AUGUST 21, 2008

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1920 - Sarah Churchill, singer with Capitol Records artists Benny Carter and His Orchestra, is born Sarah Valentine in Colfax, Louisiana
1921 - Uan Rasey, Capitol Records artist as a trumpet player in Frank Devol and His Orchestra, Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra, and with the studio orchestra for the Four Freshmen, band manager for Billy May's Capitol Records big band, first trumpet in MGM and Paramount Picture's studio orchestras, and teacher, is born in Glasgow, Montana
70 Years Ago Today In 1938 - Kenny Rogers, singer, guitarist and Liberty and Capitol Records recording artist, is born Kenneth Donald Rogers in Houston, Texas
1939 - James Burton, songwriter ("Suzie Q" with Dale Hawkins), member of The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, and guitarist who, with his '53 Telecaster, was part of Rick Nelson's Imperial Records recording group, did session work with producer Ken Nelson for Capitol Records artists Merle Haggard and Buck Owens which helped define "The Bakersfield Sound", and was part of the backing band on Virgin Records recording artist Roy Orbison's "Black And White" special, is born in Dubberly, Louisiana. If anyone knows what James' middle name is, please leave a comment.

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1949 - The country and western team Lonzo and Oscar (Lloyd George and Rollin Sullivan) have their first Capitol Records recording session as Lonzo and Oscar's Winston County Pea Pickers and record the tracks "I Wonder Why She Almost Drives Me Wild", "My Dreams Turned into a Nightmare", "Pretty Little Indian Maid", "Tickle the Tom Cat’s Tail". If anyone knows which studio and/or city where the session was held, please leave a comment.
1966 - Capitol Records artist Lou Rawls opens for Capitol Records band The Beatles at a concert held at Crosley Field in Cincinnati, Ohio
1972 - Capitol Records releases Tennessee Ernie Ford's single "Pea-Pickin' Cook" with "Song (Mama's Song)" on the flip side
35 Years Ago Today In 1973 - Grand Funk Railroad's Capitol Records album "We're An American Band" is certified Gold by the R.I.A.A.
1979 - The Knack's Capitol Records single "My Sharona" is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart
1990 - Capitol Records releases Syd Barrett's solo album "The Madcap Laughs" for the first time on CD.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1936 - Future Capitol Records recording group The Benny Goodman Quartet, with the recently added Lionel Hampton on vibraphone, records its first track, "Moonglow"
1944 - Jackie DeShannon, singer, songwriter and Liberty Records artist, is born Sharon Lee Myers in Hazel, Kentucky. Liberty's catalog is currently owned by EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company.
1977 - Crystal Gayle's United Artists Records single "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue", with "It's All Right With Me" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles chart. United Artists' catalog is currently owned by EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1904 - Count Basie, pianist, composer, and band leader, is born William Basie in Red Bank, New Jersey
1935 - Benny Goodman and His Orchestra, whose shows up to this time had not been great successes in terms of attendance, finish their current tour at The Palomar Ballroom in Los Angeles, California with a show that is also aired on a nation-wide hookup. The packed audience at the ballroom is the band's most enthusiastic. The rave reviews of the performance, which put some of the credit to the audience's responsiveness on the three hour earlier time difference between when the band's spot on the "Let's Dance" radio show was being aired in Los Angeles versus New York City, assure Goodman and his band's success and "The Swing Era" begins.
50 Years Ago Today In 1958 - Walter Schumann, composer ("Theme From Dragnet") and songwriter, dies at age 44
2005 - Dr. Robert Arthur Moog, inventor of the Moog Synthesizer, dies age of 71 in Asheville, North Carolina of a glioblastoma multiforme brain tumor