AUGUST 20, 2011

REST IN PEACE
2011 - Ross Barbour, founding member of the Capitol Records vocal group The Four Freshmen, dies of lung cancer at his home in Simi Valley, California at age 82.

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1905 - Jack Teagarden, trombonist, band leader, singer and Capitol Records recording artist, is born Weldon John Teagarden in Vernon, Texas
1952 - John Hiatt, singer, musician, songwriter, and Capitol Records artist (1995-1997), is born in Indianapolis, Indiana. If anyone knows his middle name, please leave a comment.
1952 - Doug Fieger, actor, guitarist, and lead singer of the Capitol Records band The Knack, is born in Detroit, Michigan. If anyone knows his middle name, please leave a comment.

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY1948 - The comedy team Martin and Lewis (Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis) sign with Capitol Records. Martin had already signed a personal singing contract with Capitol on August 12, 1948.
1949 - Gordon MacRae and Jo Stafford's Capitol Records single "Whispering Hope" debuts on the singles chart where it will peak at #4
60 Years Ago Today In 1951 - Les Paul and Mary Ford’s Captiol Records single “The World is Waiting For The Sunshine” sells its first million copies
55 Years Ago Today In 1956 - August 20 - Bing Crosby and Grace Kelly‘s Capitol Records single “True Love”, from the Capitol Records soundtrack album for the MGM motion picture "High Society", sells its first million copies
1957 - The Kingston Trio hear the song "Tom Dooley" for the first time at talent audition at The Purple Onion, 140 Columbus, San Francisco, California. They will re-arrange the song and add a spoken intro when they record it for their demo disc, which is given to Voyle Gilmore at Capitol Records, who signed them to the label. The track also appears on their self-titled Capitol Records debut album, "The Kingston Trio".
1969 - All four Beatles are in the recording studio (EMI Studios, Abbey Road, London, England) at the same time for the last time. They'll mix part of the "Abbey Road" album, decide the running order of the songs, and decide where to clip the end of the track "I Want You (She's So Heavy)"
1973 - Capitol Records releases Tennessee Ernie Ford's single "Colorado Country Morning" with "Daddy Usta Say" on the flip side

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1959 - Ella Fitzgerald finishes recording tracks for her Verve Records album "Ella Fitzgerald Sings The George And Ira Gershwin Songbook" at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California with arranger and conductor Nelson Riddle and producer Norman Granz

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1919 - The 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution is ratified, giving women the right to vote
1942 - Isaac Hayes, singer, songwriter, and cartoon voice artist, is born Isaac Lee Hayes in Covington, Tennessee
1950 - Jerome Brailey (aka "Bigfoot" Brailey), drummer with various bands including P-Funk, Parliament, Funkadelic, and Mutiny is born. If anyone knows his middle name, or where he was born, please leave a comment
1965 - KRS-One, singer, songwriter, and producer, is born Lawrence Krisna Parker in Brooklyn, New York
1972 - 112,000 people gather at Los Angeles Coliseum for an all-day concert called Wattstax. Isaac Hayes, Albert King, The Staples Stingers, Rufus & Carla Thomas, The Bar-Kays, and others performed. Stax Records president Al Bell had the concert filmed and the footage has been shown as part of a documentary on PBS.

BTW - Today is my step-daughter Maureen Johnson's 32nd birthday!