APRIL 29, 2010

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1899 - Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington, pianist, composer, bandleader, and Capitol Records artist, is born in Washington, D.C.. Ellington would record his last popular hit "Satin Doll" for Capitol Records with producer Dave Dexter, Jr. On his 70th birthday in 1969, Ellington will receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
1919 - Celeste Holm, Broadway, motion picture and television actress and Capitol Records artist (original motion picture soundtrack for the movie "High Society") is born in New York City, New York
1933 - Rod McKuen, singer, poet, actor, writer and composer of the song "Two-Ten, Six-Eighteen" recorded by Capitol recording artists The Kingston Trio, and Capitol and Liberty Records artist, was born in Oakland, CA
1934 - Otis Rush, guitarist and Capitol Records artist (signed in 1970), is born near Neshoba, Mississippi
1942 - Klaus Voormann, graphic designer and illustrator (cover of The Beatles' Revolver and Anthology albums), bass player with Manfred Mann, Apple Records group Plastic Ono Band, and on various George Harrison projects including "The Concert For Bangladesh", is born in Berlin, Germany
1968 - Carnie Wilson, singer, television talk show host, daughter of Brian Wilson of the Capitol Records group The Beach Boys and Marilyn Rovell Wilson of the Capitol Records group The Honeys, and co-founder of the SBK Records group Wilson Phillips, is born in Bel Air, California

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1944 - The King Cole Trio's Capitol Records single "Straighten Up and Fly Right", with "I Can't See For Lookin'" on the flip side, hits #1 on the "Black" charts for the first of ten weeks, and would later cross over to the country and pop charts. The track came from the Trio's first session for Capitol Records.
1944 - Jo Stafford (with Paul Weston and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "I Love You", with "Long Ago And Far Away" on the flip side, is #10 on Billboard's Best Selling Singles chart
1946 - Les Baxter signs with Capitol Records
60 Years Ago Today In 1950 - Jo Stafford and Gordon MacRae (with Paul Weston and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Dearie", with "Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday" on the flip side, is #11 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart and Margaret Whiting and Jimmy Wakely's Capitol Records single "Let's Go To Church (Next Sunday)", with their track "Why Do You Say Those Things?" on the flip side, debuts at #19 and was also #2 on Billboard's Country Best Selling Singles chart
1953 - Nelson Riddle signs a contract to conduct his first Sinatra session at Capitol which will be held the next day on April 30, 1953
1957 - Frank Sinatra records the tracks "Lonely Town" and "Baby, Won't You Please Come Home" with arranger Gordon Jenkins
1963 - Capitol Records releases Buck Owens' album "On The Bandstand". The album was produced by Ken Nelson during sessions that occurred between May and September 1961 in the Capitol Studios in Hollywood and featured Owen's on guitar and vocals, Don Rich on fiddle, guitar, and vocals, Jay McDonalds on steel guitar, Kenny Pierce on electric bass and vocals and Ken Presley on drums.
1974 - Wings' Apple Records album "Band On The Run", distributed by Capitol Records in the United States enters Billboard's Top 100 Albums chart

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1931 - Lonnie Donegan, singer, songwriter, guitarist, and Chrysalis Records artist, is born Anthony James Donegan in Bridgeton, Glasgow, Scotland. Bruce Eder has written a great biography for the Memorable Music Hall of Fame on the man who invented Skiffle and influenced a generation of future British rock and blues musicians including The Beatles.
1948 - Tommy James, singer, member of the Roulette Records group Tommy James and The Shondells, is born Thomas Jackson in Dayton, Ohio
1953 - The Gerry Mulligan Quartet begin a two day recording session for Pacific Jazz that will produce "Darn That Dream", "I May Be Wrong", "I'm Beginning To See The Light", "The Nearness Of You" and "Tea For Two". The quartet includes Mulligan (sax), Chet Baker (trumpet), Larry Bunker (drums), and Carson Smith (bass).
1992 - Virgin Records America artist Paula Abdul marries actor Emilio Estevez in Santa Monica, California. It is the first marriage for both and Paula will resume her concert tour in two days.
2006 - Former Capitol Records artist Keely Smith and Trio perform live at the Catalina Bar and Grill in Hollywood, California. Showtimes were at 8:30 and 10:30 PM. For more info, check out the Catalina's website. They also played the previous night. Any first hand accounts would be much appreciated!