DECEMBER 12, 2011

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1915 - Frank Sinatra, singer, motion picture actor, record label and casino owner, singer with Harry James and His Orchestra, Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra, and a solo artist on Columbia, Capitol, and Reprise Records, is born Frank Sinestro (his grandfather's name) in Hoboken, NJ. His mother will later have his birth certificate altered to the "Americanized" name Francis Albert Sinatra.
60 Years Ago Today In 1951 - LaCosta, singer, sister of Capitol Records artist Tanya Tucker, and a Capitol Records solo artist (1974-1980), is born LaCosta Tucker in Seminole, Texas

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1945 - Benny Carter and his Orchestra (Louis Gray, Wallace Jones, Dupree Bolton, and Idrees Sulieman on trumpet; Al Grey, Charley Johnson, Johnny Morris, and Alton Moore on trombone; Carter on alto saxophone and trumpet; Porter Kilbert and Joe Epps on alto saxophone; Bumps Myers and Harold Clark on tenor saxophone; Willard Brown on baritone and alto saxophones; Rufus Webster on piano; James Cannady on guitar; Thomas Moultrie on bass; and Percy Brice on drums) record the tracks "Cuttin' Time", "Forever Blue", "Prelude To A Kiss", and "Just You, Just Me" for Capitol Records at the WMCA studios in New York City, New York. All the tracks, except "Forever Blue", eventually appear on the Capitol Records album "Capitol Jazz Classics Volume II - Big Band Bounce", with tracks by Cootie Williams, and all appear on the 1997 Mosaic Records box set "Classic Capitol Jazz Sessions"
65 Years Ago Today In 1946 - Jascha Datsko (on violin) and His Gypsy Ensemble (lineup unlisted) record the as yet unissued take of "Clavelitos" and a remake of "Song Of The Plains (Meadowland)" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue the last track on Datsko's album "Gypsy Nights" (CD-42).
1947 - Red Norvo with Orchestra (Norvo on xylophone; Manny Klein on trumpet; John Cave and Al Berlich on french horn; Don Bonnie, Art Flemming, Jules Kinsler, Bob Lawson, Vic Poscella, and Lloyd Rathburn on reeds; Arnold Ross on piano; Barney Kessel on guitar; Red Callender on bass; Irving Cottler on drums) records the tracks "Twelfth Street Rag" (which will be released by Capitol Records as the flip side of the single "Band In Boston"), "Take The Red Car" (which will be released by Capitol Records as the flip side of the single "Summer Night"), and "I Don't Stand A Ghost Of A Chance With You (which will be released by Capitol Records as the flip side of the single "El Rojo"), all arranged by Johnny Thompson, in Los Angeles, California
1947 - Jo Stafford's Capitol Records single "Serenade Of The Bells", with "The Gentleman Is A Dope" on the flip side, enters the top 40 of the U.S. Pop charts
1949 - Tenessee Ernie Ford's Capitol Records single "Mule Train", with "Anticipation Blues" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
60 Years Ago Today In 1951 - Paul Phillips (caller) and The Oklahoma Ranch Hands (square dance band with unlisted member) with Ernie Felice on accordion record the tracks "Charlie My Boy", "If You've Got The Money, I've Got The Time", "If You Knew Susie (Like I Know Susie)" and "There'll Be Some Changes Made" in Los Angeles, California Capitol Records will issue all the tracks with each on its own individual with an instrumental version of each song (recorded on December 10, 1951) on the flip side and all confusingly called "Square Dance Favorites". ("Charlie My Boy" album DAS-4021, "If You've Got The Money, I've Got The Time" album DAS-4022, "If You Knew Susie [Like I Know Susie]" album DAS-4023, and "There'll Be Some Changes Made" album DAS-4024).
60 Years Ago Today In 1951 - Wesley Tuttle (on vocals) with Jimmy Wakely and his Orchestra (lineup unliste), record the track "I've Got A Round Trip Ticket (From Here To Chatanooga) at Capitol Records' Melrose Avenue studios in Hollywood, California. Capitol Records will issue the track as a single (Capitol 2408) with "Fill The Cup To Overflowing" (recorded April 23, 1952) on the flip side.
60 Years Ago Today In 1951 - Jimmy Wakely (on vocals), with Beasley Smith and Orchestra (Wesley Tuttle on guitar with unlisted additional musicians), records the track "Missing In Action" and the as yet unissued track "I Know I'll Cry In Heaven" at Capitol Records' Melrose Avenue studio in Hollywood, California. Capitol Records will issue the first track as a single (Capitol 1936) with "Just A Little More Waiting" (recorded on September 25, 1951) on the flip side..
60 Years Ago Today In 1951 - Ella Mae Morse (on vocals), with Nelson Riddle conducting his own arrangements to the orchestra (Walter "Pete" Candoli and Vito "Mickey" Mangano on trumpet, Harold Diner, Francis "Joe" Howard, Ray Sims, and Paul Tanner on trombone, Babe Russin on tenor saxophone, Bob Lawson on baritone saxophone, Milt Raskin on piano, Bob Bain on guitar, Wesley "Speedy" West on steel guitar, Meyer "Mike" Rubin on bass, and Frankie Carlson on drums), records the tracks "Love Me Or Leave Me", "The Blacksmith Blues" (with Riddle on ashtray), the instrumental track "Am I In Love?", and "Oaki Boogie" at Capitol Records' Melrose Avenue studios in Hollywood, California between 9:30 PM and 2:30 AM on December 13, 1951. Capitol Records will issue the first two tracks together as a single (Capitol 1922), the last track on the compilation album "Our Best To You" (T 1801) and the vocal track from "Love Me Or Leave Me" on a promotional record (Capitol PRO-50) for radio stations. Bear Family will issue all the tracks in Germany on Morse's box set "Barrelhouse, Boogie And The Blues" (BCD 16117).
60 Years Ago Today In 1951 - Billy May, conducting his own arrangements to His Orchestra (John Best, Conrad Gozzo, Mannie Klein, and Uan Rasey on trumpet, Murray McEachern, Jimmy Priddy, Ed Kusby, and Si Zentner on trombone, Arthur "Skeets" Herfurt and Wilbur Schwartz on alto saxophone, Ted Nash and Fred Falensby on tenor saxophone, Chuck Gentry on baritone saxophone, Buddy Cole on piano, Barney Kessel on guitar, Phil Stephens on bass, and Alvin Stoller on drums), records the tracks "Charmaine", "Orchids In The Moonlight", and "When I Take My Sugar To Tea" (with the vocal trio The Maytimers [lineup unlisted but according to "The Music of Billy May", The Maytimers on this session were probably taken from the Jud Conlon Singers]), at Capitol Records' Melrose Avenue studios in Hollywood, California between 8:30 PM and 11:30 PM.Capitol Records will issue the first and last track together as a single (Capitol 1919) and the second track as a single (Capitol 2227) with "Fat Man Mambo" on the flip side.
60 Years Ago Today In 1951 - Capitol Records files the masters it purchased for Les Paul (on guitar) and Mary Ford's (on guitar and vocals) tracks "It's A Lonesome Old Town" and "Tiger Rag" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol will issue the two tracks together as a single (Capitol 1920).
1957 - Sue Rainey records the track "My Ideal" for her Capitol Records album "When Your Lover Has Gone" album at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California
1964 - The Beatles' Capitol Records single "She's A Woman", with "I Feel Fine" on the flip side, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart and Capitol Records' double album "The Beatles' Story" enters Billboard's Top Albums chart at #97 and will peak and stay for four weeks at #7 on January 2, 1965
45 Years Ago Today In 1966 - Tower Records group The Pink Floyd performs their first concert, for the Oxfam Benefit, at the Royal Albert Hall in London, England. Tower Records is a subsidiary of Capitol Records.
1969 - Apple Records releases The Plastic Ono Band's album "Live Peace In Toronto 1969" and the band (featuring Eric Clapton, Klaus Voorman, Alan White, John Lennon and Yoko Ono) perform their first concert, which is held at the Toronto Peace Festival
1970 - Buck Owens records the track "Bridge Over Troubled Waters" for Capitol Records
1989 - Garth Brooks' Liberty Records single "If Tomorrow Never Comes", with "Much Too Young" on the flip side, is #1 on Billboard's Country Singles chart. Liberty Records will be renamed Capitol Records Nashville.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1918 - Joe Williams, singer, Roulette Records artist, is born Joseph Goreed in Cordele, Georgia. Roulette's catalog is currently owned by Capitol Records' parent company, EMI Music
65 Years Ago Today In 1946 - Clive Bunker, guitarist, drummer and member of the Chrysalis Records group Jethro Tull, is born in Luton, Bedfordshire, England. Chrysalis' catalog is currently owned by Capitol Records' parent comany EMI Music.
1969 - The film "The Magic Christian", starring Peter Sellers and Ringo Starr, with music written by Paul McCartney and performed by Badfinger, premieres in London, England