SEPTEMBER 19, 2008

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
75 Years Ago Today In 1933 - David McCallum, actor ("The Man From U.N.C.L.E.", "The Invisible Man", "N.C.I.S.", etc.) and Capitol Records recording artist is born David Keith McCallum in Glasglow, Scotland
1934 - Brian Epstein, author, manager of his family's North End Road Music Stores (NEMS) and manager of the EMI/Capitol Records group The Beatles (1962-1967), as well as Gerry and The Pacemakers, Cilla Black, Billy J. Kramer and The Dakotas, The Fourmost, The Big Three, The Silkie, Tommy Quickly, The Cyrkle, The Remo Four, and others, is born Brian Samuel Epstein in Rodney Street, in Liverpool, England
1941 - "Mama" Cass Elliot, motion picture actress (movie version of "H.R. Pufnstuf"), singer (both with the group The Mamas And The Papas and as a solo artist), and a Capitol Records artist (on the soundtrack to “H.R. Pufnstuf”), is born in Balt, Maryland.
1942 - Danny Kalb, guitarist and founder of the Capitol Records recording group (1971-1972) The Blues Project, is born in Mount Vernon, New York
1945- Freda Payne, singer, actress, and Invictus Records (a subsidiary of Capitol Records formed by Brian and Eddie Holland) artist, is born Freda Charcelia Payne in Detroit, Michigan. On her birthday in 1970, her single "Band Of Gold" is #1 on the U.K. Pop singles charts.
1949 - Twiggy, supermodel, motion picture actress, judge on television talent show, singer, dancer, and Capitol Records artist, is born Lesley Hornby in the London suburb of Neasden, England
1952 - Nile Rodgers, singer, founding member of the group Chic, member of the group The Honeydrippers, record producer for Capitol Records band Duran Duran and EMI America artist David Bowie, and assisted with the production of Capitol Records band Power Station's self-titled debut album, is born in New York City, New York

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1955 - Capitol Records artist Frank Sinatra hosts a special episode of the radio show "Biography in Sound" on the life of Capitol Records artist Stan Kenton, playing several of Kenton’s records and narrating the highlights of Kenton’s career and new approaches on Jazz music
1960 - Stan Kenton and his Orchestra record eight tracks at their first recording session with four mellophonium players (Gene Roland, Joe Burnette, Bill Horan and Tom Wirtel), playing to the charts of Johnny Richards and Gene Roland, at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California. Some of the tracks are included on the CD of Kenton's Capitol Records album "Cuban Fire!" that was re-issued by Capitol Jazz, a division of Blue Note Records, which is a subsidiary of Capitol Records
1966 - At the first session for The Beach Boys' album "Smile", Brian Wilson records "Our Prayer" also known as just "Prayer" that he intends to be the unlisted intro to the album but not a proper track, at Columbia Studio in Los Angeles, California
1979 - Louis Ferdinand Busch (aka Lou Busch and aka Joe "Fingers" Carr), pianist, Capitol Records and Warner Brothers Records A&R executive and producer, head of Capitol Records Transcription service, session pianist for Peggy Lee, Tennessee Ernie Ford and Jo Stafford, one-time husband of Capitol Records artist Margaret Whiting and father of Debbie Whiting, and Capitol Records recording artist under the name Joe "Fingers" Carr, is killed in an auto accident in Camarillo, California at age 69 and is later interred in the Westwood Village Mortuary near UCLA in Westwood, California
1979 - John Simmons, bass player in an early lineup of The King Cole Trio and with Capitol Records artist Illinois Jacquet's band as well as playing on Capitol Records sessions for Benny Goodman, Peggy Lee and Sammy Davis, Jr., dies either in Orange, New York or Los Angeles, California at age 61. If anyone knows for sure which city, please leave a comment.
1982 - The Steve Miller Band's Capitol Records single "Abracadabra", with "Baby Wanna Dance" on the flip side, returns to #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 single chart
1986 - Capitol Records releases Megadeth's album "Peace Sells"
1999 - Capitol Records artist Tommy Collins is inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall Of Fame
2006 - Capitol Records releases Chingy's album "Hoodstar"