MAY 8, 2012

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1905 - "Red" Nichols, cornet player, bandleader (Red Nichols and His Five Pennies), and Capitol Records recording artist in the '50s and '60s, is born Ernest Loring Nichols in Ogden, Utah. The film "The Five Pennies" is based loosely on Nichols life with actor and Capitol Records artist Danny Kaye playing Nichols.
1940 - Rick Nelson, singer, radio, television, and motion picture actor, and Imperial and Capitol Records artist, is born Eric Hilliard Nelson in Teaneck, New Jersey

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL HISTORY
65 Years Ago Today In 1947 - Jean Stewart signs with Capitol Records
65 Years Ago Today In 1947 - At a split session held at Radio Recorders' studos in Los Angeles, California first Johnny Mercer (on vocals) and The Pied Pipers (vocal group - lineup unlisted), with Paul Weston and his Orchestra (Ray Linn, Zeke Zarchy, and Don Anderson on trumpet, Allan Thompson, Bill Schaefer, and Carl Loeffler on trombone, Fred Stulce, Matty Matlock, Herbie Haymer, Hap Lawson, and Len Hartman on saxophones, Milt Raskin on piano, George Van Eps on guitar, Jack Ryan on bass, Nick Fatool on drums, and a string section with unlisted musicians on 6 violins, 2 violas, 1 cello, and 1 harp), record the tracks "Tallahassee" and "Cecilia" and then Wingy Manone (on trumpet and vocals) and Johnny Mercer (on vocals), with the addition of unlisted reed players and without the string section, record the track "Box Car Blues". Capitol Records will issue the first two tracks together as a single (Capitol 422) and Mosaic Records will issue the last track on the compilation boxset "Classic Capitol Jazz Sessions" (LP - MQ19-170, CD - MD12-170) and Wingy Manone and His Orchestra will record another version of the track on May 23, 1947 with the same lineup and that version will be the one released as a single by Capitol Records (Capitol 442).
65 Years Ago Today In 1947 - Freddie Stewart (on vocals), with The Buddy Cole Orchestra (Buddy Cole listed as possibly on piano, Ernie Felice on accordion, Dave Barbour on guitar, & other unlisted musicians), records the tracks "There's That Lonely Feeling Again" and "Sincerely Yours" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue both tracks together as a single (Capitol 426).
1948 - Nat "King" Cole's Capitol Records single "Nature Boy" (with orchestra conducted by Frank DeVol) hits #1 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart for the first of an 8 week stay, and Peggy Lee with then husband Dave Barbour and His Orchestra's Capitol Records single "Mañana" ends its nine week stay at #1 and is now #3
60 Years Ago Today In 1952 - Joe "Fingers" Carr (aka Lou Busch [Bush] on piano), with an uncredited orchestra, records the tracks "Twelfth Street Rag", "The Daughter Of Rosie O'Grady", and "Dardanella" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue all the tracks on Carr's album "Rough House Piano" (EBF-345).
1954 - Frank Sinatra (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Young At Heart" is #2 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Nat"King" Cole (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Answer Me, My Love" is #8, Kay Starr's double sided hit Capitol Records single has "If You Love Me (Really Love Me) at #9 and its flip side, "The Man Upstairs" at #10, and Les Paul and Mary Ford's Capitol Records single "I Really Don't Want To Know" at #19
55 Years Ago Today In 1957 - Ann Leonardo (on vocals), with Dick Reynolds and His Orchestra and Chorus (lineup unlisted), record an unissued take of the track "Three Time Loser", the tracks "Lottery" and "One And Only" and an unissued take of the track "I Must Have Your Lovin'" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue the second and third tracks together as a single (Capitol F3733).
55 Years Ago Today In 1957 - Jane Froman (on vocals), with Marion Evans conducting the orchestra (lineup unlisted but includes French horns, reeds, piano, guitar, bass, and drum players), records the tracks "Under A Blanket Of Blue", "Red Sails In The Sunset", "You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To", and "At Sundown" in New York City, New York. Capitol Records will issue all the tracks on Froman's album "Songs At Sunset" (T 889).
1959 - Frank Sinatra records the tracks "High Hopes" and "Love Looks So Well On You" with Nelson Riddle, who arranged both tracks, conducting the studio orchestra at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California. "High Hopes" would later be adapted to become John F. Kennedy's campaign song with Sinatra supplying the vocals to new lyrics.
1961 - Faron Young's Capitol Records single "Hello Walls" is #29 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1961 - Jean Shepard records the track "Two Voices Two Shadows Two Faces" at the Bradley Film & Recording Studio in Nashville, Tennessee which will be released by Capitol Records
50 Years Ago Today In 1962 - During two sessions held this day at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California Vic Damone (on vocals), with Billy May conducting his own arrangements to the orchestra (Joe Graves, Bobby Bryant, and Mannie Klein on trumpet, Francis "Joe" Howard on trombone, Jules Jacob, Plas Johnson, Jules Kinsler, and Chuck Gentry on saxophones, Joe Parnello on piano, Al Hendrickson on guitar, Meyer Rubin on bass, Sidney Bulkin on drums, and a string section with Bob Barene, Jacques Gasselin, James Getzoff, Anatol Kaminsky, Lou Klass, Erno Neufeld, Stanley Plummer, Lou Raderman, Nathan Ross, Paul Shure, Felix Slatkin, and Marshall Sosson on violin, and Edgar Lustgarten and Eleanor Slatkin on cello), records the tracks "Cathy", "Ruby", "Laura", "Nina Never Knew", and "What Kind Of Fool Am I?" at the first session between 4:00 PM and 7:00 PM and then, with Conrad Gozzo and Uan Rasey replacing Joe Graves on trumpet, the addition of Milt Bernhart, Lew McCreary, and George Roberts on trombone and Billy Strange on guitar, records the tracks "I Want A Little Girl", "The Most Beautiful Girl In The World", "Marie", "Little Girl" and "Diane" at the second session between 8:30 PM and 12:00 AM on May 9, 1952. Capitol Records wlll issue all the tracks, except "Cathy" on Damone's album "The Lively Ones" (T 1748) and will issue "Cathy" as a single (Capitol 4799) with "Vieni, Vieni" (recorded June 6, 1962) on the flipside.
45 Years Ago Today In 1967 - LaVern Andrews singer, motion picture actress and Capitol Records artist as part of The Andrews Sisters from 1956 to 1959, dies at age 55 of cancer in Brentwood, California and is later buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale, California
45 Years Ago Today In 1967 - Tony Sandler and Ralph Young (on vocals), with Billy May conducting Sid Feller's arrangements to the orchestra (John Audino, Pete Candoli, Ray Triscari, and Uan Rasey on trumpet, Milt Bernhart, Phillip Teele, Lloyd Ulyate on trombone, and Harry Klee on bass clarinet and flute, Justin Gordon on clarinet, flute, and tenor saxophone, Abe Most on clarinet, alto saxophone, and flute, Jack Nimitz on clarinet, bass clarinet, and baritone saxophone, Arnold Ross on piano and organ, Al Hendrickson and Bob Bain on guitar, Chuck Berghofer on bass, and electric bass, Stan Levey on drums, and Gene Estes on percussion), record the tracks "Sentimental Journey", "Marie", "Cabaret", an unissued take of the track "The Exodus", and the track "The Late, Late Show" at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood California between 8:00 PM and 11:00 PM. Capitol Records will issue the second, third, and fifth tracks on Sandler and Young's album "" (T 2802) and the first track on the compilation CD "Spotlight On...,Vol. 11 - Sandler & Young" (8-32944-2).
45 Years Ago Today In 1967 - Joanie Summers records the tracks "Trains And Boats And Planes", "Yesterday Morning (Woke Up This Morning)", and "Window Wishing" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue the first two tracks together as a single (Capitol 5936). There is no issuing information listed for the last track.
45 Years Ago Today In 1967 - People (lineup unliste) record the track "She's A Dancer" and an unissued take of the track "Floor Talk" in listed as possibly Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue the first track on the group's album "Both Sides Of People" (ST-151).
1970 - Capitol Records releases The Beates' "Let It Be" soundtrack album in the United States
40 Years Ago Today In 1972 - Billy May and The Time-Life Orchestra (lineup unlisted) recorded the tracks "Gigi", "Land Of Dreams", "Theme From 'Limelight'", and "Theme From 'A Summer Place'" at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California. Time-Life Records will issue the first, third, and last tracks as part of the "As You Remember Them" Series of 3 LP sets on the album "Volume 1 - Billy May" (STL 241) and the second track on the album "Volume 6 - Billy May" (STL 246).
40 Years Ago Today In 1972 - Capitol Records registered the masters in licensed from Apple Records for John Lennon and Plastic Ono Band's tracks "Woman Is The Nigger Of The World" and "Sisters, O Sisters", Chris Hodge's tracks "We're On Our Way" and "Supersoul", and Dave Meadow's tracks "I Didn't Mean To Love You So Good, Juanita" and "Lucky Me". Capitol will distribute both of Lennon's tracks as a single (Apple 6244) and both of Chris Hodge's tracks together as a single (Apple 1850) on the Apple label in the United States but will not distribute either of Dave Meadow's tracks in the United States.
30 Years Ago Today In 1982 - Bob Seger recorded an unissued take of the track "Sunset" in Los Angeles, California for Capitol Records.
1988 - Nappy Lamare, guitarist, banjo player, bandleader and Capitol Records artist, dies in Newhall, California at age 81
2001 - Capitol Records releases Paul McCartney's album "Wingspan". I did the design and Photoshop work for the DVD packaging of the "Wingspan" documentary.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
100 Years Ago Today In 1912 - The Paramount company was founded by W. W. Hodkinson as a merger of 11 film rental bureaus. In 1917, Adolph Zukor bought Paramount and merged it with Famous Players to form the new firm called Paramount Pictures Corporation. Zukor also fired W. W. Hodkinson, who went on to found First National to challenge Paramount's distribution power. In 1919, First National and Paramount planned to merge, to gain full control of the market and to cut production cost, but the plan was uncovered by a private eye hired by Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks, Sr. and D.W. Griffith. In reaction to the plan, they decided to found their own distribution company, United Artists Pictures (which would later found United Artists Records), which effectively ended Paramount and First National's efforts to found a monopoly. Future Capitol Records co-founder Buddy DeSylva would become production chief of Paramount and during his reign music from it's films (with "Mona Lisa" from "Captain Carey, U.S.A." being the best know song from the least known movie) would be released by Capitol Records as would recordings by many of its stars including Betty Hutton and Bob Hope.
70 Years Ago Today In 1942 - Jack Blanchard, singer, songwriter, saxophone and keyboard player, and member of the United Artists duo Jack Blanchard & Misty Morgan, is born in Buffalo, New York
1943 - Toni Tennille, singer and wife of former keyboardist for The Beach Boys "Captain" Daryl Dragon (who also was a Capitol artist with his band The Dragons), was born Cathryn Antoinette Tennille in Montgomery, Alabama
65 Years Ago Today In 1947 - Phil Sawyer, bass guitarist and guitarist for the United Artists band The Spencer Davis Group, is born in Birmingham, England
1953 - Billy Burnette, singer, songwriter, guitarist, son of Liberty Records artist Dorsey Burnette and Alberta Burnette, member of Fleetwood Mac (1987-1995), and a solo artist, is born William Beau Burnette III in Memphis, Tennessee
55 Years Ago Today In 1957 - The Horace Silver Quintet (Art Farmer on trumpet, Hank Mobley on tenor saxophone, Horace Silver on piano, Teddy Kotick on bass, and Louis Hayes on drums) records the tracks "Metamorphosis", "No Smoking", "The Back Beat", "Soulville", "My One And Only Love", and "Home Cookin'" in Hackensack, New Jersey. Blue Note Records will issue all the tracks on the group's album "The Stylings Of Silver" (BLP1562).
1961 - Ernie K-Doe's Minit Records single "Mother-In-Law" is #2 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart, Gene McDaniels' Liberty Records single "A Hundred Pounds Of Clay" is #3, Steve Lawrence's United Artists Records single "Portrait Of My Love" is #9, Rick Nelson's Imperial Records single "Travelin' Man" is #18, Al Caiola and His Orchestra's United Artists Records single "Bonanza" is #23, Rick Nelson's Imperial Records single "Hello Mary Lou" is #27, and The Fleetwoods' Dolton Records (distributed by Liberty Records) single "Tragedy" is #31
50 Years Ago Today In 1962 - The Broadway production of "A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum" opens at The Alvin Theatre in New York City, New York, starring Zero Mostel. The show will run for a total of 964 performances and Capitol Records will record the show on May 13, 1962 and release the show's original Broadway cast album. The motion picture version, which also stars Mostel, will be directed by Richard Lester, who directed The Beatles' first two films.
50 Years Ago Today In 1962 - At two straight days of sessions starting today Dinah Washington, with Don Costa conducting his own arrangements to the orchestra (lineup unlisted), records the tracks "Lover Man", "The Man That Got Away", and "Baby, Won't You Please Come Home?" for Roulette Records. Blue Note Records will reissue the first two tracks on the compilation CD "Jazz Profile 5 - Dinah Washington" (8-54907-2) and the last track in England on the compilation CD "Blue Divas" (8-53232-2).
1963 - United Artists Pictures releases "Dr. No", the first James Bond film, and United Artists Records will release the soundtrack album. Capitol Music Group's parent company, EMI Music Group, currently owns the United Artists catalog.
35 Years Ago Today In 1977 - Leo Sayer's Chrysalis Records single "When I Need You" is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart. Capitol Music Group's parent company, EMI Music Group, currently owns the Chrysalis catalog.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL HISTORY
1911 - Robert Johnson, singer, guitarist, and songwriter, is born in Hazlehurst, Mississippi. His 29 Blues recordings are amongst the most influential especially with English musicians including Eric Clapton and The Rolling Stones, who have both covered Johnson's tunes. This date has not been verified and if anyone knows for sure when Johnson's birthdate is, please leave a comment.
1945 - Victory in Europe (aka V.E. Day) during World War II is announced and there is a massive celebration in Times Square in New York City, New York and around the world in the allied nations.