JUNE 27, 2009

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
85 Years Ago Today In 1924 - Lloyd George (aka Ken Marvin), singer, guitarist, banjo and mandolin player, Capitol Records artist (1949 - as the first Lonzo in the Country duo Lonzo and Oscar and as a solo artist using the name Ken Marvin) and Imperial Records artist (1962 - using his own name), is born Lloyd Leslie George in Cordova, Walker County, Alabama. Peter J. Gossett runs a comprehensive site on the life of Lloyd George.

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1942 - Bruce Johnston, Grammy award winning songwriter, keyboardist, bass player and vocalist with The Capitol Records band The Beach Boys, born Benjamin Baldwin in Peoria, Illinois on June 24, 1944, is adopted and has his name changed to Bruce Arthur Johnston
1947 - Jo Stafford records the tracks "Fuedin' And Fightin'" with The Starlighters and Paul Weston's Mountain Boys and "Love And The Weather with Paul Weston and His Orchestra which will be released together as a single by Capitol Records
1953 - Les Baxter and His Orchestra's Capitol Records single "April In Portugal is still #3 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Les Paul and Mary Ford's Capitol Records single "Vaya Con Dios" is #7 up from #10, Les Baxter and His Orchestra's Capitol Records single "Ruby" is still at #11, Kay Starr (with orchestra conducted by Harold Mooney)'s Capitol Records single "Half A Photograph" is #13 up from #15 and its flip side "Allez-Vous-En" enters the top 20 at #15, and Pee Wee Hunt and His Orchestra's Capitol Records single "Oh!" enters the chart at #20
1957 - Composer and arranger Johnny Richards begins three days of sessions (the other two being July 8 and 11, 1957) with musicians Burt Collins, Jerry Kail, Paul Cohen, and Doug Mettome on trumpets; Jimmy Cleveland, Jim Dahl, and Frank Rehak on trombones; Al Antonucci 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; Hank Jones on piano; Chet Amsterdam on bass; Maurice Marks on drums; and Willie Rodriguez on tympani, for his Capitol Records album "Wide Range" in New York City, New York
1960 - Capitol Records releases Wanda Jackson's single "Let's Have A Party" with "Cool Love" on the flip side
1961 - Peggy Lee, with arranger Quincy Jones conducting the studio orchestra (an unknown flute french horn and string sections, Dennis Budimir on guitar, Max Bennett on bass, Victor Feldman on piano and vibraphones, Stan Levey on drums, and Francisco "Cino" Ponzo on bongos and congas) records the tracks "Smile" and "I Get Along Without You Very Well" with producer Dave Cavanaugh at the last session for her Capitol Records album "If You Go" which was held in The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California
1961 - Singer Nancy Wilson and alto saxophonist Cannonball Adderley, with Nat Adderley on cornet, Louis Hayes on drums, Sam Jones on bass and Joe Zawinul on piano, begin two days (the next being June 29, 1961) of recording sessions with producers Tom Morgan and Andy Wiswell in New York City, New York for their Capitol Records album "Nancy Wilson/Cannonball Adderley" which will be released in September 1962
1962 - Jackie Gleason's Capitol Records albums "Music, Martinis and Memories" and "Music for Lovers Only" are both certified Gold by the R.I.A.A. as is The Kingston Trio's Capitol Records album "String Along"
45 Years Ago Today In 1964 - Peter and Gordon's Capitol Records single "World Without Love" is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart. Written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, the song is the first written by the duo, and not performed by The Beatles, to top the chart.
1966 - Capitol Records releases Kay Starr's final album for the label "Tears And Heartaches/Old Records" which was produced by Lex De Azevedo
1966 - Jack Gleason conducts his orchestra as they record "The Shadow Of Your Smile" for his album "How Seet It Is - For Lovers" with PeeWee Erwin on trumpet
1966 - Capitol Records subsidiary Tower Records releases Mae West's album "Way Out West"
40 Years Ago Today In 1969 - More than 22,000 people pay their respects to Judy Garland at a memorial service at Campbell's Funeral Chapel in New York. She was laid to rest at Ferncliff Cemetery in Hartsdale, New York
1980 - Barney Bigard, clarinet player, Capitol Records session musician (on tracks by Capitol Records artists Zutty Singleton, Sonny Greer, Freddie Slack, Peggy Lee, and Ella Fitzgerald) and member of the group The Capitol Jazzmen, dies in Culver City, California at age 74
1993 - Garth Brooks Liberty Records (later renamed Capitol Records Nashville) single "That Summer", with "Dixie Chicken" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
2000 - The Kottonmouth King's second Capitol Records album, "High Society", is released
2006 - MTV proclaims today "Headly Sucks Day" as they premiere an "MTV Diary" at 7PM EDT on the Canadian band who recently signed with Capitol Records and whose debut disc for the label is due out on August 29, 2006
2006 - Capitol Records releases a special deluxe CD single of The Beach Boy's "Good Vibrations" with 5 versions of the song and the original flip side "Let's Go Away For Awhile" to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the song's release. Check out Michael deMartin's Pet Blog for more info and a lot of fun stuff.
2006 - Capitol was also to release a 30th anniversary edition of The Steve Miller Band's album "Fly Like An Eagle" on DVD with 5.1 surround sound coming as close as currently possible to (and maybe even surpassing) the album's original quadrophonic mix, but as of 5:00 PM 06-28-06 it still hasn't shown up at the Virgin Megastore at Sunset and Crescent Heights or Tower Records in Glendale, CA.
2008 - Leonard Pennario, classical pianist, composer and Capitol, Angel and Columbia Records artist, dies of complications from Parkinson's disease at age 83 in La Jolla, California. http://www.leonardpennario.com and http://www.pennario.org are two great websites with more information on this Buffalo born child prodigy who was active until his death.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1960 - Rick Nelson's Imperial Records single "Young Emotion" is still #18 on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart, The Fleetwood's Dolton Records single "Runaround" (with "Truly Do" on the flip side) enters the top 40 at #29 up from #41, and Don Costa and His Orchestra's United Artists Records single "Theme From 'The Unforgiven'" (with "Streets Of Paris" on the flip side) enters at #37 up from #44. EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company, currently owns Imperial, Dolton and United Artist Records' catalogues.
1963 - Paul McCartney drops by a recording session of Billy J. Kramer & the Dakotas, who are recording two Lennon-McCartney songs, "Bad to Me" and "I Call Your Name"
45 Years Ago Today In 1964 - Jan and Dean's Liberty Records single "The Little Old Lady From Pasadena", with "My Mighty G.T.O" on the flip side, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart, after being released on June 8, 1964, and will eventually peak at #3
1981 - Kim Carnes EMI America Records album "Mistaken Identity" hits #1 on Billboard's Top 200 albums chart, knocking out REO Speedwagon's album "Hi Infidelity" which had been #1 for 14 weeks. EMI America's catalog is currently owned by EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company.
1986 - EMI America Records releases Queensrÿche's album "Rage For Order". EMI America's catalog is currently owned by EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1885 - Chichester Bell and Charles S. Tainter apply for a patent on the gramophone, which will be granted on May 4, 1886
45 Years Ago Today In 1964 - The Beatles' Swan Records single "Sie Leibt Dich", with "I'll Get You" on the flip side, peaks at #97 on Billboard's singles chart
1971 - The Filmore East in New York City is closed by promoter Bill Graham. The Beach Boys, The Allman Brothers, The J. Geils Band, and Mountain are among the acts performing on the venue's final night.
1976 - John Lennon receives his "Green Card", number A17-597-321
20 Years Ago Today In 1989 - Tom Jones, singer, television variety show host, and motion picture actor, is awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame.
2002 - John Entwistle, bassist for the band The Who, dies in Las Vegas, Nevada of a heartattack induced by cocaine one day before the scheduled first show of the band's 2002 US tour