DECEMBER 8, 2011

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1925 - Sammy Davis, Jr., singer, dancer, vibraphonist, trumpet player, drummer, impressionist, motion picture actor, member of the the Will Mastin Trio (with his father and uncle), a solo Capitol Records artist (1946-1949), and (posthumously) a member of the Capitol Records group The Rat Pack (2001-), is born in in Harlem, Manhattan, New York City, New York
55 Years Ago Today In 1956 - Warren Cuccurullo, songwriter, restaurant owner, guitarist who worked with Frank Zappa, founding member of the Capitol Records group Missing Persons (1980-1986), session musician, member of the Capitol Records band Duran Duran, and a solo artist, is born Warren Bruce Cuccurullo in Brooklyn, New York
1962 - Marty Friedman, guitarist with the Capitol Records group Megadeth, is born in Baltimore, Maryland

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1953 - Frank Sinatra, with arranger Nelson Riddle conducting the studio orchestra (Arthur "Skeets" Herfert, Harry Klee, and Warren Webb on reeds; Tommy Pederson on trombone; John Cave and John Graas on french horn; George Roberts on bass trombone;, Robert Bain on guitar; Joe Comfort on bass; Bill Miller on piano; Kathryn Julye on harp; Alvin Stoller on drums; Victor Bay, Alex Beller, Harry Bluestone, Henry Hill, Anatol Kaminsky, Mischa Russell, Paul Shure, Felix Slatkin, and Gerald Vinci on violins; Paul Robyn and Dave Sterkin on violas; and Cy Bernard and Eleanor Slatkin on cello), records the tracks "Take A Chance" (released as the flip side of the single "Young At Heart"), "Ya Better Stop" (which may still be unreleased), and "Why Should I Cry Over You" (which would later be released as a single in 1954 with "Don't Change Your Mind About Me" on the flip side, and as bonus track of the CD version Sinatra's album "Come Swing With Me") at Capitol Record's studios on Melrose Avenue in Hollywood, California
1958 - Julia Lee, pianist, singer and Capitol Records artist, dies in Kansas City, Missouri at age 56
50 Years Ago Today In 1961 - ‎Capitol Records purchases the masters to Rusty York's tracks "That's What I Need" and "Just Like You" which it will issue together as a single (Capitol 4663).
55 Years Ago Today In 1966 - Brothers And Sisters record the tracks "The Ali Shuffle", "Shake A Lady", and the unissued track Run A Young'in" in Los Angeles, California with producer David Axelrod. Capitol Records will issue the first two tracks together as a single (Capitol 5818).
1968 - Capitol Records band The Beach Boys perform two shows at The Astoria Theatre in Finsbury Park, London, England that are recorded and tracks from which are later released as a live album called "Live In London" in the U.K.
40 Years Ago Today In 1971 - Hoyt Axton records the track "Speed Trap" and an unissued take of "It's Been Fun" in Los Angeles, California. Also this day edits are made to Axton's track "Hey, Mr. Pilot Man". Capitol Records will issue "Speed Trap" and "Hey, Mr. Pilot Man" together as a single (Capitol 3259).
1973 - Paul McCartney and Wings' Apple Records single "Helen Wheels", with "Country Dreamer" on the flip side and distributed in the United States by Capitol Records, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1980 - John Lennon is shot four times at approximately 10:50 p.m. while entering through the gates outside of his family's home at The Dakota Apartments in New York City, New York and is pronounced dead pronounced dead at age 40 on arrival at Roosevelt Hospital at approximately 11:15 p.m.
30 Years Ago Today In 1981 - The Motels, featuring Martha Davis on vocals, record the track "Take The 'L' Out Of Love And It's Over" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue the track as a single (Capitol 5149) with "Mission Of Mercy" on the flip side.
25 Years Ago Today In 1986 - Les Brown and His Band of Reknown (Don Smith, Darrel Gardner, Fred Koyen, Don Rader on trumpets and flugelhorns; Mat Utal on alto saxophone; Rusty Higgins and Greg Huckins on alto and soprano saxophones; Lou Ciotti on tenor saxophone; Butch Stone on baritone saxophone and bass clarinet; Jack Redmond, Andy Martin, and Bob Payne on trombone; Stumpy Brown on bass trombone; Mundell Lowe on guitar; Eric Doney on piano; Tom Hill on bass; and Jack Sperling on drums) finish recording sessions in Studio A of The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California, with producer Ralph Jungheim and recording engineer Charlie Paakkari, for their Ryko Distribution album "Digital Swing"
1990 - Poison's Capitol Records single "Something To Believe In", with "Ball And Chain" on the flip side, peaks at #4 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
5 Years Ago Today In 2006 - Martha Tilton, singer with Benny Goodman and His Orchestra at their first Carnegie Hall Concert in 1938, and Capitol Records first female artist, dies in her sleep at her home in Brentwood, California at age 91

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1925 - Jimmy Smith, organist, Los Angeles club owner, and Blue Note Records artist, is born James Oscar Smith in Norristown, Pennsylvania. Blue Note's catalog is currently owned by Capitol Records' parent company EMI Music.
1958 - The Chipmunk's (Alvin, Theodore, and Simon) Liberty Records single "The Chipmunk Song" (later given the subtitle "Christmas Don't Be Late"), with David Seville (aka Ross Bagdasarian) and The Chipmunk's "Alvin's Harmonica" on the flip side, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Pop singles chart where it will peak at #1 on December 22, 1958. Liberty's catalog is currently owned by Capitol Records' parent company EMI Music.
50 Years Ago Today In 1961 - Candix Records releases future Capitol Records band The Beach Boys' first single "Surfin’" with "Luau" on the flip side

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1963 - Frank Sinatra, Jr. is kidnapped in Lake Tahoe, Nevada