APRIL 3, 2009

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1936 - Jimmy McGriff, organist and Sue, Veep, Solid State, Blue Note and Capitol Records artist, is born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
1942- Wayne Newton, singer, televison and motion picture actor, and Capitol Records artist, is born Carson Wayne Newton in Roanoke, Virginia
1945 - Richard Manuel, singer, composer, keyboard player for the band The Hawks and the Capitol Records group The Band, is born in Stratford, Ontario
60 Years Ago Today In 1949 - Richard Thompson, singer, songwriter, guitarist, founding member of the group Fairport Convention, part of a duo with then wife Linda Thompson, and Capitol Records solo artist, is born in London, England
1951 - Mel Schacher, bassist with the Capitol Records band Grand Funk Railroad, is born in Owosso, Michigan

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
60 Years Ago Today In 1949 - Capitol Records team Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis debut their NBC Radio program. Their first guest is Lucille Ball. The show will run until 1952. Numerous references to Capitol Records appear on the show and one episode has them taking Burl Ives into Capitol Records' studios for a recording session.
40 Years Ago Today In 1969 - Billy Preston signs with Apple Records and his tracks will be released by Capitol Records in the United States
1972 - Capitol Records releases Buck Owens and The Buckaroos' single "Made In Japan", with "Black Texas Dirt" on the flip side, which will eventually peak at #1 on the U.S. Country singles chart

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1941 - Jan Berry, singer, songwriter, and member of the Liberty Records duo Jan and Dean, is born William Jan Berry in Los Angeles, California
1946 - Dee Murray, bass player for the United Artists Records band The Spencer Davis Group is born in Gillingham, Kent, England
1961 - Ernie K-Doe's Minit Records single "Mother-In-Law", with "Wanted, $10,000 Reward" on the flip side, enters the top 40 of the U.S. Pop singles charts. Some copies of the single have the A side mastered at 33rpm by mistake. Minit's catalog is currently owned by Capitol Music Group's parent company EMI Music Group.
1976 - United Artists Records releases Crystal Gayle's single "I'll Get Over You", with "High Time" on the flip side, which will eventually peak at #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
1983 - Kenny Rogers and Sheena Easton's Liberty Records (later renamed Capitol Records Nashville) single "We've Got Tonight" , with Rogers' "You Are So Beautiful" on the flip side, hits #1 on the U.S. Country singles chart
1990 - Sarah Vaughn, singer and Roulette Records artist, dies of lung cancer in California a week after her 66th birhday

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1985 - The famed Brown Derby restaurant in Hollywood on Vine Street closed on this day, after 57 years. Many early Capitol Records celebrations and business meetings happened in its booths. Also it was the site of the founding of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. All of the furnishings were kept, including famous Booth #5 -- where Clark Gable proposed to Carole Lombard, until the building was condemned and torn down after the January 1994 Northridge, California earthquake.