DECEMBER 26, 2011

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
90 Years Ago Today In 1921 - Steve Allen, television variety show host, motion picture actor, songwriter, pianist, and Capitol Records artist (1958 on the LP "Ray Anthony Plays Steve Allen"), is born in New York City, New York
1940 - Phil Spector, director of A&R for Liberty (1962) and Apple Records (1971), record producer (who has worked with Capitol Records artists The Beatles, John Lennon, George Harrison, Starsailor, and The Vines), is born Harvey Phillip Spector in the Bronx, New York

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1945 - Stan Kenton and His Orchestra (Buddy Childers, Ray Wetzel, John Anderson, Russ Burgher, and Bob Lymperis on trumpet; Freddie Zito, Ray Klein, Milt Kabak on trombone; Bart Varsalona on bass trombone; Al Anthony and Boots Mussulli on alto saxophone; Vido Musso and Bob Cooper on tenor saxophone; Bob Gioga on baritone saxophone; Kenton on piano; Bob Ahern on guitar; Eddie Safranski on bass; Ralph Collier on drums; and June Christy and Gene Howard on vocals) record the tracks "Shoo Fly Pie And Apple Pan Dowdy" (with Christy on vocals and solos by Wetzel and Musso) and "I Been Down In Texas" (with vocals by Christy, Howard, Wetzel, and Kenton), which will be released together as a single (235) for Capitol Records, at Radio Recorders in Hollywood, California
1955 - Dean Martin's Capitol Records single "Memories Are Made Of This", with "Change Of Heart" on the flip side, is #2 on Billboard's Pop singles chart
1955 - Tennessee Ernie Ford's Capitol Records single "Sixteen Tons", with " You Don't Have To Be A Baby To Cry" on the flip side, is still #1 on Billboard's Country singles chart
1963 - Capitol Records rush releases it's first single by The Beatles, "I Want To Hold Your Hand", with "I Saw Her Standing There" on the flip side. The single will be #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 in 5 weeks on February 1, 1964
1963 - Buck Owen's Capitol Records single "Love’s Gonna Live Here", with "Getting Used To Losing You" on the flip side, is still #1 on Billboard's Country singles chart
1964 - The Beatles' Capitol Records single "I Feel Fine", with "She's A Woman" on the flip side, is still #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
45 Years Ago Today In 1966 - Capitol Records releases Buck Owen's single "Where Does The Good Times Go" with "The Way That I Love You" on the flip side
1970 - George Harrison's Apple Records "My Sweet Lord", with "Isn't It A Pity" on the flip side and distributed in the United States by Capitol Records, is still #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1974 - Helen Reddy's Capitol Records single "Angie Baby" with "I Think I'll Write A Song" on the flip side, is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart. It is Reddy's third and last # 1 song to date.
30 Years Ago Today In 1981 - The Little River Band's Capitol Records single "Take It Easy On Me", with "Orbit Zero" on the flip side, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles and Cashbox's Top 100 Singles charts

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1967 - BBC-TV in the U.K. airs The Beatles' "Magical Mystery Tour" for the first time
1987 - The Pet Shop Boys with Dusty Springfield's EMI America Records single "What Have I Done To Deserve This?", with "A New Life" on the flip side, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart. EMI America's catalog is currently owned by Capitol Records' parent company EMI Music.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
80 Years Ago Today In 1931 - George Gershwin’s musical "Of Thee I Sing" opens at the Music Box Theatre in New York City. The show will become the first American musical to be awarded a Pulitzer Prize.