APRIL 22, 2009

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
1936 - Glen Campbell, guitarist, singer, motion picture actor, television variety show host, a Capitol Records session artist and solo artist, is born in Delight, Arkansas

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL HISTORY
60 Years Ago Today In 1949 - The Miles Davis Nonet (with Davis on trumpet, Kenny Clarke on drums, J.J. Johnson on trombone, Lee Konitz on alto saxophone, John Lewis on piano, Gerry Mulligan on baritone saxophone, Bill Barber on tuba, Nelson Boyd on double bass, and Sandy Siegelstein on french horn) record the tracks "Venus De Milo" (arranged by Gerry Mulligan), "Boplicity" (arranged by Gil Evans), "Israel" (arranged by Johnny Carisi), and "Rouge" (arranged by John Lewis). The session, set up by Capitol A&R man Walter Rivers (a cousin of Capitol Records co-founder Johnny Mercer, who also signed Yma Sumac to the label) and produced by Pete Rugolo, was held Capitol Records' studio in New York City, New York. Eventually all the tracks were released by Capitol Records on the album "Birth Of The Cool".
1958 - Ethel Ennis records Harry Warren's "Serenade in Blue" for her Capitol album "Have You Forgotten" (Capitol T1078) with the orchestra conducted by Sid Feller. For more on Ethel Ennis go to this New York Times article.
1961 - Capitol Records artist Faron Young is one of the headliners (which also include Webb Pierce, Porter Wagoner, Patsy Cline and Earl Scruggs) at the first annual Country Music Festival held in United States at the 13,000-seater Coliseum in Jacksonville, Florida
1963 - Gene Vincent's recording contract with Capitol Records expires. His last recording for the label is a remake of "Be-Bop-A-Lula"
40 Years Ago Today In 1969 - John Lennon legally changes his middle name from Winston to Ono in a ceremony on the rooftop of The Beatles' Apple Building and later requires that all of his Gold Record awards bear the correct legal name, John Ono Lennon
1970 - Variety magazine runs an article entitled "Split Of Beatles Clips Capitol Industries Stocks"
1987 - Irving C. Ashby, guitarist in the Capitol Record group The King Cole Trio, dies in Perris, California at age 66

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1958 - David Seville's Liberty Records single "Witch Doctor", with "Don't Whistle At My Baby" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Pop Singles charts. Seville (aka Ross Bagdasarian) would use the techniques from this single to create the sound of The Chimpmunks.
1978 - Kenny Rogers and Dottie West's United Artists Records single "Every Time Two Fools Collide", with "We Love Each Other" on the flip side, is still #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts. United Artist's catalog is currently owned by EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company.
30 Years Ago Today In 1979 - Blondie's Chrysalis Records single "Heart Of Glass" with "11:59" on the flip side, is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart. Chrysalis' catalog is currently owned by EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company.
1990 - Sinead O' Connor's Chrysalis Records album "I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got" is #1 on Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart. Chrysalis' catalog is currently owned by EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company.