MAY 16, 2010

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1913 - Woody Herman, bandleader, clarinetist, and Capitol Records artist (1948-1955), is born Woodrow Charles Herman in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
1949 - Bill "Sputnik" Spooner, guitarist for Capitol Records band The Tubes and then The Grateful Dead, is born William Spooner in Arizona

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1946 - Capitol Records group The King Cole Trio start a 13 week stint as a summer replacement for Bing Crosby's radio show "The Kraft Music Hall"
1953 - Les Baxter and His Orchestra's Capitol Records single "April In Portugal" is #3 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Nat "King" Cole (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Pretend" is #5, and Jane Froman (with orchestra conducted by Sid Feller)'s Capitol Records single "I Believe" is #14
1958 - During a three hour session at RCA Studios in Nashville, Tennessee Esquerita, on piano and vocals with E.R. "Dutch" Miller on tenor saxophone, Vincent Moses on guitar, Floyd T. "Lightning" Chance on bass, and Johnny "Richardo" Young on drums, records "Katie Mae" with backing vocals by Atlanta-based The Gardenias (Calvin Arnold, Carlton Sheppard, Jr., Lloyd White and William Dixon), "Wait A Minute Baby" and (again with The Gardenias) "Rockin' The Joint".
50 Years Ago Today In 1960 - The Four Prep's Capitol Records single "Got A Girl", with "Wait Till You) Hear It From Me" on the flip side, is #32 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1961 - Faron Young's Capitol Records single "Hello Walls" is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
1964 - The Beatles' Capitol Records single "I Want To Hold Your Hand", with "This Boy" on the flip side, re-enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart for 1 week after leaving the chart on April 17 after a 20 week run.
45 Years Ago Today In 1965 - The Beatles' Capitol Records single "Ticket To Ride" is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1966 - The Beach Boys' Capitol Records album "Pet Sounds" is released
1966 - The last session is held for The Beatles' track "Taxman"
1967 - Twiggy's first Capitol Records single "When I Think Of You", with "Over And Over" on the flip side, is released
1969 - Merle Haggard records his the track "Workin' Man Blues" which will be released by Capitol Records as a single and will peak at #1 on the U.S. Country singles chart
1969 - Chuck Barris' Capitol Records single "Too Rich", with "I Know A Child" on the flip side, is released
1976 - Wings' Apple Records single "Silly Love Songs", distributed by Capitol Records in the United States with "Cook Of The House" on the flip side, is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles Chart
20 Years Ago Today In 1990 - Sammy Davis, Jr., singer, dancer, impressionist, vaudeville, Broadway, motion picture and television actor and performer, and a Capitol Records solo artist and, posthumously, as a member of The Rat Pack, dies of throat cancer at his home in Beverly Hills, California at age 64

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1946 - The Irving Berlin musical, "Annie Get Your Gun", opens at The Imperial Theatre in New York City, New York and will run for 1,147 performances. Capitol Records will later release the soundtrack to a televised version of the show starring Mary Martin and Capitol Records artist John Raitt.
50 Years Ago Today In 1960 - Rick Nelson's Imperial Records single "Young Emotions" is #22 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1964 - The Beatles' single "P.S. I Love You", the flip side of the "Love Me Do" single released on Tollie Records in the U.S., enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1966 - Janet Jackson, singer, television and motion picture actress, and Virgin Records America artist, is born Janet Damita Jo Jackson in Gary, Indiana
1981 - Kim Carnes' EMI America Records single "Bette Davis Eyes" is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart for the second of a five week stay at the top

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL HISTORY
1929 - The first Academy Awards ceremony is held at a banquet in the Blossom Room at The Roosevelt Hotel on Hollywood Boulevard
1937 - Yvonne Craig, motion picture ("Gidget", "Our Man Flint", and others) and television actress (best know for the role of Batgirl), is born
1953 - Bill Haley and The Comets' Decca Records single "Crazy Man Crazy debuts at #15 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart and is considered the first Rock 'N' Roll single to enter the chart