MAY 31, 2012

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
75 Years Ago Today In 1937 - Louis Hayes, jazz drummer who appears on sessions for Capitol, Blue Note and United Artists, is born in Detroit, Michigan
1950 - Marvin Yancey, pastor, songwriter (co-wrote "This Will Be", "Sophisticated Lady [She's A Different Lady]", "I've Got Love On My Mind" and "Our Love"), gospel artist and first husband of Capitol Records artist Natalie Cole, is born in Chicago, Illinois.

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
75 Years Ago Today In 1947 - The Pied Pipers (with Paul Weston and His Orchestra)' Capitol Records single "Mam'selle" is tied for #10 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart with Perry Como and The Satisfiers (with Lloyd Shaffer and His Orchestra)'s single "Chi-Baba, Chi-Baba (My Bambino Go To Sleep)"
1951 - Maynard Ferguson (directing and playing trumpet) with members of the Stan Kenton Orchestra (Alfred "Chico" Alvarez, John Howell, Shorty Rogers, Jimmy Salko also on trumpet; Milt Bernhart, Harry Betts, Bob Fitzpatrick, Dick Kenney on trombone; Paul Weigand on bass trombone; Art Pepper, Bud Shank on alto saxophone; Bart Caldarell, Jimmy Giuffre on tenor saxophone; Bob Gioga on baritone saxophone; Ralph Blaze on guitar; Stan Kenton on piano; Don Bagley on bass; and Shelly Manne on drums), records the tracks "What’s New" (arranged by Shorty Rogers), and "The Hot Canary" (arranged by Pete Rugolo) at Capitol Record's Melrose studio in Hollywood, California. The tracks will be released as a single on Capitol. At the same session Art Pepper, on alto saxophone, will be featured on the track "Jump For Joe" that will be released as the flip side of Stan Kenton and His Orchestra's single "Laura".
60 Years Ago Today In 1952 - Al Martino (with orchestra conducted by Monty Kelly)'s Capitol Records single "Here In My Heart" is tied for #1 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart with Leroy Anderson and His Orchestra's single "Blue Tango", Kay Starr (with orchestra conducted by Harold Mooney)'s Capitol Records single "Wheel Of Fortune" is #5, Ella Mae Morse (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Blacksmith Blues" is #10, Jane Froman (with orchestra conducted by Sid Feller)'s Capitol Records single "I'll Walk Alone" is #17, and Les Paul's Capitol Records single "Carioca" is #18
1956 - The Four Freshman (Bob Flanigan on vocals, trombone and bass; Don Barbour on vocals and guitar; Ross Barbour on vocals and drum; Ken Albers on volcals, trumpet, mellophone, and bass), with arranger Dick Reynolds conducting Buddy Childers, Pete Candoli, Uan Rasey, Ray Triscari on trumpets; Geoff Carslon on piano; Al Hendrickson, Jack Marshall on guitar; Don Simpson on bass; Frank Carlson on drums) record the tracks "Goodbye" and "Give Me The Simple Life" for the band's Capitol Records album "The Four Freshman and Five Trumpets" at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California
1956 - Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra (Ken Albers on trumpet, mellophone, and bass; Buddy Childers, Pete Candoli, Uan Rasey, and Ray Triscari on trumpets; Bob Flanigan on trombone and bass; Geoff Carslon on piano; Ross Barbour, Al Hendrickson and Jack Marshall on guitar; Don Simpson on bass; Ross Barbour and Frank Carlson on drums; and Ralph Hansell on tympani) record the track "Theme From The Proud Ones" which will be released by Capitol Records as a single with "The Love Of Genevieve" on the flip side, at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California
1959 - Peggy Lee and The George Shearing Quintet (Toots Thielemans on guitar, James Bond and Carl Pruitt on bass, George Shearing on piano, Warren Chaisson on vibraphone, Roy Haynes and Ray Mosca on drums, and Armando Peraza on bongos and congas) record the tracks "Don't Ever Leave Me", "You Came A Long Way From St. Louis", "There'll Be Another Spring", "Nobody's Heart", "Blue Prelude", "Do I Love You", "All Too Soon", "If Dreams Come True", "I Lost My Sugar In Salt Lake City", "Get Out Of Town", and "Always True To You In My Fashion" for their Capitol Records album "Beauty And The Beat!" with producer Dave Cavanaugh at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California
1963 - Peggy Lee records the tracks ""This Could Be The Start Of Something Big" (which was not issued) and "Leave It To Love" (which would be included on her 1965 Capitol Records album ""Then Was Then And Now Is Now") with producer Dave Cavanaugh and arranger Billy May conducting the studio orchestra at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California
1964 - Buck Owens' Capitol Records single "Together Again", with "My Heart Skips A Beat" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
45 Years Ago Today In 1967 - Buck Owens' Capitol Records single "Sam's Place", with "Don't Ever Tell Me Goodbye" on the flip side, is still #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
1969 - The song "Give Peace A Chance" was recorded by John Lennon, Yoko Ono and The Plastic Ono Band during a 'bed-in' in room 1742 at Hotel La Reine (now the Queen Elizabeth Hotel) in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Capitol Records promotions man Richard Glanville-Brown perched on a table joined in and sang along. See the great book "Give Peace A Chance" by Joan Athey for his recollection, over 80 unpublised photographs of John and Yoko and a heartfelt statement written exclusively for the book by Yoko about what the Bed-in means today. Go to www.peaceworksnow.com for details.
1976 - The Beatles' single "Got To Get You Into My Life" with "Helter Skelter" on the flip side is released with a picture sleeve in the U.S.
1978 - Paul McCartney and Wings finish sessions for their album "London Town" in Record Plant's mobile studio aboard the yacht "Fair Carol" in waters off the Virgin Islands
1994 - Manny Klein (born as Emmanuel Klein on February 4, 1908), trumpeter who was part of many Capitol Records sessions including "Concerto In C Minor For Piano" by Dmitri Shostakovich, "The Four Temperaments" by Paul Hindemith with Victor Aller and Felix Slatkin, and several for Dean Martin, dies at age 85 in Los Angeles, California.
1996 - Dr. Timothy Francis Leary, who participated in the live recording of John Lennon's "Give Peace A Chance", dies in Beverly Hills, California at age 75 of prostate cancer

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1945 - Bobby Hackett and His Orchestra: Bobby Hackett on trumpet; Vernon Brown on trombone; Joe Dixon on clarinet; Deane Kincaide on baritone saxophone; Dave Bowman on piano; Carl Kress on guitar; Bob Haggart on bass; and George Wettling on drums) record two takes of "Pennies From Heaven", two takes of "Rose Of The Rio Grande", four takes of "Body And Soul" and the track "I Want To Be Happy" for Melrose Records at WOR Studios in New York City, New York. One take of "Pennies From Heaven" and "Rose Of The Rio Grande" will be released by Melrose as a single. Blue Note Records will later buy the masters of the entire session but will not release them. The will finally be released on Mosaic Records' 1997 box set "Classic Capitol Jazz Sessions"
1959 - Trumpetist Donald Byrd, (with Charlie Rouse on tenor saxophone, Pepper Adams on baritone saxophone, Walter Davis on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Art Taylor on drums) records the tracks "Here I Am", "Witchcraft", "The Injuns", "Devil Whip", "Bronze Dance", and "Clarion Calls" with producer Alfred Lion and recording engineer Rudy Van Gelder at The Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, New Jersey for his Blue Notes Records album "Byrd In Hand"
1961 - Corey Hart, singer and EMI America Records artist, is born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada
1963 - Sarah Vaughn (with Carmell Jones on trumpet, Teddy Edwards on tenor saxophone, Jack Wilson on organ, John Collins on guitar, Al McKibbon on bass, and Milt Turner on drums) records the tracks "A Taste Of Honey" and "Moanin'" at United Recorders, in Los Angeles, California, for her Roulette Records album "Sarah Sings Soulfully"
1964 - Kid Frost (aka Frost), rapper, solo artist on Virgin Records America artist (1990-1999), and Vice President of the Music Division of Goldmark Industies, is born Arturo Molina, Jr. in East Los Angeles, California
25 Years Ago Today In 1987 - Dan Seals' EMI America Records single "I Will Be There", with "It's Gonna Be Easy Now" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1790 - George Washington signs into law the 1790 copyright act, the United States' first copyright law, which gave protection for 14 years, with the right of renewal for another 14 years, to "the author and authors of any map, chart, book or books already printed within these United States, being a citizen or citizens thereof....shall have the sole right and liberty of printing, reprinting, publishing and vending such map, chart, book or books....". There's a reproduction of the law, as it appeared in the July 17, 1790 edition of the Columbian Centinel on earlyamerica.com.
1930 - Actor, singer, Jazz pianist, and executive producer of the documentary "Johnny Mercer - The Dream's On Me" Clint Eastwood is born Clinton Eastwood, Jr. in San Francisco, California
75 Years Ago Today In 1937 - Tyrone Power and Loretta Young leave their hand and foot prints in cement at Graumann's Chinese Theatre's Ceremony #37, in Hollywood, California
45 Years Ago Today In 1967 - Pianist and composer ("Lush Life", "Take The 'A' Train") Billy Strayhorn dies of cancer of the esophagus at the age of 51 at the Hospital for Joint Diseases in New York City, New York
1994 - Capitol's sister label, Blue Note Records, who controls the acquired Roulette Records catalog, issues an expanded version of Count Basie's album "The Atomic Mr. Basie" with 5 extra tracks, and remastered back to it's intended monophonic sound, under the title "The Complete Atomic Basie"

MAY 30, 2012

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1903 - Alex J. Kramer, composer (best known for the Johnny Mercer and Jo Stafford Capitol Records hit "Candy", which he co-wrote with lyricists Mack David and Joan Whitney, and "Far Away Places") is born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada
1908 - Mel Blanc, cartoon voice artist, radio and television performer, and Capitol Records artist, is born Melvin Jerome Blank in San Francisco, California
1909 - Benny Goodman, clarinetist, singer, composer, bandleader, and Capitol Records artist from January 1947 to 1964, is born Benjamin David Goodman in the Maxwell Street ghetto of Chicago, Illinois
1911 (some listings give 1914) - Bobby Sherwood, trumpet, trombone, guitar and piano player, bandleader, Capitol Records artist as Bobby Sherwood and His Orchestra, is born in Indianapolis, Indiana. Sherwood's Capitol Records single "The Elks' Parade", with "I Don't Know Why" on the flip side, was #7 in Capitol's first release schedule and one of the top 3 hits the label had in its first year ("Strip Polka" and "Cow Cow Boogie" were the other two). If anyone knows for sure which year Sherwood was born, please leave a comment.
1969 - Spragga Benz, dancehall DJ, and Capitol Records artist (1995), is born Carlton Grant in Kingston, Jamaica

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1941 - Stan Kenton and his Orchestra make their debut at the Rendezvous Ballroom on Balboa Island, California
1953 - Les Baxter and His Orchestra's Capitol Records single "April In Portugal" is #2 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Nat "King" Cole (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Pretend" is #9, Les Baxter and His Orchestra's Capitol Records single "Ruby" (theme from the movie "Ruby Gentry" is #12, and Jane Froman (with orchestra conducted by Sid Feller)'s Capitol Records single "I Believe" is #13
50 Years Ago Today In 1962 - Capitol Records artist Benny Goodman turns 53 and leads the first American Jazz band to play in the Soviet Union on the first of six dates
1966 - The Beatles' Capitol Records single "Paperback Writer", with "Rain" on the flip side, is released in the U.S.
45 Years Ago Today In 1967 - Claude Rains, Broadway, motion picture, and radio actor and Capitol Records artist ("Bible Stories" series of childrens records), dies at age 77 in Laconia, New Hampshire and is later interred in the Red Hill Cemetery, Moultonborough, New Hampshire
1989 - Dave Coleman, drummer with Capitol Records group Freddie Slack and His Orchestra, dies in Seattle, Washington at age 65
1995 - Capitol Records, as part of its "Spotlight On Great Ladies Of Song" series releases separate compilations of greatest hits featuring Nancy Wilson and June Christy

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1919 - Joe Gaines, lead vocalist with the Imperial Records group The Hawks, is born in New Orleans, Louisiana
90 Years Ago Today In 1922 - Future Capitol Records artist "Smilin’" Ed McConnell debuts on radio, smiling and playing his banjo
1945 - Meredith MacRae, motion picture and television actress and daughter of future Capitol Records artists Gordon and Sheila MacRae
1958 - Marie Fredriksson, singer, songwriter, and member of the EMI America Records duo Roxette, is born in Östra-Ljungby, Sweden
1969 - The Beatles' Apple Records single "The Ballad of John and Yoko", with "Old Brown Shoe" on the flip side, is released in the U.K.
1986 - Hank Mobley, tenor saxophonist and Blue Note Records artist, dies in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at age 55
2003 - Mickie Most (born Michael Peter Hayes) founder of RAK Records (whose catalog was bought by EMI in 1983), record producer, with a string of Number 1 hit singles with his own label and for acts such as The Animals, Herman's Hermits, Donovan and Hot Chocolate, father of Calvin Hayes (member of the Virgin Records group Johnny Hates Jazz), dies of mesothelioma, a form of lung cancer, in his home in London, England at age 64

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1899 - Irving Grant Thalberg, motion picture producer and head of production for both Universal and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios, is born in Brooklyn, New York
1954 - Bing Crosby's last original show for CBS Radio is broadcast with Bing's sons Gary and Lindsay as guests
1961 - My wife, Kristine Heimback-Nielsen, is born Kristine Ann Heimback in Glendale, Arizona. Without her love, support and friendship, I wouldn't be possible.
1989 - The 33 foot high "Goddess of Democracy" statue is unveiled in Tiananmen Square, China by student demonstrators

MAY 29, 2012

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1903 - Bob Hope, comedian, Broadway, motion picture, radio and television actor, and Capitol Records recording artist, is born Leslie Towns Hope in Eltham, England, a suburb of London
1909 - Dick Stabile, alto saxophonist and bandleader of the Capitol Records group Dick Stabile and His Orchestra which released solo recordings and was the studio orchestra for many Dean Martin recordings, is born in Newark, New Jersey
1941 - Roy Crewsdon, guitarist with the Tower Records (a subsidiary of Capitol Records) group Freddie and The Dreamers, is born

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL HISTORY
1945 - Carl Kress records the tracks "The Goose From Gander (Squeeze Box Swing)" and "Jazz In G" as guitar solos at the WMCA studios in New York City, New York
1945 - Cootie Williams and His Orchestra (Cootie Williams, E. V. Perry, George Treadwell, Billy Ford, and Clarence "Gene" Redd on trumpet; Ed Burke, Dan Logan, and Bob Horton on trombone; Rupert Cole and Eddie Vinson on alto saxophone; Sam Taylor and Lee Pope on tenor saxophone; George Favors on baritone saxophone; Arnold Jarvis on piano; Carl Pruitt on bass; and Sylvester Payne on drums), record the tracks "Mood For Coot", "Juice Head Baby" with vocal by Eddie Vinson, "Salt Lake City Bounce" and "Jitterbug Serenade" with an unknown vocalist, possibly Cootie Williams
65 Years Ago Today In 1947 - The Hollywood Hucksters (Benny Goodman on clarinet; Red Norvo on xylophone; Benny Carter on alto saxophone; Charlie Shavers on trumpet; Dave Cavanaugh on tenor saxophone; Joe Koch on baritone saxophone; Jimmy Rowles on piano; Irving Ashby on guitar; Red Callendar on bass; and Lee Young on drums), with producer Dave Dexter, Jr., record the tracks "I Apologize", "Them There Eyes", and "Happy Blues" (with vocals by Stan Kenton and Benny Goodman).
1948 - The King Cole Trio (with orchestra conducted by Frank DeVol)'s Capitol Records single "Nature Boy" (with "Lost April" on the flip side) is still #1 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Peggy Lee (with Dave Barbour and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Mañana" (with "All Dressed Up With A Broken Heart" on the flip side) is #10, and The Sportsmen's a capella Capitol Records single "You Can't Be True, Dear" (with "Toolie Oolie Doolie" on the flip side) is #18
1951 - Fanny Brice (born Fania Borach), comedienne, Broadway, motion picture and radio actor, and Capitol Records artist (as Baby Snooks), dies at age 59 in Hollywood, California. Her life story will be turned into the Broadway musical "Funny Girl" whose original Broadway cast album will be released by Capitol Records, marking the only time Barbra Streisand would record for Capitol.
1954 - Kay Starr (with orchestra conducted by Harold Mooney)'s Capitol Records single "If You Love Me (Really Love Me)" (with "The Man Upstairs" on the flip side which is on the same chart at #10) is #4 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Frank Sinatra (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Young At Heart" (with "Take A Chance" on the flip side) is #6, Nat "King" Cole (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Answer Me, My Love" (with "Why?" on the flip side) is #11,
1958 - Frank Sinatra, during a session produced by Dave Cavanaugh, records the tracks "Monique", "Ebb Tide", "Angel Eyes", "Spring Is Here", "Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry", "Only The Lonely", "Lush Life" and "Willow Weep For Me" at a full day and night session with Felix Slatkin conducting the Nelson Riddle Orchestra that included the musicians Pete Candoli on trumpet; Milton Bernhart, Tommy Pederson, Kenneth Shroyer on trombones; John Cave, James Decker, Vincent DeRosa on french horns; Mahlon Clark, Mitchell Lurie on clarinet; Don Christlieb, Jack Marsh on Bassoon; Arnold Koblentz, Warren Webb on oboe; Charles Buttler, Chuck Gentry on bass clarinet; Arthur Gleghorn, Harry Klee on flute; Victor Arno, Israel Baker, Victor Bay, Alex Beller, Arnold Belnick, David Frisina, James Getzoff, Henry Hill, Daniel Karpilkowsky, Erno Neufeld, Paul Shure, Marshall Sosson on violin; Alvin Dinkin, Stanley Harris, Paul Robyn, David Sterkin on viola; James Arkatov, Armand Karproff, Kurt Reher, Eleanor Slatkin on cello; Bill Miller, Harry Sukman on piano; Joe Comfort, Mike Rubin on bass; Al Viola on guitar; Frank Flynn, Bill Richmond on percussion; Dominic Frontiere on accordian; and Kathryn Julye on harp
1959 - Capitol Records artists Peggy Lee and The George Shearing Quintet give a live performance at the Second National Disc Jockey Convention held at The Americana Hotel in Miami, Florida. The show is recorded, but problems with the audio will lead to the set being re-recorded a few days later at The Capitol Studios in Hollywood, California and passed for live when the tracks were released as the album "Beauty And The Beat!" by Capitol Records.
1963 - Peggy Lee, with conductor Max Bennett and producer Dave Cavanaugh, records the tracks "Got That Magic" and "A Doodlin' Song" at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California. Capitol Records will release the tracks together as a single (Capitol 5001).
1965 - The Beach Boy's Capitol Records single "Help Me, Rhonda", with "Kiss Me, Baby" on the flip side, is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
45 Years Ago Today In 1967 - Capitol Records Canada releases Lyn and Graham McCarthy's album "Bitter And Sweet"
1989 - Johh Cipollina, guitarist with the Capitol Records band Quicksilver Messenger Service, dies of congenital emphysema at age 45 in San Francisco, California. There's a great biographical article by William Ruhlmann that was in the November 3, 1989 issue of Goldmine magazine.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1961 - Rick Nelson's Imperial Records single "Travelin' Man" is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart, Ernie K-Doe's Minit Records single "Mother-In-Law" is #5, Gene McDaniels' Liberty Records single "A Hundred Pounds Of Clay" is #8, The Fleetwoods' Dolton Records single "Tragedy" is #10, Ricky Nelson's Imperial Records single "Hello Mary Lou" is #16, Steve Lawrence's United Artists Records single "Portrait Of My Love" is #18, and Al Caiola and His Orchestra's United Artists Records single "Bonanza" is #31. EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company, currently owns the catalogs of Imperial, Minit, Liberty, Dolton, and United Artists Records.
1973 - Mike Oldfield's Virgin Records album "Tubular Bells" is released in the United States
1975 - Melanie Brown (aka Mel B, aka Scary Spice), singer with the Virgin Recorsd group Spice Girls, is born Melanie Janine Brown in Leeds, England
1989 - Danielle Riley Keough, daughter of Capitol Records artist Lisa Marie Presley, is born

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL HISTORY
95 Years Ago Today In 1917 - Future president John Fitzgerald Kennedy is born in Brookline, Massachusetts. Capitol Records would release a tribute soundtrack album "Years Of Lightning, Days Of Drums" in 1966.
1929 - Janet Gaynor leaves her hand and foot prints in cement outside Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood, California during it's 14th ceremony
70 Years Ago Today In 1942 - Bing Crosby, with the John Scott Trotter Orchestra and the Ken Darby Singers, records the track "White Christmas" for Decca Records after introducing it in the motion picture "Holiday Inn" and featuring it on his radio shows. The single will become the best selling record of all time.

MAY 28, 2012

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1910 - T-Bone Walker, guitarist and Capitol and Imperial Records artist, is born Aaron Thibeaux Walker in Linden, Texas and would later become a major influence on many Blues guitarists including a very young Steve Miller when Walker visited Miller's father's home recording studio for impromptu sessions
100 Years Ago Today In 1912 - Dave Barbour, guitarist, composer, arranger, band leader and husband of Capitol Records artist Peggy Lee, is born David Michael Barbour in Flushing, New York
1928 - Arno Marsh, tenor saxophone player with Capitol Records group Stan Kenton and His Orchestra, is born in Grand Rapids, Michigan
1944 - Billy Vera, singer (as a solo artist, in a duo with Judy Clay, and with the bands Resolution and Billy And The Beaters), songwriter, actor, voice over artist, music historian, 45 rpm collector, and producer of Capitol Records' "From The Vaults" series and writer of the liner notes for Mosaic Records' release of Capitol Records co-founder Johnny Mercer's compilation CD "Mosaic Select: Johnny Mercer", is born William Patrick McCord in Riverside, California and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at the north east corner of Vine and Yucca, right outside The Capitol Tower's Gogerty Building extension. Billy wrote me to correct an earlier post I made saying "The note writer on my first Atlantic LP wrote that my real name is William McCord, Jr., and the mistake has been continued ever since. Actually, my father and I have different middle names, which means I'm not a 'Jr. ... My full name is William Patrick McCord, born in Riverside, CA [where his father served as a pilot in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II and was stationed at March Field], not San Diego, as that same LP said. My mom [Ann Ryan] was one of The Ray Charles Singers on the Perry Como Show during the '50s and sang on a number of his hits. My dad [William J. "Bill" McCord] was an announcer on NBC in New York for almost 30 years [where he was the voice on such TV Quiz shows as "Tic Tac Dough" and "Twenty-One"], so there's a show biz background."
1968 - Kylie Minogue, singer, television and motion picture actress, and Capitol Records artist, is born in Melbourne, Australia

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1946 - On her husband's, (Dave Barbour) 34th birthday, vocalist Peggy Lee records "Can't Help Lovin' That Man", "Mean To Me", "I'm Confessin' (That I Love You)", and "Summertime" for Capitol Records transcription service with Buddy Cole's Four Of A Kind (Dave Barbour on guitar, Philip Stephens on bass, Buddy Cole on piano, celeste and organ, and Tom Romersa on drums) at Radio Recorders studios at 7000 Santa Monica Boulevard, Los Angeles, California with engineer John Palladino
1949 - Mel Tormé (with orchestra conducted by Pete Rugolo)'s Capitol Records single "Again" is #8 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Margaret Whiting and Johnny Mercer's Capitol Records single "Baby It's Cold Outside" is #10, Jo Stafford and Gordon MacRae (with Paul Weston and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "'A' You're Adorable" is #11, Mel Tormé (with orchestra conducted by Pete Rugalo)'s Capitol Records single "Careless Hands" is #16, and Jo Stafford and Gordon MacRae (with Paul Weston and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Need You" is #18
1955 - Les Baxter and His Orchestra's Capitol Records single "Unchained Melody" is #2 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Nat "King" Cole (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s single "A Blossom Fell" and it's flip side "If I May" (with The Four Knights and Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra) are #6, Frank Sinatra (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Learin' The Blues" is #10, Tennessee Ernie Ford (with Cliffie Stone's Band)'s Capitol Records single "The Ballad Of Davy Crocket" is #11, and Nat "King" Cole (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s "Darling, Je Vous Aime Beaucoup" is #18
1955 - Frank Sinatra's Capitol Records album "In The Wee Small Hours" enters the top 20 of Billboard's album chart beginning a top 20 album career that would last, in the U.S., for next 39 years and 7 months until his album "Duets" exited the top 20 on December 31, 1994
1961 - Faron Young's Capitol Records single "Hello Walls", with "Congratuations" on the flip side, is #12 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1966 - The Beach Boys' album "Pet Sounds" enters Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart where it will spend the next 39 weeks
45 Years Ago Today In 1967 - Wynn Stewart's Capitol Records single "It's Such A Pretty World Today", with "Ol' What's Her Name" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
2006 - Dierks Bentley's Liberty Records (a subsidiary of Capitol Records Nashville) single "Settle For A Slowdown" is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL HISTORY
1943 - Tony Mansfield, producer, songwriter and drummer in the bands Billy J. Kramer and The Dakotas (Parlophone), New Musik (CBS/Sony) and Naked Eyes (EMI America/EMI/Parlophone), is born Anthony Bookbinder, in Salford, England.
2004 - Vance "Pinto" Colvig is inducted into the International Clown Hall of Fame as the original Bozo

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1943 - Monty Woolley places his hand and foot prints in cement outside Graumann's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California during ceremony #69

MAY 27, 2012

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1911 - Vincent Price, Broadway, motion picture and television actor and Capitol Records recording artist (his "Witchcraft and Magic: An Adventure In Demonology" album had a gatefold cover and accompanying booklet, and I have a 16mm copy of a scenes from a publicity event Capitol held at The Magic Castle to promote the album), is born Vincent Leonard Price Jr. in St. Louis, Missouri.
85 Years Ago Today In 1927 - Ralph R. Carmichael, arranger who worked with Capitol Records artist Nat "King" Cole, is born in Quincy, Florida
85 Years Ago Today In 1927 - Mac Wiseman, singer, guitarist, songwriter, producer, disc jockey and Capitol Records artist (1962), is born Malcolm B. Wiseman in Crimora (near Waynesboro), Virginia
1939 - Don Williams, singer and Capitol Records artist (1986-1989), is born Donald Ray Williams in Floydada, Texa
1943 - Cilla Black, singer, and Captiol Records artist, is born Priscilla Maria Veronica White in Liverpool, England
1958 - Neil Finn, singer and songwriter with the Capitol Records band Crowded House, as well as the band Split Enz, is born Neil Mullane Finn in Te Awamutu, New Zealand

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
70 Years Ago Today In 1942 - George G. DeSylva, John Mercer, and Glenn E. Wallichs appear before Los Angeles county and California state Notary Public Leta Niccum to apply for a Certificate of Amendment to change the name of the corporation from Liberty Records to Capitol Records, Inc. The amendment will be filed with the state of California on June 1, 1942.
1944 - Jo Stafford (with Paul Weston and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Long Ago (And Far Away)" is #7 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart and Andy Russell (with orchestra conducted by Al Sack)'s Capitol Records single "Amor" is tied for #10 with Jo Stafford (with Paul Weston and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "I Love You"
1950 - Future Capitol Records artist Frank Sinatra makes his TV debut when he appears on NBC-TV’s "Star-Spangled Review" with Capitol Records artist Bob Hope
1950 - Kay Starr (with orchestra conducted by Frank DeVol)'s Capitol Records single "Hoop-Dee-Doo" debuts at #14 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart
55 Years Ago Today In 1957 - Nat "King" Cole's album "Love Is The Thing", arranged and conducted by Gordon Jenkins, hits #1 on Billboard's Top 200 albums chart where it will stay for 8 weeks
55 Years Ago Today In 1957 - The Four Freshmen (Bob Flanigan on vocals, trombone, and bass; Don Barbour on vocals and guitar; Ross Barbour on vocals and drums; and Ken Albers on vocals trumpet, mellophone and bass) with arranger Pete Rugolo conducting the accompanists (Gus Bivona on soprano saxophone and alto saxophone; Bud Shank on alto saxophone; Dave Pell and Bob Cooper on tenor saxophone; Chuck Gentry on baritone and bass saxophone; Al Hendrickson on guitar; Geoff Clarkson on piano; Joe Comfort on bass; and Frank Carlson on drums record the tracks "I May Be Wrong", "Liza", "East Of The Sun", and "This Can't Be Love" at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California and will all be released on their Capitol Records album "The Four Freshmen and Five Saxes"
1968 - Buck Owens records the track "Let The World Keep On A Turning" which Capitol Records will release as a single with "(I'll Love You) Forever And Ever" on the flip side on August 7, 1968
1973 - Paul McCartney and Wings' Apple Records single "My Love", distributed by Capitol Records in the United States, is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1989 - Paul McCartney's Capitol Records single "My Brave Face" debuts at #72 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1993 - It's announced that EMI Music fired Capitol Records president Hale Milgrim and his #2 man, executive VP Art Jaeger.
1993 - Patti Ouderkirk takes Crowded House band member Tim Finn's photo at a shoot at Capitol Records' New York City office

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1933 - Disney releases the cartoon "The Three Little Pigs" with its hit song "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?". Capitol Records will later release a children's record of the song.
50 Years Ago Today In 1962 - Frank Ifield, with Norrie Paramor conducting the orchestra, records the track "I Remember You" (words by Capitol Records co-founder Johnny Mercer with music by Victor Schertzinger) for EMI Records in the U.K.
1963 - Vee-Jay Records releases The Beatles' single "From Me To You", with "Thank You Girl" on the flip side
1964 - Gerry and The Pacemkers record the track "Ferry 'Cross The Mersey"
35 Years Ago Today In 1977 - Virgin Records releases The Sex Pistols' single "God Save the Queen" in the U.K.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1924 - The Music Corporation of America (MCA) is founded.
80 Years Ago Today In 1932 - Junior Walker, singer, songwriter, and musician, is born Herman Parker, Jr. in Clarksdale, Mississippi. His song "Mystery Train" will be covered by The Band on their sixth Capitol Records album "Moondog Matinee".

MAY 26, 2012

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1914 - Ziggy Elman, trumpet player, bandleader, songwriter (best known for "And The Angels Sing" which he co-wrote with Capitol Records' co-founder Johnny Mercer and was sung by future Capitol Records artist Martha Tilton), part of Benny Goodman and His Orchestra, Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra, and Mickey Katz and His Orchestra and a Capitol Records session musician (with Paul Weston and His Orchestra, Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra and others), is born Harry Aaron Finkelman in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
1920 - Peggy Lee, songwriter, cartoon voice artist, vocalist with Benny Goodman and His Orchesra, and a solo artist on Capitol and Decca Records, is born Norma Delores Egstrom in Jamestown, North Dakota
1926 - Miles Davis, trumpet player, composer, bandleader, film scorer, television actor, and Capitol Records artist (1948) may have been born on this day as Miles Dewey Davis, Jr. in Alton, Illinois. There are also references for May 25 and July 25, 1926. If anyone knows for sure which date is correct, please leave a comment.
70 Years Ago Today In 1942 - Levon Helm, drummer, mandolinist and singer for the Captiol Records recording group The Band, as well as Ronnie Hawkins and The Hawks, The Canadian Squires, and The Hawks, is born Mark Levon Helm in Marvell, Arkansas

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1945 - Johnny Mercer, Jo Stafford and The Pied Pipers (with Paul Weston and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Candy" is #4 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records charts, The Pied Pipers (with Paul Weston and His Orchestra)' Capitol Records single "Dream" is #5, and Johnny Johnston (with orchestra conducted by Paul Baron)'s Capitol Records single "Laura" enters the chart at #9
1946 - Johnny Mercer, with The Pied Pipers (June Hutton, Clarke Yocum, Hal Hopper, Chuck Lowry) on the first three tracks and Paul Weston and his Orchestra (Bruce Hudson, Charlie Griffard, Ray Woods, and Ray Linn on trumpet; Allan Thompson, Bill Schaefer, and Elmer Smithers on trombone; Hap Lawson, Matty Matlock, Fred Stulce, Lenny Hartman, Eddie Miller, and Artie Quenzer on reeds; Charles LaVere on piano; Dave Barbour on guitar; Jack Ryan on bass; and Nick Fatool on drums and speech) on all tracks, records "My Sugar Is So Refined", "Baby I'm True To You", "Sugar Blues" and "Mindin' My Business" in Los Angeles, California
1949 - Woody Herman and His Orchestra (Stan Fishelson, Al Porcino, Ernie Royal, Charlie Walp, and Shorty Rogers on trumpet; Bill Harris, Earl Swope, and Ollie Wilson on trombone; Bart Varsalona on bass trombone; Herman on clarinet, alto saxophone, and vocals; Sam Marowitz on alto saxophone; Gene Ammons, Buddy Savitt, and Jimmy Giuffre on tenor saxophone; Serge Chaloff on baritone saxophone; Terry Gibbs on vibraphone; Lou Levy on piano; Oscar Pettiford on bass; Shelly Manne on drums; and Mary Ann McCall on vocals) record the tracks "The Crickets" arrganged byRalph Burns with Herman and McCall on vocals and "More Moon" arranged by Shorty Rogers, in Chicago, Illinois for Capitol Records
1951 - Les Paul and Mary Ford's Capitol Records single "How I The Moon" is #1 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Nat "King" Cole (with orchestra conducted by Les Baxter)'s Capitol Records single "Too Young" is #2, and Les Paul and Mary Ford's Capitol Records single "Mockin' Bird Hill" is #7
1953 - Skeets McDonald and Helen O'Connell, with producer Ken Nelson, record the tracks "Hi Diddle Dee (My Way)" and "Worried Mind" at Capitol Records' Melrose studio in Hollywood, California. The tracks will be released as the A & B sides of the same single and issued in the 78 and 45 rpm formats.
1956 - Les Baxter and His Orchestra's Capitol Records single "Poor People Of Paris" is tied at #3 with Morris Stoloff and His Orchestra's single "Moonglow and Theme From 'Picnic'" on Billboard's Best Selling Retailing Records chart, Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra's Capitol Records single "Lisbon Antiqua" is #17, Nat "King" Cole's Capitol Records single "Too Young To Go Steady" is #32, and Dean Martin (with Dick Stabile and His Orchestra with Chorus)'s Capitol Records single "Standing On The Corner" is # 39
1958 - Laurie London's Capitol Records single "He's Got The Whole World In His Hand" is tied for #5 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart with Nat "King" Cole's Capitol Records single "Looking Back", Dean Martin (with Gus Levene and His Orchestra and Chorus)'s Capitol Records single "Return To Me" is #7, The Four Prep's Capitol Records single "Big Man" is #10, and Ed Townsend's Capitol Records single "For Your Love" is #15
1966 - The Beatles begin recording the track "Yellow Submarine" at Abbey Road Studios and would finish the track at another session on June 1, 1966
1968 - Glen Campbell's Capitol Records single "I Wanna Live" returns to the #1 spot on the U.S. Country singles charts
1968 - An early version of The Beach Boys' track "Do It Again" is recorded and, with new vocals and a guitar track, will be the basis for the version released later in 1968 as part of their "Wild Honey" album. The single will go to #1 in the U.K.
1969 - Capitol Records releases John Lennon and Yoko Ono's second album, "Unfinished Music No. 2 - Life with the Lions" in the U.S. and the couple begin their second "bed-in" for peace in a 29th-floor room at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal, Canada
1970 - The Beatles' last album "Let It Be", released by Capitol Records in the United States, is certified Gold by the R.I.A.A.
1973 - The Beatles' Apple Records compilation double album "The Beatles 1967-1970" (aka "The Blue Album") hits #1 on Billboards Top 200 Albums chart

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
70 Years Ago Today In 1942 - Ray Ennis, guitarist and singer with the Capitol Records Canada group The Swinging Blue Jeans, is born in Liverpool, England
1956 - Fats Domino's Imperial Records single "I'm In Love Again" is #19 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, and Domino's Imperail Records single "My Blue Heaven is #38
1958 - David Seville's Liberty Records single "Witch Doctor" is #2 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Rick Nelson's Imperial Records single "Believe What You Say" is tied for #31 with it's flip side "My Bucket's Got A Hole In It", Fats Domino's Imperial Records single "Sick And Tired is #34, and Dion and The Belmonts' Laurie Records single "I Wonder Why" is tied at #35 with Andy Williams (with Archie Blyer and His Orchestra)' single "I Wonder Why"
50 Years Ago Today In 1962 - Walter Brennan's Liberty Records single "Old Rivers" is #5 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart, Jay and The Americans' United Artists Records single "She Cried" is #7, Dion's Laurie Records single "Lovers Who Wander" is #10, Joey Dee and The Starlighters' Roulette Records single "Shout (Part 1)" is #19, and Dick and DeeDee's Liberty Records single "Tell Me" is #26. EMI Music Group, parent company of Capitol Music Group, currently owns the catalogs of Liberty, United Artists, Laurie and Roulette Records.
1964 - Lenny Kravitz, Virgin Records America artist, is born Leonard Albert Kravitz in New York City, New York
30 Years Ago Today In 1982 - Bobby Darin's star on The Hollywood Walk of Fame is unveiled
1994 - Future Capitol Records artist Lisa Marie Presley secretly marries Michael Jackson in the Dominican Republic

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1886 - Al Jolson, singer, Vaudeville, Broadway, and motion picture actor (best known as star of the first popular talking film "The Jazz Singer"), and first popular music superstar of the 20th century, is born Asa Yoelson in Seredzius, Lithuania. For just about everything you might want to know about Jolson, check out Dr. Marc I Leavy's massive tribute website.
70 Years Ago Today In 1942 - Joan Fontaine, actress, puts her handprints in cement outside Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California
1948 - Stevie Nicks, songwriter, solo artist, and vocalist with the bands Fritz, Buckingham Nicks, and Fleetwood Mac, is born Stephanie Lynn Nicks in Phoenix, Arizona

MAY 25, 2012

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1915 - Van Alexander, arranger, composer (arranged and co-wrote "A-Tisket A-Tasket" with Ella Fitzgerald for Chick Webb and His Orchestra), film scorer, bandleader and Capitol Records artist as Van Alexander and His Orchestra, is born Al Feldman in New York City, New York
90 Years Ago Today In 1922 - Kitty Kalen, singer, vocalist for Artie Shaw and His Orchestra, Jack Teagarden and His Orchestra, Capitol Records artist Bobby Shorewood and His Orchestra (best known on the 1942 track "Moonlight Becomes You"), Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra, and Harry James and His Orchestra, and a solo artist, is born Genevieve Agostinello in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
1926 - Miles Davis, trumpet player, bandleader, motion picture scorer, television actor, and Capitol Records and Blue Note Records artist, may have been born Miles Dewey Davis III today (there are also references to him being born on May 26, 1926 and July 25, 1926) in Alton, Illinois. If anyone knows for sure Miles' correct birthday, please leave a comment.
1926 - Milt Bernhart, trombonist, member of Benny Goodman and Stan Kenton's Capitol Records bands, session musician on some of Frank Sinatra's Capitol Records sessions (including "I've Got You Under My Skin"), is born in Valpariso, Indiana
65 Years Ago Today In 1947 - Jessi Colter, singer and Capitol Records artist (1975-1976, 1978, 1981), is born Mirriam Johnson in Phoenix Arizona. She would first marry Duane Eddy (1961-1968) with whom she had daughter Jennifer Eddy and then Waylon Jennings (1969) with whom she had sons Buddy and Scooter Jennings.
1953 - Rich "Dude" Alves, guitarist for the Capitol Records group (1990-1991) Pirates of the Mississipi, is born in Pleasanton, California

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1945 - Guitarist Carl Kress (with guitarist Tony Mattola and a clarinetist, bass player, and drummer), records the tracks "Swan Of Tonnelle Avenue", "Sarong", "Blond On The Loose", and "Walking Behind Miss Lucy" at WMCA studios in New York City for Capitol Records, but all would be rejected and would be released in 1997 on Mosaic Records' box set "Classic Capitol Jazz Sessions"
1948 - Margaret Whiting records the vocals for the track "A Tree In The Meadow" in Los Angeles over an instrumental track recorded by Frank DeVol in London, getting around the second Petrillo recording ban. The track will be released by Capitol Records as a single, with "I'm Sorry, But I'm Glad" on the flip side, on June 21, 1948 and will eventually hit #1 on Billboard's singles chart on August 21, 1948.
1955 - The Louvin Brothers record the track "When I Stopped Dreaming" which Capitol Records will release as a single with "Pitfall" on the flip side in July, 1955
1955 - Wardell Gray, tenor saxophonist with the Capitol Records group Benny Goodman and His Orchestra (1948-1949) and then with Count Basie's band (1950-1955), is found dead in the desert outside Las Vegas with a broken neck. The Jazzitude website has a great article by Marshall Bowden about the life and mysterious death of Gray.
55 Years Ago Today In 1957 - Ferlin Husky's Capitol Records single "Gone" is #4 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart
1959 - Franck Pourcel's French Fiddlers' Capitol Records single "Only You", with "Rainy Night In Paris" on the flip side, is #9 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1961 - Faron Young's Capitol Records single "Hello Walls", with "Congratulations" on the flip side, hits #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
1963 - The Beach Boys' Capitol Records single "Surfin' USA" hits #3 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart becoming the group's first top 10 single, Al Martino's Capitol Records single "I Love You Because" is #5, The Kingston Trio's Capitol Records single "Reverend Mr. Black" is #14, Kyu Sakamoto's Capitol Records single "Sukiyaki", with "Anoko No Namaewa Nantenkana" on the flip side, is #20 (and #2 on KFWB's Fabulous Forty survey), Nat "King" Cole's Capitol Records single "Those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days Of Summer" is #25, Bobby Darin's Capitol Records single "Yellow Roses" is #34, and The Beach Boys' single "Shutdown" (the flip side of "Surfin' USA") is #38
1976 - Sweet's Capitol Records album "Desolation Alley" is certified gold by the R.I.A.A.
1995 - Dick Curless, (aka The Baron of Country Music and born Richard William Curless), singer, songwriter, guitarist, bandleader, and Tower Records (a subsidiary of Capitol Records) artist (1965-1969) and Capitol Records artist (1970-1974), dies of stomach cancer at age 63 at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Togus, Maine
2005 - Domenic Troiano, singer, songwriter, guitarist and solo artist with Capitol Records (1977-1979) and member of the bands Mandala, Bush, James Gang, The Guess Who, and Black Market, dies of cancer at age 59 at his home in Toronto, Canada

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
55 Years Ago Today In 1957 - Fats Domino's Imperial Records single "I'm Walkin'" is #14 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart and Rick Nelson's Imperial Records version of the same is song is tied for #27 with Mitchell Torok's single "Pledge Of Love". EMI Music Group, Capitol Records parent company, currently owns Imperial's catalog.
1959 - Martin Denny's Liberty Records single "Quiet Village" is #4 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart, Dion and The Belmonts' Laurie Records single "A Teenager In Love" is #6, and Fats Domino's Imperial Records single "I'm Ready" is #17. EMI Music Group, Capitol Records parent company, currently owns the Liberty, Laurie, and Imperial catalogs.
1963 - Lou Christie's Roulette Records single "Two Faces Have I" is #7 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart, The Chiffons' Laurie Records single "He's So Fine" is #28, and Bobby Vee's Liberty Records single "Charms" is #35. EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company, currently owns the Roulette, Laurie and Liberty Records catalogs.
1964 - Capitol Records Canada releases The Swinging Blue Jean's single "Hippy Hippy Shake"
45 Years Ago Today In 1967 - John Lennon's Rolls Royce gets a psychedelic paint job from Dutch team of gypsy artists group The Fool who were commissioned by J. P. Fallon Ltd. John Whelan has a pretty comprehensive article about the vehicle, and the paint job, on the Ottawa Beatles Site.
1973 - Virgin Records releases its first album, Mike Oldfield's "Tubular Bells"

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1846 - Patty Smith Hill, composer (best known for "Happy Birthday To You" which is still under copyright even though Miss Hill died in 1924), is born in Bath, Kentucky

MAY 24, 2012

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1941 - Tony Valentino, guitarist with the Tower Records (a subsidiary of Capitol Records) group The Standells and owner of Bellisimo's (an Italian restaurant on Ventura Boulevard in Woodland Hills, California), is born Emilio Bellissimo in Los Angeles, California
70 Years Ago Today In 1942 - Derek Quinn, guitarist with the first group released on Tower Records (a subsidiary of Capitol Records) Freddie and The Dreamers, is born in Manchester, England
1944 - Patti LaBelle, singer, founding member of the group LaBelle, solo artist and Capitol Records artist (on the track "Bewitched" as a duet with Frank Sinatra), is born Patricia Louise Holt in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
1955 - Roseanne Cash, singer, guitarist, songwriter, daughter of Johnny Cash and Vivian Dorraine Libreto Cash, and Capitol Records artist, is born in Memphis, Tennessee
1963 - Vivian Trimble (aka Dusty Trails), keyboardist and backing vocals with the Capitol Records group Luscious Jackson, is born in New York City, New York
30 Years Ago Today In 1982 - Steve Silvas, graphic designer who worked at Capitol Records until 2009, is born in Vallejo, California

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL HISTORY
60 Years Ago Today In 1952 - Al Martino (with orchestra conducted by Monty Kelly)'s Capitol Records single "Here In My Heart" is #3 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Kay Starr (with orchestra conducted by Harold Mooney)'s Capitol Records single "Wheel Of Fortune" is #4, Ella Mae Morse (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Blacksmith Blues" is #10, Jane Froman (with orchestra conducted by Sid Feller)'s Capitol Records single "I'll Walk Alone" is #16, Les Paul's Capitol Records single "Carioca" is #19, and Les Paul and Mary Ford's Capitol Records single "I'm Confessin' (That I Love You)" is #20
55 Years Ago Today In 1957 - The Four Freshmen (Bob Flanigan on vocals, trombone and bass; Don Barbour on vocal and guitar; Ross Barbour on vocal and drums; and Ken Albers on vocal, trumpet, mellophone, and bass), with arranger Dick Reynolds conducting the accompanists (Skeets Herfurt and Wilbur Schwartz on alto saxophone; Ted Nash and Georgie Auld on tenor saxophone; Chuck Gentry on baritone saxophone; Al Hendrickson on guitar; Geoff Clarkson on piano; Don Simpson on bass; and Frank Carlson on drums) record the tracks "This Love Of Mine" "Sometimes I'm Happy", "For All We Know", "I Get Along Without You Very Well", and "Lullaby In Rhythm" at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California for their Capitol Records album "The Four Freshmen And Five Saxes"
1961 - Buck Owens records the tracks "Under The Influence Of Love" and "Nobody's Fool But Yours" which Capitol Records will release together as a single
1964 - The Beatles' single "Love Me Do" is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles charts
1969 - The Beatles' Apple Records single "Get Back", with "Don't Let Me Down" on the flip side and distributed in the United States by Capitol Records, hits #1 on Billboard's singles chart where it will stay for 5 weeks
1974 - Duke Ellington (born Edward Kennedy Ellington), Capitol Records artist (1953-1955), composer, pianist and band leader, dies of cancer at age 75 in New York City and is later interred in Woodlawn Cemetery, Bronx, New York
1975 - Jessi Colter's Capitol Records single "I'm Not Lisa", with "For The First Time" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles chart
1991 - Gene Clark (born Howard Eugene Clark), songwriter, guitarist and vocalist as as solo artist and with the Capitol Records band McGuinn, Clark & Hillman, as well as the bands Dillard and Clark, The Byrds, and The New Christy Minstrals, is found unconcious at his home in Sherman Oaks, California and dies at age 46 from a heart attack brought on by complications of a bleeding ulcer. Clark is later buried in his home town of Tipton, Missouri
20 Years Ago Today In 1992 - Capitol Records releases Wildside's debut album "Under The Influence"
2005 - Swedish band Shout Out Louds' debut full length Capitol Record album "Howl Howl Gaff Gaff" is released
2005 - Mike Krinik joins Capitol Records Nashville as regional director promotion, West Coast. Based in San Diego, Krinik works as a liaison between the label and country radio stations.
2006 - It's announced that Mae, Virginia-based emo-rock band, signed with Capitol Records

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
30 Years Ago Today In 1982 - "The Cooler", an eleven-minute film featuring Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, is shown at Cannes Film Festival. Ringo plays a prisoner in a jail policed entirely by women, two of whom are played by Linda McCartney and Barbara Bach (Ringo's wife)
25 Years Ago Today In 1986 - Future Capitol Records artist Garth Brooks marries Sandy Mahl

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL HISTORY
1941 - Bob Dylan, singer, songwriter, guitarist, and motion picture actor, is born Robert Allen Zimmerman in Duluth, Minnesota
1946 - Priscilla Beaulieu Presley, actress, mother of Capitol Records artist Lisa Marie Presley, grandmother of Danielle Riley Keough and Benjamin Storm Keough, and first wife of Elvis Presley, is born Priscilla Ann Wagner in Brooklyn, New York
1968 - Future Virgin Records band The Rolling Stones' single "Jumping Jack Flash", with "Child Of The Moon" on the flip side, is released on London Records
1974 - "The Dean Martin Show" ends its nine year run on NBC-TV
2005 - Vivian Dorraine Libreto Cash Distin, mother of Roseanne, Kathleen, Cindy and Tara Cash, and first wife of Johnny Cash, dies in Ventura, California of complications after lung cancer surgery at age 71.
2005 - "Brian Wilson Presents Smile" is released as a 2 disc DVD

MAY 23, 2012

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1910 - Scatman Crothers, singer, drummer, guitarist, bandleader, dancer, motion picture and television actor, cartoon voice actor, and Capitol Records (1948-1949) and Aladdin Records (1951-1953) artist, is born Benjamin Sherman Crothers in Terre Haute, Indiana
1920 - Helen O’Connell, singer, motion picture actress, dancer, vocalist with Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra, television personality, wife of Capitol Records artist and bandleader Frank DeVol, and a Capitol Records artist, is born in Lima, Ohio
1928 - Rosemary Clooney, singer, motion picture actress, and Capitol Records (on the 1965 album "That Travelin' Two Beat" with Bing Crosby) and United Artists Records (1976-1977) artist, is born in Maysville, Kentucky
1959 - Bill Vorn, synthesizer player and founding member of the Capitol Records band Rational Youth, is born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada
45 Years Ago Today In 1967 - Phil Selway, drummer for the Capitol Records band Radiohead, is born Philip James Selway in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, England
1980 - Heather Peggs, Capitol Records A&R executive (2004-2009), founder and president of HELL YA! Records, is born in Wexford, Pennsylvania

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
65 Years Ago Today In 1947 - Wingy Manone and His Orchestra (Manone on trumpet; Charlie Griffard, Zeke Zarchy, and Ray Linn on trumpet; Bill Schaefer, Allan Thompson, and Carl Loeffler on trombone; Heinie Beau on clarinet; Fred Stulce and Leonard Hartman on alto saxophone; Herbie Haymer and Ted Nash on tenor saxophone; Moe Weschsler on piano; George Van Eps on guitar; Jack Ryan on bass; and Nick Fatool on drums) record the track "Box Car Blues", with Manone sharing vocals with Johnny Mercer, in Los Angeles, California which will be released as a single by Capitol Records with "Hello Baby" on the flip side. At the same session, The Pied Pipers, with Paul Weston conducting the same musicians (except for Wingy Manone), record the tracks "Just Plain Love" and "The Riddle Song" which Capitol Records will release together as a single.
60 Years Ago Today In 1952 - Louis Bellson Just Jazz All Stars (Clark Terry on trumpet; Juan Tizol on valve trombone; John Graas on french horn; Willie Smith on alto saxophone; Wardell Gray on tenor saxophone; Harry Carney on baritone saxophone; Billy Strayhorn on piano; Wendell Marshall on bass; Louis Bellson on drums) record the tracks "The Jeep Is Jumpin'", "Passion Flower", and "Johnny Come Lately" (all three arranged by Strayhorn), "Sticks" and "Punkin'" (both arranged by Shorty Rogers), "Eyes" (arranged by Buddy Baker)", Rainbow" (arranged by Tizol), and "Shadows" (also arranged by Baker) in Los Angeles, California. All the tracks will be released on a 10" album by Capitol Records as part of it's "Classics in Jazz" series.
1953 - Les Baxter and His Orchestra's Capitol Records single "April in Portugal" is #2 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Singles chart, Nat "King" Cole (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s single "Pretend" is #9, Jane Froman (with Orchestra conducted by Sid Feller)'s Capitol Records single "I Believe" is #11, and Les Baxter and His Orchestra's Capitol Records single "Ruby (theme from the movie Ruby Gantry)" enters the chart at #20
1960 - The Four Prep's Capitol Records single "Got A Girl" is #24 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1964 – Capitol Records releases The Beach Boys' single “I Get Around” with “Don’t Worry Baby” on the flip side
1965 - The Beach Boys' Capitol Records single "Help Me Rhonda", with "Do You Wanna Dance?" on the flip side, hits #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
45 Years Ago Today In 1967 - Buck Owens's Capitol Records single "Sam's Place" is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
45 Years Ago Today In 1967 - The Pink Floyd records Syd Barrett's "See Emily Play" at Sound Techniques Studios in England. The track will later be released in the United States on Tower Records, a subsidiary of Capitol Records.
1970 - Paul McCartney's Apple Records album "McCartney", distributed by Capitol Records in the United States, reaches #1 on Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart
1994 - The Beastie Boys' Grand Royal and Capitol Records album "Ill Communication" is released and will become their second #1 album and second album to be certified triple platinum
1996 - Capitol Records Nashville releases Suzy Bogguss' first single for the newly renamed label, "Give Me Some Wheels" with "Far And Away" on the flip side

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1883 - Douglas Fairbanks, Sr., motion picture actor and co-founder of United Artist Pictures which would go on to create United Artists Records, is born Douglas Elton Ulman in Denver, Colorado
1960 - Rick Nelson's Imperial Records single "Young Emotions" is #16 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart and Dion and The Belmont's Laurie Records single "When You Wish Upon A Star" is #30. EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company, currently owns the Imperial and Laurie Records catalogs.
1969 - Jimmy McHugh (born James McHugh), composer ("I Can't Give You Anything But Love", "On The Sunny Side Of The Street", "I'm In The Mood For Love", etc.) and pianist, dies in Beverly Hills, California at age 74. Capitol Records released a CD compilation of various Capitol Records artists covering McHugh's songs as part of it's "Capitol Sings" series.
1971 - The Rolling Stones' single "Brown Sugar", with a cover of Chuck Berry's "Let It Rock" on the flip side, hits #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart. The Rolling Stones' catalog is now released by Virgin Records, a subsidiary of Capitol Music Group's parent company EMI Music Group
1983 - Pink Floyd's Columbia Records album "The Final Cut" is certified Gold by the R.I.A.A. Pink Floyd's entire catalog is now distributed by Capitol Records in the United States
2006 - The complete "Bugaloos" is released on DVD.

The Bugaloos with their Barris Custom buggy at the back entrance of The Capitol Tower. Photo courtesy of Bill Ung

Rhino Video releases a 3 DVD set with all 17 original episodes of the series, as well as some great extras. In 1970 Capitol Records released The Bugaloos only album and sponsored a promotional tour of in-store and personal appearances to support it. Bill Ung has a wondeful and massive tribute website to The Bugaloos and I've contributed some photos from the personal appearances in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Dallas, Texas, to it.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1910 - Artie Shaw, clarinet player and bandleader, is born Arthur Jacob Arshawsky in New York City, New York
1944 - Tiki Fulwood, drummer for the bands Parliament and Funkadelic, is born Ramon Fulwood in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
1968 - John Lennon and George Harrison open Apple Tailoring (Civil And Theatrical) at 161 King's Road, London, England

MAY 22, 2012

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
1948 - Buddy Alan, singer, songwriter, guitarist, son of Capitol Records artists Buck and Bonnie Owens, step-son of Capitol Records artist Merle Haggard, and Capitol Records artist (1968-1976), is born Alvis Alan Owens in Mesa, Arizona

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1948 - The King Cole Trio (with orchestra conducted by Frank DeVol)'s Capitol Records single "Nature Boy" is still #1 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart and Peggy Lee (with Dave Barbour and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Manana" is #12
1954 - Frank Sinatra (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Young At Heart" is #3 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Kay Starr (with orchestra conducted by Harold Mooney)'s Capitol Records single "If You Love Me (Really Love Me)" is #6 and its flip side "The Man Upstairs" is #7, and Nat "King" Cole (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Answer Me, My Love" is #11
1961 - Faron Young's Capitol Records single "Hello Walls" is #18 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1965 - The Beatles' Capitol Records single "Ticket to Ride", with "Yes, It Is" on the flip side, hits #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
45 Years Ago Today In 1967 - The Knack (Mike Chain, Larry Gould, Dink Kaplan and Pug Baker), with producer Nick Venet and engineer John Krauss, record the tracks "Pretty Daisy" and "Banana Man" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will release the tracks together as a single (Capitol 5940).
1970 - Buck Owens and Susan Raye (on vocals, with unlisted musicians) record the tracks "Your Tender Loving Care", "Think Of Me", "I Thank You For Sending Me You", and "I Don't Care (Just As Long As You Love Me)" and overdubs for all the tracks but "Think Of Me" at Buck Owens Studios in Bakersfield, California. Capitol Records will issue "You're Tender Loving Care" as a single (Capitol 2871) with "The Great White Horse" on the flip side and all the tracks on the duo's album "Great White Horse" (ST-558).
1970 - Capitol Records group The Bob Seger System perform at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago, Illinois. Despite having to stop twice to fix the sound system the band gives a great show. Opening for them are Swedish five man group the Mecki Mark Men who are distributed by Limelight Records.
45 Years Ago Today In 1972 - The Raspberries' second Capitol Records single from their self-titled debut album, "Go All The Way" with "With You In My Life" on the flip side, is released and will eventually peak at #5 on Billboard's singles chart
1976 - Paul McCartney & Wings' Apple Records single "Silly Love Songs", with "Cook Of The House" on the flip side, hits #1 on Billboard's singles chart
35 Years Ago Today In 1977 - Hampton Hawes, pianist and member of many jazz bands including Stan Kenton's All Stars, Shorty Rogers and his Giants, Teddy Edwards' Septet, The Bud Shank - Bill Perkins Quintet, as well as leader of his own trio, quartet, quintet, septet, and nonet, Hampton Hawes dies of a stroke at age 48 in Los Angeles, California. The Jazz Discography Project has a great discography of Hawes' work.
2001 - Capitol Records releases The Beach Boys' 2 CD, 58 track, album "Hawthorne, CA — Birthplace of a Musical Legacy"
2005 - Keith Urban's Capitol Records Nashville single "Making Memories Of Us" is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts

2009 - Capitol Records group Sick Puppies perform at Harrah's Casino Voodoo Lounge in Las Vegas, Nevada
5 Years Ago Today In 2007 - Capitol Records releases The Beach Boys' greatest hits album "The Warmth Of The Sun"
2008 - D. Kilpatrick, a music executive from the 1940s to the 1960s in Nashville, dies at age 88. He was considered the first salaried producer based in Music City and produced Hank Thompson, Tex Ritter and Jimmie Skinner. Kilpatrick, born July 18 1899 in Charlotte, North Carolina, got into the record business as a salesperson for Capitol Records in his hometown. By the late 1940s, he was producing acts for the label, including James and Martha Carson. In 1956, Kilpatrick became manager of the Grand Old Opry, bringing in acts such as Porter Wagoner, the Everly Brothers and Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper. In 1958, he helped found the Country Music Association. He left the Opry in 1959 to form Acuff-Rose Artists Corp., a booking agency for Opry acts and pop stars such as Roy Orbison. He later returned to sales and promotion for Warner, Philips and Mercury Records. He eventually left the music business to run a drapery and fabrics business.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1959 - Morrissey, singer, songwriter, with the band The Smiths, and a solo artist who occasionally uses The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California to record in and to broadcast radio events from, is born Steven Patrick Morrissey in Manchester, England
1961 - Ernie K-Doe's Minit Records single "Mother-In-Law" is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart, Gene McDaniels's Liberty Records singe "A Hundred Pounds Of Clay" is #4, Rick Nelson's Imperial Records single "Travelin' Man" is #5 and his Imperial Records single "Hello Mary Lou" is #9, Steve Lawrence's United Artists Records single "Portrait Of My Love" is #13, and Al Caiola and His Orchestra's United Artists Records single "Bonanza" is #20
35 Years Ago Today In 1977 - Former Capitol Records artist Stan Kenton, on tour with his orchestra, is found unconscious at 8 p.m., lying on the floor of the Abraham Lincoln Motor Inn in Reading, Pennsylvania. He underwent neurosurgery for a skull fracture with a blood clot on the brain.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
70 Years Ago Today In 1942 - Calvin "Thang" Simon, vocalist for the bands The Parliments, Parliament and Funkadelic, and a member of the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame, is born in Beckley, West Virginia
1950 - Lyricist Bernie Taupin is born in Lincolnshire, England

MAY 21, 2012

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1916 - Dennis Day, tenor, radio, television and motion picture actor, and Capitol Records artist (whose single "Phil The Fluters Ball", with "Johnny Doughboy Found A Rose In Ireland" on the flip side, was fourth in the first records released by Capitol, and his album "Dennis Day Sings" was one of the first albums released by the label), is born Owen Patrick Eugene McNulty in Bronx, New York
1931 - Sleepy Willis, guitarist with Capitol Records artist Dick Curless' band and later his manager, is born Tasio Golios in Newport, Rhode Island
1941 Pauline "Polly" Smoot, Capitol Records employee in North Carolina, is born Pauline Huffman in Milton, North Carolina.

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
70 Years Ago Today in 1942 - Freddie Slack & His Orchestra (Slack on piano; George Wendt, Bob Goodrich, and John Kec on trumpets; Bruce Squires and Bill Anthens on trombones; Willie Martinez on clarinet and alto saxophone; Al Harding, John Hamilton, and Walter Clark on reeds; Jack Marshall on guitar; Jim Lynch on bass; and John Cyr on drums} record "Baby Doll", "Cow Cow Boogie" with vocals by 17 year old Ella Mae Morse and, as backing for vocalist Johnny Mercer, "The Air Minded Executive" in a split session with David Street from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM, with Johnny Mercer producing, at C. P. MacGregors Studios at 729 S. Western Avenue in Los Angeles, California
1944 - Benny Carter and His Orchestra record the tracks "I Can't Escape From You", "I'm Lost", "I Can't Get Started" and "I Surrender Dear" In Los Angeles, California for Capitol Records
1949 - Jo Stafford & Gordon MacRae (with Paul Weston and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "'A' You're Adorable" is #9 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Mel Tormé (with orchestra conducted by Pete Rugolo)'s Capitol Records single "Again" is #10, Margaret Whiting and Johnny Mercer's Capitol Records single "Baby It's Cold Outside" is #12, Jo Stafford & Gordon MacRae (with Paul Weston and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Need You" is #13, and Mel Tormé (with orchestra conducted by Pete Rugolo)'s Capitol Records single "Careless Hands" is #15
1949 - Capitol Records is given until May 26 to answer brought in a counter suit by Mercury Records that asks for an injunction to stop Capitol from releasing recordings licensed from Telefunken and an accounting of profits made from the recordings. Capitol had brought suit against Mercury after it had released recordings from the Telefunken label which Mercury said were part of a licensing deal it has with Gramophone Works of Czechoslovakia but had not released and had no plans to release the recordings using the Telefunken name.
1955 - Les Baxter and His Orchestra's Capitol Records single "Unchained Melody" is #2 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Tennessee Ernie Ford (with Cliffie Stone's Band)'s Capitol Records single "The Ballad Of Davy Crockett" is #7, Nat "King" Cole (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "A Blossom Fell" and it's flip side "If I May" with The Four Knights joining Cole and Riddle is #8, Nat "King" Cole (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Darling Je Vous Aime Beaucoup is #14, and Frank Sinatra (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Learnin' The Blues" is #16
50 Years Ago Today in 1962 - Capitol Records releases Buck Owens' single "Save The Last Dance For Me" with "King Of Fools" on the flip side
1964 - "Four By the Beatles", an EP of 4 songs by The Beatles ("All My Loving", "This Boy", "Roll Over Beethoven" and "Please Mister Postman") is released by Capitol Records only in the United States
1969 - The Beatles announce that accountant Allen Klein will now handle their financial affairs.
1971 - Apple Records releases Paul McCartney's album “Ram" with Capitol Records distributing the album in the United States
1988 - Capitol Records releases Poison's album "Open Up And Say... Ahh!"
2004 - Rick Henderson, alto saxophonist in Duke Ellington's Orchestra on Ellington's "Ellington 55" album on Capitol Records, dies at his home in Washington, D.C. at age 76
2006 - Billy Walker, country-music singer, guitarist, Capitol Records and Columbia Records artist, nicknamed "The Tall Texan", is killed at age 77 when the van he was driving back to Nashville after a performance in Foley, Alabama veered off Interstate 65 in Fort Deposit, Alabama and overturned.
2009 - Kimberly Caldwell signs with Vanguard Records, which currently is distributed by Capitol Records

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
100 Years Ago Today In 1912 - Dario Soria, co-founder of Cetra-Soria records, co-founding manager (along with his wife, producer Dorle Jarmel Soria) of Angel Records, is born in Rome, Italy. The Sorias ran Angel from 1953, when they sold their Cetra-Soria classical label (the largest catalog of recorded opera in the world) to EMI, until 1957 when Angel was folded into Capitol Records for distribution.
1940 - Tony Sheridan, singer and Polydor Records artist who was backed on recording sessions by The Beatles, is born Anthony Esmond Sheridan McGinnity in Norwich, England
1964 - The Beatles' "Sie Liebt Dich" (a version of their song "She Loves You" sung in German) with "I'll Get You" on the flip side is released on Swan Record
1969 - John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s “bed-in” begins at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal, Canada
1983 - David Bowie's EMI America single "Let's Dance" is still #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
10 Years Ago Today In 2002 - DRG Records re-issues the "Bells Are Ringing" motion picture soundtrack on compact disc. It was originally issued on CD in 1989 by Capitol Records and July 5, 1960 as a vinyl LP.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS
1988 - Sammy Davis, Sr., dancer, singer and father of Capitol Records artist Sammy Davis, Jr., dies of natural causes at age 87 in Beverly Hills, California

MAY 20, 2012

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
1933 - Gil Garfield, member of the Capitol Records vocal group The Cheers, is born Gilbert Garfield in Los Angeles, California
1944 - Joe Cocker, singer and Capitol Records artist, is born John Robert Cocker in Sheffield, Yorkshire, England

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1944 - Jo Stafford (with Paul Weston and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Long Ago And Far Away" is #6 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart and it's flip side "I Love You" is #10
1944 - Stan Kenton and His Orchestra record the tracks "How Many Hearts Have You Broken" and "She's Funny That Way" with vocals by Gene Howard, and "I'm Going Mad For A Pad" as well as two versions (one without and one with piano accompaniment) of "And Her Tears Flowed Like Wine" with vocals by Anita O'Day, at C. P. MacGregor Studios on Western Avenue in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will release "And Her Tears Flowed Like Wine" as a single with "How Many Hearts Have You Broken" on the flip side.
65 Years Ago Today In 1947 - Carl Kress is at WMCA studios in New York City to records the tracks "The Goose From Gander" and "Swan Of Tonnelle Avenue" with Kress are Tony Mottola on guitar, Paul Ricci on clarinet, Bob Haggart on bass and Terry Snyder on drums. The tracks will be released as part of Kress' self titled Capitol Records album in the label's "Classics In Jazz" series.
1950 - Jo Stafford and Gordon MacRae (with Paul Weston and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Dearie" is in a three way tie for #20 on Billboards' Best Selling Retail Records chart with Frankie Lane's single "The Stars And Stripes Forever", and Hoagy Carmichael and Cass Daley (with Matty Matlock's All-Stars)'s single "The Old Piano Roll Blues"
1956 - Comedian and Capitol Records recording artist Harry Stewart, aka Yogi Yorgesson, Hari Kari and Klaus Hammerschmidt, is killed at age 47 when his car goes off the rode near Tonopah, Nevada
55 Years Ago Today In 1957 - Frank Sinatra records the tracks "Witchcraft", "Something Wonderful Happens In Summer", "Tell Her You Love Her" and "You're Cheating Yourself (If You're Cheating On Me)" at the Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California with Nelson Riddle conducting his own arrangements to the orchestra and produced by Voyle Gilmore
1964 - Buck Owens' Capitol Records single "My Heart Skips A Beat" is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
40 Years Ago Today In 1972 - Merle Haggard's Capitol Records single "Grandma Harp" is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
1978 - Paul McCartney & Wings' Capitol Records single "With A Little Luck" hits #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
15 Years Ago Today In 1997 - Capitol Records releases The Foo Fighters' self-titled debut album
1998 - Frank Sinatra is interred at Cathedral City's "Desert Memorial Park" in Palm Springs, California at B-8, #151 with the inscription "The Best Is Yet To Come"

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1851 - Emile Berliner, inventor and developer of the disc gramophone, is born in Hanover Germany. His Berliner Gramophone Company would later become EMI, parent company of Capitol Music Group
45 Years Ago Today In 1967 - Kit Clark, accordion player and vocalist with the Virgin Records America group Meet Danny Wilson, is born in Dundee, Scotland
2005 - A lage brick monument is dedicated at the site of Capitol Records band The Beach Boys' members Brian, Carl and Dennis Wilson's childhood home on 119th Street in Hawthorne, California, which had been demolished 20 years earlier to make way for a freeway. The site is also named an official California State Historical Landmark.
2011 - EMI's catalogue is now on eMusic in the United States.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1985 - Forty Hard Rock music artists (including Jimmy Bain, Vivian Campbell and Ronnie James Dio [all three from Dio], Don Dokken [Dokken], Geoff Tate [Queensrÿche], Yngwie Malmsteen, Rob Halford [Judas Priest], Ted Nugent, Vince Neil [Mötley Crüe], Dave Meniketti [Y & T], Dave Murray and Adrian Smith [Iron Maiden]) gather at A&M Records Studios to participate in the making of a record called "Stars", part of project known as Hear 'N Aid to raise money for famine relief efforts in Africa and around the world.
1989 - Comedienne and actress Gilda Radner dies of ovarian cancer at age 42 in Los Angeles, California. After her death her husband, Gene Wilder, and her cancer therapist, Joanna Bull, start Gilda's Club, now a worldwide support group helping those living with cancer.

MAY 19, 2012

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL HISTORY
1945 - The King Cole Trio (Nat "King" Cole on piano and vocals, Oscar Moore (on guitar and Johnny Miller on bass) record the tracks "You're Nobody 'Til Somebody Loves You", "Don't Blame Me", "I"m In The Mood For Love", "What Can I Say Dear After I Say I'm Sorry" and "I'm Thru With Love" at Radio Recorders in Hollywood, California
1951 - Les Paul and Mary Ford's Capitol Records single "How High The Moon" is #1 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Nat "King" Cole (with Les Baxter conducting the orchestra using a Nelson Riddle arrangement)'s Capitol Records single "Too Young" is #3, and Les Paul and Mary Ford's Capitol Records single "Mockin' Bird Hill" is #5
1953 - Jean Shepard and Ferlin Husky record the duet "Dear John Letter" at Capitol's Melrose Avenue studios in Hollywood, California with producer Ken Nelson. The song would go on to be spend six weeks at #1 on the country charts.
1956 - Les Baxter and His Orchestra's Capitol Records single "Poor People Of Paris" is #3 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra's Capitol Records single "Lisbon Antiqua is #10,
1958 - Peggy Lee records the track "Fever" at the Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California. "Fever"'s original recording, by Little Willie John, was brought to Lee's attention by her bass player, Max Bennett. Lee wrote additional lyrics and a stripped down arrangement, possibly with Bennett, which featured her vocals, Joe Mondragon on string bass, Shelly Manne with fingers on snare drums with the snares turned off, and finger snapping that may have been provided by guitarist Howard Roberts. Since he was the documented session conductor, Jack Marshall initially got credit for the arrangement, even getting a Grammy nomination for best arrangement. The song would also get Lee a Grammy nomination for best female vocal. At the same session, which was produced by "Big Dave" Cavanaugh, Lee would also record the tracks "Things Are Swinging", "Lullaby In Rhythm", and "You're Getting To Be A Habit With Me". This track would be released as a single with "You Don't Know" on the flip side and, during its 14 week run on Billboard's Hot 100 charts, would peak at #8 on August 25, 1958. The song would first appear on an album in 1960 as part of the compilation album "All Aglow Again". Gino Falzarano wrote a great article for "Fever"'s 30th anniversary that appeared in the July/August edition of Discoveries magazine, and was reproduced on peggylee.com. For more information about this and many other tracks, go to Iván Santiago and Steve Albin's amazing discography site created as a test for Brian, a discography database application.
1958 - Judy Garland, with Nelson Riddle conducting his orchestra, records the track "Day In, Day Out" and re-records the track "Zing Went The Strings Of My Heart", which she first sang in the 1938 film "Listen, Darling" and first recorded in 1939 for Decca Records. Produced by Voyle Gilmore, the songs would be among the first Judy would record, outside of a film soundstage, in stereo and will be part of her first stereo Capitol album "Judy In Love", released on November 3, 1958. I wonder if Judy and Peggy ran into each other or heard each other's sessions on that day.
1958 - Laurie London's Capitol Records single "He's Got The Whole World In His Hands" is #5 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Dean Martin (with Gus Levine and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Return To Me" is #6, Nat "King" Cole's Capitol Records single "Looking Back" is #8, and The Four Prep's Capitol Records single "Big Man" is #14,
1969 - Coleman Hawkins, Capitol artist (1945), tenor saxophonist and leader of the first bebop recording session, dies of pneumonia in New York City at age 64 and is interred at the Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx
1978 - Darlene Edwards, aka Jo Stafford, gives her last public performance at a 25th anniversary celebration of SHARE, an organization devoted to work with mentally handicapped children, sharing the spotlight with Jo's old bandmate, Frank Sinatra
25 Years Ago Today In 1987 - The Beatles' album "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" is released worldwide on CD
1998 - Dorothy Donegan, pianist, leader of The Dorothy Donegan Trio, and a Capitol Records artist, dies at age 77 in Los Angeles, California
1999 - Capitol releases the original soundtrack to the motion picture "Hope Floats"
2004 - Keith Urban's Capitol Records Nashville single "You'll Think of Me" is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
2006 - Freddie Garrity, milkman, brush salesman, songwriter, singer and founder of Tower Records (a subsidiary of Capitol Records)' first released group Freddie and The Dreamers, dies at Bangor in North Wales, at the age of 69, after being taken ill while on holiday.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
80 Years Ago Today In 1932 - Alma Cogan, singer and HMV and EMI Records artist, is born Alma Angela Cohen in St. John's Wood, England
1956 - Fats Domino's Imperial Records single "I'm In Love Again" is #1 on the U.S. R&B singles charts and tied for #21 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart with Pat Boone's single "Long Tall Sally". Waller's other Imperial Records single "My Blue Heaven" is tied for #40 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart with Elvis Presley's RCA single "I Was The One"
1958 - David Seville's Liberty Records single "Witch Doctor" is #2 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Rick Nelson's Imperial Records single "Belive What You Say" is #25, and its flip side "My Bucket"s Got A Hole In It" is #29
5 Years Ago Today In 1962 - Jay and The American's United Artists Records single "She Cried" is #5 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart, Walter Brennan's Liberty Records single "Old Rivers" is #7, Joey Dee and The Starlighter's Roulette Records single "Shout (Part 1)" is #12, Dick and DeeDee's Liberty Records single "Tell Me" is #22, and Rick Nelson's Imperial Records single "Young World" is #31
1968 - Bobby Goldsboro's United Artists Records single "Honey", with "Danny" on the flip side, hits #1 on the U.S. Country singles chart

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1873- Sime Silverman, founder of the trade magazine Variety, is born in Cortland, New York
1958 - Atco Records releases future Capitol Records artist Bobby Darin's single "Splish Splash", making it the first eight-track recording ever released on 45

MAY 18, 2012

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
110 Years Ago Today In 1902 - Meredith Willson, flute and piccolo player, bandleader, radio performer, motion picture scorer ("The Great Dictator") and composer of the Broadway musicals "The Music Man" and "The Unsinkable Molly Brown" (in which Capitol Records invested so that it could release their original Broadway cast albums) as well as "Here's Love" and "1491", is born Robert Meredith Reiniger in Mason City, Iowa
90 Years Ago Today In 1922 - Kai Winding, trombonist, composer, member of the Benny Goodman, Stan Kenton and Miles Davis' Capitol Records bands (including four tracks with the Miles Davis Nonet on the "Birth Of The Cool" sessions) and Aladdin and Capitol Records artist, is born Kai Chresten Winding in Aarhus, Denmark.
1934 - Dwayne Hickman, television ("The Many Loves Of Dobie Gillis") and motion picture ("Dr. Goldfoot And The Bikini Machine" the soundtrack of which was released by Capitol Records subsidiary Tower Records) actor, CBS Television executive, and Capitol Records artist, is born in Los Angeles, California
1953 - Feliciano "Butch" Tavares, who with his four brothers made up the Capitol Records group Tavares, is born in New Bedford, Massachusetts

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1946 - Alvino Rey and His Orchestra (with vocals by Rocky Coluccio)'s Capitol Records single "Cement Mixer (Put-Ti Put-Ti)" is #6 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart and Andy Russell (with Paul Weston & His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Laughing On The Outside (Crying On The Inside) is #8
55 Years Ago Today In 1957 - Ferlin Husky's Capitol Records single "Gone" is #4 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart and Tommy Sand's Capitol Records single "Teenage Crush" is #34
1959 - Franck Pourcel's French Fiddles' Capitol Records single "Only You (Loin De Vous)", with "Rainy Night In Paris" on the flip side, is #10 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart and The Kingston Trio's Capitol Records single "Tijuana Jail" is #27
1963 - The Beach Boys' Capitol Records single "Surfin' U.S.A" is #4 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart, The Kingston Trio's Capitol Records single "Reverend Mr. Black" is #8, and Al Martino's Capitol Records single "I Love You Because" is #10
1968 - Glen Campbell's Capitol Records single "I Wanna Live", with "That's All That Matters" on the flip side, becomes his first #1 on the country charts
1969 - The Beatles' Apple Records single "Get Back", released by Capitol Records in the United States, is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1970 - Capitol Records releases The Beatles' Apple Records soundtrack album "Let It Be" in the United States
1970 - Capitol Records releases Buck Owens' single "The Kansas City Song"
1975 - Jesi Colter's Capitol Records single "I'm Not Lisa", with "For The First Time" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles chart
1988 - Daws Butler (born Charles Dawson Butler), Capitol Records artist (on recordings of Stan Freberg and on various children's records), radio actor, and voice for many Warner Brothers and Hanna-Barbera cartoon characters, dies of a heart attack at age 71 in Los Angeles, California
2009 - Carol Cole, actress, niece and adopted daughter of Nat and Maria Cole, and administrator of her father's estate, has died at age 65.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
55 Years Ago Today In 1957 - Fats Domino's Imperial Records single "I'm Walkin'" is #12 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Rick Nelson's Imperial Records single of the same song is #33, and Eddie Cochran's Liberty Records single "Sittin' In The Balcony" is #38
1959 - Martin Denny's Liberty Records single "Quiet Village" is #8 on Billbard's Hot 100 Singles chart, The Fleetwood's Dolton (originally Dolphin) Records single "Come Softly To Me" (distributed by Liberty Records) is #21, Fats Domino's Imperial Records single "I'm Ready" is #27, and Rick Nelson's Imperial Records single "Never Be Anyone Else But You" is #40
1963 - Lou Christie's Roulette Records single "Two Faces Have I" is #11 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart, Bobby Vee's Liberty Records single "Charms" is #20, and Jan and Dean's Liberty Records single "Linda" is 340
1981 - President Ronald Reagan announces his intention to nominate former VP of Capitol Records (1942-1951) and former president of Columbia Records (1951-1956), James B. Conkling, to be Associate Director of the International Communication Agency (Broadcasting)
1986 - Kenny Rogers' United Artists Records single "Tomb Of The Unknown Love", with "Our Perfect Song" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles chart
2004 - Elvin Jones, drummer, Blue Note, United Artists, and Roulette Records artist, dies at age 76 of heart problems in Englewood, New Jersey

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1883 - Walter Gropius, architect and founder of the Bauhaus, is born Walter Adolph Gropius in Berlin, Germany
100 Years Ago Today In 1912 - Perry Como, singer and star on radio and television, is born Pierino Ronald Como in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania
1975 - Leroy Anderson, conductor and composer of light instrumental music ("Sleigh Ride", "The Typewriter", "The Penny Whistle Song", etc.) dies in Woodbury, Connecticut

MAY 17, 2012

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
55 Years Ago Today In 1957 - Audie Desbrow, drummer with the Capitol Records group Great White, is born in Los Angeles, California
1959 - Paul Di'Anno, vocalist with the Capitol Records and EMI America Records band Iron Maiden, is born in London, England

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
65 Years Ago Today In 1947 - The Pied Pipers (with Paul Weston and His Orchestra)' Capitol Records single "Mam'selle" is #10 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart
60 Years Ago Today In 1952 - Kay Starr (with orchestra conducted by Harold Mooney)'s Capitol Records single "Wheel Of Fortune" is #2 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Ella Mae Morse (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Blacksmith Blues" is #7, Jane Froman (with orchestra conducted by Sid Feller)'s Capitol Records single "I'll Walk Alone" is #16, and Les Paul's Capitol Records single "New Carioca" is #19
1953 - Capitol Records releases the original Broadway cast album of Cole Porter's "Can-Can"
1969 - Glen Campbell's Capitol Records single "Where's The Playground Susie", with "Arkansas" on the flip side, enters the U.S. Country singles charts
1971 - Apple Records releases Paul McCartney's second solo album, "Ram", with Capitol Records handling distribution in the United States
1976 - Dr. Hook's Capitol Records single "Only Sixteen", with "Let Me Be Your Lover" on the flip side, is certified Gold by the R.I.A.A.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
80 Years Ago Today In 1932 - Blue Note artist (1959-1967) and alto saxophonist Jackie McLean is born John Lenwood McLean in New York City, New York
50 Years Ago Today In 1962 - Tracy Bryn, member of the band Voice Of The Beehive and daughter of Bruce Belland of the Capitol Records band The Four Preps, is born in Encino, California
10 Years Ago Today In 2002 - Sharon Sheely, songwriter ("Poor Little Fool", "Something Else, "Hurry Up", etc.) and one-time fiancee of Liberty Records artist Eddie Cochran, dies of complications following a cerebral hemorrhage in Los Angeles, California at age 62. Sheely was also injured in the same cab crash in England that killed Cochran and injured Capitol Records artist Gene Vincent.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1846 - The saxophone is patented by Antoine Joseph Sax
1963 - The first Monterey Folk Festival is held in California with Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, Pete Segers, and others performing

MAY 16, 2012

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1913 - Woody Herman, bandleader, clarinetist, and Capitol Records artist (1948-1955), is born Woodrow Charles Herman in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
1949 - Bill "Sputnik" Spooner, guitarist for Capitol Records band The Tubes and then The Grateful Dead, is born William Spooner in Arizona

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1946 - Capitol Records group The King Cole Trio start a 13 week stint as a summer replacement for Bing Crosby's radio show "The Kraft Music Hall" when they sponsor their own 15 minute program, "King Cole Trio Time", the first radio program sponsored by a black performing artist.
1953 - Les Baxter and His Orchestra's Capitol Records single "April In Portugal" is #3 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Nat "King" Cole (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Pretend" is #5, and Jane Froman (with orchestra conducted by Sid Feller)'s Capitol Records single "I Believe" is #14
1958 - During a three hour session at RCA Studios in Nashville, Tennessee Esquerita, on piano and vocals with E.R. "Dutch" Miller on tenor saxophone, Vincent Moses on guitar, Floyd T. "Lightning" Chance on bass, and Johnny "Richardo" Young on drums, records "Katie Mae" with backing vocals by Atlanta-based The Gardenias (Calvin Arnold, Carlton Sheppard, Jr., Lloyd White and William Dixon), "Wait A Minute Baby" and (again with The Gardenias) "Rockin' The Joint".
1960 - The Four Prep's Capitol Records single "Got A Girl", with "Wait Till You) Hear It From Me" on the flip side, is #32 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1961 - Faron Young's Capitol Records single "Hello Walls" is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
1964 - The Beatles' Capitol Records single "I Want To Hold Your Hand", with "This Boy" on the flip side, re-enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart for 1 week after leaving the chart on April 17 after a 20 week run.
1965 - The Beatles' Capitol Records single "Ticket To Ride" is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1966 - The Beach Boys' Capitol Records album "Pet Sounds" is released
1966 - The last session is held for The Beatles' track "Taxman"
45 Years Ago Today In 1967 - Twiggy's first Capitol Records single "When I Think Of You", with "Over And Over" on the flip side, is released
1969 - Merle Haggard records his the track "Workin' Man Blues" which will be released by Capitol Records as a single and will peak at #1 on the U.S. Country singles chart
1969 - Chuck Barris' Capitol Records single "Too Rich", with "I Know A Child" on the flip side, is released
1976 - Wings' Apple Records single "Silly Love Songs", distributed by Capitol Records in the United States with "Cook Of The House" on the flip side, is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles Chart
1990 - Sammy Davis, Jr., singer, dancer, impressionist, vaudeville, Broadway, motion picture and television actor and performer, and a Capitol Records solo artist and, posthumously, as a member of The Rat Pack, dies of throat cancer at his home in Beverly Hills, California at age 64

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1946 - The Irving Berlin musical, "Annie Get Your Gun", opens at The Imperial Theatre in New York City, New York and will run for 1,147 performances. Capitol Records will later release the soundtrack to a televised version of the show starring Mary Martin and Capitol Records artist John Raitt.
1960 - Rick Nelson's Imperial Records single "Young Emotions" is #22 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1964 - The Beatles' single "P.S. I Love You", the flip side of the "Love Me Do" single released on Tollie Records in the U.S., enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1966 - Janet Jackson, singer, television and motion picture actress, and Virgin Records America artist, is born Janet Damita Jo Jackson in Gary, Indiana
1981 - Kim Carnes' EMI America Records single "Bette Davis Eyes" is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart for the second of a five week stay at the top

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL HISTORY
1929 - The first Academy Awards ceremony is held at a banquet in the Blossom Room at The Roosevelt Hotel on Hollywood Boulevard
75 Years Ago Today In 1937 - Yvonne Craig, motion picture ("Gidget", "Our Man Flint", and others) and television actress (best know for the role of Batgirl), is born
1953 - Bill Haley and The Comets' Decca Records single "Crazy Man Crazy" debuts at #15 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart and is considered the first Rock 'N' Roll single to enter the chart