DECEMBER 17, 2011

HAPPY BIRTHDAY
1928 - George Lindsey, comedian, actor and Capitol Records artist (1968 album "Goober Sings") is born in Fairfield, Alabama. Some sources give the year as 1935.
1948 - Jim Bonfanti, drummer with the Capitol Records group The Raspberries as well as the groups Dynamite and Boxer, is born James Alexander Bonfanti in Windber, Pennsylvania

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1948 - Margaret Whiting's Capitol Records single "Far Away Places", with "My Own True Places" enters the top 40 of the U.S. Pop Singles chart
1952 - Capitol Records releases Ray Anthony's single "Mr. Anthony's Boogie" with "I Wonder What's Become Of Sally" on the flip side
1953 - Jean Sheppard records the track "Two Whoops and a Holler" which will be released by Capitol Records as the flip side of the single "Why Did You Wait" (Capitol F2791)
1955 - Frank Sinatra's Capitol Records single "(Love Is) The Tender Trap", with "Weep They Will" on the flip side, enters the top 40 of the U.S. Pop Singles chart
55 Years Ago Today In 1956 - Ray Anthony and His Orchestra (Ray Anthony, Art DePew, Jules Chaikin, and Jack Holman on trumpet, Jimmy Henderson, Lew McCreary, and Jimmy Priddy on trombone, Med Flory and Gene Merlino on alto saxophone, Bob Enevoldsen and Jeff Massingill on tenor saxophone, Leo Anthony on baritone saxophone, Geoff Clarkson on piano, Mike Apruzzese (Abruze) on guitar, Don Simpson on bass and Bill Richmond on drums) record the tracks "Ev'rytime It Happens" (vocals by Sue Raney), "Rock Around The Rockpile" (vocals by Med Flory), and "The Girl Can't Help It" (vocals by Med Flory) in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue all the tracks on the soundtrack for "The Girl Can't Help It" (EAP-1-823).
1957 - The final episode of "The Nat 'King' Cole Show" airs on NBC-TV due to lack of a national sponsor to cover its costs.
50 Years Ago Today In 1961 - Leonard Pennario (on piano), with Alfred Newman conducting The Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra, records George Gershwin's "Cuban Overture" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue the track on Pennario's album "GERSHWIN By Starlight" (P-8581) and Angel Records will reissue the track on Pennario's album "Leonard Pennario Plays Gershwin" (S-36070).
1963 - James Carroll, a DJ at WWDC (in Washington, DC), starts playing a copy of The Beatles' Parlophone single "I Want To Hold Your Hand", which Carroll's stewardess girlfriend brought back for him from England. Due to listener demand, the station will play the song once an hour for days. Capitol intially considered court action, since the label hasn't released the single in the United States yet, but will instead release the single on January 13, 1964, earlier than planned.
1965 - Capitol Records artist Judy Garland and other artists perform at the grand opening of the new Houston Astrodome
45 Years Ago Today In 1966 - Capitol Records releases Merle Haggard's single "The Fugitive", written by Liz Anderson and with "Down Every Road" on the flip side. The single will become Haggard's first #1 on the Country singles charts.
1993 - Blind Melon's self-titled Capitol Records album is certified double platinum by the R.I.A.A.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1903 - Ray Noble, band leader, arranger, radio and motion picture actor and composer ("Goodnight Sweetheart", "Cherokee", "Love is the Sweetest Thing", "The Very Thought of You", and many more) is born Raymond Stanley Noble in Brighton, England
1968 - Columbia Records in the U.K. releases Pink Floyd's single "Point Me At The Sky" with "Careful With That Axe, Eugene" on the flip side which will be the group's last single for eleven years