FEBRUARY 28, 2011

REST IN PEACE
2011 - Jane Russell, motion picture actress, founder of the World Adoption International Fund and a Capitol Records artist, died today at her home in Santa Maria, California at age 89 of a respiratory related illness.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
1915 - Zero Mostel, Broadway and motion picture actor, and Capitol Records artist (original Broadway cast album for "A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum"), is born Samuel Joel Mostel in Brooklyn, New York
1940 - Joe South, singer, songwriter, and Capitol Records artist, is born Joseph Alfred Souter in Atlanta, Georgia

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1949 - Capitol Records releases Tennessee Ernie Ford's first single for the label "Milk 'Em In The Mornin' Blues" with "Tennessee Border" on the flip side. Both tracks were recorded January 21, 1949
1964 - The Beatles record the tracks "From Us To You", "Till There Was You", "I Wanna Be Your Man", "Roll Over Beethoven", "All My Loving" at BBC Studios for "live" broadcasts and released in 1994 on The Beatles' Apple Records compilation double album "Live At The B.B.C."
1998 - Capitol Records Nashville artist Garth Brooks hosts Saturday Night Live

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1903 - Vincente Minnelli, Broadway and motion picture director, one time husband of Capitol Records artist Judy Garland, and father of Capitol Records artist Liza Minnelli, is born Lester Anthony Minnelli in Chicago, Illinois
1930 - Gavin MacLeod, motion picture and television actor, and step-father of Tommy Steele (designer, art director, writer, and Vice President of Creative Services at Capitol Records [1987-2002] and Creative Director at Virgin Records America [2002]) and Drew Steele (with the band The Surf Punks), is born Allan George See in Mount Kisco, New York

And for all those leap year events that took place on FEBRUARY 29

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
1916 - Dinah Shore, singer, radio and motion picture actress, television variety and talk shows host, professional women's golf tournament sponsor, and Capitol Records artist, is born Frances Rose Shore in Winchester, Tennessee

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1968 - The Beatles' Capitol Records album "Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" wins Grammy awards for "Album Of The Year" and "Best Contemporary Album"
1968 - Geoff E. Emerick wins the Grammy for Best Engineered Recording for The Beatles' Capitol Records album "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band)
1968 - Peter Blake and Jann Haworth with the Grammy for Best Album Cover, Graphic Arts for The Beatles' album "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band"
1968 - Bobbie Gentry wins the Grammys for Best New Artist, Best Vocal Performance, Female, and Best Contemporary Solo Performance, Female for her Capitol Records single "Ode To Billie Joe"
1968 - Jimmie Haskell wins the Grammy for Best Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s) or Instrumentalist(s) for Bobbie Gentry's Capitol Records track "Ode To Billie Joe"
1968 - Glen Campbell wins the Grammys for Best Vocal Performance, Male and Best Contemporary Solo Performance, Male for his Capitol Records single "By The Time I Get To Phoenix", and Best Country & Western Recording and Best Country & Western Solo Performance, Male for his Capitol Records track "Gentle On My Mind"
1968 - The Cannonball Adderley Quintet wint the Grammy for Best Instrumental Jazz Performance by a Small Group or Soloist or Soloist with a Small Group (7 or fewer) for his Capitol Records single "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy"
1968 - Senator Everett M. Dirksen wins the Grammy for Best Spoken Word, Documentary or Drama Recording for his Capitol Records album "Gallant Men"
1992 - Garth Brook's Capitol Records Nashville single "What's She Doing Now" is #1 on the U.S. Country singles chart
2000 - Capitol Records releases Glen Campbell's compilation CD "20 Greatest Hits"
2004 - Capitol Records re-releases Pink Floyd's album "Animals" on CD

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1936 - Baby Snooks, played by 44 year old Fanny Brice, debuts on the radio program "The Ziegfeld Follies Of The Air" on CBS Radio. Brice will later record the children's album "Baby Snooks Learns" for Capitol Records as the Snooks character.
1940 - Future Capitol Records artist Judy Garland is awarded the Academy Award for Best Juvenile for her work in the M-G-M motion picture musical "The Wizard of Oz"
1968 - Ravi Shankar and Yehudi Menuhin win the Grammy for Best Chamber Music Performance for their Angel Records track "West Meets East". Angel Records is a division of Capitol Records.

FEBRUARY 27, 2011

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1954 - Hank Thompson's Capitol Records single "Wake Up, Irene", with "Go Cry Your Heart Out" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
1965 - The Beatles' Capitol Records single "Eight Days A Week", with "I Don't Want To Spoil The Party" on the flip side, enters the top 40 of the U.S. Pop singles charts
1967 - The Pink Floyd records the tracks "Arnold Layne" and "Candy And A Current Bun" with producer Joe Boyd at Sound Techniques in Chelsea, England with John Wood engineering. The tracks will make up their first single which will be released by Tower Records, a subsidiary of Capitol Records, in the United States.
1970 - Sonny James' Capitol Records single "It’s Just a Matter of Time", with "The World Is Ours" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
40 Years Ago Today In 1971 - Buck Owens records the track "Ruby" for Capitol Records
1979 - Peabo Bryson's Capitol Records album "Crosswinds" is certified Gold by the R.I.A.A.
25 Years Ago Today In 1986 - Marie Osmond's Capitol Records single "There's No Stopping Your Heart", with "Blue Sky Shinin'" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
25 Years Ago Today In 1986 - Capitol Records band Marillion begin their first major U.S. tour in Buffalo, New York

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1923 - Dexter Gordon, saxophone player, motion picture actor, and Blue Note Records artist is born Dexter Keith Gordon in Los Angeles, California
1947 - Stan Kenton and His Orchestra record the tracks "Rhythm Incorporated, parts 1 & 2" at Radio Recorders studios in Hollywood, California for AFRS Program #231 with Kenton sharing master of ceremonies duties with Gene Norman
1960 - Paul Humphreys, keyboard player for the Virgin Records group Orchestral Manoeuvres In the Dark (aka OMD) is born in London, England
1964 - The Beatles record the tracks "Tell Me Why", "I'll Cry Instead", "If I Fell" at EMI's Abbey Road Studios in London England with producer George Martin and engineers Norman Smith and Geoff Emerick for their United Artists Records soundtrack album to their first film "A Hard Day's Night". Capitol Music Group's parent company EMI Music Group currently owns the United Artists catalog.
1965 - Shirley Bassey's United Artists single "Goldfinger", with "Strange How Love Can Be" enters the top 40 of the U.S. Pop singles chart
2002 - Spike Milligan, comedian, writer, radio, television, and motion picture actor, and Parlophone Records artist as part of "The Goon Show", dies at age 83

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1955 - Billboard magazine announces that, for the first time, seven-inch 45 rpm singles are outselling 78s in the United States
1988 - Gene De Paul, songwriter, nominated for an Academy Award for Best Music, Original Song in 1941 for "Hellzapoppin", collaborated with lyricist and Capitol Records co-founder Johnny Mercer on the M-G-M motion picture musical "Seven Brides For Seven Brothers" and the Broadway musical "Li'l Abner", dies in Los Angeles, California at age 68 and is later interred in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Hollywood Hills, California

FEBRUARY 26, 2011

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
95 Years Ago Today In 1916 - Jackie Gleason, comedian, motion picture, radio and television actor, composer, and Capitol Records artist, is born Herbert John Gleason in Brooklyn, New York
90 Years Ago Today In 1921 - Betty Hutton, singer, Broadway and motion picture actress brought to Hollywood by Capitol Records co-founder Buddy DeSylva, sister of Glenn Miller Orchestra vocalist Marion Hutton, one time wife of Capitol Records artist and trumpeter Pete Condoli and later Capitol Records executive Alan Livingston, a Capitol Records solo artist, and teacher, is born Elizabeth Thornburg in Battle Creek, Michigan

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1955 - Capitol Records duo The Louvin Brothers joins the Grand Ole Opry
1955 - Capitol Records releases Faron Young's single "Live Fast, Love Hard, Die Young", with "Forgive Me My Dear" on the flip side
1967 - Merle Haggard's Capitol Records single "I'm A Lonesome Fugitive", with "Someone Told My Story" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
1970 - The Beatles' Capitol Records album "Hey Jude", composed of tracks not previously released on albums in the United States, is released by Capitol Records
1977 - Natalie Cole's Capitol Records single "I've Got Love On My Mind", with "Unpredictable You" on the flip side, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1985 - Tina Turner wins Grammys for her Capitol Records singles "What's Love Got to Do with It" and "Better Be Good to Me"
1987 - Capitol Records releases The Beatles first four Parlophone albums on CD for the first time in the United States
1997 - At the 39th annual Grammy Awards held in New York City, The Beatles win Grammys for Best Pop Performance by a Duo Or Group With Vocal for their Apple Records track "Free As A Bird", Best Music Video, Short Form for the video to "Free As A Bird", and Best Music Video, Long Form for "The Beatles Anthology", all of which were released by Capitol Records/Video in the United States
2008 - Buddy Miles (born George Allen Miles), drummer, singer, songwriter, voice actor and member of the Capitol Records group Band of Gypsys, has died today of congestive heart failure at the age of 60 at his home in Austin, Texas. More information can be found at his website at http://www.buddymiles.com/.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1928 - Fats Domino, pianist, singer, songwriter, and Imperial Records artist, is born Antoine Domino, Jr. in New Orleans, Louisiana
1932 - Johnny Cash, singer, songwriter, guitarist, motion picture and television actor, television variety show host, and father of Capitol Records artist Roseanne Cash, is born in Kingsland, Arkansas
1945 - Bob "The Bear" Hite, vocalist with the Liberty Records group "Canned Heat" is born in Torrance, California
1964 - Vee-Jay Records releases the album "Jolly What! Beatles and Frank Ifield"
1989 - Roy Eldridge, trumpet player and Blue Note Records artist, dies in Valley Stream, Long Island, New York at age 78

FEBRUARY 25, 2011

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1932 - Faron Young, singer, songwriter, guitarist, and Capitol Records artist is born near Shreveport, Louisiana
1943 - George Harrison, MBE, singer, songwriter, motion picture actor and producer, lead guitarist of the Parlophone, Capitol and Apple Records band The Beatles, solo Apple, Dark Horse and Capitol Records artist, and member of The Traveling Wilburys, is born at 12:10 PM in Liverpool, England
1957 - Dennis Diken, drummer, percussionist and vocalist for the Capitol Records group The Smithereens, is born in Belleville, New Jersey
1962 - Foster Sylvers, singer, member of the Capitol Records group The Sylvers, and a Capitol Records solo artist, is born in Memphis, Tennessee

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
55 Years Ago Today In 1956 - Nelson Riddle's Capitol Records single "Lisbon Antigua", with "Theme From Robin Hood" on the flip side, is still #1 on the U.S. Pop Singles charts
1964 - The Benny Goodman Quartet appear live at Koesi Ninkin Hall in Tokyo, Japan. The concert was recorded and later the tracks the "Cheek To Cheek", "Like Someone In Love", "Close Your Eyes", "As Long As I Live", "Stompin' At The Savoy", "My Melancholy Baby", "Memories of You", "I've Got The World On A String", "You're Blase", "Dinah", and "Goodbye" were released by Capitol Records on the album "Recorded Live at Kosei Nenkin Hall in Tokyo"
1969 - The Beach Boys record the track "Celebrate The News" which will be released as the flip side of their Capitol Records single "Break Away" on June 23, 1969
1974 - Capitol Records releases Buck Owens' single "On The Cover Of The Music City News" with "Stony Mountain West Virginia" on the flip side
1995 - Capitol Records artist Frank Sinatra give his last concert at a performance at the Palm Desert Marriott Ballroom in Palm Desert, California
1997 - Capitol Records group Megadeth perform live at a concert at Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles, California where the tracks "Tornado Of Souls" and "A Tout Le Monde" are recorded and later released by Toshiba EMI in Japan on the six track (actually seven tracks since it includes the track "Peace Sells" as a hidden track) CD EP "Live Trax"
10 Years Ago Today In 2001 - Capitol Records releases Billy Idol's album “VH1 Storytellers”
2007 - All music lovers were invited to a viewing of the body of Al Viola on Sunday night from 5PM to 9PM at Faith Chapel at Forest Lawn-Hollywood Hills, 6300 Forest Lawn Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90068. A service will be held the next day, Monday afternoon at 3PM, at Church of the Hills, Forest Lawn-Hollywood Hills, Forest Lawn Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90068.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1980 - Sir Joseph Lockwood resigns from the Board of EMI Ltd, Capitol Records' parent company, having been a director for 26 Years (20 of which are spent as Chairman)
20 Years Ago Today In 1991 - EMI International releases Glen Campbell's 2 CD compilation album "The Capitol Years '65/'77"
1992 - Natalie Cole wins the Grammy for Album Of The Year for her Elektra album "Unforgettable" and her recording of the title track, which uses tracks from her father's Capitol Records stereo re-recording of "Unforgettable", wins her the Grammys for Traditional Pop Performance and Record Of The Year. "Unforgettable"'s writer, Irving Gordon, wins the Grammy for Song Of The Year.

FEBRUARY 24, 2011

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
1947 - Lonnie Turner, bass player and vocalist in the Capitol Records group The Steve Miller Band, is born

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1945 - Sonny Greer and the Duke's Men (Taft Jordan on trumpet, Barney Bigard on clarinet, Otto Hardwicke on alto saxophone, Duke Brooks on piano, Fred Guy on guitar, Red Callender on bass, and Greer on drums) record the tracks "Mood Indigo" (two takes, the first used on a single released by Capitol Records, the second used on the album released by Capitol), "Bug In A Rug", "The Mooche" (also two tracks, the first used on a single released by Capitol Records, the second used on the album released by Capitol), and "Kandylamb" in Los Angeles, California
65 Years Ago In 1946 - Betty Hutton's Capitol Records single "Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Chief", with "A Square In The Social Circle" on the flip side" is #1 on the U.S. Pop singles charts
1954 - Nat "King" Cole's Capitol Records single "Answer Me, My Love", with "Why?" on the flip side, enters the top 40 of the U.S. Pop singles charts
1964 - Capitol Records releases Buck Owens' single "My Heart Skips A Beat" with "Together Again" on the flip side. Both sides will go on to hit #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts.
1975 - Grand Funk's Capitol Records single "Some Kind Of Wonderful", with "Wild" on the flip side, is #4 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1983 - Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band's Capitol Records single "Shame On The Moon", with "House Behind A House" on the flip side, is #2 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1994 - Dinah Shore (born Frances Rose Shore on February 29th, 1916), singer, radio show performer, motion picture actress, television talk show host, golfer, and Capitol Records artist 1959-1962 dies of ovarian cancer in Beverly Hills, California at age 77, five days before her 78th birthday (though some would say she had 2 years and 5 days before her next birthday as she was born on a leap year and her next birthday, her 20th, would be in 1996). Her ashes are later divided and half are interred in the Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery in Culver City, California and the other half at Forest Lawn Cemetery (Cathedral City) near Palm Springs, California.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
60 Years Ago In 1951 - Future Capitol Records artist Judy Garland ends a 19 week engagement (originally scheduled for just 4 weeks) that reopens The Palace Theatre in New York City
1959 - Colin Farley, bass player with the Virgin Records America group Cutting Crew, is born in England
1982 - Pat Benatar wins the Best Female Rock Performance Grammy for her Chrysalis Records track "Fire and Ice"
1998 - Virgin Records America, Inc. files suit against The Smashing Pumpkins for alleged breach of contract and non-delivery of albums

FEBRUARY 23, 2011

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1950 - Steve Priest, bass player with the Parlophone and Capitol Records group Sweet, is born Stephen Norman Priest in Hayes, Middlesex, England
1962 - Michael Wilton, bass guitarist with the Capitol Records group Queensrÿche, is born in San Francisco, California

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1945 - Coleman Hawkins (on tenor saxophone) and His Orchestra (Howard McGhee on trumpet, Sir Charles Thompson on piano, Allan Reuss on guitar, Oscar Pettiford on bass and Denzil Best on drums) record "April In Paris", "Rifftide", "Stardust" and "Stuffy" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue the first and third tracks on the album "Classics In Jazz - Coleman Hawkins" (CCF-327), the second track as a single (Capitol 15335) with "What Is There To Say" on the flip side and the last track as a single (Capitol 205) with "It's The Talk Of The Town" on the flip side.
1945 - Shug Fisher and His Ranchmen Trio (Shug Fisher and Wesley Tuttle on vocal, Merle Travis on vocals and lead guitar with Charles Linville and Margie Ann DeVere on fiddle, Don Whiston on guitar. Frankie Marvin on steel guitar and Cliffie Stone on bass) record "The Texas Plain", the (as of 2005) unreleased track "Cool Water", and the tracks "Out On The Open Range" and "The Cowboy's Dream" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue the first, third and fourth tracks on the album "Sing, Cowboy, Sing" (AC-77).
1957 - Tommy Sands' Capitol Records single "Teen-Age Crush", with "Hep Dee Hootie (Cutie Wootie)" on the flip side, enters the top 40 of the U.S. Pop singles charts
45 Years Ago Today In 1966 - Buck Owens' Capitol Records single "Waitin' In Your Welfare Line", with "In The Palm Of Your Hand" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
1974 - Paul McCartney and Wings Apple Records single "Jet", distributed by Capitol Records in the United States with "Let Me Roll It" on the flip side, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
35 Years Ago Today In 1976 - Sweet's Capitol Records single "Fox On The Run", with "Burn On The Flame" on the flip side, is certified Gold by the R.I.A.A.
20 Years Ago Today In 1991 - Wilson Phillips' SBK Records (a division of Capitol Records) single "You're In Love" enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1993 - Capitol Records releases Eddie Cochran's 2-album set "Singin' to My Baby/Never to be Forgotten", originally released on Liberty Records, on CD

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1958 - David Sylvian, singer, songwriter, guitarist, keyboardist, with the group Japan, recorded with Virgin Records America artist Ryuichi Sakamoto, and a solo Virgin Records America artist, is born David Batt in London, England
1959 - The Chipmunk's single "Alvin's Harmonica", the flip side of "The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Time Is Here Again), enters the top 40 of the U.S. Pop singles chart
1978 - Kenny Rogers' wins the Grammy for Best Male Country Vocal Performance for his United Artists Records track "Lucille". The flip side of the single is "Till I Get It Right".
1982 - The J. Geils Band's EMI America Records single "Centerfold" is still #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart

FEBRUARY 22, 2011

REST IN PEACE

2011 - Jean Dinning (born Eugenia Dinning), singer, songwriter ("Teen Angel" recorded by her younger brother Mark Dinning), and part of the Capitol Records vocal group The Dinning Sisters, died of respiratory illness in Garden Grove, California at age 86.

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1945 - Johnny Mercer and Jo Stafford (with The Pied Pipers and Paul Weston and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Candy", with Mercer's "I'm Gonna See My Baby" on the flip side, enters the top 40 of the U.S. Pop singles charts
1949 - Margaret Whiting's Capitol Records single "Far Away Places", with "My Own True Love" on the flip side, is #2 on the U.S. Pop Singles chart
1949 - Jimmy Wakely's Capitol Records single "I Love You So Much It Hurts", with "I Don't Want Your Sympathy" on the flip side, is still #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
1957 - Sonny James' Capitol Records single "Young Love", with "You're The Reason I'm In Love" on the flip side, is still #1 on the U.S. Country singles chart
1964 - The Beach Boys' Capitol Records single "Fun, Fun, Fun", with "Why Do Fools Fall In Love" on the flip side, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1973 - Merle Haggard's Capitol Records single "I Wonder if They Ever Think of Me", with "I Forget You Every Day" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
1975 - John Lennon's Apple Records single "No. 9 Dream", with "What You Got!" on the flip side and distributed by Capitol Records in the United States, peaks at #9 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1975 - Ringo Starr's Apple Records single "No No Song", with "Snookaroo" on the flip side, enters the top 40 Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1982 - The Beach Boys' Capitol Records single "I Get Around", with "Don't Worry Baby" on the flip side, is certified Gold by the R.I.A.A.
1989 - Dan Seals Capitol Records single "Big Wheels in the Moonlight", with "Factory Town" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
75 Years Ago Today In 1936 - Ernie K-Doe, singer, songwriter and Minit Records artist (best known for the 1961 #1 track "Mother-In-Law"), is born Ernest Kador, Jr. in New Orleans, Louisiana. Minit's catalog is currently owned by EMI Music, Capitol Music Group's parent company
1964 - Classics IV's Liberty Records single "Traces" with "Everyday With You Girl" on the flip side, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1964 - The Beatles' Vee-Jay Records Single "Please Please Me", 45 Years Ago Today In 1964 - "From Me To You" on the flip side enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1965 - The Beatles start filming their second film "HELP!" ("this one's a gonna be in colour") in the Bahamas
1989 - Paula Abdul's Virgin Records America single "Straight Up", with "Cold Hearted" on the flip side, is still #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
115 Years Ago Today In 1896 - Nacio Herb Brown, composer (while working for M-G-M he wrote "Broadway Melody", "You Are My Lucky Star", "Temptation", "Singing In The Rain" and many others with lyricist Arthur Freed and also composed with Richard Whiting [father of Capitol Records artist Margaret Whiting] and Capitol Records co-founder Buddy DeSylva) and music publisher (managing the sales of songs by Hoagy Carmichael, Sammy Fain and many others), is born Ignacio Herb Brown Jr. in Deming, New Mexico
1907 - Sheldon Leonard, motion picture actor ("Another Thin Man", "It’s a Wonderful Life", "To Have And Have Not", "Guys and Dolls"), radio actor (recurring role as the race track tout on "The Jack Benny Show" and various roles on "The Adventures Of The Saint"), Emmy Award-winning television director ("The Danny Thomas Show", "My Favorite Martian"), and Executive Producer ("The Danny Thomas Show", "The Andy Griffith Show", "The Dick Van Dyke Show", "I Spy" and "My World and Welcome to It"), and voice of the Warner Bros. cartoon character Dodsworth ("One of these days I'm gonna have to get me a mousetrap"), is born Sheldon Leonard Bershad in New York City, New York

FEBRUARY 21, 2011

REST IN PEACE
2011 - Haila Stoddard, actress, Broadway producer as herself and as Bonard Productions which produced in association with Charles Russel the musical "Sail Away" whose original Broadway cast album was distributed by Capitol Records, died of cardiopulmonary arrest at her home in Weston, Connecticut at age 97.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
60 Years Ago Today In 1951 - Vince Welnik, keyboardist with the Capitol Records band The Tubes and The Grateful Dead, is born in Phoenix, Arizona

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1957 - Buck Owens signs a recording contract with Capitol Records in Los Angeles, California
45 Years Ago Today In 1966 - Capitol Records releases The Beatles' single "Nowhere Man" with "What Goes On" on the flip side
1967 - The Beatles record tracks for their song "Fixing A Hole" at EMI's Abbey Road Studios in London, England
1970 - John Ono Lennon's Apple Records single "Instant Karma! (We All Shine On)", with Yoko Lennon Ono's "Who Has Seen The Wind?" on the flip side, enters the U.S. Pop singles charts one day after being released and just 26 days after being recorded
1987 - Crowded House's Capitol Records single "Don't Dream It's Over", with "That's What I Call Love" on the flip side, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1988 - Tanya Tucker (with with Paul Davis and Paul Overstreet)'s Capitol Records single "I Won't Take Less Than Your Love", with "Heartbreaker" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Country Singles charts
1990 - Bonnie Raitt's Capitol Records album "Nick Of Time" wins the Grammy for Album Of The Year
1990 - Paul McCartney, Polygram, Parlophone, Vee-Jay, Swan, Capitol, Apple, Columbia and Capitol (again) Records artist, is honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 32nd annual Grammy Awards ceremony
2007 - Al Viola, mandolin player, guitarist, member of the Page Cavanaugh Trio, session musician for motion pictures (most notably the mandolin solo in the soundtrack for "The Godfather"), and a Capitol Records and Liberty Records session musician at many sessions for Frank Sinatra, Nat "King" Cole, Frank Zappa and with Bobby Troup, dies of cancer at age 87 at his home in Studio City, California. I was able to talk to Al briefly at Bill Miller's wake in 2006 and he was a very approachable guy and was still performing until late January 2007 at Spazio, a jazz supper club, in Sherman Oaks, California

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1965 - Gary Lewis and The Playboy's United Artists Records single "This Diamond Ring" is still #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1982 - "Murray The K" Kaufman, disc jockey at Radio WINS in New York City and early United States supporter of The Beatles (aka "The Fifth Beatle"), dies of cancer at age 60 in Los Angeles, California

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1977 - Members of the band KISS have small quantities of their blood taken after their apperance at the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, New York which will later be mixed with the red ink used for the band's pseudo-autobiographical Marvel Comics comic book
2003 - Tom Glazer, singer and songwriter (best known for "On Top of Spaghetti" [1963]) dies in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at age 88

FEBRUARY 20, 2011

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1937- Nancy Wilson, singer, television variety show host and actress, 1999 Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame inductee, and Capitol Records artist, is born Nancy Sue Wilson in Chillicothe, Ohio
65 Years Ago Today In 1946 - Jerome Giles, guitarist and leader of the Capitol Records group J. Giles Band, is born in New York City, New York

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1947 - Merle Travis' Capitol Records single "So Round, So Firm, So Fully Packed", with "Sweet Temptation" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Country charts
1952 - Mel Blanc records the tracks "Tweet, Tweet, Tweety" and (with an uncredited vocal by June Foray) "Bugs Bunny And The Grow-Small Juice" with producer Alan Livingston and composer and arranger Billy May conducting the orchestra at Capitol Records' studios on Melrose Avenue in Hollywood, California. The tracks will be released as individual singles by Capitol Records.
1959 - Tennessee Ernie Ford's Capitol Records album "Hymns" is certified Gold by the R.I.A.A.
45 Years Ago Today In 1965 - Buck Owens' Capitol Records single "I've Got A Tiger By The Tail", with "Cryin' Time" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
1965 - The Beatles record the track "That Means a Lot" at EMI's Abbey Road Studios around midday
1970 - John Ono Lennon's Apple Records single "Instant Karma! (We All Shine On)", with Yoko Lennon Ono's "Who Has Seen The Wind?" on the flip side, is released by Capitol Records in the United States just 25 days after being recorded
1985 - Clarence Nash, voice actor (best known for "Donald Duck") and Capitol Records artist, dies at age 80
20 Years Ago Today In 1991 - Polygram, Parlophone, Vee-Jay, Swan, Capitol, Apple, Zapple, and Geffen Records artist John Lennon is posthumously awarded a Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award
2007 - Capitol Records releases Luscious Jackson's compilation album "Greatest Hits"
2009 - I was interviewed for a documentary about Johnny Mercer by director/producer Bruce Ricker at the Warner Brothers Studios in Burbank, CA in the Eastwood Sound Stage. I followed Leonard Maltin and Miles Kreuger and met Richard Carpenter on the way in.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1957 - Dave Guard And The Calypsonians, forerunners of the Capitol Records group The Kingston Trio, record an acetate demo of "Run Joe"
50 Years Ago Today In 1961 - Johnny Burnette's Liberty Records single "Little Boy Sad", with "(I Go) Down To The River" on the flip side, enters the U.S. Country singles charts
1972 - James C. Bracken, co-owner of Vee-Jay Records, dies in Chicago, Illinois at age 62
1982 - Chrysalis Records artist Pat Benatar marries her guitarist, Neil Gerado, in Hawaii

FEBRUARY 19, 2011

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
75 Years Ago Today In 1936 - Bob Engemann, singer with the Capitol Records group The Lettermen, is born in Highland Park, Michigan

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1953 - Tex Ritter records the track "High Noon" for Capitol Records
1954 - Hank Thompson's Capitol Records single "Wake Up, Irene", with "Go Cry Your Heart Out" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
55 Years Ago Today In 1956 - Nelson Riddle's Capitol Records single "Lisbon Antigua", with "Robin Hood" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Pop singles charts
1965 - The Beatles record the track "You're Going To Lose That Girl" during a three hour session at EMI's Abbey Road Studios in London, England
1970 - Sonny James' Capitol Records single "It’s Just a Matter of Time", with "This World Of Ours" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
1972 - Badfinger's Apple Records album "Straight Up", distributed by Capitol Records in the United States, enters the Pop album charts
1977 - Capitol Records artist Natalie Cole wins the Best R&B Female Vocal Performance Grammy for her track "Sophisticated Lady"
1977 - Wings' Capitol Records single "Maybe I'm Amazed", with "Soily" on the flip side, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
30 Years Ago Today In 1981 - George Harrison is ordered to pay ABKCO Music the sum of $587,000 for "subconscious plagiarism" of the Chiffon's "He's So Fine" for his Apple Records single "My Sweet Lord" which was distributed by Capitol Records in the United States

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1952 - Seventeen-year-old Vincent Eugene Craddock (aka future Capitol Records artist Gene Vincent) enters the US Navy

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1878 - The phonograph is patented by Thomas Edison who, after making a sketch of the device, paid his assistant $18 to make it

FEBRUARY 18, 2011

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1933 - Yoko Ono, artist, singer, songwriter, wife and partner of Apple, Capitol, and Geffen Records artist John Lennon, mother of Capitol Records artist Sean Lennon, and solo Apple, Geffen, and Capitol Records artist, is born in Toyko, Japan
1952 - Juice Newton, singer, guitarist, songwriter, and Capitol Records artist, is born Judith Kaye Newton at the Lakehurst Naval Base, Lakehurst, New Jersey
1953 - Derek Pellicci, percussionist and drummer with the group Mississippi and the Capitol Records group Little River Band, is born somewhere in Australia. If anyone knows for sure where, please leave a comment.

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
60 Years Ago Today In 1951 - Tennessee Ernie Ford's Capitol Records single "Shotgun Boogie", with "I Ain't Gonna Let It Happen No More" on the flip side, returns to the #1 spot on the U.S. Country singles chart
55 Years Ago Today In 1956 - Les Baxter's Capitol Records single "The Poor People Of Paris", with "Theme from 'Helen of Troy'" on the the flip side, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Pop singles chart
1965 - The Beatles record tracks for their songs "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away" and "Tell Me What You See" at EMI's Abbey Road Studios in London, England
1968 - David Gilmour joins Pink Floyd as the replacement for founding member and guitarist Syd Barrett
1974 - Apple Records (with Capitol Records handling U.S. distribution) releases Ringo Starr's single "Oh My My", with "Step Lightly" on the flip side
10 Years Ago Today In 2001 - Keith Urban's Capitol Records Nashville single "But For The Grace Of God" hits #1 on Billboard's Country Singles chart

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1967 - Johnny Rivers' Imperial Records single "Baby I Need Your Lovin'", with "Gettin' Ready For Tomorrow" on the flip side, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart

FEBRUARY 17, 2011

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

1972 - Taylor Hawkins, drummer for the Capitol Records group Foo Fighters, is born Oliver Taylor Hawkins in Laguna Beach, California

1984 - Farrah King, singer and founding member of the Capitol Records group Cherish, is born in Maywood, Illinois

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY

1965 - The Beatles record the tracks "The Night Before" in the afternoon and then at 11 pm they record "You Like Me Too Much" at EMI's Abbey Road Studios in London, England

1967 - Smiley Burnette (born Lester Alvin Burnette), singer, songwriter, motion picture, radio and television actor, comedian, and Capitol Records artist, dies at age 55 of leukemia in Encino, California and is later interred at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles, California

1967 - Capitol Records releases The Beatles' single "Strawberry Fields Forever" with "Penny Lane" on the flip side

1985 - Mel McDaniel's Capitol Records single "Baby's Got Her Blue Jeans On", with "The Gunfighter's Song" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts

1999 - The Beatles' Capitol Records single "Lady Madonna", with "Inner Light" on the flip side, and their Apple Records single "The Long And Winding Road", with "For You Blue" on the flip side which was distributed by Capitol Records in the United States, are certified Platinum by the R.I.A.A.

2010 - Kathryn Grayson, singer, motion picture actress and wife of Capitol Records artist and motion picture actor Johnnie Johnston, died at age 88 of natural causes at her home in Los Angeles, California.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY

1962 - The Beach Boys' first single "Surfin'" on Candix Records enters Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart

? - Walter Gross, Senior Director, Digital Strategy for EMI Music North America, is born in Brooklyn, New York

FEBRUARY 16, 2011

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1914 - Jimmy Wakely, singer, guitarist, and Capitol Records artist, is born James Clarence Wakely in Mineola, Arkansas
1920 - Patty Andrews, singer and member of the Capitol Records group The Andrews Sisters, is born Patricia Marie Andrews in Minneapolis, Minnesota
50 Years Ago Today In 1961 - Andy Taylor, lead guitarist of the Capitol Records groups Duran Duran and The Power Station, is born in Dolver-Hampton, England

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
65 Years Ago Today In 1946 - Capitol Records artist Jack Guthrie debuts as a guest on "The Grand Ole Opry" radio show
1949 - Gordon MacRae records the track "Were Thine That Special Face", then he and Jo Stafford record the track "Wunderbar" and finally Jo records the track "Why Can't You Behave" in Los Angeles, California with Paul Weston and His Orchestra and members of an unlisted string section and vocal chorus. Capitol Records will issue all the tracks on the album "Kiss Me Kate" (CD-144).
1950 - Les Baxter directs unlisted members of an orchestra in Los Angeles, California, recording the instrumental tracks for "Monkeys (Monos)", "Dance Of TheWinds (Wayra)", "High Andes (Ataypora!)" and "Earthquake (Tumpa)". The next day vocal overdubs by Yma Sumac will be recorded the next day. Capitol Records will issue all the tracks on Sumac's album "Voice Of The Xtabay" (CD-244).
1953 - Vicky Young, with Dave Cavanaugh and His Orchestra (members unlisted), records the (as of 2005) unissued track "I'll Stop Loving You" and the tracks "I'm Wonderin'", "Let Me Hear You Say (I Love You)", "I Love You So Much" and "Goodbye, Charlie, Goodbye" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue the second and fifth tracks together as a single (Capitol 2395) and the third and fourth tracks together as a single (Capitol 2478).
1954 - The Four Freshmen (Bob Flanigan on vocals, bass and trombone; Don Barbour on vocals and guitar; Ross Barbour on vocals and drums and Ken Errair on vocals, trumpet, mellophone and bass) record the tracks "After You" and "Mood Indigo" at Capitol's Melrose Avenue studios in Hollywood, California. Capitol Records will release the tracks on the album "Voices In Modern" (H-522).
1954 - The Ever Ready Singers (vocalists Chris Tyler, Isiah Robertson, James Knight, Leroy Fontenot and Sam Campbell) record the tracks "One Day When I Was Walking" "I'm A Pilgrim And A Stranger, "Two Wings" and "This Heart Of Mine" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue the first two tracks together as a single (Capitol 2763) and the last two tracks togehter as a single (Capitol 2867).
1955 Frank Sinatra, with Nelson Riddle conducting his own arrangements to the orchestra (Harry Edison on trumpet; Mahlon Clark, Skeets Herfurt, Champ Webb, Babe Russin and Ted Nash on saxophones and woodwinds; Bill Miller on piano; Paul Smith on celeste; George Van Eps on guitar; Phil Stephens on bass; Alvin Stoller on drums; Kathryn Julye on harp and Harry Bluestone, Mischa Russell, Paul Shure, Felix Slatkin on violins; Alvin Dinkin and Eleanor Slatkin on viola), records 4 takes of the track "What Is This Thing Called Love?" and the tracks "Ill Wind", "I See Your Face Before Me" and "Mood Indigo" at Capitol Records' Melrose studios (formerly radio station KHJ) in Hollywood, California. Capitol Records will issue the last take of "What Is This Thing Called Love" and the last three tracks on Sinatra's album "In The Wee Small Hours" (W 581).
1959 - Murray McEachern (on trombone), and unlisted others, record the (as of 2005) unissued tracks "Lover Come Back To Me" and "Amor" and an overdub for previously recorded (and still unissued) "Satin Doll" in Los Angeles, California.
1959 - Jack Marshall (on guitar and zither), using his own arrangements, and His Music (Don Fagerquist, Mannie Klein and Uan Rasey on trumpet; Milt Bernhart on trombone; Bob Enevoldsen on valve trombone; Justin Gordon and George Smith on saxophones; Milt Raskin on piano; Barney Kessel on guitar; Joe Mondragon and Mike Rubin on bass; Shelly Manne on drums and Larry Bunker, Milt Holland and Lou Singer on percussion) record the tracks "Should I", "A Hot Sombrero" (listed as "Mexican Hat Dance" in the files), "Mimi" (with George Roberts on bass trombone) and "Whistlin' Blues" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue all the tracks on Marshll's album "Soundsville! - Swinging Sketches By Jack Marshall And His Music" (T 1194).
1960 - Glen Gray leads The Casa Loma Orchestra (listed as similar to Shorty Sherock, Pete Candoli, Uan Rasey and Mannie Klein on trumpet; Milt Bernhart, Joe Howard, Tommy Pederson and Si Zentner on trombone; George Roberts on bass trombone; Gus Bivona on clarinet and alto saxophone; Skeets Herfurt on alto saxophone; Plas Johnson and Babe Russin on tenor saxophone; Chuck Gentry on baritone saxophone; Ray Sherman on piano; George Van Eps on guitar; Mike Rubin on bass and Nick Fatool on drums) as they record a retake of "Stars And Stripes Forever" and the tracks "Panama", "Cotton Belt Cannonball", "That's A Plenty" and Riverboat Shuffle" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol will issue all the tracks on the album "Swingin' Southern Style" (T 1400).
50 Years Ago Today In 1961 - Rita Faye (on auto harp) records and does overdubs for the tracks "Are Ye Able?" and "Showers Of Blessing" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue both titles on the album "Rita Faye's Autoharp" (T 1606).
1963 - At George Shearing's concert at The Santa Monica Civic Auditorium (featuring Gary Burton on vibraphone, Shearing on piano, John Gray on guitar, Bill Yancey on bass, and Vernel Fournier on drums) in California the tracks "Walkin'", Look No Further", "Love Is Just Around The Corner", "Bel Aire", "Lee's Blues", "My Reverie", "Love For Sale", "African Inspiration" (with Armando Peraza on congas), "There With You" and "Moanin'" were recorded. Capitol will issue the tracks "Walkin'", Love Is Just Around The Corner", "Bel Aire" and "There With You" on the album "George Shearing - Jazz Concert" (T 1992). Mosaic Records will issue all the tracks on the album "The Complete Capitol Live Recordings of George Shearing Quintet" (CD MD5-157).
1965 - The Four Freshmen (Bob Flanigan on vocals trombone and bass; Bill Comstock on vocals and guitar; Ross Barbour on vocals, trumpet and drums and Ken Albers on vocals, trumpet, flugelhorn and bass), with Gary Paxton conducting his arrangements to unlisted orchestra members, record the tracks "When I Stop Loving You" and "Nights Are Long" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue both tracks together as a single (Capitol 5401).
1965 - The Beatles record tracks for their songs "I Need You", "Another Girl", and "Yes It Is" at EMI's Abbey Road Studios in London, England
45 Years Ago Today in 1966 - David McCallum (on vocals), with unlisted musicians, records the tracks "Isn't It Wonderful?", "Far Away Blue", "British Grenadier", "The Edge" and "Finale" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue all the tracks except "British Grenadier" (which, as of 2005, remains unissued) on the album "David McCallum Music - A Bit More Of Me" (T 2498).
45 Years Ago Today in 1966 - Glen Campbell (on vocals), with unlisted musicians), records the track "Together Again" and the (as of 2005) unissued track "I'm The One" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue "Together Again" on the album "Burning Bridges" (T 2679).
1967 - Lou Rawls (on vocals), with H. B. Barnum conducting his own arrangements to the orchestra (Freddie Hill and Tony Terran on trumpet; Teddy Edwards on tenor saxophone; Jim Horn on alto saxophone and baritone saxophone; Gerald Wiggins on piano; Barney Kessel on guitar; Jimmy Bond on bass and Earl Palmer on drums), records the tracks "You're Always On My Mind", "Dead End Street - Song", "Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye", "I'll Take Time" and "Dead End Street - Monologue" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue all the tracks on the album "Too Much!" (T 2713).
1967 - The Beatles record tracks for their song "Good Morning Good Morning" at EMI's Abbey Road Studios in London, England
1968 - Grace Markay (on vocals), with unlisted musicians, records the tracks "Sally Go 'Round The Roses", "Distraction" (unissued as of 2005) and "Sonny Boy" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue the first and last tracks together as a single (Capitol 2161).

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1997 - Spice Girls' Virgin Records single "Wannabe" is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart.

FEBRUARY 15, 2011

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1905 - Harold Arlen, composer (Oscar-winning songwriter: Somewhere Over the Rainbow "Stormy Weather" and "It’s Only a Paper Moon" with Ted Koehler, "That Old Black Magic" with Ira Gershwin and Johnny Mercer, "Somewher Over The Rainbow" with "Yip" Harburg for which they won the 1939 Academy Award for Song Of The Year, score for the 1946 Broadway muscial "St. Louis Woman" with Johnny Mercer which was the first Original Broadway Cast album released by Capitol Records, and many more), singer, and Capitol Records artist (1955 album "Harold Arlen and His Songs"), is born Hyman Arluck in Buffalo, New York
70 Years Ago Today In 1941 - Brian Holland, composer (best known as part of the teams Holland, Dosier, and Holland and Dosier/Holland), record producer, and co-founder of Invictus Records which was distributed by Capitol Records, is born in Detroit, Michigan

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1947 - The King Cole Trio's "(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons", with "The Best Man" on the flip side, is still #1 on the U.S. Pop Singles chart
1964 - The Beatles' Capitol Records album "Meet The Beatles" is #1 on the U.S. album charts
1964 - Al Martino's Capitol Records single "I Love You More And More Every Day", with "I'm Living In Heaven With You" on the flip side, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1965 - Nat "King" Cole (born Nathaniel Adams Coles), pianist, singer, motion picture actor, television variety show host, member of the Capitol Records group The King Cole Trio, husband of Capitol Records artist Maria Ellington, father of Capitol Records artist Natalie Cole, and a Capitol Records solo artist, dies of lung cancer at age 45 at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica, Calfornia and is later buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California
1965 - Capitol Records releases The Beatles' single "Eight Days A Week" with "I Don't Want To Spoil The Party" on the flip side
1965 - After John Lennon passes his driving test in Weybridge, England, The Beatles record the tracks "Ticket To Ride", "Another Girl", and "I Need You" at EMI's Abbey Road Studios in London, England
40 Years Ago Today In 1971 - Capitol Records releases Buck Owens' album "Bridge Over Troubled Waters"
1975 - Capitol Records rush releases John Lennon's "Rock and Roll" album after a version called "Roots" was marketed on late-night television. "Roots" was put together by music publisher Morris Levy from the "oldies" sessions Lennon was court-ordered to record as payment for a line ("Here come old flat-top, he come groovin' up slowly") from a Chuck Berry song, to which Levy owned the copyright, that Lennon used in the Beatles' track "Come Together".
1975 - Linda Ronstadt's Capitol Records single "You're No Good", with "I Can't Help It" on the flip side, is still #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1975 - Linda Ronstadt's Capitol Records album "Heart Like a Wheel" hits #1 on Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart
1977 - George Harrison's Apple Records album "The Best Of George Harrison", distributed by Capitol Records in the United States, is certified Gold by the R.I.A.A.
25 Years Ago Today In 1986 - Tanya Tucker's Capitol Records single "One Love At A Time", with "Fool Fool Heart" on the flip side, enters the Billboard Country Singles chart
10 Years Ago Today In 2001 - George Harrison participates in his first-ever online chat via Yahoo! Chat and MSN Live to help promote the release of the re-issue of his album "All Things Must Pass". Harrison was in the ninth floor conference room of The Capitol Tower in Hollywood, California and I was in the art department on the fifth floor trying to participate in the chat. Security was tight and management asked that staff not go to the ninth floor to watch, but there was a just a kind of happiness and thrill that was felt by most just knowing he was there. The chat was flooded with participants (many of whom just made quick comments and didnt' ask questions) and lasted about an hour.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1954 - Chet Baker records "But Not For Me" at Capitol Records' studios on Melrose Avenue in Hollywood, California for Pacific Jazz Records. EMI Music Group, Capitol Records' parent organization, currently owns Pacific Jazz's catalog.
1960 - Mikey Craig, bass player with the Virgin Records group Culture Club, is born in Hammersmith, London, England
1977 - Glen Matlock, bass player for The Virgin Records group The Sex Pistols, is fired and replaced by Sid Vicious who has a better look but has as much talent playing the bass as Stuart Sutcliffe did.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1932 - George Burns and Gracie Allen debuted as regulars on future Capitol Records artist Guy Lombadro's CBS Radio show "The Guy Lombardo Show"

FEBRUARY 14, 2011

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

REST IN PEACE

2011 - George Shearing, pianist, songwriter, arranger and Capitol Records artist, died of congestive heart failure at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, New York at age 91. I was fortunate enough to see him in concert twice. Once opening for Carol Lawrence and Robert Goulet at Melody Fair in Tondawanda, New York and with The Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra in Buffalo, New York.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

1894 - Jack Benny, comedian, vaudeville performer, radio, motion picture, and television actor and host and Capitol Records artist, is born Benjamin Kubelsky in Waukegan, Illinois

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1949 - Margaret Whiting's Capitol Records single "Far Away Places" (with "My Own True Love" on the flip side) is #4 on the U.S. Pop Singles chart and Jimmy Wakely's Capitol Records single "I Love You So Much It Hurts" (with "I Don't Want Your Sympathy" on the flip side) is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
1957 - Sonny James' Capitol Records single "Young Love", with "You're the Reason I'm in Love" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
50 Years Ago Today In 1961 - Wanda Jackson records the track "I Talk A Pretty Story" for Capitol Records
1970 - Merle Haggard records the track "The Fightin' Side Of Me" for Capitol Records
1972 - Buck Owens' Capitol Records single "I've Got A Tiger By The Tail", with "Cryin' Time" on the flip side, is #1 on Billboard's Country singles chart seven years after it was released
1972 - Apple and Capitol Records artists John Lennon and Yoko Ono begin their week-long stint as guest hosts on "The Mike Douglas Show", a syndicated U.S. variety television series
20 Years Ago Today In 1991 - Poison's Capitol Records album "Flesh & Blood" is certified Triple Platinum by the R.I.A.A.
2009 - Louis Bellson (born born Luigi Paulino Alfredo Francesco Antonio Balassoni), drummer with Duke Ellington and His Orchestra, the Capitol Records groups The Benny Goodman Sextet and Ray Anthony and His Orchestra, and at Capitol Records sessions for Helen O'Connell, Frank DeVol, Nat "King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald, the tribute album "Giants Of Jazz" for the movie "A Song Is Born and the 1969 All Star White House Tribute to Duke Ellington which was issued by Blue Note Records, leader of the Louis Bellson "Just Jazz" All Stars, and husband of actress, singer and Capitol Records artist (on the original Broadway cast album for "St. Louis Woman") Pearl Bailey until her death in 1990, has died at age 84 of complications of Parkinson's disease at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1950 - Roger Fisher, founding guitarist (1976-1979) of the future Capitol Records group Heart, is born in Seattle, Washington
1965 - Gary Lewis And The Playboys' Liberty Records single "This Diamond Ring", with "Tijuana Wedding" on the flip side, is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1945 - Bill Nowlin, one of the founders of Rounder Records, is born in Boston, Massachusettes
1999 - Doug Weston, owner of The Troubadour, Los Angeles' prime talent showcase During the '60s and '70s, dies in a local hospital after a bout of pneumonia at age 72

FEBRUARY 13, 2011

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1900 (but possibly in 1904) - Wingy Manone, one armed cornet player, singer, band leader, and Capitol Records artist, is born Joseph Mathews Manone in New Orleans, Louisiana. If anyone knows for sure on the year of Manone's birth, please leave a comment.
1919 - Tennessee Ernie Ford, singer, radio and television variety show host, 1990 Country Music Hall Of Fame inductee, and Capitol Records artist, is born Ernest Jennings Ford in Bristol, Tennesseee
1974 - Robbie Williams, singer, member of the group Take That, and Capitol Records solo artist, is born Robert Peter Williams in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1948 - Margaret Whiting's Capitol Records single "Now Is The Hour", with "But Beautiful" on the flip side, enters the top 40 of the U.S. Pop singles charts
1962 - After releasing 11 albums with the label, Dean Martin refuses to renew his contract with Capitol Records. Martin will sign with Reprise Records and start his own production company, Claude Productions, so that he can keep all rights and exclusive ownership of his work from then on.
1964 - The Beatles' Capitol Records single "I Want To Hold Your Hand" with "I Saw Her Standing There" on the flip side, is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1967 - The Beatles' Capitol Records single "Strawberry Fields Forever", with "Penny Lane" on the flip side, is released
1967 - The Beatles record tracks for their song "Only A Northern Song"
30 Years Ago Today In 1981 - 402 weeks after entering Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart in March 1973, Pink Floyd's Capitol Records album "Dark Side of the Moon" sets the record for the rock album to spend the most consecutive weeks on the chart, and will remain on the chart until April 23, 1988, for a total of 724 weeks

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1914 - The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) is founded in New York City, New York
50 Years Ago Today In 1961 - After recording for tracks for his new label since December 19, 1960, Frank Sinatra officially opens Reprise Records, the first completely artist-owned label

FEBRUARY 12, 2011

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
1923 - Mel Powell, pianist, songwriter, dean of music at the California Institute Of The Arts, and Capitol Records artist, is born Melvin Epstein in New York City, New York

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
65 Years Ago Today In 1946 - Ella Mae Morse (on vocals) and Freddie Slack (on piano, with George Van Eps on guitar, John "Jack" Ryan on bass, and Nick Fatool on drums) record the tracks "The House Of Blue Lights" (additional vocals by Don Raye) and "Hey, Mr. Postman" (with Slack on celeste) at Radio Recorders in Hollywood, California. Capitol Records will issue both tracks together as a single (Capitol 251).
1947 - Merle Travis' Capitol Records single "So Round, So Firm, So Fully Packed", with "Sweet Temptation" on the flip side, hits #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
1953 - The Pud Brown Trio (Albert "Pud" Brown on tenor saxophone, Pete Urquidi on piano, and Hank Castro on drums) record the tracks "Take The A Train" and "Memories Of You" in New Orleans, Louisiana with producer Dave Dexter, Jr. Capitol Records will purchase the masters and issue both tracks together as a single (Capitol 2433).
1957 - Skeets McDonald (on vocals, with J. R. "Jelly" Sanders on fiddle; Joe Maphis and Alvis "Buck" Owens on guitar; Ralph Eugene Mooney on steel guitar; Clarence "Bud" Dooley on bass; and Marion "Pee Wee" Adams on drums) records the tracks "I Am Music", "Welcome Home", "I Can't Hold A Memory In My Arms", and "Keep Her Off Your Mind" with producer Ken Nelson at the Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California. Capitol Records will issue the first and last track together as a single (Capitol F3679) and the second track as a single (Capitol F3741) with "Your Sweet Love Is Gone" on the flip side. Bear Family Records will issue all the tracks on McDonald's 5 CD set "Don't Let The Stars Get In Your Eyes" (BCD 15937) in Germany.
1959 - Jack Marshall (on guitar and zither) and His Music (Don Fagerquist, Mannie Klein, Uan Rasey on trumpet; Milt Bernhart on trombone; Bob Enevoldsen on valve trombone; Justin Gordon and George Smith on saxophones; Milt Raskin on piano; Barney Kessel on guitar; Joe Mondragon and Mike Rubin on bass; Shelly Manne on drums; Larry Bunker, Milt Holland, and Lou Singer on percussion), using Marshall's arrangements, record the tracks "Sonate", "The Third Man Theme", "Clouds" and "Baby It's Cold Outside" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue all the tracks on Marshall's album "Soundsville! - Swinging Sketches By Jack Marshall And His Music" (T 1194).
1963 - Buck Owens (on vocals, with unlisted musicians) records the tracks "Act Naturally", "Over And Over Again", and the (as of 2005) unissued track "My Heart Skips A Beat" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue the first two tracks together as a single (Capitol 4937).
1964 - The Beatles end their first American visit with two 25-minute shows at Carnegie Hall and then go to the White House with British PM Sir Alec Douglas-Home where they meet U.S. President Lyndon Johnson.
1969 - Pollution (led by Otis Hale; with Richard Lewis in keyboards and vocals; James Quill Smith on guitar and vocals; John Kenneth Lambert on bass and vocals; and Duane Bryant and Barbara Busa on vocals and unlisted instruments) records the track "Getting Together" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue the track as a single (Capitol 2458) with "Angela Jerome" on the flip side.
1969 - Peggy Lee (on vocals, with on orchestra and choir with an unlisted lineup but listed as possibly including Bobby Bryant on trumpet), using arrangements by Bobby Bryant, records the track "(Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay", "I Think It's Going To Rain Today", and the (as of 2005) unissued track "No More" in The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California. Capitol Records will issue the first two tracks on Lee's album "A Natural Woman" (ST-183).
1969 - Merryweather (lineup unlisted but listed on some sources as Neil Merryweather [aka Robert Neilson Lillie and Neil Lillie] leading the band, on bass, and lead vocals; David Colin Burt on guitar; Ed Roth on organ; and Gary "Cofi" Hall on drums) records the track "Feeling Of Freedom" and "Hooker Blues" in Los Angeles, California (possibly at Independent Recorders in the San Fernando Valley with in the Valley with producer John Gross, engineer Jim Lockert, and assistant engineer Tim Weston, son of Paul Weston and Jo Stafford. Capitol Records will issue the first track as a single (Capitol 2537) and the second track on the group's eponymous album "Merryweather" (STBB-278).
1969 - Matt Monro (on vocals, with unlisted musicians) records the track "Love Song (From 'Celebration')" at EMI's studios on Abbey Road in London, England. Capitol Records will issue the track as a single (Capitol 2455) with "Try To Remember" on the flip side.
1967 - Buck Owens' Capitol Records single "Where Does The Good Times Go", with "The Way That I Love You" on the flip side, is #1 on Billboard's Country Singles chart
1974 - Capitol Records releases Buck Owens' compilation album "Best Of Buck Owens, Vol. 5"
1989 - Dan Seals' Capitol Records single "Big Wheels In The Moonlight", with "Factory Town" on the flip side, is #1 on Billboard's Country Singles chart

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1968 - Chynna Phillips, singer, daughter of John and Michelle Phillips of the Mamas and the Papas, and member of the SBK Records (distributed by Capitol Records) group Wilson Phillips, is born in Los Angeles, California

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1924 - The first public performance of George Gershwin's "Rhapsody In Blue" is given by future Capitol Records artist Paul Whiteman at his Symphonic Jazz program at New York City's Aeolian Hall. Gershwin himself is at the piano and guests John Philip Sousa and Jascha Heifetz are in the audience. Whiteman would later record "Rhapsody in Blue" for Capitol Records.

FEBRUARY 11, 2011

HAPPY BIRTHDAY
1935 - Gene Vincent, singer, songwriter, guitarist, and Capitol Records artist, is born Eugene Vincent Craddock in Norfolk, Virginia

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1954 - Frank Sinatra (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Young At Heart", with "Take A Chance" on the flip side, enters the top 40 of the U.S. Pop singles charts
1963 - The Beatles record 10 tracks with producer George Martin in Studio 2 at EMI's Abbey Road Studios in London, England (starting at 10 AM with "There's A Place", then going on to record "I Saw Her Standing There", "A Taste Of Honey", "Do You Want To Know A Secret", "Misery", "Hold Me Tight", "Anna (Go To Him)", "Boys", "Chains", and after 13 hours, finish with "Twist And Shout" at 11 PM) for their first Parlophone album "Please, Please Me". Though two takes were attempted on "Twist And Shout", John Lennon's voice wasn't as strong on the second. He had been fighting a cold and sore throat all day and the first take left him hoarse and his throat painful for a while.
1964 - The Beatles play their first US concert when they perform at Washington Colosseum in Washington, D.C.
1965 - Ringo Starr marries his first wife, Maureen Cox, in London's Caxton Hall Register Office, with manager Brian Epstein as best man
1968 - The Beatles record tracks for their song "Hey Bulldog"
40 Years Ago Today In 1971 - Capitol Records releases Buck Owens' single "Bridge Over Troubled Waters" with "I'm Goin' Home" on the flip side
1978 - Natalie Cole's Capitol Records single "Our Love" enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1992 - Justis David Mustaine, son of Dave Mustaine of the Capitol Records group Megadeth and his wife Pam, is born in Burbank, California
1999 - 400 copies of Steve Wariner's Capitol Records Nashville CD single, "Two Teardrops", ship on time to radio stations because Capitol Records Nashville's promotion team, after tornadoes earlier in the week forced the company's normal CD manufacturing plant in Jacksonville, Illinois to shut down production, persuaded two manufacturing plants to press the single while promotions staff volunteers addressed and stuff envelopes

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1847 - Thomas Alva Edison, inventor of the lightbulb, the phonograph, the motion picture camera, and 1,090 other patented items, is born in Milan, Ohio
1970 - Peter Sellers and Ringo Starr's film "The Magic Christian", featuring music by Badfinger, premieres in New York City, New York

FEBRUARY 10, 2011

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
1939 - Roberta Flack, music teacher, singer, and Capitol Records artist (1983), is born in Asheville, North Carolina

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1945 - Johnny Mercer's Capitol Records single "Accentuate the Positive", with "There's A Fellow Waiting In P'Keepsie" on the flip side is #2 on the U.S. Pop singles charts
1967 - The Beatles record tracks for their song "A Day In The Life"
1968 - The Beatles close their American fan club and business office, Beatles U.S.A, fire their American PR people, and sever all business ties in the country, turning everything over to their own Apple Corps in London.
1973 - Anne Murray's Capitol Records single "Danny's Song", with "Drown Me" on the flip side, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1937 Don Wilson, rhythm guitarist with the Dolton Records (distributed by Liberty Records) group The Ventures, is born in Tacoma, Washington
1955 - Capitol Records artist Faron Young's movie, "Hired Guns" has its world premiere

FEBRUARY 9, 2011

HAPPY BIRTHDAY
1942 - Carole King, singer, pianist, songwriter, and Capitol Records artist, is born Carol Klein in Brooklyn, New York

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1944 - Ella Mae Morse (with Dick Walter and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "No Love, No Nothin’", with "Shoo Shoo Baby" on the flip side, is #3 on the U.S. Pop singles charts
1947 - The King Cole Trio's Capitol Records single "(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons", with "The Best Man" on the flip side is still #1 on the U.S. Pop singles charts
1964 - Sunday, 8pm EST - The Beatles make their debut appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show" performing "All My Loving", "Till There Was You", "She Loves You", "I Saw Her Standing There", and "I Want to Hold Your Hand" to 703 audience members at what is now the Ed Sullivan Theatre, home of "Late Night With David Letterman", in New York City, New York. Future Capitol Records artist (as part of the group Dolenz, Jones, Boyce And Hart) and Monkee, Davy Jones, also appears on the show that night as part of the cast of the Broadway show "Oliver!"
1967 - The Beatles records tracks for their song "Fixing A Hole"
1972 - Paul McCartney's new band, Wings, debuts on stage at a surprise appearance at England's Nottingham University
1974 - Paul McCartney and Wings' Apple Records single "Jet", with "Let Me Roll It" on the flip side and distributed by Capitol Records in the United States, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1975 - Linda Ronstadt's Capitol Records single "You're No Good", with "I Can't Help It" on the flip side, is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1992 - Garth Brook's Liberty Records (later named Capitol Records Nashville) single "What She's Doing Now", with "Friends In Low Places" on the flip side, is #1 on Billboard's Country Singles chart
1997 - Brian Connolly (Born Brian McManus Connolly), lead singer of the Capitol Records band Sweet, dies of kidney failure at 47 in Slough, England

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1945 - Mia Farrow, television and motion picture actress, daughter of actress Maureen O'Sullivan (best known as Jane in the M-G-M series of Tarzan films), and third wife of (at the time) former Capitol Records artist Frank Sinatra is born Maria de Lourdes Villers-Farrow in Los Angeles, California
1960 - Joanne Woodward receives the first star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
30 Years Ago Today In 1981 - Bill Haley (born born William John Clifton Haley), singer, guitarist, band leader, and 1987 Rock 'N' Roll Hall Of Fame inductee dies at age 55 of a heart attack at his home in Harlingen, Texas

FEBRUARY 8, 2011

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1942 - Terry Melcher, singer, songwriter (co-wrote "Kokomo"), son of motion picture and television actress and singer Doris Day and her first husband, trombonist Al Jorden, and record, television, and festival producer, is born Terry Jorden in New York City, New York. 10 years later, he was adopted by Doris Day's third husband, agent and producer Martin Melcher, and took his surname. Part of the duos Bruce & Terry and The Rip Chords with future member of The Beach Boys Bruce Johnston. Performed on The Beach Boys' Capitol Records album "Pet Sounds". Produced The Byrd's tracks "Mr. Tambourine Man" and "Turn, Turn, Turn". Did not sign Charles Manson to a recording contract which may have caused the Manson Family murders as they attacked his former home that had recently been leased to Sharon Tate and Manson didn't know Melcher had moved.
1948 - Dan Seals, singer, part of the duo England Dan & John Ford Coley, and Capitol Records solo artist, is born in McCamey, Texas

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1952 - Ella Mae Morse's Capitol Records single "Blacksmith Blues" and Kay Starr's Capitol Records single "Wheel Of Fortune" both enter the top 40 of the U.S. Pop singles charts
1964 - Capitol Records releases The Beach Boys' single "Fun, Fun, Fun"
1964 - The Beatles' Capitol Records single "I Saw Her Standing There" enters Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1967 - The Capitol Records duo Peter and Gordon announce that they're disbanding. Peter Asher would go on to become a record producer, most notably for future Capitol Records artist Linda Ronstadt.
1967 - The Beatles record tracks for their song "Good Morning Good Morning"
1967 - The Seekers' Capitol Records single "Georgy Girl" is #2 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1968 - The Beatles record tracks for their song "The Inner Light"
1968 - John Lennon and Yoko Ono's Apple Records album "Unfinished Music No. 1 - Two Virgins", distributed by Capitol in the United States, enters the U.S. album charts
1970 - Sonny James' Capitol Records single "It's Just A Matter Of Time" is #1 on the U.S. Country singles chart

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1929 - Floyd Dixon, pianist and Aladdin Records artist (1951), is born in Marshall, Texas
80 Years Ago Today In 1931 - James Dean, television and motion picture actor, is born James Byron. Capitol Records would later release the soundtrack to the documentary "The James Dean Story"
1944 - Jim Capaldi with the United Artists Recods group Traffic, is born
65 Years Ago Today In 1946 - Adolpho de la Parra (aka Alfredo Fito and Fito de la Parra), drummer and leader of the United Artists Records group Canned Heat after the deaths of the band's founders Alan Wilson and Bob Hite, is born in Mexico City, Mexico
1958 - Paul McCartney introduces George Harrison to John Lennon after Lennon and McCartney's band, The Quarrymen, performs at the Wilson Hall in the Garston section of Liverpool, England
50 Years Ago Today In 1961 - Vince Neil, singer with the band Mötley Crüe, is born Vince Neil Wharton in Hollywood, California
1968 - Jukka Perko, alto and soprano saxophone player, is born in Finland. His album "Music of Olavi Virta" will become the first ever release of Blue Note Finland in November 2000
1972 - The Beatles' official fan club disbands
2002 - The Liverpool City Council votes to dismantle and store the wooden church stage where John Lennon and Paul McCartney first met instead of demolishing it to make room for renovations to the church

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1990 - Del Shannon (born Charles Westover), singer (best known for "Runaway"), commits suicide at age 50 by shooting himself in the head with a 22 calibre rifle at his home in Santa Clarita, California
1994 - Raymond Scott, composer (whose works were adapted for the musical soundtracks for many Warner Bros. cartoons by Carl Stalling), electronic musical instruments inventor, and bandleader on stage and radio, dies at age 85 in North Hills, California

FEBRUARY 7, 2011

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1934 - "King" Curtis, tenor saxphonist, session musician, band leader, and Capitol Records artist, is born Curtis Ousley in Fort Worth, Texas
1962 - Garth Brooks, singer, songwriter, Liberty, Capitol Records Nashville, and Capitol Records artist, is born Troyal Garth Brooks in Tulsa, Oklahoma

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1942 – Buddy DeSylva, Johnny Mercer and Glenn Wallichs lunch at Lucey's Restaurant at 5444 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood, California. It's there that Mercer and Wallichs ask DeSylva (at the time head of production for Paramount Pictures), if Paramount would put up the money to start a West Coast based label or allow them to sell the records in Paramount's. DeSylva says no, but that he would personally give them the start up money, and writes a check for $15,000. Thus Liberty Records is born. DeSylva would later paint a picture of the meeting. After registering the company with the state of California, they soon would find that they couldn't secure the rights to the name Liberty Records for nationwide use. Later, over dinner at Chasen's restaurant in Beverly Hills, California, Mercer's wife, Ginger, would suggest the name Capitol Records.
1964 - The Beatles arrive on their first visit to the United States shortly after 1:00 p.m. EST, when Pan Am Yankee Clipper flight number 101 lands at New York City's John F. Kennedy International Airport. 3,000 fans greet them. After a press conference at the airport, The Beatles are taken to the Plaza Hotel. On the same day, Baskin-Robbins introduces a flavor of ice cream called "Beatle-Nut".
45 Years Ago Today In 1966 - The Beach Boys' Capitol Records album "Summer Days" is certified Gold by the R.I.A.A.
1967 - Capitol Records releases Buck Owens' album "Roll Out The Red Carpet"
1970 - The Chairmen Of The Board's debut Invictus Records single "Give Me Just A Little More Time" with "Since the Days of Pigtails" on the flip side, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart at #37 and will peak at #3 on March 21, 1970. Invictus, run by Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, and Eddie Holland, was distributed by Capitol Records.
35 Years Ago Today In 1976 - Dr. Hook's Capitol Records single "Only Sixteen", with "Let Me Be Your Lover" on the flip side, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1985 - Matt Monro (born Terence Parsons), singer, EMI and Capitol Records artist, dies at age 52
10 Years Ago Today In 2001 - Dale Evans (born Lucille Wood Smith but her name was changed to Frances Octavia Smith while she was still an infant), actress, singer, songwriter ("The Bible Tells Me So" and "Happy Trails To You"), widow of Capitol Records artist Roy Rogers (with whom she recorded as part of a duo on the label), and a solo Capitol Records artist, dies in California at age 88
2009 - Blossom Dearie (born Marguerite Blossom Dearie), singer, pianist and Capitol Records artist as part of the vocal group The Blue Reys, who sang with Alvino Rey and his orchestra, a solo artist in 1964, and on the soundtrack of "Multiplication Rock", has died of natural causes at age 82 at her home in Greenwich Village, New York.
2009 - Molly Bee (born Mollie Gene Beachboard), singer, radio and television personality, motion picture actress, and a Capitol Records artist best known for her 1952 hit "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" and her duets with Tennessee Ernie Ford, has died of complications of a stroke at Tri-City Medical Center in Oceanside, California at age 69.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1949 - Alan Lancaster, bass player for the band Status Quo, whose 1977 album "Rockin' All Over The World" was distributed by Capitol Records Canada, is born
1963 - Vee-Jay Records releases The Beatles' first single in the United States, "Please Please Me" with "Ask Me Why" (credited to Beattles) on the flip side, after it was rejected by Capitol Records
1999 - Bobby Troup, pianist, songwriter ("Route 66", "The Girl Can't Help It", "The Meaning of the Blues"), record producer, television actor, and second husband of Liberty Records artist Julie London, dies of a heart attack in Sherman Oaks, California at age 80

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
45 Years Ago Today In 1966 - The first issue of Crawdaddy! magazine is published by Paul Williams in New York City, New York

FEBRUARY 6, 2011

REST IN PEACE
2011 - Gary Moore (born Robert William Gary Moore), guitarist, singer, founder of the group Thin Lizzy and a 10 Records and Virgin Records solo artist, died at age 58 in Costa De Sol, Spain of so far unknown causes. I met him in 1987 when I was working as a designer at Virgin Records America and he seemed to be a quiet & shy guy who loved what he was doing. I adapted the original art and design for his album "Wild Frontier" for its U.S. release.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
80 Years Ago Today In 1931 - Mamie Van Doren, motion picture actress, singer, one time wife of Capitol Records artist Ray Anthony, and a Capitol Records artist, is born Joan Lucille Olander in Rowena, South Dakota
1950 - Natalie Cole, singer, television actress, daughter of Capitol Records artists Nat "King" Cole and Maria Ellington Cole, and a Capitol Records artist herself, is born Stephanie Natalie Maria Cole in Los Angeles, California

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1947 Guitarist Carl Kress (with Paul Ricci on clarinet, Tony Mottola on guitar, Bob Haggart on bass, and Terry Snyder on drums), records the tracks "Blond On The Loose", "Sarong Number" and "Walking Behind Miss Lucy" (without Ricci on clarinet) at WMCA's studios in New York City, New York. The tracks will be released as part of Kress' self titled Capitol Records album in the label's "Classics In Jazz" series.
1949 - Jimmy Wakely's Capitol Records single "I Love You So Much It Hurts", with "I Don't Want Your Sympathy" on the flip side is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
1957 - Judy Garland records the tracks "How About Me", "I Get The Blues When It Rains", "Little Girl Blue", "Me And My Shadow", with Gordon Jenkins conducting the orchestra at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California
50 Years Ago Today In 1961 - June Christy and Bob Cooper record tracks for her Capitol Records album "Do-Re-Mi"
1968 - The Beatles record tracks for their songs "The Inner Light" and "Lady Madonna"
1974 - Buck Owens records the track "On The Cover Of The Music City News" for Capitol Records
1998- Carl Wilson, singer and guitarist with the Capitol Records band The Beach Boys, dies from complications of lung cancer at age 51 in Los Angeles, California

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1943 - Future Capitol Records artist Frank Sinatra makes his debut on the radio show "Your Hit Parade" after leaving the Tommy Dorsey band
1945 - Bob Marley, singer, songwriter, guitarist, and father of Virgin Records artists Ziggy Marley and The Melody Makers (Stephen, Sharon and Cedella Marley), is born Robert Nesta Marley in St. Anne's, Jamaica
1962 - Decca Records rejects The Beatles
35 Years Ago Today In 1976 - The Beatles’ nine year recording contract, which they had signed in 1967, expires, giving EMI the rights to release anything from their back catalogue of previously released material. The first new compilation album will be "Rock 'N' Roll Music" which will be released in just four months on June 7, 1976.
10 Years Ago Today In 2001 - EMI releases Asleep At The Wheel's compilation CD "23 Country Classics"

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
35 Years Ago Today In 1976 - Vince Guaraldi, composer and pianist, dies of a sudden heart-attack at age 47 while waiting in a motel room between sets at Menlo Park's Butterfield's nightclub. Guaraldi had finished recording his portion of the soundtrack to "It's Arbor Day, Charlie Brown" earlier in the day.

FEBRUARY 5, 2011

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1919 - Red Buttons, burlesque comedian, motion picture and television actor, singer, and Capitol Records artist (soundtrack album for Walt Disney's "Pete's Dragon") is born Aaron Chwatt in The Bronx, New York
1948 - David Denny, guitarist with the Capitol Records group The Steve Miller Band, is born in Berkeley, California

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1943 - Dave Dexter, Jr. joins Capitol Records
1958 - The Kingston Trio record the tracks "Hard, Ain't it Hard", "Three Jolly Coachmen", "Scotch and Soda", "Tom Dooley", a version of "Tom Dooley" with a German intro, "Sloop John B", and "Coplas" at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California for their eponymous album "The Kingston Trio"
50 Years Ago Today In 1961 - Ferlin Husky's Capitol Records single "On The Wings Of A Dove", with "Next To Jimmy" on the flip side, returns to #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
1968 - The Beatles' Capitol Records soundtrack album "Yellow Submarine" is certified Gold by the R.I.A.A.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1919 - Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks and D.W. Griffith start United Artists Studios. The company will later start a music division, United Artists Records, whose catalog is currently owned by Capitol Music Group's parent company, EMI Music
80 Years Ago Today In 1931 - Future Capitol Records artist Eddie Cantor makes his radio debut on future Capitol Records artist Rudy Valee's show "The Fleischmann Hour"
1960 - Alto Saxophonist Lou Donaldson (with Bill Hardman on trumpet, Horace Parlan on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Al Harewood on drums) records the tracks "Blues For J.P.", "Politely", "(Way Down Upon The) Swanee River", "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise", "The Man I Love", "Goose Grease", and "The Truth" with producer Alfred Lion and recording engineer Rudy Van Gelder at Van Gelder's studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey for Donaldson's Blue Note Records album "Sunny Side Up". "Blues For J.P.", "The Man I Love", and "The Truth" were rejected and later appeared on Mosaic Records' box set "The Complete Blue Note Lou Donaldson Sessions"
1960 - Mark Dinning's M-G-M single "Teen Angel", with "Bye Now Baby" on the flip side, is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart. Dinning is the younger brother of Capitol Records artists The Dinning Sisters
1989 - Paula Abdul's Virgin Records America single "Straight Up", with "Cold Hearted" on the flip side, is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1953 - Walt Disney's animated feature film "Peter Pan" premieres at the Roxy Theatre in New York City, New York
1958 - The New York chapter of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS) is formed

FEBRUARY 4, 2011

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
1915 - Ray Evans, Academy Award winning composer (with Jay Livingston he wrote "Mona Lisa", "Buttons And Bows", "Silver Bells", and many others covered by Capitol Records artists), is born Raymond B. Evans in Salamanca, New York

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1944 - Eddie Miller and His Orchestra (Charles Griffard, Bobby Goodrich, and Bruce Hudson on trumpet;, Abe Lincoln, Ed Kusby, and Elmer Smithers on trombone; Matty Matlock on clarinet; Doc Rando and Ray Lunsdale on alto saxophone; Miller on tenor saxophone; Clyde Rogers on baritone saxophone; Stan Wrightsman on piano; Nappy Lamare on guitar and vocal; Artie Shapiro on bass; and Nick Fatool on drums) record the tracks "The Hour Of Parting" (arranged by Paul Weston), "Our Monday Date" (arranged by Matty Matlock), "Yesterdays" (arranged by Weston), and two takes of "(I'm Gonna) Stomp, Mr. Henry Lee" (vocals by Lamar, arranged by Matlock) in Los Angeles, California for Capitol Records
1968 - John Lennon records tracks for The Beatles' song "Across The Universe
1969 - Paul McCartney hires his father-in-law's firm, Eastman & Eastman, as general legal counsel for Apple Corps
1974 - Harvest Records, a subsidiary of Capitol Records, releases Pink Floyd's single "Time" with "Us & Them" on the flip side
1980 - The Motels start recording their second Capitol Records album "Careful" when they record the track "Whose Problem?" in Studio B in the The Capitol Tower
1989 - Sheriff's Capitol Records single "When I'm With You", with "Voices" on the flip side, peaks at #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
20 Years Ago Today In 1991 - Capitol releases Tennessee Ernie Ford's album "Songs of the Civil War"

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1939 - Future Capitol Records artist Frank Sinatra marries his first wife Nancy Barbato in Jersey City, New Jersey
50 Years Ago Today In 1961 - Lenny Bruce gives a concert at Carnegie Hall which United Artist Records will releases complete and unabridged on the 3 record set "Lenny Bruce - The Carnegie Hall Concert". EMI Music, Capitol Records parent company, currently owns United Artists catalog
1990 - Paula Abdul's Virgin Records America single "Opposites Attract" is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart

FEBRUARY 3, 2011

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
1943 - Linda Hargrove, singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and Capitol Records artist, is born in Jacksonville, Florida

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1964 - The Beatles' Capitol Records single "I Want To Hold Your Hand", with "I Saw Her Standing There" on the flip side, and their Capitol Records album "Meet The Beatles!", are both certified Gold by the R.I.A.A. and are the group's first Gold records
1967 - The Beatles record tracks for their song "A Day In The Life"
1968 - Paul McCartney record tracks alone for The Beatles' song "Lady Madonna"
1969 - The Steve Miller Band records the track "My Dark Hour"
1969 - The Beatles' members John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr hire Allen Klein as the group's new manager instead of Paul McCartney's father-in-law, Lee Eastman
1999 - Capitol Records Nashville artist Trace Adkins seriously injures his ankle when, while trying to get his truck out of the mud outside of Nashville, Tennessee, he steps into a sinkhole, fracturing and dislocating his ankle
2003 - Phil Spector, music producer (The Beatles, Ike & Tina Turner, the Righteous Brothers, The Ronettes, and many others, including at the time Capitol Records group Starsailor), is arrested in connection with the shooting death of Lana Clarkson at his home in Alhambra, California

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1918 - Joey Bishop, comedian, writer, motion picture and television actor, and member of "The Rat Pack", is born Joseph Abraham Gottlieb in The Bronx, New York
1938 - Victor Buono, television and motion picture actor (best remembered as King Tut on ABC-TV's "Batman" series) is born Victor Charles Buono in San Diego, California
1959 - After performing at The Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa, Buddy Holly (age 22), The Big Bopper (aka Jiles Perry Richardson, Jr., age 28), Richie Valens (age 17), and pilot Roger Peterson (age 21) are killed when their chartered Beech-Craft Bonanza airplane No. N3794N crashes near the Mason City, Iowa Airport at around 1:00 AM CST. Waylon Jennings, bass player for Buddy Holly, gave his seat on the plane to The Big Bopper, due to the Bopper's illness. Another Holly band member, Tommy Allsup, flips Valens for the last available seat, losing the coin toss. United Artists Records artist Don McLean will later remind listeners of the event in his song "American Pie".
1960 - Frank Sinatra forms his own label, Reprise Records, now a part of the Warner Music Group
50 Years Ago Today In 1961 - At his first recording session (held at the home of his friends Sid and Bob Gleason at East Orange, New Jersey), Bob Dylan records the tracks "San Francisco Bay Blues" and "Jesus Met The Woman At The Well"

FEBRUARY 2, 2011

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
1927 - Stan Getz, tenor saxophonist with Capitol Records artists Stan Kenton and His Orchestra and Benny Goodman and His Orchestra, band leader, and, as solo artist on Verve, Roost and Roulette Records, recorded tracks at Capitol Records studios, is born Stanley Gayetzsky in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
45 Years Ago Today In 1966- "Little Willie" John signs with Capitol Records
1973 - Capitol Records artist Helen Reddy hosts the first episode of NBC-TV's rock variety show "The Midnight Special"
1989- Crispin Glover signs with Capitol Records

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1912 - Burton Lane, Broadway and motion picture composer (the songs "How Are Things in Glocca Morra", "That Old Devil Moon", "How About You", "I Hear Music", "On a Clear Day You Can See Forever", and many more and the Broadway musicals "Finian’s Rainbow" [with Yip Harburg] and "On a Clear Day You Can See Forever" [with Alan Jay Lerner], and songs for over thirty motion pictures including "Babes on Broadway", "Royal Wedding", and "St. Louis Blues" [which starred Capitol Records artist Nat "King" Cole]) and discoverer of future Capitol Records artist Judy Garland, is born Burton Levy in New York City, New York
1940 - Future Capitol Records artist Frank Sinatra debuts with the Tommy Dorsey orchestra
1940 - Alan Caddy, record producer and guitarist with the EMI group Johnny Kidd & The Pirates and the group The Tornadoes, is born in London, England
1957 - Imperial Records artist Fats Domino appears on The Perry Como Show singing "Blue Monday" and "Blueberry Hill"
1979 - Sid Vicious (born John Simon Ritchie), drummer, singer, bass player with the EMI and Virgin Records group The Sex Pistols, dies at age 21 from an overdose of heroin
30 Years Ago Today In 1981 - EMI releases Duran Duran's first single "Planet Earth", with "Late Bar" on the flip side, in the UK
1987 - Alfred Lion, record producer and founder of Blue Note Records, dies in San Diego, California at age 79
1992 - Right Said Fred's Charisma Records (a subsidiary of Virgin Records America) single "I'm Too Sexy" (with one side in English and the other side in Spanish) is still #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1887 - It's Groundhog's Day in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania for the first time
105 Years Ago Today In 1906 - Gale Gordon, motion picture, radio ("Our Miss Brooks", "My Little Margie") and television actor ("The Lucy Show") is born Charles Aldrich
1985 - Julian Lennon's Atlantic Records single "Too Late For Goodbyes", with "Let Me Be" on the flip side enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart. In the UK, the single is released by Charisma/Virgin Records.
15 Years Ago Today In 1996 - Gene Kelly, actor, dancer, singer, choreographer and director for Broadway, motion pictures, radio and telelvision, dies in Los Angeles from complications after two strokes at age 83

FEBRUARY 1, 2011

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1934 - Bob Shane, singer and guitarist with the Capitol Records group The Kingston Trio is born Robert Castle Schoen in Hilo, Hawaii
1937 - Ray Sawyer, singer, songwriter, guitarist, and member of the Capitol Records group Dr. Hook, is born in Chicksaw, Alabama
1968 - Lisa Marie Presley, singer, daughter of Elvis Presley, and Capitol Records artist is born in Memphis, Tennessee

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1960 - Capitol Records releases Hank Thompson's single "A Six Pack To Go" with "Squaws Along The Yukon" on the flip side
1960 - Capitol Records releases Buck Owens' single "Above And Beyond" with "Till These Dreams Come True" on the flip side
1964 - The Beatles' Capitol Records single "I Want to Hold Your Hand" hits #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart and its flip side with "I Saw Her Standing There" debuts in the top 40.
1967 - The Beatles record tracks for their song "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" at EMI's Abbey Road Studios in London, England
1968 - Merle Haggard records the track "Today I Started Loving You Again" for Capitol Records
1986 - Heart's Capitol Records single "These Dreams", with "Shell Shock" on the flip side, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1859 - Victor Herbert, cello player, composer of operettas (including "Babes In Toyland", "Naughty Marietta", and "Sally", songs from which have been covered by many Capitol Records artists including Gordon MacRae and Jo Stafford) and film scores "The Fall Of A Nation" (1915), is born in Dublin, Ireland
1942 - Terry Jones, television ("Monty Python's Flying Circus") and motion picture actor, writer, and director, and Virgin Records artist, is born Terence Graham Parry Jones in Colwyn Bay, Wales
1964 - The Beatles' Vee-Jay Records single "Please Please Me", with "From Me To You" on the flip side, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1948 - Rick James, singer and songwriter, is born James Johnson in Buffalo, New York
2003 - Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrates over Texas while reentering Earth's atmosphere. All seven astronauts (Michael P. Anderson, David Brown, Kalpana Chawla, Laurel Clark, Rick D. Husband, Willie McCool, and Ilan Ramon) onboard are killed.