JULY 31, 2012

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1946 - Bob Welch, singer, guitarist, member of the bands Fleetwood Mac, Paris, Touch and Avenue M as well as being a Capitol Records solo artist, is born Robert Welch in Los Angeles, California

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1968 - The Beatles, with orchestral accompaniment, record the released master track for their song "Hey Jude" using the eight-track recording machine at Trident Studios in London, England
1976 - Natalie Cole, singer and Capitol Records artist, marries Marvin Yancy, songwriter and producer
1990 - Capitol Records Nashville calls the R.I.A.A. to request that Garth Brooks' self-titled debut album be certified Gold
1994 - Ramblin' Jimmie Dolan, singer, guitarist and Capitol Records artist (1949-1955) dies at age 78
2004 - Capitol Records releases the compilation CD "Cocktails With Cole Porter"

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1945 or 1946 - Gary Lewis, singer, drummer, band leader of Liberty Records recording artists Gary Lewis and The Playboys, and son of future Capitol Records artist Jerry Lewis, is born Gary Harold Lee Lewis in Los Angeles, California. If anyone knows for sure whch year, please leave a comment. Liberty Records catalog is currently owned by EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company.
1995 - Pink Floyd's 2-CD live album "P*U*L*S*E", released by EMI in the U.K. and Columbia in the U.S. is certified Gold, Platinum, and Double Platinum by the R.I.A.A.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1931 - "The Shadow", the mystery-adventure series based on the pulp magazine stories, makes its radio debut
1951 - Ray Charles marries his first wife, Eileen Williams. After having one child, they will divorce in 1952.
60 Years Ago Today In 1952 - Peggy Lee records the track "San Souci" with Gordon Jenkins and His Orchestra for Decca Records
1965 - J. K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series, is born Joanne Kathleen Rowling in the General Hospital at Chipping Sodbury, near her parents' home in Yate, Gloucestershire, England
45 Years Ago Today In 1967 - Judy Garland's variety revue titled, "Judy Garland; At Home at the Palace" opens on Broadway at the Palace Theatre. Joining her onstage to perform were her children, Lorna and Joey Luft. The show ran for 32 performances.
1971 - The first lunar rover is driven on the surface of the moon by astronauts as part of the Apollo 15 mission

JULY 30, 2012

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
1936 - John W. Anderson (aka KaSandra), songwriter and Capitol Records artist, is born. If anyone has any further information about John W. Anderson, or KaSandra, please post a response or contact me via email.

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1963 - The Beatles record the track "It Won't Be Long" at EMI's Abbey Road Studios in London, England
1966 - The Beatles' Capitol Records album "Yesterday And Today" hits #1 on Billboard's album chart

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1958 - Kate Bush, singer, songwriter and EMI America recording artist, is born Catherine Bush in Bexleyheath, Kent, England. EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company, currently owns EMI America's catalog.
50 Years Ago Today In 1962 - Liberty Records releases Johnny Burnette's last single for the label "Damn The Defiant" (also the first A side of his singles that he wrote himself) with "Lonesome Waters" on the flip side. EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company, currently owns Liberty's catalog.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1955 - Johnny Cash records the tracks "Folsom Prison Blues", "Mean Eyed Cat," "Luther's Boogie" and "So Doggone Lonesome" for Sun Records

JULY 29, 2012
ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1946 - Peggy Lee, with arranger and conductor Frank Devol and His Orchestra (Uan Rasey and Lenny Mach on trumpet; Paul Wiegand on trombone; Dick Perissi on french horn; Skeets Herfurt, Julius Kinsler, Lou Palange, and Paul McLarand on reeds; Henry Sugar, Joe Livoti, Victor Arno, Joe Quadri, Walter Edelstein, and Ted Rosen on violin; Paul Lowenkron and Elizabeth Sugar on viola; Julius Tannenbaum on cello; June Weiland on harp; Dave Barbour on guitar; Buddy Cole on piano; Fred Whiting on bass; John Cyr on drums) record the tracks "The Best Man", "If You Were The Only Boy", "Love Doesn't Grow On Trees", "I Guess I'll Get The Papers And Go Home", and "My Sugar Is So Refined" to be released by Capitol Records on transcription discs for Radio at Radio Recorders studios in Los Angeles, California
1949 - Sammy Davis, Jr. supplies vocals and tap sounds for his tracks "Smile, Darn Ya, Smile", "Dedicated To You", "Azure", and "Inka Dinka Doo" for Capitol Records at Capitol Records' Melrose Studios in Hollywood California with arranger, conductor and tenor saxophonist Dave Cavanaugh, Mickey Mangano on trumpet, Gus Bivona on alto saxophone, Art Hulette on baritone saxophone, Mike Rubin on bass, and Don Lamond on drums
1955 - Frank Sinatra records the tracks "Same Old Saturday Night" "You Forgot All The Words", and "Fairy Tale" with arranger and conductor Nelson Riddle and Mahlon Clark, Justin Gordon, Jerome Kasper, Babe Russin, and Wilbur Schwartz on reeds;, Frank Beach, Harry "Sweets" Edison, Clarence "Shorty" Sherock, and Rubin "Zeke" Zarchy on trumpets; Raymond Klein, Jim Priddy, and Si Zentner on trombones; George Roberts on bass trombone; Jack Marshall on guitar; Joe Comfort on bass; Bill Miller on piano; Frank Flynn on vibraphone; Kathryn Julye on harp; Max Albright on drums; Victor Bay, Alex Beller, Harry Bluestone, Henry Hill, Erno Neufeld, Nathan Ross, Mischa Russell, Eudice Shapiro, and Marshall Sosson on violins; Stanley Spiegelman and Dave Sterkin on viola; Armond Kaproff, Ray Kramer, and Edgar Lustgarten on cellos at Capitol Records' Studios on Melrose Avenue in Hollywood California
1956 - Capitol Records artist Merle Travis attends a ceremony in his boyhood home town, Ebeneezer, Kentucky, to unveil a granite monument the town built to recognize his accomplishments. In 1991, Travis' ashes were buried under the monument
1959 - Dean Martin records the track "Things We Did Last Summer" at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California with Gus Levene conducting the orchestra
1984 - Fred Waring, band leader, music publisher, co-founder of the National Association of Performing Artists, inventor of the Waring blender, and Capitol Records artist, suffers a massive stroke at age 84 and dies in State College, Pennsylvania
1994 - The Beastie Boys' Capitol Records album "Ill Communication" is certified Platinum by the R.I.A.A.
1994 - Capitol Records releases the CD version of Red Rider's 1980 album "Don't Fight It"

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1953 - Trumpeter Chet Baker, with Larry Bunker on drums, Russ Freeman on piano, and Carson Smith on bass, starts recording the track "Imagination" with producer Richard Bock in Los Angeles, California for Pacific Jazz Records. Capitol Records currently owns the Pacific Jazz catalog.
1965 - The Beatles' second United Artists film "HELP!" is released
1990 - Dan Seals' EMI America Records single "Good Times" is #1 on the U.S. Country siingles charts. EMI America's catalog is currently owned by EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1974 - "Mama" Cass Elliot, motion picture actress, singer as a solo artist and with the group The Mamas And The Papas, dies in bed in Harry Nilsson's apartment in London, England from heart failure at age 32. Four years later, Keith Moon, drummer for The Who, would die in the same bed in the same room.
1983 - Raymond Massey, actor ("Things To Come", "Arsenic And Old Lace", "East Of Eden", etc.), dies at age 86 of pneumonia in Los Angeles, California
1983 - David Niven, actor ("The Bachelor Mother", "Around The World In 80 Days", "The Pink Panther", "Casino Royale", "Murder By Death", etc.), dies at age 73 of ALS at his chalet at Chateau d'Oex in Switzerland
1998 - Jerome Robbins, Broadway choreographer and director ("On The Town", "The Kind And I", "West Side Story", "High Button Shoes", "Wonderful Town", "Bells Are Ringing", "Fiddler on the Roof", the ballet "Fancy Free", etc.) dies of a stroke at age 79 in New York City

JULY 28, 2012

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
1945 - Rick Wright, with the Capitol Records group Pink Floyd, is born

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1945 - Johnny Mercer and The Pied Pipers (with Paul Weston and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "On The Atchison, Topeka And The Sante Fe", with "Conversations While Dancing" (with Jo Stafford sharing vocals) on the flip side, is #1 on Billboard's Best Sellers in Stores chart
1956 - Capitol Records group Gene Vincent and The Blue Caps appears on "The Perry Como Show"
1971 - Capitol Records releases George Harrison's Apple Records single "Bangla Desh" with "Deep Blue" on the flip side in the United States
2003 - Capitol Records releases The Dandy Warhols' two disc CD single. On the first disc are the tracks "You Were The Last High" with a remix of "We Used To Be Friends" by Brian Coates and Clark Stiles, and Tony Lash's remix of "Every Day Should Be A Holiday". The second disc contains another version of "We Used To Be Friends", along with the tracks "Jim" and a live version of "Good Morning" recorded at the KCRW studios in Santa Monica, California. Capitol also releases a 7" vinyl single of "You Were The Last High" with a version of "We Used To Be Friends", remixed by Kenn Richards, on the flip side.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1936 - Future Capitol Records artist Nat "King" Cole makes his recording debut at age 17 as part of his older brother's band, Eddie Cole's Solid Swingers, recording four tracks for Decca Records in Chicago, Illinois - "Honey Hush" with vocals by bass player Eddie Cole, "Stomping At The Panama (Skoller's Shuffle)", "Bedtime (Sleep Baby Sleep)" and "Thunder"
1938 - George Cummings, composer, lead guitarist and steel guitarist as a solo artist and for the bands Chocolate Papers and future Capitol Records artists Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show (whom he named and co-founded in Union City, New Jersey in 1968 but left in 1975 right before the band signed with Capitol with the shortened name Dr. Hook), is born in Meridian, Mississippi. If anyone knows his middle name, please leave a comment or contact me.
1941 - At age 19, future Capitol Records artist Judy Garland marries her first husband, composer and orchestra leader David Rose, whom she would divorce three years later in 1944
45 Years Ago Today In 1967 - The motion picture "The Family Way", with music by Paul McCartney (at the time part of the Capitol Records band The Beatles) and arranged by George Martin, premieres in New York City, New York
1999 - Simon "Mahlathini" Nkabinde, singer and Earthworks Records recording artist dies. Earthworks was distributed by Virgin Records America in the United States. Virgin is currently owned by EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company. My wife and I went to one of his concerts when he and his band appeared at UCLA's Royce Hall and had the nicest, and most fun, time. Everyone in the audience got along and by the end were all up and dancing to the mighty roar of the Lion of Sowetto.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
55 Years Ago Today In 1957 - Jerry Lee Lewis appears on national television for the first time when he appears on "The Steve Allen Show" on NBC-TV.

JULY 27, 2012

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1933 - Nick Reynolds, singer and guitarist in the Capitol Records group The Kingston Trio, is born Nicholas Wells Reynolds in San Diego, California
1944 - Bobbie Gentry, singer, songwriter and Capitol Records artist, is born Roberta Streeter in Chickasaw County, Mississippi

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1968 - Capitol Records releases Merle Haggard's single "Mama Tried" with "You'll Never Love Me Now" on the flip side
1968 - Capitol Records subsidiary Tower Records releases The Pink Floyd's album "A Saucerful of Secrets"
1969 - Capitol Records releases The Pink Floyd's soundtrack album for Barbet Schroeder's movie "More". This would be the the band's first album without Syd Barrett and the last album where the band was called The Pink Floyd.
1970 - Capitol Records releases Buck Owens' single "The Great White Horse" with "Your Tender Loving Care", a duet with Susan Raye, on the flip side
2004 - Capitol Records reissues Megadeth's albums, "Countdown to Extinction", "Cryptic Writings", "Peace Sells ..But Who's Buying?", "Risk; Rust in Peace", "So Far, So Good..So What?!", and "Youthanasia", on CD

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
70 Years Ago Today In 1942 - In her first recording session, future Capitol Records artist Peggy Lee supplies the vocal for future Capitol Records artist Benny Goodman and His Orchestra's track "Why Don't You Do Right", which would become her first big hit
1976 - John Lennon's application for permanent residency in the United States is approved and he is granted his U.S. green card (A17-597-321).

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
35 Years Ago Today In 1972 - "The Bobby Darin Amusement Company" debuts for a seven week run on NBC-TV

JULY 26, 2012

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
90 Years Ago Today In 1922 - Jim Fogleson, singer, producer, 2004 inductee to the Country Music Hall of Fame and president of Capitol Records Nashville from 1984-1989, is born in Lundale, West Virginia. The CMHF site has a good biographical article about Jim.
1940 or 1942 - Dobie Gray, singer, songwriter and Capitol Records artist (mid 1980s), is born either Leonard Victor Ainsworth or Laurence Darrow Brown in either Brookshire or Simonton, Texas. If anyone knows for sure Gray's exact year of birth, name, and/or place of birth, please leave a comment.
1949 - Roger Taylor, with the Capitol Records group Queen, is born

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1946 - Stan Kenton and His Orchestra (Buddy Childers, Ray Wetzel, Chico Alvarez, John Anderson, and Ken Hanna on trumpets; Kai Winding, Harry Forbes, and Miff Sines on trombone; Bart Varsalona on bass trombone; Al Anthony and Boots Mussulli on alto saxophone; Vido Musso and Bob Cooper on tenor saxophone; Bob Gioga on baritone saxophone; Kenton on piano; Bob Ahern on guitar; Eddie Safranski on bass; and Shelly Manne on drums) record the instrumental tracks (arranged by Kenton) "Fantasy" (arranged by Kenton, with solos by Kenton on piano, Safranski on bass, Musso on tenor saxophone, and Mussulli on alto saxophone), "Concerto To End All Concertos - Part 2" (with solos by the trombone section led by Winding, the saxophone section led by Anthony, the trumpet trio (Childers, Wetzel, Alvarez), Safranski on bass, and Manne on drums), and "Concerto To End All Concertos - Part 1" (with solos by Kenton on piano, Musso on tenor saxophone, Wetzel on trumpet, and Mussulli on alto saxophone) at Radio Recorders in Hollywood, California with producer Lee Gillette
1950 - Armund Hug's Lousianans/New Orleans Jazzmen (George Girard on trumpet, Santo Pecora on trombone, Bujie Centobie on clarinet, Hug on piano, John Senac on bass, and Fred King on drums) record the tracks "Dustin' Off The Ivory", "Sweetheart Of All My Dreams", "That Old Gang Of Mine", "A Dixie Jam Session" (an alternated take unissued until Mosaic records released it as part of its "Classic Capitol Jazz Sessions" box set in 1997), and the released version of "A Dixie Jam Session", with producer Dave Dexter, Jr., for Capitol Records at WDSU studio in New Orleans, Louisiana
1964 - The Beatles' Capitol Records single "A Hard Day's Night" is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart
1965 - Capitol Records simultaneously releases two albums by Buck Owens - "Before You Go/No One But You" and "The Instrumental Hits Of Buck Owens And His Buckaroos"
1969 - Buck Owen's Capitol Records single "Johnny B. Goode" is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
1989 - Capitol Records Releases the compilation CDs "Johnny Mercer" and "Frank Sinatra" as part of its Capitol Collectors Series
1998 - Garth Brook's Capitol Records Nashville single "To Make You Feel My Love" is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
2005 - Capitol Records Nashville artist Dierks Bentley is invited to join the Grand Ole Opry Hall of Fame while performing in Los Angeles at the House of Blues

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1939 - Future Capitol Records artist sixteen year-old singer Kay Starr makes her first recordings, “Love With A Capitol YOU” and “Baby Me”, with Glenn Miller and His Orchestra on the Bluebird label during a two week stint filling in for an ailing Marion Hutton (sister of future Capitol Records artist Betty Hutton)
1943 - Mick Jagger, singer, songwriter, motion picture actor, solo artist, and member of the Virgin Records group The Rolling Stones, is born

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1973 - Ringo Starr starts a new music publishing company, Wobble Music Ltd.

JULY 25, 2012

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
1955 - Scott Mathews, producer, Tiki artist, drummer, member of the Capitol Records production and recording duo The Durocs, and who also set up Capitol Records' first video department, is born in Sacramento, California. You can check out what Scott Mathews is currently up to at his own website.

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1946 - Stan Kenton and His Orchestra (Buddy Childers, Ray Wetzel, Chico Alvarez, John Anderson, and Ken Hanna on trumpets; Kai Winding, Harry Forbes, and Miff Sines on trombone; Bart Varsalona on bass trombone; Al Anthony and Boots Mussulli on alto saxophone; Vido Musso and Bob Cooper on tenor saxophone; Bob Gioga on baritone saxophone; Kenton on piano; Bob Ahern on guitar; Eddie Safranski on bass; and Shelly Manne on drums) with vocalist June Christy record the Pete Rugulo arranged tracks "It's A Pity To Say Goodnight" (vocal by Christy and solo by Kenton), "Willow Weep For Me" (vocal by Christy and solos by Kenton, Safranski and Winding), and a version of "Fantasy" that was rejected, at Radio Recorders in Hollywood, California with producer Lee Gillette
1961 - Capitol Records releases Buck Owens' single "Under The Influence Of Love"
1966 - Capitol Records releases Buck Owens' album "Carnegie Hall Concert"
45 Years Ago Today In 1967 - Tommy Duncan, singer, songwriter, original member of Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys, and Capitol Records artist (1949 - Tommy Duncan and His Western All Stars), dies at age 56 in San Diego, California of a heart attack after finishing a performance at Imperial Beach
1989 - Capitol Records releases The Beastie Boys' album "Paul's Boutique"
2006 - Capitol Records releases original Destiny's Child member LaToya Luckett's self-titled album.
2006 - Capitol Records was supposed to release a limited edition version of Grand Funk Railroad's compilation album “Grand Funk Railroad: Greatest Hits” as an expanded CD/DVD set to go with the remastered CD that was released earlier this year. I still haven't seen it in stores.
2010 - From 11:00 AM until 5:30 PM, you can go on a tour of The Capitol Records Tower as part of the 50th anniversary of The Hollywood Walk Of Fame. Nori Muster has posted the original tour script from when The Tower first opened on April 6, 1956.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1894 - Walter Brennan, television and three-time Oscar-winning motion picture actor, singer, and Liberty Records artist, is born Walter Andrew Brennan in Swampscott, Massachusetts. Liberty's catalog is currently owned by EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company.
1946 - Future Capitol Records duo Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis did their first show as a team when they performed at The 500 Club in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
1964 - The Beatles' United Artists soundtrack album "A Hard Day's Night" hits #1 on Billboard's album chart and and will stay there for 14 weeks. Capitol Records currently owns the United Artists catalog.
1986 - Vincente Minnelli, Broadway and motion picture director, one time husband of Capitol Records artist Judy Garland and father of Capitol Records artist Liza Minnelli, dies in Los Angeles, California at age 83 of Alzheimer's disease and is later interred in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1965 - Dylan goes electric

JULY 24, 2012

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1946 - Tex Williams (on vocals and guitar with Cactus Soldi and Harry Simms on fiddle, Ossie Godson on piano, Pedro De Paul on accordion, Smokey Rogers on guitar and banjo, Spike Featherstone on harp, Deuce Spriggens on bass, and Muddy Berry on drums) records the unreleased track "I Got Texas In My Soul" and "Big Bass Polka" at Capitol Records' studios in Los Angeles, California. Capitol will on release "Big Bass Polka" on Williams' album "Polka!" (Capitol AD-56).
1950 - Joshua Johnson (on piano and vocals with Baby Lovett on drums) records the tracks "Battlin' The Boogie", "Ramblin' Woman", "Pile Driver" and "Days When You Feel So Lonely" in Kansas City, Kansas. Capitol Records will release the first and third tracks together as a single (Capitol 1180) and the second and fourth tracks together as a single (Capitol 1396).
1956 - Capitol Records artists Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis make their last appearance as a team with a performance at The Copacabana in New York City, New York
1961 - Capitol Records releases Buck Owens' single "Under The Influence Of Love" with "Bad Bad Dream" on the flip side
1965 - The Beach Boys' Capitol Records single "California Girls", with "Let Him Run Wild" on the flip side, debuts on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
45 Years Ago Today In 1967 - Capitol Records releases The Beach Boys' single "Heroes And Villans" with "You're Welcome" on the flip side
45 Years Ago Today In 1967 - Capitol Records releases The Beatles' single "All You Need Is Love" with "Baby You're A Rich Man" on the flip side
45 Years Ago Today In 1967 - Tower Records, a subsidiary of Capitol Records, releases Pink Floyd's single "See Emily Play" with "The Scarecrow" on the flip side
1995 - A three-night celebration of Capitol Records artist Frank Sinatra's 80th birthday begins at Carnegie Hall in New York City, New York
1998 - Tanya Tucker files a $300,000 lawsuit against Capitol Records Nashville, charging that the label has willfully neglected her career

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1939 - Future Capitol Records artist Kay Starr begins a brief stint with Glenn Miller and His Orchestra with a radio broadcast at the Glen Island Casino in New Rochelle, New York. During that week that Starr, with Miller, records her first tracks - "Baby Me" (which she sang on the radio broadcast) and "Love With A Capitol YOU" (from the picture "$1000 A Touchdown") which are released as a single on Bluebird Records (#10383).
1959 - Sam Cooke records the tracks "Just For You" and "Made For Me" at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California for his own label, SAR Records. The single released using the two tracks will be the only one that Cooke releases on his own label with his name on it and has become one of the rarest of Cooke's vinyl releases to find.
1978 - The motion picture version of "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" opens. I saw it when it opened and it wasn't that bad for a family film. It was kind of fun trying to spot the celebrity cameos and hearing the songs performed by other artists. Hey, it was the late '70s, so they could have done a lot worse things to the material (imagine a disco version instead of the mashup of "A Star Is Born", "The Jazz Singer" and "The Music Man").
1988 - Steve Winwood's Virgin Records America single "Roll With It" is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart. I worked on the design of the single's packaging, promotional materials and ads.
1994 - Les Baxter, Capitol Records artist, gives his last live performance. It was part of the Los Angeles County Art Museum's Bing Theater's "Sunday’s At Four " series with the Los Angeles Composers Guild Chamber Orchestra. Les performed two original compositions, "Movement" and "Poem." "Poem" was actually Les Baxter’s original song "Rio" from Baxter's Capitol Records album "Tamboo!". Jeff Chenault has an interview with David Goodman, who was musical director for the evening, about that show on Chenault's Exoteque Music site.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1938 - Artie Shaw and His Orchestra record "Begin The Beguine"

OBTW
Once again (thankfully), it's my birthday

JULY 23, 2012

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
1933 - Bert Convy, singer, Broadway and television actor, television game show host, and a Capitol Records artist as part of the group The Cheers (best know for the track "Black Leather Jacket and Motorcycle Boots"), is born Bernard Whalen Convy in St. Louis, Missouri

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1955 - Frank Sinatra (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s single "Learnin' The Blues", with "If I Had Three Wishes" on the flip side, peaks at #2 on Billboard's singles chart. It's kept out of the #1 spot by Bill Haley and The Comets single "Rock Around The Clock"
1963 - Johnny Burnette has his first session as a Capitol Records artist when he records the tracks "It Isn’t There", "Wish It Were Saturday Night", "I’ll Give You Three Guesses", "All Week Long", and "Congratulations You’ve Hurt Me Again" with producers Jim Economides and Jimmie Haskell at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California
1963 - Judy Garland records a live version of the song "Maybe I'll Come Back" for her CBS television series that is later included on her Capitol Records album "Just For Openers"
1973 - Helen Reddy is awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame just outside The Capitol Tower
25 Years Ago Today In 1986 - Capitol Records re-releases The Beatles' single "Twist And Shout", with "There's A Place" on the flip side, after the song is used in the motion pictture "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" when Matthew Broderick lip syncs to John Lennon's vocals during the parade sequence
25 Years Ago Today In 1987 - Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley proclaims it "Capitol Tower Day", characterizing the building as "one of Los Angeles' most distinguishable landmarks" which has become "almost as recognizable as the Hollywood sign itself". Ella Mae Morse, whose 1942 recording of "Cow Cow Boogie" was Capitol Records' first hit single, is presented with a plaque commemorating the accomplishment during an evening celebration marking the the renovation of the Capitol Records Tower. The 31-year-old building was recently repainted and the beacon on top of the 13-story structure has been wired so it once again will blink out the the word Hollywood in Morse Code. Joe Smith, vice chairman and chief executive of Capitol, will host the reception that will also honor such other past and present Capitol artists as Peggy Lee, Yma Sumac, Martha Davis of the Motels and members of the band Duran Duran.
1996 - Capitol Records releases "Organs In Orbit", volume 11 of its compilation Ultra Lounge series
1996 - Capitol Records Nashville releases Suzy Bogguss' first single for the label (after its named had been changed from Liberty Records) "Give Me Some Wheels" with "Far And Away" on the flip side

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1898 - Fred Gaisberg, a young recording engineer and talent scout, who previously worked for Emile Berliner, leaves New York for London to join The Gramophone Company (which would later become EMI, Capitol Record's owner) as its first recording engineer
1951 - Pianist Thelonius Monk (with Art Blakey on drums, Milt Jackson on vibraphone, Sahib Shihab on alto saxophone, and Al McKibbon on bass) records the track "Criss Cross" with producer Alfred Lion, recording engineer Doug Hawkins, and master engineer Rudy Van Gelder at WOR Studios in New York City, New York. The track would be released on the Blue Note Records album "Thelonius Monk: Genius Of Modern Music: Volume 2 (The Rudy Van Gelder Edition). Blue Note Records' catalog is currently owned by Capitol Records.
1965 - United Artists premieres The Beatles' second movie "Help!". Capitol Records will release the soundtrack album for the movie in the United States.
1989 - Capitol Records artist Anne Murray helps christen the new Anne Murray Center, which displays memorabilia of her career, in her home town of Springhill, Nova Scotia, Canada

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1999 - The 30th anniversary Woodstock concert begins the first of 3 days of concerts at Griffiss Air Base, in Rome, New York

JULY 22, 2012

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
95 Years Ago Today In 1917 - Lou McGarity, trombonist, with Capitol Records group Benny Goodman and His Orchestra (1946) and session musician, is born in Athens, Georgia
1924 - Margaret Whiting, singer, daughter of composer Richard Whiting, niece of vaudeville and Broadway performer Margaret Young, goddaughter of singer and actress Sophie Tucker, former wife of Capitol Records executive Lou Busch (aka Capitol Records artist Joe "Fingers" Carr), motion picture, television, and Broadway actress, president of The Johnny Mercer Foundation, and a Capitol Records artist, is born in Detroit, Michigan
1940 - George Clinton, singer, bandleader, and Capitol Records artist (1982-1989), is born in Kannapolis, North Carolina

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1945 - Johnny Mercer's Capitol Records single "On The Atchison, Topeka, And The Santa Fe" is #1 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart
1955 - Yma Sumac, 5 octave singer and Capitol Records artist, becomes a citizen of the United States
1963 - Capitol Records releases The Beach Boys' single "Surfer Girl"
1963 - Capitol Records releases The Kingston Trio's album "Sunny Side"
1971 - John Lennon and Yoko Ono direct and star in the documentary film "Imagine"
1990 - Capitol Records releases a promo only CD of Buck Owens' song "Forever Yours"
2001 - Bob Ferguson, songwriter (best known for Ferlin Husky's Capitol Records track "Wings of A Dove") and record producer, dies in Jackson, Mississippi at age age 73
2003 - Capitol Records releases Jane's Addiction's album "Stray" which had the working title "Hypersonic"
2003 - Capitol Records releases Yellowcard's debut album "Ocean Avenue" as an enhanced CD that includes a video entitled "The Making of "Ocean Avenue" and a previously unreleased video of the song "Powder"
2005 - Capitol Records Nashville artists Ryan Shupe and the RubberBand make their Grand Ole Opry debut

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1960 - Alto saxophonist Lou Donaldson (with Horace Parlan on piano, George Tucker on bass, Al Harewood on drums and Ray Barretto on congas) records the tracks "The Squirrel", "Si Si Safronia", "Dog Walk", "Exactly Like You", "Avalon", "Midnight Sun" (the only track without Barretto on congas), and "Candy" with producer Alfred Lion and recording engineer Rudy Van Gelder. The tracks would not be released for 20 years until they appeared on the Blue Note Records album "Midnight Sun" which was released in 1980.
1963 - VeeJay Records releases The Beatles' first U.S. album - "Introducing The Beatles"
2005 - Eugene Record, singer, founding member of the "Chi-Lites", songwriter ("Have You Seen Her" which MC Hammer covered on his Capitol Records album "Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em"), dies of cancer at age 64

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
80 Years Ago Today In 1932 - Florence Ziegfeld, Broadway producer and at the time husband to motion picture actress Billie Burke, dies at age 65 and is later buried at Kensico Cemetary, Valhalla, West Chester County, New York

JULY 21, 2012

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
90 Years Ago Today In 1922 - Kay Starr, singer and multi-million selling Capitol Records artist, is born Katherine LaVerne Starks in Dougherty, Oklahoma
1931 - Plas Johnson, tenor saxophonist, Capitol Records solo artist and session player (on recordings by Peggy Lee, Nat "King" Cole, Frank Sinatra, The Beach Boys, and many others), Imperial Records session player (on recordings by Rick Nelson), and motion picture studio session artist (best known for his solo on the soundtrack of the title song for "The Pink Panther), is born John Johnson, Jr. in Donaldsonville, Louisiana

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1956 - Capitol Records releases Wynn Stewart's first single "Waltz Of The Angels" with "Love's Gonna Happen To Me" on the flip side. "Waltz" was recorded February 8, 1956 with producer Ken Nelson and with session musician Lewis Talley and Joe Maphis on guitar, Ralph Mooney on steel guitar, Pee Wee Adams on drums and Bud Dooley on bass. The track would peak at #14 for one week on the Country Music charts.
1956 - Capitol Records releases Wanda Jackson's first single for the label "I Gotta Know" with "Half As Good A Girl" on the flip side
1969 - Capitol Records releases Buck Owens' single "Tall Dark Stranger" with "Sing That Kind Of A Song" on the flip side
25 Years Ago Today In 1987 - Capitol Records releases on CD the soundtrack to The Beatles' motion picture "Help!" with its original UK track line up versus the US album version released in 1965 that contained instrumental tracks, which was released on April 11, 2006 as part of the "The Beatles The Capitol Albums Volume 2" CD box set.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1924 - Don Knotts, comedian, motion picture and Emmy Award-winning televsion actor, and United Records artist (the 1961 album "An Evening With Me"), is born Jesse Donald Knotts in Morgantown, West Virginia
1971 - John Lennon and Yoko Ono film driving and rowing sequences for the “Jealous Guy” sequence of their “Imagine” film.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1931 - Ted Husing is master of ceremonies for the very first CBS-TV program, a gala show featuring singer Kate Smith, composer George Gershwin and New York City Mayor Jimmy Walker
1956 - Johnny Cash's Sun Records single "I Walk The Line", with "Get Rhythm" on the flip side, becomes his first #1 on the Country Records chart and would peak at #17 on the Pop charts.

JULY 20, 2012

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
1945 - Kim Carnes, singer, songwriter, and EMI/Capitol Records artist, is born in Pasadena California

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
70 Years Ago Today In 1942 - Freddie Slack and His Orchestra (George Wendt, Don Anderson, and Clyde Hurley on trumpet; Bill Anthens and Ed Kusby on trombone; Blake Reynolds on alto saxophone and clarinet; Bumps Meyers on tenor saxophone; Art Smith and Al Taylor on reeds; Slack on piano; T-Bone Walker on guitar; Fred Whiting on bass; and Rich Cornell on drums) record the tracks "He's My Guy" (with vocals by Ella Mae Morse), "Mister Five By Five" (with vocals by Ella Mae Morse and Johnny Mercer), "The Thrill Is Gone" (with vocals by Ella Mae Morse), and "Riffette" (arranged by Gaye Jones) at their second session for Capitol Records with Johnny Mercer producing at C.P. MacGregors Studios in Los Angeles, California
1959 - Capitol Records releases Rose Maddox's second single for the label "My Little Baby" with "Custer's Last Stand" on the flip side
1959- Faron Young's Capitol Records single "Country Girl", with "I Hear You Talkin'" on the flip side, enters the U.S. Country singles charts
1964 - Capitol Records releases The Beatles' album "Something New" as well as their singles "I'll Cry Instead", with "I'm Happy Just To Dance With You" on the flip side, and "And I Love Her" with "If I Fell" on the flip side
1964 - Capitol Records releases Buck Owens' album "Together Again/My Heart Skips A Beat"
1969 - Capitol Records producer Dave Dexter, Jr. is at Mission Control in Houston, Texas co-ordinating recordings of communications between Earth and Apollo 11's lunar module Eagle, with pilot Neil Armstrong and co-pilot "Buzz" Aldrin, as it lands on the Moon in Tranquility Bay and as, later that day, Armstrong becomes the first human to step foot on the moon's surface. Dexter's recordings, with narration by Paul Haney, will become the Capitol Records album "We Have Landed On The Moon" as well as a differently edited version that is released as an album by Capitol Records Special Markets.
2005 - Capitol Records Nashville artist Dierks Bentley records the track “Murder on Music Row” with Country Music legend George Jones
2006 - According to Scott Sparling's The Seger File website, Bob Seger's new album "Face The Promise" is being mastered today.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1911 - Madame Tetrazzini lays the corner stone of The Gramophone Company (which will become E.M.I.)'s new cabinet factory at Hayes
1921 - The Gramophone Company (which will become E.M.I.)'s new retail store on Oxford Street is opened by Sir Edward Elgar
1956 - Paul Cook, drummer with the EMI and Virgin Records group The Sex Pistols, is born in London, England
1961 - The Beat Brothers (aka The Beatles) sign a German recording contract with producer/bandleader Bert Kaempfert
1968 - Jane Asher, BBC Television variety show host and sister of Peter Asher of the Capitol Records group Peter & Gordon, announces that Paul McCartney, member of the Apple and Capitol Records group The Beatles, has broken off their engagement.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1940 - Billboard magazine publishes the first US weekly pop singles chart. Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra has the first #1 with 'I'll Never Smile Again' featuring vocals by future Capitol Records artists Frank Sinatra and The Pied Pipers
1969 - Apollo 11's lunar module Eagle, with pilot Neil Armstrong and co-pilot "Buzz" Aldrin, lands on the moon in Tranquility Bay. Later that day, Armstrong will become the first human to step foot on the moon's surface.

JULY 19, 2012

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1945 - Cootie Williams and His Orchestra (with Williams, E. V. Perry, George Treadwell, Billy Ford, and Clarence "Gene" Redd on trumpet; Ed Burke, Dan Logan, Bob Horton on trombone, Rupert Cole on alto saxophone; Eddie Vinson alto saxophone; Sam Taylor and Lee Pope on tenor saxophone; George Favors on baritone saxophone; Arnold Jarvis on piano; Jimmy Glover on bass; and Sylvester Payneon drums), record the tracks "House Of Joy", "Mood For Coot" (arranged by Bill Doggett), "When My Baby Left Me (vocal by Eddie Vinson)", "When My Baby Left Me (vocal by Eddie Vinson)", and two versions of "Everything But You" for Capitol Records
65 Years Ago Today In 1947 - Tex Williams' Capitol Americana Records single "Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! (That Cigarette)", with "Roundup Polka" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Country charts
1949 - Harry Belafonte has his first recording session as a Capitol Records artist, recording the tracks "They Didn’t Believe Me" and "Close Your Eyes"
1961 - Nat "King" Coler re-records the tracks "To The Ends Of The Earth", "Non Dimenticar (Don't Forget)", "Blue Gardenia", "Night Lights", "Calypso Blues", and "Walkin' My Baby Back Home" for his stereo album "The Nat "King" Cole Story" with Ralph Carmichael conducting the original arrangements of Nelson Riddle, Frank DeVol, Billy May, Dave Cavanaugh and Pete Rugolo
1965 - Capitol Records releases The Beatles' single "Help!" with "I'm Down" on the flip side
1966 - Wanda Jackson begins threee consecutive days of recording sessions with producer Ken Nelson for her Capitol Records album "Wanda Jackson Salutes The Country Music Hall Of Fame" at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood California
1975 - Wings' Apple Records single "Listen to What the Man Said", distributed by Capitol Records with "Love In Song" on the flip side in the United States, is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart, and their album "Venus and Mars" is #1 on Billboard's Top 200 albums chart
1988 - Capitol Records releases Rigor Mortis' self-titled debut album
20 Years Ago Today In - Garth Brooks' Liberty Records (later renamed Capitol Records Nashville) single "The River", with "We Bury The Hatchet" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles chart

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1963 - The Joe Pass Quartet (Joe Pass on guitar, Clare Fischer on piano and organ, Albert Stinson on bass, and Colin Bailey on drums) record the tracks "Catch Me", "Summertime", and "Falling In Love With Love" for their Pacific Jazz Records album "No Cover No Minimum" at the Pacific Jazz Studios in Los Angeles, California with producer Richard Bock who was also the recording engineer along with Dino Lappas. Pacific Jazz Records catalog is currently owned by EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company.
1966 - Johnny Rivers records the track "Poor Side Of Town" which Imperial Records will release as a single with "A Man Can Cry" on the flip side. Imperial Records catalog is currently owned by EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company.
1999 - Dr. Dre (Andre Young) files suit against Priority Records and Death Row Records, alleging that the recent Priority-distributed Death Row album "The Chronic 2000" infringes on a trademark held by Dre. "The Chronic" was the title of Dre's 1992 album. Priority Records is now a division of Capitol Music Group.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1883 - Max Fleischer, animator and film producer, is born in Kraków, then part of the Austrian-Hungarian province of Galicia
1954 - Sun Records releases Elvis Presley's debut single "That's All Right (Mama)" with "Blue Moon Of Kentucky" on the flip side
1966 - Former Capitol Records artist Frank Sinatra marries his third wife, motion picture actress Mia Farrow
10 Years Ago Today In 2002 - Alan Lomax, who traveled all over America with his father John Lomax, discovering and recording folk music artists in their home towns, including Capitol Records artist Leadbelly, dies at age 87

JULY 18, 2012

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
1899 - D Kilpatrick, considered the first salaried producer based in Music City and produced Hank Thompson, Tex Ritter and Jimmie Skinner, a music executive from the 1940s to the 1960s in Nashville, is born 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. By 1951, he moved over to Mercury Records in an A&R slot. He focused on recording Johnny Horton, Jimmy Dean, Benny Martin, Jerry Byrd and Bill Carlisle and the Carlisles. 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.
1910 - Lou Busch, Capitol Records A&R man, pianist, arranger, composer, one-time husband of Capitol Records artist Margaret Whiting, father of their daughter Deborah, and a Capitol Records artist (as Joe "Fingers" Carr), is born Louis Ferdinand Bush in Louisville, Kentucky
95 Years Ago Today In 1917 - Joe Comfort, bass player and Capitol Records session artist (as part of Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra), is born in Alcorn, Mississippi
1949 - Wally Bryson, guitarist with the Capitol Records group The Raspberries, is born Wallace Bryson in Gastonia, North Carolina

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
60 Years Ago Today In 1952 - At Capitol Records Melrose Studios, Nat "King" Cole is back on piano, along with John Collins on guitar, Charlie Harris on bass, Jack Costanzo on Latin percussion and Bunny Shawker on drums, recording tracks for the album "Penthouse Serenade", an instrumental album of standards, released as a 10" LP
1971 - Sonny James' Capitol Records single "Bright Lights Big City", with "True Love Lasts Forever" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles chart
1995 - Capitol Records releases Megadeth's EP "Hidden Treasures"
2000 - Capitol Records re-releases The Beach Boys' Brother Records albums "Sunflower", "Surf's Up" together on a single CD and "In Concert" on its own CD. I helped track down art elements for this release, going to record stores and swap meets in the Los Angeles area, looking for the best copies of the albums to see how they were originally packaged, in case we couldn't find existing elements with the printers or in archives. Much of the art in these re-releases was obtained from the albums' Japanese CD releases, as we couldn't find any existing U.S. film. The re-issues were co-ordinated by Paul Atkinson, former Zombies guitarist and then VP of Catalog A&R at Capitol.
2006 - Capitol Records finally releases The 30th Anniversary Special Edition CD/DVD set of "Fly Like An Eagle" from The Steve Miller Band, which was pushed from its original June 28, 2006 release date
2006 - Capitol Records Nashville releases Eric Church's debut album "Sinners Like Me"

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1909 - Harriet Nelson (aka Harriet Hilliard), singer, motion picture, radio and television actress, and mother radio and television actor David Nelson and Imperial and Capitol Records artist Rick Nelson, is born Peggy Lou Snyder in Des Moines, Iowa
1939 - Dion Dimucci, singer, guitarist, and Laurie Records artist as as a solo act and as lead singer of Dion and The Belmonts, is born. EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company, currently owns the Laurie Records catalog.
1943 - Robin MacDonald, rhythm guitarist with the Parlophone Records group Billy J. Kramer And The Dakotas, is born
1950 - Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Records is born in Naim, England
1961 - Singer Dinah Washington, with Mundell Lowe on guitar and George Duvivier on bass, records the tracks "My Favorite Things", "Great Day", and "In A Sentimental Mood" at RKO Pathe Studios in New York City with producer Teddy Reig for her Roulette Jazz album "After Hours". Roulette's catalog is currently owned by Capitol Records.
1963 - The Joe Pass Quartet (Joe Pass on guitar, Clare Fischer on piano and organ, Albert Stinson on bass, and Colin Bailey on drums) record the tracks "Just Friends", "Walking Up", and "Peri's Scope" for their Pacific Jazz Records album "No Cover No Minimum" at the Pacific Jazz Studios in Los Angeles, California with producer Richard Bock who was also the recording engineer along with Dino Lappas. Pacific Jazz Records catalog is currently owned by EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company.
1988 - Richard Marx's EMI Manhattan Records single "Hold On To The Nights", with "Lonely Hearts" on the flip side, is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart. EMI Manhattan's catalog is currently owned by EMI Music Group, parent company of Capitol Music Group.
2006 - Virgin Records releases Summer Obsession's first single "Do You Remember" from their upcoming album “This Is Where You Belong” which is set to be out on August 29, 2006

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1929 - Screamin' Jay Hawkins ("He's my main man"), singer and actor, is born Jalacy J. Hawkins in Cleveland, Ohio
1966 - Bobby Fuller, singer, songwriter, and founder The Bobby Fuller Four, is found dead in his car in Los Angeles
1968 - Former Capitol Records artist Bobby Darin announces the formation of his own label, Direction Records

JULY 17, 2012

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
100 Years Ago Today In 1912 - Art Linkletter, talk show host and Capitol Records artist (1958-1969), is born Gordon Arthur Kelly in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada
1935 - Diahann Carroll, singer, motion picture, Broadway, and television actress and Capitol Records artist (on the original Broadway cast album "No Strings"), is born Carol Diahann Johnson in The Bronx, New York

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1959 - Billie Holiday (born Eleanora Fagan), singer and Decca, Capitol (on the 1942 single "Trav'lin' Light"), and Verve Records artist, dies at age 44 from liver and heart disease at Metropolitan Hospital in New York City, New York and is later interred in St. Raymond's Cemetery, Bronx, New York.
45 Years Ago Today In 1967 - Capitol Records releases The Beatles' single "All You Need Is Love" with "Baby You're A Rich Man" on the flip side
1974 - Don Rich (born born Donalad Eugene Ulrich), fiddle player, guitarist, singer with the Capitol Records group The Buckaroos (which backed up Rich's good friend Buck Owens and recorded on their own), dies at age 33 when he loses control of his motorcycle and strikes a guard rail on Highway 99 north of Bakersfield, California after a recording session at the Buck Owens Studios in Oildale, California. He is later interred at Hillcrest Memorial Park Cemetery on Kern Canyon Road (Highway 184) in the foothills of northeast Bakersfield, California
1985 - Wynn Stewart (born Winford Lindsey Stewart), singer, songwriter, guitarist and Capitol Records country artist (1956-1958, 1964-1971), dies of a heart attack at age 51 at his home in Hendersonville, Tennessee the day he was going to leave to start a four-day tour in Louisiana and Texas to promote his upcoming, self-released album. There will later be graveside services at Rose Hill Cemetary, north of Willard, Tennessee
2009 - Gordon Waller, lead singer in the Capitol Records vocal duo Peter And Gordon, died of cardiovascular disease at The William W. Backus Hospital in Norwich, Connecticut at age 64.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1941 - Spencer Davis, harmonica player, guitarist, and founder of the United Artists Records group, is born in South Wales, United Kingdom
1950 - "The Colgate Comedy Hour" makes its television debut with hosts comedy team and Capitol Records artists Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis
60 Years Ago Today In 1952 - Arthur Blanch, Australian country singer and future EMI and Capitol Records artist (1968), has his first recording session, recording six tracks including two of his own compositions, one of which, "Shearing Time", was his earliest hit, for Rodeo Records
1956 - MGM releases the motion picture "High Society" whose soundtrack, featuring Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby (who gets the gold record in his career for the single "True Love"), Grace Kelly, and Celeste Holmes, is released by Capitol Records
1963 - Tenor saxophonist Harold Land, with Carmell Jones on trumpet, John Houston on piano, Jimmy Bond on bass and Mel Lee on drums, records the tracks "Take This Hammer", "Hava Na Gila", "Foggy, Foggy Dew", "On Top Of Old Smokey", and "Blue Tail Fly" for his album "JAZZ IMPRESSIONS OF FOLK MUSIC" for Imperial Records, whose catalog was acquired by Capitol Records.
1966 - Frank Sinatra marries his third wife, actress Mia Farrow in a private ceremony in Las Vegas
45 Years Ago Today In 1967 - John Coltrane, saxophonist, composer, and Blue Note Records artist, dies at age 40 from liver cancer at Huntington Hospital in Long Island, NY
1968 - United Artists premieres The Beatles' animated feature motion picture "The Yellow Submarine" in London, England
1988 - Richard Marx's EMI Manhattan Records single "Hold On To The Night", with "Lonely Heart" on the flip side, is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1955 - Disneyland opens in Anaheim, California

JULY 16, 2012

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
70 Years Ago Today In 1942 - Ray McKinley and His Orchestra (Larry Brooks, Dick Cathcart, Jack Steele, Pete Candoli on trumpet, Bill Corti, and Jim Harwood on trombone, Brad Gowans on valve trombone, Joe Park on tuba, Mahlon Clark on clarinet and alto saxophone, Herb Tompkins on alto saxophone, Jerry Feld and Paul Thatcher on tenor saxophone, Walt Wegner on baritone saxophoen, Lou Stein on piano, Dennis Sandoli on guitar, Gus Van Camp on bass, and McKinley on drums, with vocalist Imogene Lynn) record the tracks "Big Boy" (with Lynn on vocals), "Hard Hearted Hannah" (with McKinley on vocals), "Cheatin' On Me" (with Lynn on vocals), and "Long Island Clarinet" which was unissued and, unfortunately, no longer exists. They may have also recorded at the same session "Manhattan Serenade" (with Lynn on vocals), "Rock A Bye Bay" (with Lynn on vocals), "That Russian Winter" (with McKinley on vocals), and "Without A Song", but the last four tracks may have been recorded on July 18, 1942
1946 - Peggy Lee (on vocals with Buddy Cole's Four Of A Kind: Dave Barbour on guitar, Phil Stephens on bass, Cole on piano, celeste and organ, and Tommy Romersa on drums) records the tracks "Lullaby Of Broadway", "Solitude", "I Get A Kick Out Of You", "Lover, Come Back To Me", "I Don't Know Enough About You" , "Oh! Look At Me Now", "I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good", and "Someday Sweetheart" with recording engineer John Palladino for Capitol Records Transcripition Service at Radio Recorders, 7000 Santa Monica, Hollywood, California. The tracks will be issued on the 1998 Mosaic Records box set "The Complete Peggy Lee & June Christy Capitol Transcription Sessions"
55 Years Ago Today In 1957 - Frank Sinatra with The Ralph Brewster Singers (Sue Allen, Betty Allen, Ralph Brewster, Peggy Clark, Barbara Ford, Lee Gotch, Beverly Jenkins, Jimmy Joyce, Gene Lanham, Bill Lee, Ray Linn, Jr., John Mann, Thora Mathiason, Dorothy McCarty, Loulie Jean Norman, Betty Noves, The Ralph Brewster Singers: Thurl Ravenscroft, Ginny Roos, Max Smith, Bob Stevens, Bill Thompson, Bob Wacker, Betty Wand, Gloria Wood, and Norma Zimmer), records the tracks "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas", "Jingle Bells", "The Christmas Waltz", and "The First Noel", which are arranged by Gordon Jenkins who also conducts the orchestra (Victor Arno, Harry Bluestone, Walter Edelstein, Sol Kindler, Joseph Livoti, Nick Pisani, Joseph Quadri, Lou Raderman, Mischa Russell, and Marshall Sosson on violins; William Baffa, Louis Kievman, Paul Robyn, and David Sterkin on violas; Cy Bernard and Armand Kaproff on cellos; Bill Miller on piano; Nathan Gangursky and John Ryan on bass; Allen Reuss on guitar; and Kathryn Thompson on harp), in Studio A of The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California for Sinatra's Capitol Records album "A Jolly Christmas" with producer Voyle Gilmore
55 Years Ago Today In 1957 - The Four Freshmen (Bob Flanigan on vocal, trombone, bass; Don Barbour on vocal and guitar; Ross Barbour on vocal and drums; Ken Albers on vocals, trumpet, mellophone, and bass) with arranger Pete Rugalo conducting the studio orchestra (Pete Candoli, Conrad Gozzo, Ray Linn, Buddy Childers, and Don Fagerquist on trumpet; Milt Bernhart, Frank Rosolino, Herbie Harper, and Tommy Pederson on trombone; George Roberts on bass trombone; Clarence Karalla on tuba; Bud Shank, Harry Klee, Herbie Mann, Bob Cooper, and Chuck Gentry on saxophones and flutes; Laurindo Almeida on guitar; Jimmy Rowles on piano; Red Mitchell on bass; Shelly Manne on drums; Bernie Mattinson on vibraphone and percussion; Milt Holland on percusssion; Chico Guerrero on bongos and percussion; and Carlos Vidal on congas and percusssion) record the tracks "The Breeze And I", "Brazil", and "Tangerine" (all three of which Capitol Records will release on the group's album "Voices In Latin"), as well as "Julie Is Her Name" (without the percussionists and with arranger Dick Reynolds replacing Rugolo as conductor, which Capitol Records will release as a single [F3779] with "Sometimes I'm Happy" recorded May 24, 1957 on the flip side) at the Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California. I wonder if they or Sinatra listened in to each others sessions as they were held the same day.
1958 - The Four Freshmen (Bob Flanigan on vocal, trombone, bass; Don Barbour on vocal and guitar; Ross Barbour on vocal and drums; Ken Albers on vocals, trumpet, mellophone, and bass) with arranger Dick Reynolds conducting the studio orchestra (Al Viola on guitar; Geoff Clarkson on piano; Red Mitchell on bass; Shelly Manne on drums and an uncredited string section) record the tracks "Time Was", "I Heard You Cried Last Night", and "I'll Remember April" at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California. All the tracks will appear on the group's Capitol Records album "Voices In Love".
50 Years Ago Today In 1962 - The Beach Boys sign a long-term contract with Capitol Records
1963 - The Beatles record, for radio broadcast on the BBC, the tracks "I Got A Woman", "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Cry (Over You)", "Crying, Waiting, Hoping", "To Know Her Is To Love Her", "Long Tall Sally", "The Honeymoon Song", "Glad All Over", "I Just Don't Understand", a medley of "Kansas City" and "Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!", "Slow Down", that were released by Capitol Records in 1996 on the 4 CD set "The Beatles Live At The BBC", and and "Devil In Her Heart" that was one of three B sides (whose A-Side was "Baby It's You" that was recorded on June 1, 1963) on a CD-Single released to promote the 4 CD album.
1963 - Judy Garland and her daughter Lisa Minnelli, at the time both Capitol Records recording artist, make live recordings of a medley of the songs "Together We Could Make Such Beautiful Music", "The Best Is Yet To Come", "Bob White (Whatcha Gonna Swing Tonight?)" and "Bye Bye Baby" as well as the songs "Together (Wherever We Go)", "Let Me Entertain You", "Two Lost Souls" and the show's closing theme song "Maybe I'll Come Back" in Studio 43 at CBS Television City in Los Angeles, California for episode #3 of "The Judy Garland Show". This would be the first time they worked together professionally for a rehearsed scheduled performance. Judy, on her own, would also record the tracks "Liza (All the Clouds'll Roll Away)", "Come Rain Or Come Shine" and "As Long As He Needs Me" for the show. The live recording of "As Long As He Needs Me" would appear on the Capitol Records album "Just For Openers".
1969 - Merle Haggard records the track ""Okie From Muskogee" which Capitol Records will release with "If I Had Left It Up To You" on the flip side on September 15, 1969
1980 - Linda McCartney starts recording the track "Loves Full Glory" (finishing it October 1980) with lead guitar played by her son James McCartney and pedal steel guitar played by Lloyd Green. The track will be released by Capitol Records and MPL Communications in 1998 on McCartney's posthumous compilation album "Wide Prarie".
15 Years Ago Today In 1997 - Capitol Records releases the video for Foo Fighter's single "Everlong" directed by Michel Gondry
2008 - Jo Stafford, Capitol Records artist, both as a member of The Pied Pipers and as a solo artist, and wife of Capitol Records artist and the label's first music director, dies of congestive heart failure at her home in Century City, California at age 90.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
55 Years Ago Today In 1957 - Bob Brookmeyer (on valve trombone and piano) records (with Jimmy Giuffre on clarinet, tenor saxophone, and baritone saxophone; Jim Hall on guitar; Ralph Pena on bass; and Dave Bailey on drums) the track "Honeysuckle Rose", with producer Richard Bock and recording engineer Al Schmitt, at Costal Studios in New York City for his Pacific Jazz album "Traditionalism Revisited". Pacific Jazz's catalog is currently owned by Capitol Records.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1951 - Cary Grant leaves his footprints in cement at ceremony #94 at Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood, California

JULY 15, 2012

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
1946 - Linda Ronstadt, vocalist with the Capitol Records group The Stone Poneys and also a Capitol Records solo artist, is born Linda Marie Ronstadt in Tucson, Arizona. 29 years ago today in 1983, on Ronstadt's 37th birthday, she makes her film debut, recreating her role of Mabel from the 1980 New York Shakespeare Festival stage production, in the motion picture version of "The Pirates of Penzance".

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
70 Years Ago Today In 1942 - "New Capitol Records Splendid" writes Mike Levin in DownBeat Magazine's first review of Capitol and the label's first set of released singles
1944 - Andy Russell (with orchestra conducted by Al Sack)'s Capitol Records single "Amor" is #7 up from #10 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart and Jo Stafford (with Paul Weston and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Long Ago And Far Away" is still at #9
1946 - Peggy Lee records the track "A Nightingale Can Sing The Blues" with arranger Frank DeVol conducting his orchestra and an uncredited string section and producer Lee Gillette in Los Angeles, California. Capitol will release the track as a single (#15001) with "There’ll Be Some Changes Made" (recorded on August 17, 1947) on the flip side
1950 - Nat "King" Cole's Capitol Records single "Mona Lisa" is still #1 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Les Paul's Capitol Records single "Nola" is #14 up from #20, and Kay Starr (with Lou Busch and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Bonaparte's Retreat" is still #16
1953 - The new lineup of The Four Freshmen (now Bob Flanigan on vocals, trombone, and bass; Don Barbour on vocal and guitar; Ross Barbour on vocal and drums: and Ken Errair on vocal, trumpet, mellophone, and bass) at their first session record the tracks "It Happened Once Before" and "Holiday" at Fulton Studios in New York City, New York. Capitol Records will release on the tracks on the band's album "Voices In Modern".
55 Years Ago Today In 1957 - Nat "King" Cole's Capitol Records single "Send For Me" is #14 up from #24 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart and Tommy Sands Capitol Records single "Goin' Steady" is tied for #40 down from #36 with Perry Como (with Mitchell Ayers and His Orchestra)'s single "Girl With The Golden Braids"
1968 - Capitol Records releases The Beach Boys' single "Do It Again" with "Wake The World" on the flip side. The single will peak at #20 on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart.
1968 - Capitol Records releases Tennessee Ernie Ford's compilation album "The Best Of Tennessee Ernie Ford's Hymns"
1971 - Harvest Records, a subsidiary of Capitol Records, releases "Relics", Pink Floyd's first compilation album
40 Years Ago Today In 1972 - Buck Owens and The Buckaroos' Capitol Records single "Made In Japan" with "Black Texas Dirt" on the flip side, hits #1 on Billboard's Country Singles chart. It will be Owen's last #1 single.
1979 - Anne Murray's Capitol Records single "Shadows In The Moonlight" with "Yucatan Cafe" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles chart
1984 - Anne Murray's Capitol Records single "Just Another Woman In Love", with "Heart Stealer" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles chart
15 Years Ago Today In 1997 - Capitol Records releases The Dandy Warhols' album "...The Dandy Warhols Come Down"
10 Years Ago Today In 2002 - Kenny Hollis, vocalist for Capitol Records Canada group (1975-1976) Copperpenny, dies of a heart attack after being hit by a car
2005 - Donald Plunkett, former Capitol Records recording engineer along with being a Charter Member of the Audio Engineering Society (AES), as well as its executive director for 20 years and past president, passes away suddenly in New York at age 81

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1905 - Dorothy Fields, lyricist (with Cy Coleman wrote the Broadway shows "Sweet Charity" and "Seesaw", with Jerome Kern wrote ""The Way You Look Tonight" which won the 1936 Academy Award for Best Song, and with Jimmy McHugh wrote "I Can’t Give You Anything But Love", "I’m in the Mood for Love", and "On the Sunny Side of the Street") and the daughter of Vaudeville and Broadway comedian Lew Fields, is born in Allenhurst, New Jersey. Many Capitol Records artists have covered Fields' songs.
55 Years Ago Today In 1957 - Rick Nelson's Imperial Records single "Teenager's Romance" is tied for #21 down from #12 with Fats Domino's Imperial Records single "Valley Of Tears" down from #17. Imperial Records' catalog is currently owned by EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company.
1970 - Blue Note Records releases Bobby Hutcherson's album "San Francicso featuring Harold Land". Blue Note Records' catalog is currently owned by EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company.
15 Years Ago Today In 1997 - Capitol Records releases on CD for the first time Charles Mingus' Roulette Records album "Mingus Three". EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company, currently owns the Roulette Records catalog.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS
1994 - Arnold Schwarzenegger leaves his footprints in cement at ceremony #159 at Mann's Chinese Theater in Hollywood, California

JULY 14, 2012

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
1933 - Del Reeves, singer, radio and television show host, and Capitol (1957-1958) and United Artists (1965-1978) Records artist, is born Franklin Delano Reeves in Sparta, North Carolina

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1945 - Johnny Mercer and The Pied Pipers (with Paul Weston and His Orchestra)' Capitol Records single "On The Atchison, Topeka, and The Santa Fe" is #2 up from #4 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart
1949 - Woody Herman and His Orchestra (with Herman on clarinet and alto saxophone, 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; 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; Joe Mondragon on bass; Shelly Manne on drums; and Mary Ann McCall on vocals) record the tracks "Detour Ahead" (with McCall on vocals and arranged by Jimmy Giuffre), "Jamaica Rhumba" (also with McCall on vocals and arranged by Shorty Rodgers), and the instrumental "Not Really The Blues" (arranged by Johnny Mandel) in Hollywood, California. "Detour Ahead" and "Not Really The Blues" will be released by Capitol Records together as a single (#837). Capitol Records will release "Jamaica Rhumba" as a single with "Tenderly" (arranged by Neal Hefti and recorded on July 20, 1949) on the flip side.
1950 - Tennesse Ernie Ford, with The Starlighters on backing vocals, records the track "It's The Talk Of The Town* (which Capitol Records will finally release on the 1994 album "Masters 1949-1976") and "Bright Lights And Blonde-Haired Women" which will be released by Capitol on May 2, 1960 as part of the album "Sixteen Tons"
1951 - Nat "King" Cole (with orchestra conducted by Les Baxter)'s Capitol Records single "Too Young" is still #1 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Les Paul and Mary Ford's Capitol Records single "How High The Moon" is #4 down from #3, and Les Paul's Capitol Records single "Josephine" is still #16
1956 - Gene Vincent and The Blue Caps' Capitol Records single "Be Bop A Lula" is #12 up from #23 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Joe "Fingers' Carr (with orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Portuguese Washerwoman" is #27 up from #40, The Four Freshmen's Capitol Records single "Graduation Day" is #30 down from #27, and Tex Ritter's Capitol Records single "The Wayward Wind" is #32 up from #37
55 Years Ago Today In 1957 - At 7 PM on a Sunday, CBS Radio Network broadcasts the first episode of "The Stan Freberg Show", a summer replacement for "The Jack Benny Show", featuring the voices of Daws Butler, June Foray, Peter Leeds, and Freberg himself. Capitol Records will later release a "best of" album of the show. Joe Bevilacqua has put up a Daws Butler tribute site that has a great article about the show.
1958 - The Four Freshmen (Bob Flanigan on vocal, trombone and bass; Don Barbour on vocal and guitar; Ross Barbour on vocal and drums; and Ken Albers on vocal, trumpet, mellophone, and bass) record the tracks "There Is No Greater Love", "Out Of Nowhere", and "In The Still Of The Night" with Al Viola on guitar, Geoff Clarkson on piano, Red Mitchell on bass, Shelly Manne on drums, and arranger Dick Reynolds conducting a string section at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California for their Capitol Records album "Voices In Love"
1958 - Stan Kenton and His Orchestra begin two straight days of sessions at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California where the tracks "Opus In Pastels", "Machito" and "Artistry In Rhythm" will be recorded and eventually released by Capitol Records as bonus tracks on the 1992 CD "Kenton In Hi-Fi"
1958 - Dean Martin (with Dick Stabile and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Return To Me"is #14 down from #8 on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart, Nat "King" Cole's Capitol Records single "Looking Back" is tied for #18 down from #13 with The Four Prep's Capitol Records single "Big Man" down from #15, The Johnny Otis Show's Capitol Records single "Willie And The Hand Jive" is tied for #21 up from #27 with The Platter's single "Twilight Time", and Ed Townsend's Capitol Records single "For Your Love" is still #31
1964 - The Beatles record the tracks "Long Tall Sally", "Things We Said Today", "A Hard Day's Night", "And I Love Her", "I Should Have Known Better", "If I Fell", and "You Can't Do That' for BBC' Radio's "Top Gear" show in Studio 2 at Broadcasting House in London, England from 7:00-11:00pm. "The Things We Said Today" and a spoken track called "Have A Banana!" , recorded at the same time, will later be released by Apple Records on the 1994 CD complilation "Live At The BBC" which Capitol Records will distribute in the United States
1966 - The Beatles' single "Paperback Writer" with "Rain" on the flip side, is certified Gold by The R.I.A.A.
1975 - Zutty Singleton (born Arthur James Singleton), drummer and Capitol Records solo and session artist, dies at age 77 in New York, New York
20 Years Ago Today In 1992 - Capitol Records releases Megadeth's album "Countdown To Extinction" which will eventually sell over 2 million copies and be certified Double Platinum by the R.I.A.A.
15 Years Ago Today In 1997 - An article in Jet Magazine reports that EMI Group has closed EMI Records America and Enclave Records. Enclave was folded into Virgin Records and EMI Records America remaining acts and some staff were split between Virgin and Capitol Records.
1998 - Capitol Records and Grand Royal Records release The Beastie Boys album "Hello Nasty"
1999 - Gar Samuelson, original drummer (1984-1986) with Capitol Records band Megadeth, July 14, dies at the age of 41 due to "undiagnosed liver complications" at his home in Orange City, Florida

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
100 Years Ago Today In 1912 - Woody Guthrie, singer, songwriter, guitarist, cousin of Capitol Records artist Jack Guthrie, and father of singer, songwriter, guitarist, and motion picture actor Arlo Guthrie, is born Woodrow Wilson Guthrie in Okemah, Oklahoma
1928 - Nancy Olson, motion picture actress (including "Sunset Boulevard", "The Absent-Minded Professor", "Snowball Express" and "Flubber" among many others) and current wife of former Capitol Records vice-president, president and Chairman of Capitol Records and creator of Bozo The Clown Alan Livingston, is born Nancy Ann Olson in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
70 Years Ago Today In 1942 - Glenn Miller and His Orchestra record the track "Caribbean Clipper" using an arrangement by band member, trumpet player, and future Capitol Records artist Billy May
1956 - Trumpetist Thad Jones (with Billy Mitchell on tenor saxophone, Barry Harris on piano, Percy Heath on bass, and Max Roach on drums), records the tracks "Thedia Blue Note", "April In Paris" (both of which appear on Jones' Blue Note Records album "The Magnificent Thad Jones"), "I've Got A Crush On You (without Mitchell on tenor saxophone which will appear on Jones' Blue Note album "The Magnificent Thad Jones Volume 3"), "Billie Doo", "If I Love Again" and "Someone Had Told Me (without Mitchell on tenor saxophone) with producer Alfred Lion and recording engineer Rudy Van Gelder at Van Gelder's studio in Hackensack, New Jersey. The last three tracks also appear on Jones' Blue Notes album The Magnificent Thad Jones". Blue Note Records' catalog is currently owned by EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company.
1956 - Fats Domino's Imperial Records single "I'm In Love Again" is #5 up from #6 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart and Domino's Imperial Records single "My Blue Heaven" is tied for #28 up from #31 with Frankie Lymon and The Teenagers' single "I Want You To Be My Girl". Imperial Records' catalog is currently owned by EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company.
55 Years Ago Today In 1957 - Bassist Paul Chambers (with Kenny Burrell on guitar, Hank Jones on piano, and Art Taylor on drums) records the tracks "Yesterdays", "You’d Be So Nice To Come Home To", "Chasin’ The Bird", "Dear Old Stockholm", "The Theme", and "Confessin’ (I’m Confessin’ That I Love You)", for his Blue Note Records album "Bass On Top", and "Chamber Mates", which was finally released by Mosaic Records on its "Mosaic Select: Paul Chambers" box set, with producer Alfred Lion and recording engineer Rudy Van Gelder at The Van Gelder Studio in Hackensack, New Jersey. Blue Note Records' catalog is currently owned by EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company.
1958 - Rick Nelson's Imperial Records single "Poor Little Fool" is #4 up from #18 on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart, David Seville's Liberty Records single "Witch Doctor" is #16 down from #10, Dion and The Belmonts' Laurie Records single "I Wonder Why" is tied for #32 down from #25 with Eydie Gormé (with Don Costa and His Orchestra and Chorus)'s single "You Need Hands", and David Seville's Liberty Records single "The Bird On My Head" is in a four way tie for #40 up from #63 with Link Wray and His Ray Men's single "Rumble, and Don Gibson's single "Blue, Blue Day". Imperial, Liberty, and Laurie Records' catalogs are currently owned by EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company.
1960 - Pianist Horace Parlan (with Tommy Turrentine on trumpet, Stanley Turrentine on tenor saxophone, George Tucker on bass, and Al Harewood on drums) records the two takes of the track "Rastus" (the first appearing on Parlan's Blue Note Records album "Speakin' My Piece" and the second released on the Blue Note [Japan] Toshiba EMI album "Rare Tracks - The Other Side Of Blue Note 4000 Series" in Japan), "Borderline", "Speakin' My Piece", and "Oh, So Blue" (all released on Parlan's Blue Note Records album "Speakin' My Piece"), an alternate version of "Oh, So Blue" (which remained unreleased until it appeared on Mosaic Records' 2000 box set "The Complete Blue Note Horace Parlan Sessions"), as well as "Up In Cynthia's Room" and "Wadin'" (which also appeared on Parlan's Blue Note Records album "Speakin' My Piece") with producer Alfred Lion and recording engineer Rudy Van Gelder at Van Gelder studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. Blue Note Records' catalog is currently owned by EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company.
50 Years Ago Today In 1962 - Bobby Vee's Liberty Records single "Sharing You" is #30 down from #15 on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart. Liberty Records' catalog is currently owned by EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company.
1964 - Brian Epstein, manager of The Beatles, resigns his directorship with I. Epstein & Sons (Liverpool) Limited.
1965 - Trumpet player Blue Mitchell (with Junior Cook on tenor saxophone, Chick Corea on piano, Gene Taylor on bass, and Al Foster on drums) records the tracks "Samba De Stacy", "Hi Heel Sneakers", "Alone, Alone, Alone", "Perception", "March On Selma" and "One Shirt" for his Blue Note Records album "Down With It" with producer Alfred Lion and recording engineer Rudy Van Gelder at Van Gelder's studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. Blue Note Records' catalog is currently owned by EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company.
1965 - Spencer Williams, jazz pianist, singer and composer, including "Basin Street Blues" and Capitol Records' first single's A side "I Found A New Baby" which was recorded by Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra, dies in Flushing, New York at age 75
45 Years Ago Today In 1967 - Blue Note Records releases Lee Morgan's album "The Procrastinator". Blue Note Records' catalog is currently owned by EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company.
1998 - Blue Note Records releases the 2 CD set by the Gerry Mulligan Quartet "The Original Quartet With Chet Baker" which contains all 42 tracks they recorded for Pacific Jazz Records. Pacific Jazz's catalog is currently owned by EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company.
1998 - Blue Note Records also releases Pat Martino and Joyus Lake's CD "Stone Blue".Blue Note Records' catalog is currently owned by EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company.
2001 - The last original Bozo The Clown episode, titled "Bozo: 40 Years of Fun!", airs on WGN as a prime-time special

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1910 - Bill Hanna, animator, director, producer and co-founder of Hanna-Barbera Studios with his partner Joseph Barbera, is born William Denby Hanna in Melrose, New Mexico

JULY 13, 2012

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
70 Years Ago Today In 1942 - Roger McGuinn, digital distribution advocate, techie, and 12-string Rickenbacker guitarist with such bands as The Byrds and Capitol Records group McGuinn, Clark and Hillman, is born James Joseph McGuinn in Chicago, Illinois

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1955 - Arranger and tenor saxophonist Bill Holman (with Dave Madden on baritone saxophone; Conte Candoli on trumpet; Bob Evenvoldsen on valve trombone; Paul Moer on piano; Ralph Pena on bass; and Shelly Manne on drums) records the tracks "The Mild One", "My Buddy", "Where Or When", and "Bon Mot" at Capitol Records' Melrose Avenue studios in Hollywood, California. The tracks will remain unissued until they appear on Mosaic Records box set "Kenton Presents Cooper, Holman & Rosolino".
1958 - The Kingston Trio record a live date at the hungry i, where they would perform 30 songs, only 12 of which were later released by Capitol Records until Bear Family Records in Germany released it's box set "The Kingston Trio - The Guard Years" in 1997, which contained the entire concert
1959 - The Kingston Trio's Capitol Records single "M.T.A." is #15 up from #18 on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart
1959 - Capitol Records releases Buck Owens' single "Under Your Spell Again" with "Tired Of Livin'" on the flip side
1963 - Kyu Sakamoto's Capitol Records single "Sukiyaki" is #6 down from #2 on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart, Nat "King" Cole's Capitol Records single "Those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days Of Summer" is #18 down from #12, Bobby Darin's Capitol Records single "Yellow Roses" is #26 down from #16, The Beach Boy's Capitol Records single "Shut Down" is #33 down from #31, and Al Martino's Capitol Records single "I Love You Because is #37 down from #30
1964 - Capitol Records releases The Beatles' sing'e "A Hard Day's Night" with "I Should Have Known Better" on the flip side
1966 - At 10:00 AM, The Chocolate Watchband enter American Recording Studios to start their first recording session for Tower Records, a subsidiary of Capitol Records. David Aguilar of the group has a great article about what led up to that first session and who was there.
1970 - Capitol Records re-releases Tennessee Ernie Ford's albums "Sweet Hour Of Prayer" and "Let Me Walk With Thee" packaged together with new cover art
1985 - Duran Duran's Capitol Records single "A View To A Kill" is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart becoming the first title song from the James Bond franchise of movies to reach the top of the U.S. charts. Ironically, on the same day, the original members of Duran Duran perform for the last time at the Live Aid concert held at JFK Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania until they give a reunion concert in 2003
1993 - Pianist Don Pullen (with Carlos Ward on alto saxophone, Nilson Matta on bass, J.T. Lewis on drums, and Mor Thiam on djembe, tabula, rainsticks, wind chimes, and vocals) perform at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Montreux, Switzerland. Capitol Records records the performance and releases the tracks "Yebino Spring", "Ah George, We Hardly Knew Ya", "Capoeira", "Kele Mou Bana" and "Aseeko! (Get Up And Dance!" on the album "Live-- Again Live At Montreux" in 1995.
2004 - Capitol Records releases Rochester, Minnesota band The F-UPS self-titled debut album
2006 - Red Buttons, comedian, actor and Capitol Records artist (on the original motion picture soundtrack to "Pete's Dragon" with another Capitol Records artist Helen Reddy), who also did voice work with Capitol Records artist Judy Garland on the animated feature film "Gay Purr-ee", dies of vascular disease at his home in Century City at age 87. Here's hoping that, wherever he his, he's finally getting a dinner.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
85 Years Ago Today In 1927 - Ike Cole, pianist, singer, and brother of Capitol Records artist Nat "King" Cole, is born in Chicago, Illinois
1939 - Frank Sinatra has his first recording session when he's the featured vocalist with new bandleader Harry James and His Orchestra on the tracks "Melancholy Mood" and "From The Bottom of My Heart"
70 Years Ago Today In 1942 - Stephen Jo Bladd, drummer with the EMI America group The J. Geils Band, is born in Boston, Massachusettes
1949 - Singer and pianist Amos Milburn (with Maxwell Davis tenor saxophone, Chuck Norris on guitar, Ralph Hamilton on bass, and Lee Young on drums) records the tracks "Roomin' House Boogie", "Walkin' Blues" (without Davis on tenor saxophone), and "Blue And Lonesome" for Aladdin Records at Radio Recorders, in Los Angeles, California. The first two tracks will be released on separate singles by Alladin in the United States and the last track wil be released by Aladdin in France on Milburn's album "Vicious, Vicious Vodka"
1951 - Arnold Schoenberg, a tonal composer whose works were recorded for Capitol Records by the Hollywood String Quartet, dies in Los Angeles, California at age 76
1953 - Future Capitol Records artists Louis Prima and Keely Smith are married. If anyone knows where, please contact me.
55 Years Ago Today In 1957 - Bob Brookmeyer records (with Brookmeyer on valve trombone and piano; Jimmy Giuffre on clarinet, tenor saxophone, and baritone saxophone; Jim Hall on guitar; Joe Benjamin on bass; and Dave Bailey on drums) the tracks "Louisiana", "Santa Claus Blues", "Truckin’", "Some Sweet Day", "Sweet Like This", "Jada", and "Don’t Be That Way" with producer Richard Bock and recording engineer Al Schmitt at Costal Studios in New York City for his Pacific Jazz album "Traditionalism Revisited". Pacific Jazz's catalog is currently owned by EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company.
1959 - Martin Denny's Liberty Records single "Quiet Village" is #21 down from #14 on Billboard's Hot 100 single chart, Rick Nelson's Imperial Records single "Sweeter Than You" enters the top 40 at #24 up from #53 and it's flip side "Just A Little Too Much" also enters the top 40 at #32 up from #42, Dion and The Belmonts Laurie Records single "A Teenager In Love" is #33 down from #19, and David Seville and The Chipmunk's Liberty Records single "Ragtime Cowboy Joe" enters the top 40 at #36 up from #65. Liberty, Imperial, and Laurie Records catalogs are currently owned by EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company.
1963 - The Essex's Roulette Records single "Easier Said Than Done" is still #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart, Jan and Dean's Liberty Records single "Surf City" is #2 up from #7, The Chiffons' Laurie Records single "One Fine Day" is #5 up from #6, and The Fleetwoods' Dolton Records single "Goodnight My Love" enters the top 40 at #40 up from #48. EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company, currently owns the Roulette, Liberty, Laurie, and Dolton Records catalogs.
40 Years Ago Today In 1972 - Elvin Jones records the tracks "Soultrane" (with Steve Grossman on tenor saxophone, Gene Perla on bass, Jones on drums, Albert Duffy on tympani, and Frank Ippolito on percussion), "One's Native Place" (with Thad Jones on flugelhorn, David Liebman on flute, Steve Grossman on soprano saxophone, Jan Hammer on piano, Gene Perla on bass, Jones on drums, Albert Duffy on tympani, Frank Ippolito on percussion, and Carlos Patato Valdes on conga), and "G. G." (with Thad Jones on flugelhorn, David Liebman and Steve Grossman on tenor saxphone, Jan Hammer on piano, Gene Perla on electric bass, and Jones on drums) with producer George Butler and recording engineer Rudy Van Gelder at The Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey for Jones' Blue Note Records album "Mr. Jones". Blue Note Records catalog is currently owned by Capitol Music Group's parent company, EMI Music Group.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
50 Years Ago Today In 1962 - The Blossoms record the track "He's A Rebel", written by Gene Pitney, with Bobby Sheen singing high tenor for producer Phil Spector. When Philles Records releases the track as a single, with "I Love You Eddie" on the flip side, they called the group The Crystals. The single would hit #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart on November 3, 1962 and stay for two weeks.

JULY 12, 2012

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1919 - Paul Villepigue, clarinetist, flutist, player of the entire range of saxophones, and arranger (for Ben Pollack/Chico Marx band and such Capitol Records artists as Charlie Barnet, Stan Kenton, June Christy, Mel Tormé, and Alvino Rey), is born Paul Fabian Villepigue, Jr. in Ottawa, Kansas
85 Years Ago Today In 1927 - Conte Candoli, trumpet player, older brother of trumpet player Pete Candoli, and member of Capitol Records group Stan Kenton and His Orchestra (1948-1949 and 1951) as well as many other groups including Doc Severinsen's Tonight Show band, is born Conte Secundo Candoli in Mishawaka, Indiana
1938 - Bill Cosby, comedian, television and movie actor, producer, and Capitol Records artist, is born William Henry Cosby, Jr. in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
1951 - Cheryl Ladd, television actress, singer and Capitol Records artist (solo and as a vocalist with Josie & The Pussycats) is born Cheryl Jean Stoppelmoor in Huron, South Dakota

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1946 - Peggy Lee with her husband Dave Barbour and His Orchestra records the tracks (which they also co-wrote) "Don't Be So Mean To Baby" (which remains unreleased), "It's A Good Day" (which Capitol Records will release as single #322 with "He's Just My Kind" on the flip side), and "I've Had My Moments" (which was rejected) with producer Lee Gillette in Los Angeles, California.
1946 - Stan Kenton and His Orchestra (Buddy Childers, Ray Wetzel, Chico Alvarez, John Anderson, Ken Hanna on trumpet; Kai Winding, Miff Sines, Milt Kabak on trombone; Bart Varsalona on bass trombone; Al Anthony and Boots Mussulli on alto saxophone; Vido Musso and Bob Cooper on tenor saxophone; Bob Gioga on baritone saxophone; Kenton on piano; Bob Ahern on guitar; Eddie Safranski on bass; Shelly Manne on drums; and June Christy on vocals) record the tracks "Ain't No Misery In Me" (with vocals by Christy and solos by Winding on trombone and Mussulli on alto saxophone), "Artistry In Percussion" (with solos by Manne on drums and Winding on trombone), two takes of "Safranski (Artistry In Bass)" (with solos by Safranski on bass and Kenton on piano), and "Artistry in Bolero" (with solos by Safranski on bass, Kenton on piano, Musso on tenor saxophone and Winding on trombone) at Radio Recorders in Los Angeles, California with producer Lee Gillette. All the tracks except the second take of "Safranski (Artistry In Bass)" will appear on the 78 rpm version of their Capitol Records album "Artistry in Rhythm". The second take of Safranski (Artistry In Bass)" will replace the first on the 33 1/3 rpm version of the album.
65 Years Ago Today In 1947 - Red Ingle and The Natural Seven (with vocals by Cinderella G. Stump aka Jo Stafford)'s Capitol Records single "Tim-Tay-Shun" (aka "Temptation) is still #5 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart
60 Years Ago Today In 1952 - Al Martino (with orchestra conducted by Monty Kelly)'s Capitol Records single "Here In My Heart" is #2 up from #3 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Jane Froman (with orchestra conducted by Sid Feller)'s Capitol Records single "I'll Walk Alone" is still #14, Nat "King" Cole (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Somewhere Along The Way" (with "What Does It Take" on the flip side) is #13 up from #16, Al Martino (with orchestra conducted by Monty Kelly)'s Capitol Records single "Take My Heart" (with "I Never Cared" on the flip side) is #15 up from #17, and Nat "King" Cole (with Billy May and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Walkin' My Baby Back Home" (with "I'm Hurtin'" on the flip side) enters the top 20 at #20
55 Years Ago Today In 1957 - The Four Freshmen (Bob Flanigan on vocal, 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 Pete Rugolo conducting the studio orchestra (Frank Rosolino, John Halliburton, Milt Bernhart, and Herbie Harper on trombone; George Roberts on bass trombone; Clarence Karella on tuba; Herbie Mann on piccolo, flute, and alto flute; Howard Roberts on guitar; Jimmy Rowles on piano; Red Mitchell on bass; Shelly Manne on drums; Bernie Mattinson on vibraphones and percussion; Milt Holland on percussion; and Chico Guerrero on bongos and percusssion) record the tracks "Yesterdays", "Mine", "Again", "What's New", and "Star Eyes" in Los Angeles, California for their Capitol Records album "Voices In Latin"
50 Years Ago Today In 1962 - Bobby Darin signs a three-year contract with Capitol Records
1965 - Brian Wilson records an instrumental backing track with a rough lead vocal for the song that will become "Sloop John B" at Western Recorders in Hollywood, California
1979 - Minnie Ripperton, singer with a five octave range and a Capitol Records artist (1976-1979), dies at approximately 10:00 AM of breast cancer at age 31 at Cedars-Sinai Hospital, Los Angeles, California with her husband, Richard Rudolph, by her side
2003 - Benny Carter, composer, band leader, trombonist, clarinetist, trumpeter, alto saxophonist, and Capitol Records artist, dies at age 96 of possible broncitis at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles, California. There is a nice biographical article on Jazz Beat's site by Floyd Levin.
2005 - Billboard Radio Monitor reports that Joanna Carter has been promoted to senior director of creative services at Capitol Records Nashville
2006 - It is reported this day that Syd Barrett, songwriter, guitarist, and founding member of Pink Floyd, had died "peacefully a couple of days ago", either from complications of diabetes or of cancer, at his home in Cambridgeshire, England at age 60

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1895 - Oscar Hammerstein II, Broadway, motion picture, and television lyricist (including "Rose-Marie", "The Desert Song", "Sunny" "Show Boat", "Carmen Jones", "Oklahoma!", "South Pacific", "Carousel", "The King And I", "Cinderella", "The Sound Of Music" and many others) and producer, is born Oscar Greeley Clendinning Hammerstein II in New York City, New York. Capitol Records has released the original motion picture soundtracks to "Oklahoma!", "Carousel" and "The King And I", a 10" album of cover versions of songs from "South Pacific" recorded by Capitol Records artists, and many Capitol Records artists have recorded cover versions of Hammerstein's songs, some of which appeared on Capitol's compilation CD "Hello Young Lovers: Capitol Sings Rodgers and Hammerstein" on April 5, 1994
50 Years Ago Today In 1962 - The Rolling Stones give their first performance at the Marquee Club in London, England. At the time, the group consisted of singer Mick Jagger, guitarists Keith Richards, Brian Jones and Dick Taylor, pianist Ian Stewart and drummer Mick Avory. The Rolling Stones catalog is now distributed by Virgin Records, a subsidiary of Capitol Records.
40 Years Ago Today In 1972 - Drummer Elvin Jones (with David Liebman and Steve Grossman on tenor saxophones and Gene Perla on bass) records the track "New Breed" for Jones' Blue Note Records album "Mr. Jones" with producer George Butler and recording engineer Rudy Van Gelder at The Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ. EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company, currently owns the Blue Note Records catalog.
1996 - Jonathan Melvoin, keyboardist with the Virgin Records group Smashing Pumpkins, dies of a heroin overdose at age 34 in New York City, New York

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1854 - George Eastman, inventor of the Kodak camera and roll film upon which motion picture film is based, is born in Waterville, New York
2008 - At 2:25 PM Alaska time, after about 12 hours of labor (which his mom will never let him forget), our grandson, Alexander Lee Johnson, is born at 19.75" and 7 pounds 1 ounce in Juneau, Alaska.

JULY 11, 2012

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
1947 - Jeff Hanna, guitarist and lead vocalist ("Mr. Bojangles") for the United Artists and Capitol Records group The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, is born in Detroit, Michigan

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1950 - George Gard "Buddy" DeSylva, lyricist, librettist, music publisher, Broadway and motion picture producer, and co-founder of Capitol Records with Johnny Mercer and Glenn Wallichs, who put up $25,000 of his own money to start the company, dies of heart failure in Hollywood, California at age 55
1953 - Les Baxter and His Orchestra's Capitol Records single "April In Portugal is #4 down from #3 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Les Paul and Mary Ford's Capitol Records single "Vaya Con Dios" is #5 up from #6, Kay Starr (with orchestra conducted by Harold Mooney)'s Capitol Records single "Half A Photograph" is #12 up from #17, Les Baxter and His Orchestra's Capitol Records single "Ruby" is still #15, and Kay Starr (with orchestra conducted by Harold Mooney)'s Capitol Records single "Allez-Vous-En" (the flip side of "Half A Photograh) is #17 up from #18
1960 - Time Magazine runs an article about Capitol Records artists The Kingston Trio and the success of their album "Sold Out"
1963 - Buck Owens records the track "Love's Gonna Live Here Again" which Capitol Records will release as a single on August 19, 1963 with "Getting Used To Losing You" on the flip side. The track will go to #1 on the U.S. Country singles chart.
1964 - Billboard Magazine runs an article "Beatles' LP: 4 Days That Shake The Industry" about how the soundtrack to "A Hard Day's Night" sold 1 million copies in 4 days, becoming one of the fastest selling albums in recording history
1966 - The Beach Boys' Capitol Records single "Wouldn't It Be Nice", with "God Only Knows" on the flip side, peaks at #8 on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart
40 Years Ago Today In 1972 - Merle Haggard records the track "It's Not Love, But It's Not Bad" which Capitol Records will release as a single with "My Woman Keeps Lovin' Her Man" on the flip side in August 1972
25 Years Ago Today In 1987- Heart's Capitol Records single "Alone", with "Barracuda" (live version recorded at NHK Hall, Tokyo, Japan, June 1986), on the flip side, hits #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart
1999 - Helen Forrest (born Helen Fogel), singer with the bands of Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman, Harry James, and the Sam Donahue led Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, radio performer (on "The Dick Haymes Show"), motion picture actress (including "Bathing Beauty" and "Two Girls And A Sailor"), and Capitol Records artist (1955 album "Voice Of The Name Bands"), dies of congestive heart failure at the Motion Picture Country Home and Hospital in Woodland Hills at 82 and is later laid to rest in Mount Sinai Memorial Park in Los Angeles, California
2000 - Capitol Records releases Everclear's album "Learning How To Smile, An American Movie, Volume I". I designed the "frowny face", an adaption of Harvey R. Ball's "smiley face" image, that was used as the main packaging graphic for the album's first single "Wonderful".
2006 - Bill Miller, long time musical director, accompanist, and friend of Frank Sinatra, dies at Montreal General Hospital in Canada at age 91. His daughter Meredith was with him at the hospital when he passed. He had been working at a month long gig that started June 28 with Frank Sinatra, Jr. at Le Cabaret du Casino, 1 Avenue du Casino, Montreal. Army Archerd's blog has an article giving the specifics and reactions from the Sinatra family.
In private life, Bill was a kind, quiet, and patient man whose unquestioning loyalty to friends, and love of his family, was remarkable. Professionally, it was all about the music and the craft, modestly giving every session an extra something that even he couldn't put into words but you could always hear. He had an amazing ear for the well done, and would only become annoyed or, on a rare occasion, angered when faced with the uncaring or sloppy. I was fortunate to be able to talk to Mr. Miller at his home on June 4, 2006. Bill was inside watching the ball games, which he said he only really took interest in during the playoffs. After introductions, and him finding out about my interest in Capitol, he turned down the TV and we talked for a little while. His memory was very much intact, but after being caught in a mudslide in the '60s that also killed his wife, he had some hearing problems. I told him about meeting Vernise Pelzel and Louise Yocum, the daughter and wife, respectively, of Sinatra's music coordinator and copiest Vern Yocum, the previous weekend and he said that he remembered Vern very well and how much Vern would do anything to help Nelson Riddle meet his deadlines. I told him about meeting the curator of the Nelson Riddle collection at the University of Arizona, Tucson, and how he was able to tell how much Vern had done by looking at the handwriting on the charts. Bill said that he remembered how prouc Vern was proud of his body building son and would show him photos of Ray Yokum all the time. I asked Bill if he could help identify some of the players at Sinatra's "Tone Poems Of Colors" sessions. He suggested looking at listings of the session players before and after the "Tone Poem" sessions to get an idea on who was working on those session, as it was normal to get the same people together. We talked about some of the producers who worked with Sinatra, he remembered how Voyle Gilmore was the serious one of the crowd that included Dave Cavanaugh and Lee Gillette. He talked about Sinatra starting out at the Capitol Studios on Melrose and how the first singles with Axel didn't go well. He felt the first real recordings for Capitol started when Nelson Riddle started arranging for Frank for "I've Got The World On A String". He said he had been back in Studio B in the Tower last year working with Frank Jr. on tracks. I told him about the live recording of Sinatra that Capitol released last year as part of the Las Vegas Centennial tribute and Bill said that Capitol recorded a lot of the shows be he didn't know what they had done with the tapes. He hadn't heard about the release of the Las Vegas CD (a few weeks later, after he had left for Montreal, I dropped off a copy of the disc I had bought for him). We talked about people who were still around like Jo Stafford and Martha Tilton and I told him how Stafford and Weston's papers were joining those of Nelson and Vern's at The University of Arizona Tucson's School Of Music. I told him that Nellie Lutcher was still alive in L.A. though no longer performing. He was surprised at that, saying that she must be at least as old as he is, if not more. We talked about Freddie Slack. Bill said he wasn't a big fan of but that was probably because he was jealous that he couldn't play the piano like Freddie. A call from his daughter Meredith in Berkeley ended the conversation. Later, I would thank him for his time and I was invited back after he came back from Montreal. I'm just glad for the time I had.
2006 - The 30th anniversary release of The Steve Miller Band's album is rescheduled to Tuesday, July 18th, 2006

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1931 - Thurston Harris, singer with the groups The Lamplighters, The Tenderfoots, and The Sharps, and a solo Aladdin Records artist (best known for the track "Little Bitty Pretty One"), is born in Indianapolis, Indiana. I designed the album packaging for Harris' EMI America's 1986 greatest hits compliation with art director Henry Marquez.
75 Years Ago Today In 1937 - George Gershwin, composer (who worked with future Capitol Records co-founder Buddy DeSylva on songs such as "Stairway To Heaven" as well as with his brother Ira Gershwin), dies in Beverly Hills, California at age 38 from an inoperable brain tumor. Many Capitol Records artists have covered songs written by Gershwin and his compositions were featured as part of the "Capitol Sings" series on the CD "Fascinatin' Rhythm: Capitol Sings George Gershwin".
1946 - At his first recording session, Dean Martin records the tracks “Which Way Did My Heart Go?”, “All of Me”, “I Got the Sun in the Morning” and “The Sweetheart of Sigma Chi” for Diamond Records whose offices were located in The Brill Building in New York City
1960 - Fats Domino's Imperial Records single "Walking To New Orleans" is #21 up from #31 on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart, The Fleetwoods' Dolton Records single "Runaround" is #23 up from #25, and Don Costa and His Orchestra's United Artists Records single "Theme From 'The Unforgiven'" is still #27. Imperial, Dolton and United Artists Records' catalogs are currently owned by EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company.
1968 - The Jazz Crusaders (Wayne Henderson on trombone, Wilton Felder on tenor saxophone, Joe Sample on piano, Buster Williams on bass, and Stix Hooper on drums) record the tracks "Fancy Dance", "Upstairs", and "Sting Ray" at the Pacific Jazz Studios in Los Angeles, California with producer Richard Bock and recording engineer Thorne Nogar for their Pacific Jazz album "Powerhouse". Capitol Records now owns the Pacific Jazz catalog
1976 - Frank Sinatra marries Barbara Marx in Palm Springs, California
2006 - Nelson Riddle's Capitol Records album "Sing a Song With Riddle" is re-released on CD with the never released "Hey Diddle Riddle" album as a 2 disc set by DRG Records thanks to DRG's president Hugh Fordin being able to convince Capitol to license him the material. Unfortunately, according to someone who was involved with another record company that was trying to release the album itself last year, DRG's incomplete research has led to them leaving off 1 track from the album and an additional 2 tracks that were supposed to be released as a 45 single to coincide with the album's original release are also not on DRG's release.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1989 - Sir Laurence Olivier dies in Steyning, West Sussex, England, from complications of a neuromuscular disorder and cancer at the age of 82, and is interred in Poets' Corner in Westminster Abbey, London.