Capitol Records releases Buck Owens' album "In The Palm Of Your Hand"
1977 - The Steve Miller Band's Capitol Records single "Fly Like An Eagle" enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1998 - Will Champion, drummer, percussionist, pianist and vocalist, joins the Parlophone (UK)/Capitol Records (US) band Coldplay
2002 - Capitol Records releases a 24-bit remastered version of Frank Sinatra's album "No One Cares" on CD
2002 - Capitol Records releases Starsailor's debut album "Love Is Here"

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1935 - Elvis Aron Presley, truck driver, singer, guitarist, motion picture actor, and father of Capitol Records artist Lisa Marie Presley, is born in Tupelo, Mississippi. His twin brother, Jesse, was stillborn.
1937 - Dame Shirley Bassey, singer and EMI Columbia Records (UK) and United Artists Records (US) artist, is born Shirley Veronica Bassey in Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom. Capitol Records currently distributes the United Artists catalog including Bassey's recording of the title tracks for the soundtracks of the motion pictures "Goldfinger", "Diamonds Are Forever", and "Moonraker"
1938 - Bob Eubanks, radio disc jockey and television game show host, is born. Eubanks, at the time one of the top Los Angeles radio disc jockeys, put up his own money to finance The Beatles' first Hollywood Bowl concert.
1947 - David Bowie, singer, motion picture actor, and EMI America artist is born David Jones in Brixton, England
1960 - Eddie Cochran, with Sonny Curtis and Jerry Allison, records the track "Three Steps To Heaven" at Goldstar Studios (currently a parking lot of a mini mall at Sunset and LaBrea) in Los Angeles, California
1966 - The last episode of ABC-TV's variety show "Shingig", which has had Capitol Records artist Donna Loren as the featured female vocalist for the entire run of the show since it started on September 16, 1964, airs
1969 - Scaffold's single "Lily The Pink" is #1 on the U.K. Pop singles chart. Mike McCool (aka Michael McCartney, brother of Paul McCartney) is a member of Scaffold.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1893 - Max Freedman, songwriter (best known for "Rock Around The Clock", originally recorded by Louis Jourdan and then Bill Haley And His Comets) is born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

JANUARY 7, 2008

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1944 - The Capitol Jazzmen (Shorty Sherock on trumpet, Barney Bigard on clarinet, Les Robinson on alto saxophone, Eddie Miller on tenor saxophone, Pete Johnson on piano, Nappy Lamare on guitar, Hank Wayland on bass, Nick Fatool on drums, and Peggy Lee on vocals) record the tracks "Sugar Swaggie", "Sugar", "Ain't Goin' No Place" with vocal by Lee, "Someday Sweetheart" with Stan Wrightsman on piano instead of Johnson, and "That Old Feeling" with Lee on vocals and Wrightsman on celeste and without Sherock, Bigard and Robinson, with producer Dave Dexter, Jr. in Los Angeles, California. This session would bring Lee out of retirement for an afternnon and lead to her signing with Capitol Records. All the tracks, except "Sugar Swaggie", would appear on the Capitol Records album "New American Jazz".
1952 - Ella Mae Morse's Capitol Records single "Blacksmith Blues", with "Love Me Or Leave Me" on the flip side, sells its first million copies
1956 - Dean Martin's Capitol Records single "Memories Are Made of This" is still #1 on Billboard's Pop singles chart
1964 - The Beatles record the track "Johnny B. Goode" at BBC Radio's studios for a "live" broadcast. The track would later be released on Apple Records' double album set "Live At The BBC" and distributed by Capitol Records in the United States
1978 - Bob Welch's Capitol Records single "Sentimental Lady", with "Hot Love, Cold War" on the flip side, peaks at #8 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart, where it will stay for two weeks
1992 - Hammer's Capitol Records album "Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em" is certified Multi-Platinum x9 by the R.I.A.A.

ON THIS DAY NIGHT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1944 - Mike McCool, singer, member of the band Scaffold, and brother of Capitol Records artist Paul McCartney, is born Michael McCartney in Liverpool, England
1947 - The Illinois Jacquett All-Stars (on tenor saxophone; Joe Newman, Fats Navarro as Slim Romero, Miles Davis and Marion Hazel on trumpet; Gus Chapell, Fred Robinson, Ted Kelly, and Dickie Wells on trombone; Ray Perry and Jimmy Powell on alto saxophone; band leader Illinois Jacquet and George "Big Nick" Nicholas on tenor saxophones; Leo Parker on baritone saxophone; Bill Doggett and Leonard Feather on piano; Al Lucas on bass; and Shadow Wilson on drums), using arrangements by Jimmy Mundy, record the tracks "For Europeans Only" and "Big Dog" with Bill Doggett on piano, and "You Left Me All Alone" and "Jivin' with Jack the Bellboy" with Leonard Feather on piano, in New York City, New York. Alladin Records will issue the tracks on Jacquett's album "Illinois Jacquet & His Tenor Sax" (Alladin LP 704). Aladdin's catalog is currently owned by Capitol Music's parent company EMI Music.

JANUARY 6, 2008

2008 - REST IN PEACE - Ken Nelson, singer in the vocal trio The Campus Kids (which also included future Capitol Records A&R man and producer Lee Gillette, who got Ken his job at Capitol), radio announcer, arranger, and Capitol Records talent scout, A&R man and record producer (including "Be Bop A Lula" and many songs by Capitol Records country artists including Buck Owens, Hank Thompson, Ferlin Husky, Jean Shepard, Tommy Collins, Wynn Stewart, Wanda Jackson, Merle Haggard, Roy Clark, Jerry Reed, Rose Maddox, Faron Young, and others) who joined the label in 1946 and retired 30 years later, one of the major influencers of "The Bakersfield Sound", and co-founder of the Nashville-based Country Music Association, has died at age 96 of natural causes at his home in Somis, California. In early 2007 Ken spent $40,000 to self-publish his memoir, "My First 90 Years Plus Three". At his request, no services are planned.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
1946 - Syd Barrett, songwriter, singer, founding member of the Tower Records (a subsidiary of Capitol Records) group The Pink Floyd, and a solo artist, is born Roger Keith Barrett in Cambridge, England

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1950 - Tennessee Ernie Ford's Capitol Records single "Mule Train" is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
1953 - Capitol Records artist Peggy Lee marries Brad Dexter
1965 - Ben Light (born Benjamin Bertram Leight), pianist and Capitol Records artist (1950-1954), dies at age 72 in Hollywood, California. Rex Strother has an online biography page for Light.
1966 - The Beatles' Capitol Records single "Day Tripper", with "We Can Work It Out" on the flip side, is certified Gold by the R.I.A.A.
1968 - The Human Beinz's Capitol Records single "Nobody But Me", with "Sueno" on the flip side, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart where it will peak at #8
1968 - The Lettermen's Capitol Records single "Goin' Out Of My Head" with "Can't Take My Eye Off Of You" on the flip side, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1974 - The Steve Miller Band's Capitol Records single "The Joker", with "Something To Believe In" on the flip side, is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1974 - Merel Haggard's Capitol Records single "If We Make It Through December" is #1 on Billboard's Top Country Singles chart
1993 - Dizzie Gillespie, trumpet player, songwriter, band leader, one of the founders of Bebop, and a Capitol Records artist, dies in Englewood, New Jersey of cancer at age 75
2002 - Bobby Austin, guitarist, session musician for Capitol Records artist Buck Owens and a Capitol Records solo artist (1962-1964 and 1969-1972), dies in Camas, Washington at age 69
2006 - Lou Rawls, singer and Capitol Records and Blue Note Records artist, dies of cancer at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California at age 72

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1939 - Blue Note Records is started when Alfred Lion records Meade Lux Lewis and Albert Ammons at a session funded with start-up capitol by writer Max Margulis, at 2:00 PM in New York City (listed as probably at WMGM Studios) where he records 4 solos by each and 2 duets with both men playing on the same piano. Blue Note Records is currently a division of Capitol Records, Incorporated.
1953 - Peggy Lee, who at the time was a Decca Records artist (1952-1956 before resigning to Capitol) marries Brad Dexter
1964 - Vee-Jay Records releases the first version of The Beatles' album "Introducing... The Beatles" with a second version being released on February 10, 1964
1991 - Garth Brooks' Liberty Records single "Unanswered Prayers" is #1 on Billboard's Top Country Singles chart. Liberty Records is now known as Capitol Records Nashville.
1998 - William "Owen" Bradley, pianist, organist, trombonist, arranger, bandleader, record producer (from Patsy Cline to k. d. lang) and recording studio owner (whose Nashville, Tennesseee studios were used by Capitol Records producer Ken Nelson to record a number of Capitol Records artists including Gene Vincent, who recorded "Be-Bop-A-Lula" at Bradley's studio), and 1974 Country Music Hall of Fame inductee, dies at age 82 in Westmoreland, Tennessee

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1973 - "Schoolhouse Rock", a series of short animated educational films that would play between Saturday Morning cartoons, premieres on ABC-TV. Capitol Records released an album called "Multiplication Rock", the success of which led to ABC ordering the animated series. Check out LE's Schoolhouse Rock Site for a lot of great information about the creation of this series which still plays on ABC-TV.