JANUARY 31, 2013

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1892 - Eddie Cantor, Vaudeville, Broadway, motion picture, radio and television actor, singer, songwriter, and Capitol Records artist, is born Edward Israel Iskowitz in the Lower East Side of New York City, New York
1915 - Bobby Hackett, coronet, trumpet and guitar player, member of Benny Goodman and His Orchestra (played at the 1938 Carnegie Hall concert), and Glenn Miller and His Orchestra (initally as a guitarist while his lip was healing, then on short solos such as on "String Of Pearls"), band leader, a Capitol Records solo artist, and on Jackie Gleason's Capitol Records albums, is born Robert Leo Hackett in Providence, Rhode Island

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1947 - Dorothy Lamour signs with Capitol Records
60 Years Ago Today In 1953 - Nat "King" Cole's single "Pretend", with "Don't Let Your Eyes Go Shopping" on the flipside, enters the top 40 of the U.S. Pop singles chart
50 Years Ago Today In 1963 - The Beach Boys record the tracks "Surfin' U.S.A." and "Shutdown"
45 Years Ago Today In 1968 - Merle Haggard records the track "The Legend of Bonnie and Clyde" with producer Ken Nelson at Capitol Recording Studios in Hollywood. Merle wrote the song, which will enter the U.S. Country charts in March 1968 and will become Haggard's 4th #1 hit.
1969 - The Beatles record tracks for the songs "The Long And Winding Road", "Let It Be", and "Two Of Us"
1970 - Glen Campbell's 17th Capitol Records single to chart, "Honey Come Back" with "Where Do You Go" on the flip side, peaks at #2 on the U.S. Country singles charts
1990 - Capitol Records releases Buck Owens' last single for the label, "Tijuana Lady", with "Brooklyn Bridge" on the flip side

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1894 - Isham Jones, fiddler, tenor saxophonist, bandleader (whose members would include future Capitol Records artists Benny Goodman and Woody Herman), songwriter ("I'll See You In My Dreams", "The One I Love Belongs To Somebody Else" which was covered by Capitol Records artist Nellie Lutcher and became one of her biggest hits, "It Had To Be You" which was covered by Capitol Records artist Betty Hutton, and others) is born in Coalton, Ohio
1956 - Johnny Rotten, lead singer with the EMI and Virgin Records group The Sex Pistols and Virgin Records Group Public Image Ltd. (aka PIL), is born John Lydon in Finsbury Park, London, England
1969 - Billy Preston signs with Apple Records
1981 - Blondie's Chrysalis Records single "The Tide Is High" is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1982 - The J. Geils Band's EMI America single "Centerfold" is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL HISTORY
1876 - On a black day in the country's history, the government of the United States of America orders all Native Americans to move into reservations.
1936 - "The Green Hornet" radio show debuts on WXYZ radio in Detroit, Michigan and was created by George Trendle and Fran Striker who also created The Lone Ranger which also was broadcast from the same station. A further tie-in is that the Hornet's alter-ego, Britt Reed, is the great nephew of The Lone Ranger's young sidekick Dan Reed.
1945 - On another black day in U.S.A. history, U.S. Army Private Eddie Slovik becomes the first American soldier since the Civil War to be executed for desertion
1961 - Ham the Chimp travels into outer space on an early version of NASA's Mercury rocket, performs well on some reponse tests and returns safely to Earth
1990 - The first McDonald's opens in Moscow, Russia
2004 - Mystery Science Theater 3000 ends its run on the Sci-Fi Channel.

JANUARY 30, 2013

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
1934 - Tammy Grimes, Broadway, motion picture, television and radio actress, singer, and Capitol Records artist (1960 - Original Cast Album for "The Unsinkable Molly Brown"), is born in Lynn, Massachusetts. If anyone knows her middle name, please leave a comment.

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1957 - Dean Martin finishes the last session for his Capitol Records album "Pretty Baby" after he records the tracks "Only Forever", "Maybe", "I Don't Know Why (I Just Do)", "You've Got Me Crying Again", "Once in a While", "The Object of My Affection" at The Capitol Tower studios in Hollywood, California with Gus Levine conducting the orchestra (Alvino Rey and Vincent Terri on guitar, Joseph G. "Joe" Comfort on bass, Nick Fatool on drums, Edwin L. "Buddy" Cole on piano, Julian C. "Matty" Matlock on clarinet, Charles T. "Chuck" Gentry and Edward R. Miller on saxophone, Elmer R. "Moe" Schneider on trombone, and Charles Richard "Dick" Cathcart on trumpet).
1961 - Capitol Records releases The Kingston Trio's album "Make Way"
50 Years Ago Today In 1963 - Nat "King" Cole signs his last contract with Capitol Records
1964 - Capitol Records releases The Beatles' single "Please Please Me" with "From Me To You" on the flip side.
1967 - The Beatles begin two straight days of shooting for a promo film for their Parlophone single "Strawberry Fields Forever" in Sevenoaks, Kent, England. The single will be released in the United States by Capitol Records and the footage would appear in "The Beatles Anthology" distributed by Capitol Video in 1995 that also includes home movies from the set of the shoot
1969 - The Beatles, with Billy Preston on keyboards, give their last public performance, an impromptu concert on the roof of Apple Records' offices at 3 Savile Row, London, England, after the roof was shored up to hold the weight. The performance was filmed until it was stopped after 42 minutes by the police. The footage will later appear in the documentary "Let It Be" and recordings of the songs performed, "Get Back" (three takes), "Don't Let Me Down" (two takes), "I've Got A Feeling" (two takes), "One After 909", and "I Dig A Pony", would later appear on the "Let It Be" Apple Records soundtrack, released by Capitol Records in the United States. The band also performed a version of "God Save The Queen" that was not recorded.
1997 - Tower Mastering duplicates a very limited quantity of a 3-song cassette sampler of alternate takes of Paul McCartney's songs "The World Tonight", "Young Boy", and "Somedays" to promote his Capitol Records album "Flaming Pie".

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
55 Years Ago Today In 1958 - Future Capitol Records artist Merle Haggard was found guilty on a burglary charge in California

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
80 Years Ago Today In 1933 - The first of 2,956 radio episodes of "The Lone Ranger" airs on WXYZ in Detroit, Michigan. The show's writer, Fran Striker (who also created The Green Hornet and Sgt. Preston of the Yukon) was born in Buffalo, New York. My dad loved this show as a kid. He even saved his Lone Ranger badge. When nostalgia for Old Time Radio was really at a peak in the early '70s, many programs were released on LP which he collected and played for me and my siblings and we just loved them. It really started my love for the great shows from the golden age of radio.

JANUARY 29, 2013

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
60 Years Ago Today In 1953 - Teresa Teng Li-chun, singer, Yewjow (1967-1971), Life Records (1971-1976), Polydor (1974-1982), EMI/Capitol Records/Parlophone (1983-1985), Polydor (1985-1995), Columbia Records (1986-1989), and Atlantic Records (1990-1995) artist, is born in Baojhong, Yunlin, Taiwan.

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1946 - At their first session since October 1944 Jack Guthrie (on vocals) and His Oklahomans (Billy Hughes on fiddle; "Porky" Freeman on lead guitar; Red Murrell on rhythm guitar; and Cliffie Stone on bass) record the tracks "In The Shadows Of My Heart", "I Loved You Once (But I Can't Trust You)", "Please, Oh Please" and "Oklahoma's Calling" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue the first track as a single (Capitol 15251) with "Answer To 'Moonlight And Skies" on the flip side, the second track as a single (Capitol 246) with "When The Cactus Is In Bloom" on the flip side, and the last two tracks together as a single (Capitol Americana 57-40032).
1946 - Cootie Williams (on trumpet) and His Orchestra (Bob Merrill also on trumpet; Ermit V. Perry, George Treadwell, Billy Ford, and Clarence "Gene" Redd on trumpet; Ed Burke, Edward Johnson, and Bob Horton on trombone; Rupert Cole and John Jackson on alto saxophone; Sam Taylor and Everett Gaines on tenor saxophone; Bob Ashton on baritone saxophone; Arnold Jarvis on piano; Sam "Christopher" Allen on guitar; Norman Keenan on bass; Butch Ballard on drums), record the tracks "Stingy Blues" (vocals by Bob Merrill), "He Should'a Flip'd When He Flop'd" (vocals by Johnny Mercer), and the instrumental tracks "Echoes Of Harlem" and "That's The Lick" at radio station WMCA's studios in New York City, New York. Capitol Records will issue the first track as a single (Capitol 15164) with "Bring 'Em Down Front" on the flip side, the second track on the 2 CD set "Capitol Blues Collection: Cool Cats & Hip Chicks - Jumpin' Like Mad" (8-52051), the third track as a single (Capitol 266) with "When My Baby Left Me" on the flip side, and the first, third and last tracks on the 1972 Capitol Records compilation album "Capitol Jazz Classics Vol. II Big Band Bounce" (M-11057) that will also include tracks by Benny Carter. Mosaic Records will issue all the tracks on the 1997 box set "Classic Capitol Jazz Sessions" (MD12-170).
1949 - Margaret Whiting's Capitol Records single "Far Away Places", with "My Own True Love" on the flip side is #2 on the U.S. Pop singles charts and Jimmy Wakely's Capitol Records single "I Love You So Much It Hurts" with "I Don't Want Your Sympathy" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles chart
1965 - Sonny James' Capitol Records single "You're The Only World I Know", with "Tying The Pieces Together" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
1966 - The Beatles' Capitol Records single "We Can Work it Out", with "Day Tripper on the flip side, hits #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1977 - Capitol Records releases Mel McDaniel's single "All The Sweet" with "A Little More Country" on the flip side
1989 - Sheriff's Capitol Records single "When I'm With You", with "Crazy Without You" on the flip side, is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1996 - Capitol Records Nashville artist Garth Brooks said that Hootie and the Blowfish had done more for music that year than he did, so he refused to accept his American Music Award for Favorite Overall Artist.
2002 - Capitol Records releases the 25 track CD "Les Brown And His Band Of Renown BEST OF THE CAPITOL YEARS" and, as part of the label's "Classic Masters" series, Blind Melon's eponymous 12 track compilation album "Blind Melon".

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1944 - Johnny Wakley, singer, guitarist, and son of Capitol Records artist Jimmy Wakely, is born in Hollywood, California
1961 - Eddie Jackson, bass player for the bands The Mob and EMI America and Rhino Records group Queensrÿche, is born in Robstown, Texas
1969 - "The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour" debuts on CBS-TV
40 Years Ago Today In 1973 - Johnny Rivers' United Artists Records single "Rockin' Pneumonia & The Boogie Woogie Flu", with "Come Home America" on the flipside, is certified Gold by the R.I.A.A.
1977 - Kenny Rogers's United Artists Records single "Lucile", with "Till I Get It Right" on the flip side, debuts on the U.S. Country charts
30 Years Ago Today In 1983 - Kenny Rogers and Sheena Easton's Liberty Records single "We've Got Tonight", with Rogers' solo track "You Are So Beautiful" on the flipside, enters the U.S. Country charts where it will peak at #1
1990 - EMI America releases Eddie Cochran's compilation album "Legendary Masters: Eddie Cochran" as part of the label's "Legendary Masters" series
1996 - Zander Raphael Ayeroff, son of Capitol Records artist and guitarist Stan Ayeroff and bassoonist and multi-media artist Leslie Lashinsky, is born.

JANUARY 28, 2013

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
65 Years Ago Today In 1948 - Peggy Lee's Capitol Records single "Golden Earrings", with "I'll Dance At Your Wedding" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Pop singles charts
1950 - Capitol Records releases Tommy Duncan's single "Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy" with "Just a Plain Old Country Boy" on the flip side
1951 - Tennessee Ernie Ford's Capitol Records single "Shotgun Boogie", with "I Ain't Gonna Let It Happen No More" on the flip side, is still #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
1957 - Dean Martin begins the first of two sessions (the second will be on January 30, 1957) at The Capitol Tower studios, recording the tracks "I Can't Give You Anything But Love", "Sleepy Time Gal", "Pretty Baby", "For You", "It's Easy To Remember", and "Nevertheless (I'm In Love With You)" for his Capitol Records album "Pretty Baby" with Gus Levene conducting the orchestra (Alvino Rey and Vincent Terri on guitar, Joseph G. "Joe" Comfort on bass, Nick Fatool on drums, Edwin L. "Buddy" Cole on piano, Julian C. "Matty" Matlock on clarinet, Charles T. "Chuck" Gentry and Edward R. Miller on saxophone, Elmer R. "Moe" Schneider on trombone, Charles Richard "Dick" Cathcart on trumpet)
1964 - Buck Owens records the tracks "Together Again" and "My Heart Skips A Beat" that Capitol Records will release together as a single. Both sides will reach #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts.
1966 - Kay Starr records tracks for her final Capitol Records album "Tears And Heartaches / Old Records" with producer Lex De Azevedo and arranger Billy Liebert conducting some of the tracks at the second of three sessions for the album
1969 - The Beatles record tracks for the songs "I Dig A Pony", "Get Back", "Don't Let Me Down", "I've Got A Feeling", and "One After 909" that will appear on their Apple Records album "Let It Be" that's released by Capitol Records in the U.S.
1971 - John Lennon's second solo Apple Records album "Plastic Ono Band", distributed by Capitol 1972 - Merle Haggard's Capitol Records single "Carolyn", with "When The Feelin's Gone Away" on the flip side, is #1 on Billboard's Country singles chart
1984 - Duran Duran's Capitol Records single "New Moon On Monday", with "Tiger Tiger" on the flip side, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1992 - Hammer's Capitol Records single "Addam's Groove", with "Addam's Groove - instrumental (The Addams Family Theme)" on the flipside, is certified Gold by the R.I.A.A.
1997 - Capitol Records releases T-Connection's compilation CD "The Best of T-Connection: Everything's Still Cool" as part of the label's "Heart Of Soul" series
10 Years Ago Today In 2003 - Capitol Records releases Glen Campbell's compilation CD "All The Best"

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1967 - The Spencer Davis Group's United Artists Records single "Gimme Some Lovin'" enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart. United Artists' catalog is currently owned by Capitol Records parent company EMI Music. The group's lead singer, Steve Winwood, would later become a solo artist on Virgin Records America. I worked on the design and production of the packaging "Roll With It", his first album for the label, as well as promo materials, advertising and the 45 and CD single (including a 3" CD) versions of the first single from album, also called "Roll With It".

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1706 - John Baskerville, printer and typefounder, is born in England
1917 - William Gottlieb, columnist (The Washington Post), editor (Down Beat magazine), author (with articles and photos in The Record Changer, The Saturday Review and Collier's magazines, children's books and "The Golden Age Of Jazz"), and photographer of the jazz scene in the 1940s, is born William Paul Gottlieb in Brooklyn, New York
1985 - More than 40 artists gather at A&M's Hollywood studios to record "We Are The World" under the collective name USA for Africa with proceeds from the single to go toward worldwide hunger prevention
1986 - The liquid hydrogen tank for the space shuttle Challenger explodes 73 seconds after take off, killing the ship's entire crew (Commanders Francis "Dick" Scobee and Michael J. Smith, Dr. Judith A. Resnik, Dr. Ronald E. McNair, Lt. Colonel Ellison S. Onizuka, Gregory B. Jarvis and school teacher Christa McAuliffe)

JANUARY 27, 2013

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1895 - Buddy DeSylva, songwriter (alone and as part of the writing and publishing partnership DeSylva, Brown and Henderson), singer, Broadway and motion picture producer, and one of Capitol Records three founders, is born George Gard DeSylva in New York City, New York
1916 - Milt Raskin, lyricist (with Pete Rugalo for Stan Kenton's Capitol Records album "Artistry in Voices and Brass"), composer with lyricist and Capitol Records co-founder Johnny Mercer ("I Never Wanna Look Into Those Eyes"), session pianist for Billie Holiday, Gene Krupa, and Capitol Records artists Wingy Manone and Anita O'Day, arranger and conductor for Capitol Records artists Peggy Lee, Nat "King" Cole, and Vic Damone, conductor for M-G-M, Columbia and Disney's studio orchestras, arranger for the soundtracks to the motion pictures "The Agony and the Ecstacy" and "Lawrence of Arabia" and the television shows "Naked City" and "The Fugitive", is born Milton W. Raskin in Boston, Massachusetts
95 Years Ago Today In 1918 - Skitch Henderson, pianist, bandleader ("The Tonight Show" orchestra, with both Steve Allen and Johnny Carson, until 1966), composer, and Capitol Records artist, is born Lyle Russell Cedric Henderson on a farm near Halstad, Minnesota.
1930 - Dick Meldonian, alto, tenor, and baritone saxophone player, flute and clarinet player, with both Capitol Records artists Freddie Slack and Stan Kenton's orchestras, is born in Providence, Rhode Island
1945 - Nick Mason, composer and drummer with the Tower, Harvest, Columbia (UK and US) and Capitol Records band Pink Floyd (and its only remaining original member), is born Nicholas Berkeley Mason in Birmingham (Downshire Hills), England
1951 - Seth Justman, songwriter, record producer, keyboardist and vocalist with the Capitol Records group The J. Geils Band, is born in Washington, DC
1957 - Janick Gers, composer and guitarist with the Capitol Records band Iron Maiden, is born Janick Robert Gers in England

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1944 - Ella Mae Morse (with the Dick Walters Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "No Love, No Nothin'", the flip side of "Shoo Shoo Baby", enters the top 40 of the U.S. Pop singles charts
1947 - The King Cole Trio's Capitol Records Single "(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons", the flip side of "The Best Man" is still #1 on the U.S. Pop singles chart and Johnny Mercer's Capitol Records single "A Gal In Calico", the flip side of "Winter Wonderland" is still #2
1969 - The Beatles record tracks for the songs "Get Back" and "I've Got A Feeling" that will be released on their Apple Records album "Let It Be" and distributed by Capitol Records in the United States
1979 - Little River Band's Harvest Records (a subsidiary of Capitol Records) single "Lady", with "Take Me Home" on the flip side, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
15 Years Ago Today In 1998 - Capitol Records Nashville artist Trace Adkins and his wife welcome a new baby girl, Mackenzie Lynn Adkins, at 3:44 p.m. at Baptist Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee. Mackenzie weighs 5 lbs., 15 1/2 oz. and measures 19 inches in length.
2005 - Capitol Records artist Houston attempts to jump out of a London hotel window, is prevented from doing so by his security staff, is locked in his room, and then gouges out one of his eyes

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1919 - Ross Bagdasarian (aka David Seville), singer, songwriter ("Come On A My House", "Witch Doctor", "The Chipmunk Song [Christmas Time Is Here Again]"), actor, creator of Alvin and The Chipmunks, and Liberty Records artist, is born in Fresno, California
1961 - Martin Degville, guitarist for the EMI America group Sigue Sigue Sputnik, is born somewhere in England. If anyone knows for sure where, please leave a comment

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1756 - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, composer and pianist, is born in Austria
1885 - Jerome Kern, composer (Broadway shows including "Sunny", "Show Boat" and "Roberta", motion pictures "Love Me Tonight", "Swing Time", "Cover Girl") is born Jerome David Kern in New York City, New York. His life was the basis for the M-G-M motion picture musical "As Clouds Roll By" which had segments that feature future Capitol Records artists Frank Sinatra and Judy Garland and future United Artists Records artist Lena Horne. In 1992, Capitol Records releases "The Song Is You: Capitol Sings Jerome Kern", a compilation of various Capitol Records artists singing Kern's best known works, on CD and cassette as part of its "Capitol Sings" series.
1895 - Harry Ruby, pianist, Broadway and motion picture songwriter ("I Want To Be Loved By You" and for the Marx Brothers films "Animal Cracker", "Horse Feathers", and "Duck Soup" with partner Bert Kalmar) and screenwriter, is born in New York City. His life would become the basis of the 1950 M-G-M motion picture musical "Three Little Words"
1997 - Gerald Marks, composer (best known for the song "All of Me" that's been covered by many Capitol Records artists including Frank Sinatra and Nat "King" Cole) dies at age 96

JANUARY 26, 2013

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1880 - Douglas MacArthur, U.S. Army General (5 star General of the Army), Commander of Allied Forces in the Pacific, and Capitol Records artist (an album of a collection of speeches), is born in Little Rock, Arkansas
100 Years Ago Today In 1913 - Jimmy Van Heusen, songwriter (including the Academy Award winning songs "Swinging on a Star" [1944], "All the Way" [1957], "High Hopes" [1959], and "Call Me Irresponsible" [1963], and, with lyricists Johnny Burke and Sammy Cahn, wrote over 75 songs recorded by Frank Sinatra for Capitol Records and other labels including "My Kind of Town" and "Second Time Around"), is born Edward Chester Babcock in Syracuse, New York
1950 - Paul Pena (aka Earthquake), songwriter ("Jet Airliner"), guitarist, singer (self-taught Tuvan throat singer which later became the basis for the documentary "Genghis Blues"), and Capitol Records artist (1972-1973), is born in Hyannis, Massachussets
1951 - David Briggs, guitarist with the Capitol Records group "Little River Band", is born in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1946 - Tex Ritter's Capitol Records single "You Will Have to Pay", with "Christmas Carols By The Old Corral" is still #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
1969 - The Beatles record tracks for the songs "Dig It", "Let It Be", and "The Long And Winding Road" which will end up on their Apple Records album "Let It Be" that will be released in the United States by Capitol Records
1970 - John Lennon writes the song "Instant Karma" in the morning and records it in the afternoon with producer Phil Spector, who mixes it the same day. The single will be released in just 10 days.
1974 - Ringo Starr's Apple Records single "You're Sixteen", with "Devil Woman" on the flip side, is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1985 - Tina Turner's Capitol Records single "Private Dancer" enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart

1992 - Jose Ferrer (born José Vicente Ferrer de Otero y Cintrón), Broadway, motion picture, and television actor and director, one-time husband of Capitol Records artist Rosemary Clooney, father of motion picture and television actor Miguel Ferrer, and Capitol Records artist (on the soundtrack to "Cyrano de Bergerac") dies, following a brief battle with colon cancer, in Coral Gables, Florida and will later be interred in Santa Maria Magdalena de Pazzis Cemetery in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico.
2007 - EMI Group chairman Eric Nicoli announces the merger of Capitol Records and Virgin Records into a new company called Capitol Music Group. Virgin Records president Jason Flom is named head of the combined group. Capitol Records president Andrew Slater is let go six months into a five year contract renewal. I rode by The Tower that morning on the bus at about 7:50 and it looked like the flag was at half mast and wrapped around the pole. Probably just a coincidence. I found out later that the flag was at half staff as part of an ongoing tribute to former United States president Gerald Ford who had recently died.
2011 - Charlie Louvin, singer, songwriter, musician, Capitol Records solo artist and part of the Capitol Records duo The Louvin Brothers, died today at age 83 at his home at Wartrace, Tennessee of complications of pancreatic cancer. Here's a link to the obituary in The New York Times.

ON THIS DAY IN NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1915 - William Hopper, actor ("The Bad Seed" and Paul Drake on "Perry Mason") and son of actress and gossip columinist Hedda Hopper (whose estate had offices in The Capitol Tower), is born William DeWolf Hopper, Jr. in New York City, New York
50 Years Ago Today In 1963 - "Jazzie B.", singer and founding member of the Virgin Records America group Soul II Soul, is born Beresford Romeo in Finsbury Park, London, England. I adapted the packaging designs for the U.S. market for the band's first two albums and as well as designing packaging for their first few promotional U.S. CD singles
1970 - "The Magic Christian", starring EMI artist Peter Sellers and Apple/Capitol Records artist Ringo Starr, as well as featuring music by Apple/Capitol Records artist Paul McCartney which is performed by Apple/Capitol Records group Badfinger, premieres in Beverly Hills, California
1981 - Blondie's Chrysalis Records album "Auto American" is certified Platinum by the R.I.A.A. Chrysalis' catalog is currently owned by Capitol Records' parent company EMI Music.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1934 - The Apollo Theatre opens in Harlem, New York City

JANUARY 25, 2013

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1924 - Speedy West, pedal steel guitarist and Capitol Records artist(1949-1962), is born Wesley Webb West in Springfield Missouri
1950 - Michael Cotton, keyboard and synthesizer player with the Capitol Records group The Tubes, is born in Kansas City, Missouri

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1945 - Tex Ritter's Capitol Records single "I'm Wastin' My Tears On You", with "There's A New Moon Over My Shoulder" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
1945 - Rex Stewart's Big Eight (Stewart on cornet, Lawrence Brown on trombone, Al Sears on tenor saxophone, Harry Carney on baritone saxophone, Eddie Heywood piano, Ulysses Livingston on guitar, Junior Raglin on bass, Keg Purnell on drums, and Joya Sherrill on vocals) records the instrumental tracks "T'ain't Like That" (2 versions, with the first released and the second unissued), "Dutch Treat", and "Rexercise" which will be released by Capitol Records, and "Blue Jay" (with Sherrill on vocals) which will be released by Pausa 9033, in Los Angeles, California. All the tracks are included on Mosaic Records 1997 box set "Classic Capitol Jazz Sessions"
1951 - Mel Blanc (as Henery Hawk, Foghorn Leghorn, and Daffy Duck) records the track "Henery Hawk", with words by Warren Foster and Michael Maltese, music by Billy May, and produced by Alan Livingston, that will be released as a single (3058) by Capitol Records with the track covering both sides
1964 - The Beatles' Capitol Records single "I Want To Hold Your Hand" with "I Saw Her Standing There" on the flip side is #1 on Cashbox Magazine's Top Singles chart and will peak at #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart the next week on February 1, 1964
1969 - The Beatles record tracks for the songs "Two Of Us", "For You Blue", and "Let It Be"
1977 - Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band's Capitol Records album "Night Moves" is certified Gold by the R.I.A.A.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1929 - Benny Golson, tenor saxophonist, composer, arranger, member of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, and United Artists Records artist, is born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
50 Years Ago Today In 1963 - Cilla Black makes her stage debut at Liverpool's Cavern Club
50 Years Ago Today In 1963 - After Capitol Records passes on them, EMI awards the US record label Vee-Jay the right to distribute Beatles records in the United States
1964 - Swan Records releases The Beatles' single "She Loves You", with "I'll Get You" on the flipside
1981 - Blondie's Chrysalis Records single "The Tide Is High" is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1987 - Dan Seals EMI America single "You Still Move Me", with "I'm Still Strung Out On You" on the flip side, is #1 on Billboard's Country singles chart
1990 - Ava Gardner, actress and second wife of Capitol Records artist Frank Sinatra, dies of pneumonia
15 Years Ago Today In 1998 - Janet Jackson's Virgin Records single "Together Again" is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1927 - Antonio Carlos Jobim, guitar, pianist, composer (converted the Brazilian Samba into the intimate Bossa Nova), music producer and singer, is born in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
75 Years Ago Today In 1938 - Etta James, singer, is born Jamesetta Hawkins in Los Angeles, California
1949 - The first Emmy Awards are presented at a ceremony at The Hollywood Athletic Club

JANUARY 24, 2013

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1936 - Jack Scott, singer, guitarist, and Capitol Records artist (1961-1964), is born Giovanni Dominico Scafone, Jr. in Windsor, Ontario, Canada.
1939 - Ray Stevens, comedian, actor, singer, 1980 Nashville Songwriters Hall Of Fame inductee, and Prep Records (1957, the label was a subsidiary of Capitol Records) and Capitol Records (1958) artist, is born Harold Ray Ragsdale in Clarksdale, Georgia
1944 - Neil Diamond, singer, songwriter, motion picture actor, and Capitol Records artist (1980 - soundtrack to "The Jazz Singer"), is born Neil Leslie Diamond in Brooklyn, New York

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
60 Years Ago Today In 1953 - Kay Starr's Capitol Records single "Side By Side", with "Noah" on the flipside, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Pop singles chart
1962 - Future Parlophone and Capitol Records artists The Beatles sign a management contract with Brian Epstein at his office at the NEMS record store in Whitechapel
45 Years Ago Today In 1968 - Merle Haggard's Capitol Records single "Sing Me Back Home", with "Good Times" on the flipside, is #1 on Billboard's Country singles chart
1979 - Brian Wilson, member of the Capitol Records group The Beach Boys, divorces his wife, Marilyn Rovell
1982 - Juice Newton's Capitol Records single "The Sweetest Thing (I've Ever Known)", with "Ride 'Em Cowboy" on the flip side, is #1 on Billboard's Country singles cart
1986 - Gordon MacRae (born Albert Gordon MacRae), singer, Broadway, motion picture, and television actor, and Capitol Records artist (1947-1969), dies of of pneumonia, the result of complications from cancer of the mouth and jaw, at age 65 in Lincoln, Nebraska
2006 - Capitol Records releases Roseanne Cash's album "Black Cadillac", Linda Ronstadt's 2 CD compilation "The Best Of Linda Ronstadt", and Starsailor's album "On The Outside". EMI/Capitol Records releases Al Green's album "Livin' For You"

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1925 - Jimmy Scott, conga drummer, is born Jimmy Anonmuogharan Scott Emuakor in Nigeria. Paul McCartney, who got to know Scott when he played in London night clubs, used Scott's catch phrase "ob-la-di ob-la-da" (a Yoruba tribal phrase meaning "life goes on") as the basis of The Beatles' track "Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da".
1945 - Spirits of Rhythm record the tracks "Honeysuckle Rose", "Last Call Blues", "She Ain't No Saint", and "Scattin' The Blues" for Black & White Records in Los Angeles, California. EMI Music, Capitol Records parent company, currently owns the Black & White catalog
1947 - Warren Zevon, singer, songwriter, and Virgin Records America artist (1987), is born in Chicago, Illinois
1964 - Brian Epstein signs Sounds Incorporated to a management and agency contract with NEMS Enterprises and gets them a deal with EMI
1986 - Vincent Minnelli (born Lester Anthony Minnelli), Broadway and motion picture director, father of Capitol Records artist Liza Minnelli and husband for six years to Capitol Records artist Judy Garland, dies at age 82 and is later interred in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California
1987 - Future Capitol Records/Grand Royal Records artists The Beastie Boys' Def Jam single "(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party)", with "Paul Revere" on the flipside, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart

BTW - This is my 2,500th post :)

JANUARY 23, 2013

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1925 - Marty Paich, pianist, composer, arranger (with and/or for Peggy Lee, Shorty Rogers’ Giants, Dorothy Dandridge, Shelley Manne, Art Pepper, Shorty Rogers, Dave Pell, Mel Torme, Ray Brown, Anita O’Day, Stan Kenton, Terry Gibbs, Ella Fitzgerald, and Buddy Rich) and record producer, is born Martin Louis Paich in Oakland, California
1950 - Pat Simmons, singer, guitarist, with the Capitol Records group The Doobie Brothers, is born Patrick Simmons in Aberdeen, Washington

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1947 - Merle Travis (on vocals and guitar, with Jack McTaggart on trumpet, Shelby "Tex" Atchison on fiddle, Joseph Strand on piano, Paul Sells on accordian, Eddie Kirk on rhythm guitar, Noel Edwin Boggs on steel guitar, and Cliffie Stone on bass) records the tracks "Steel Guitar Rag", "Lawdy, What A Gal", and "Sioux City Sue" in Los Angeles, California between 8:30 PM and 11:30 PM. Capitol Records will release the first track as the flip side of the single "Three Times Seven" (Capitol 384), the second as a single (Capitol 40006) with "I'm Sick And Tired Of You, Little Darlin'" on the flip side, and the last track on the compilation album "Cowboy Hit Parade" (AD-55).
65 Years Ago Today In 1948 - Peggy Lee's Capitol Records single "Mañana", with "All Dressed Up With A Broken Heart" on the flipside, enters the top 40 of the U.S. Pop singles charts
1951 - Tennessee Ernie Ford's Capitol Records single "Shot Gun Boogie", with I Ain't Gonna Let It Happen No More" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
60 Years Ago Today In 1953 - Billy May finishes recording tracks for his Capitol Records album "Big Band Bash"
55 Years Ago Today In 1958 - Dean Martin (on vocals), with Gus Levene conducting the orchestra (Conrad Gozzo, Vito "Mickey" Mangano, and Cecil Read on trumpet, Ray Heath, George Roberts, and Lloyd Ulyate on trombone, Arthur "Skeets" Herfurt, Heinie Beau, Babe Russin, and Chuck Gentry on saxophones, Dominic Frontiere on accordion, Ken Lane on piano, Alvino Rey, Howard Roberts, and Jack Rose on guitar, Joe Comfort on bass, Frankie Carlson and Lou Singer on drums, and a string section with Victor Bay, Kurt Dieterle, Natalie Kaproff, Erno Neufeld, Nick Pisani, Lou Raderman, and Mischa Russell on violins, Virginia Majewski and David Sterkin on viola, and Jim Arkatov and Kurt Reher on cello), records the titles "Return To Me", "Buona Sera", "Forgetting You", "Tue Sei Bella, Signorina", and "Angel Baby" at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California between 2:00 PM and 5:30 PM. Capitol Records will issue "Return To Me" and "Forgetting You" together as a single (Capitol F3894), "Buona Sera" on Martin's album "Return To Me" (EAP-1-939), "Tue Sei Bella, Signorina" as a single (Capitol 4518) with "Sparklin' Eyes" (recorded December 12, 1960) on the flipside, and "Angel Baby" as a single (Capitol F3988) with "I'll Gladly Make The Same Mistake Again" (recorded August 12, 1954) on the flipside.
50 Years Ago Today In 1963 - The Kingston Trio records the track "The Reverend Mr. Black" with producer Voyle Gilmore for their Capitol Records album "The Kingston Trio #16"
1965 - Peter and Gordon's Capitol Records single "I Go To Pieces", with "True Love Ways" on the flip side, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1966 - The Beatles' Capitol Records single "We Can Work It Out", with "Day Tripper" on the flip side, returns to the #1 spot on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1975 - Merle Haggard's Capitol Records single "Kentucky Gambler", with "I've Got A Darlin' For A Wife" is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
1981 - Bobby Sherwood, singer, actor (motion picture "Pal Joey"), orchestra leader ("The Milton Berle Show"), and Capitol Records artist (his Capitol Records single "Elk's Parade", with "I Don't Know Why" on the flip side, [both recorded May 5, 1942] is the label's seventh single, is part of Capitol's first release schedule, and is the label's third biggest seller during its first decade), dies of throat cancer at age 66 in Auburn, Massachusetts
1985 - Iron Maiden signs with Capitol Records
1991 - Megadeth's Capitol Records album "Rust In Peace" is certified Gold by the R.I.A.A.
1991 - Poison's Capitol Records single "Something To Believe In", with "Ball And Chain" on the flip side, is certified Gold by the R.I.A.A.
1991 - Garth Brooks' Liberty Records (later renamed Capitol Records Nashville) single "Unanswered Prayers", with "Alabama Clay" on the flip side, is still #1 on Billboard's Country singles chart
20 Years Ago Today In 1993 - Duran Duran's Capitol Records single "Ordinary World", with "Save A Prayer" on the flip side, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1996 - Capitol Records releases Jo Stafford's compilation CD "Spotlight On Jo Stafford" as part of the label's "Great Ladies Of Song" series
1999 - Capitol Records Nashville releases Ty England's album "Highways & Dance Halls"

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
70 Years Ago Today In 1943 - Future Capitol Records artist Duke Ellington, and his orchestra, perform at their first concert at Carnegie Hall in New York City, New York
2007 - Blue Note Records releases the companion soundtrack to the documentary "Billy Strayhorn: Lush Life". Blue Note Records is a subsidiary of Capitol Records, Inc.

JANUARY 22, 2013

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1946 - Cootie Williams and His Orchestra record the tracks "Jumping To Conclusions (part one)", "Jumping To Conclusions (part two)", "Someone I Knew", and "You're The One For Me, Sweetheart" at the WMCA studios in New York City, New York for Capitol Records. The tracks will remain unreleased until they are included in Mosaic Records 1997 box set "Classic Capitol Jazz Sessions"
1960 - Capitol Records opens a new pressing plant in Los Angeles, California. It has been closed for a while but there's a recent photo of the site on Flickr.com.
1965 - The Beach Boys record the instrumental tracks for their song "Wouldn't It Be Nice" at Gold Star Recording Studios, Hollywood, California with engineer Larry Levine. The vocal tracks will be recorded in March and April 1966 at Columbia Studios, Hollywood, California with engineer Ralph Balantin. The finished song will be released on July 18, 1966 as a single, with "God Only Knows" on the flip side, and will be included on their Capitol Records album "Pet Sounds"
1966 - The Beatles' Capitol Records single "Day Tripper" peaks at #5 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart. On the same date, the single's flip side, "We Can Work It Out", is currently #11 on the chart, after peaking at #1 on January 8, 1966.
1969 - The Beatles record the tracks for the songs "I Dig A Pony", "I've Got A Feeling", and "Don't Let Me Down". On the same day, George Harrison, at a meeting held at the Apple Corps. offices, persuades Billy Preston to join The Beatles' "Get Back" sessions, which will later be released by Capitol Records in the United States as the album "Let It Be"
1969 - Glen Campbell's Capitol Records single "Wichita Lineman", the flip side of "Fate Of Man" is certified Gold by the R.I.A.A.
1977 - Wings' Capitol Records album album "Wings Over America" hits #1 on Billboard's album chart
1982 - The J. Geils Band's Capitol Records single "Centerfold", the flip side of "Rage In The Cage" is #3 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
2004 - Billy May, trumpet player, composer, arranger, band leader, conductor, and Capitol Records artist, dies of a heart attack at his home in in San Juan Capistrano, California at age 87

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1914 - Frank and Ethel Gumm, parents of future Capitol Records artist Francis Gumm (aka Judy Garland) are married
1931 - Sam Cooke, singer, songwriter and record executive, is born Samuel Cook in Clarksdale, Mississippi. He would later record at two sessions at The Capitol Tower Studios for his own record company.
50 Years Ago Today In 1963 - Gerry and The Pacemakers, at their first session for Parlophone Records, record the track "How Do You Do It?" (which had been recorded by The Beatles in 1962 but not released until the "Anthology 1" albums came out in 1995) written by Mitch Murray and Pete Callendar (who went on to write songs for other acts like Mud and Tony Christie) as well as the tracks "Away From You" and "Pretend", with producer George Martin
45 Years Ago Today In 1968 - Apple Corps (home of the boutique and the label) opens its first London headquarters at 95 Wigmore Street, Marylebone, London, 4th floor
1972 - Don McLean's United Artists Records album "American Pie" hits #1 on Billboard's album chart
1977 - The Sex Pistols leave the EMI label 3 1/2 months after signing with label and will later write and record the song "EMI" about their experiences with the label which will be released on the band's Virgin Records album "Never Mind The Bollocks". Virgin Records catalog is currently owned by EMI Music and the label is now owned by EMI.
1985 - Zak Starkey, eldest son of Ringo Starr, marries Sarah Menikides at a private ceremony in a registry office in Bracknell, Berkshire, England

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1875 - D.W. Griffith, playwright, actor, director, film producer, and one of the four founders (Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks and Charlie Chaplin were the other three) of United Artists Studios (which many years later would release three movies and one soundtrack by The Beatles as well as the James Bond franchise and spawn the United Artists Records label whose catalog is currently owned by EMI Music, Capitol Records' parent company), is born David Llewelyn Wark Griffith in La Grange, Kentucky
1889 - The Columbia Phonograph Company is formed in Washington, DC. The record label would eventually morph into the Columbia Broadcast System, better known today as CBS. The record label is currently owned by Sony.
1947 - KTLA, Channel 5 in Hollywood, California, broadcasts for the first time, becoming the first commercial television station west of the Mississippi River
45 Years Ago Today In 1968 - "Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In", filmed in "beautiful downtown Burbank", California, debuts on NBC-TV

JANUARY 21, 2013

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1949 - Buddy Cole, Tennessee Ernie Ford, and The King Sisters sign with Capitol Records and Ford has his first recording session for Capitol Records
1959 - The Kingston Trio's Capitol Records single "Tom Dooley" is certified Gold by the R.I.A.A.
1966 - George Harrison marries Patricia Anne Boyd at the Esher Register Office, Surrey, England with fellow member of the Capitol Records group The Beatles Paul McCartney, and their manager Brian Epstein, in attendance. Harrison met Boyd on the set of the motion picture "A Hard Day's Night" where Boyd appeared in the train scenes with Harrison.
1979 - Crystal Gale's Capitol Records single "Why Have You Left The One You Left Me For" is #1 on Billboard's Country singles chart
1987 - Imperial and Capitol Records artist Ricky Nelson, Liberty Records artist Eddie Cochran, Virgin Records America artist Roy Orbison, as well as Carl Perkins, Smokey Robinson, Aretha Frankin, Jackie Wilson and others are inducted into The Rock 'N' Roll Hall Of Fame in New York City, New York at the organization's second induction ceremony.
2002 - Peggy Lee, singer, songwriter, one-time wife of fellow Capitol Records artist Dave Barbour, and a Capitol Records solo artist, dies of a heart attack at age 81 in Bel Air, California and is later interred in the Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Westwood, California.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1976 - Emma Bunton (aka "Baby Spice") singer, with the Virgin Records group The Spice Girls, is born in Barnet, Hertfordshire, England
1984 - John Lennon's single "Nobody Told Me" entered the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1956 - Bill Haley and The Comets' album "Rock Around The Clock" becomes the first Rock 'n' Roll album to enter the U.S. album charts

JANUARY 20, 2013

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
125 Years Ago Today In 1888 - Leadbelly, singer, guitarist, and Capitol Records artist, is born Huddie William Ledbetter on the Jeter plantation near Mooringsport, Louisiana
1922 - Ray Anthony, trumpet player, bandleader, one time husband of actress Mamie Van Doren, and Capitol Records artist, is born Raymond Antonini in Bentleyville, Pennsylvania
1929 - Jimmy Cobb, drummer, in Capitol Records artist Cannonball Adderly's band, as well as Nat Adderly's and the Miles Davis Quintet, is born in Washington, DC

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
55 Years Ago Today In 1958 - Both The Four Preps' Capitol Records single "26 Miles (Santa Catalina)", with "It's You" on the flip side, and Frank Sinatra's Capitol Records single "Witchcraft" with "Tell Her You Love Her" on the flip side, enter the top 40 of Billboard's Pop singles chart
1964 - Capitol Records releases Johnny Burnette's second single for the label "The Opposite", with "You Taught Me the Way To Love You" on the flip side. The Beatles' first album for the label, "Meet The Beatles", is also released. As part of a promotional campaign, all Capitol executives and salesmen are ordered to wear Beatle wigs for one week beginning today. Burnette's single did not chart. The Beatles' album will peak at #1 on Billboard's Pop album chart in less than a month on February 15, 1964.
1964 - The Beach Boys record the instrumental tracks for their song "Pom Pom Playgirl". When the vocals are later recorded, the track will be the band's first to feature Carl Wilson on lead vocals. The final track will be delivered to Capitol on February 20, 1964 and will be included on The Beach Boys' Capitol Records album "Shut Down Vol. 2".
1967 - The Beatles finish recording the track "A Day In The Life" at EMI's Abbey Road studios in London, England
1969 - Capitol Records releases The Beach Boys' album "20/20"
1974 - Ringo Starr's Apple Records single (distributed by Capitol Records in the U.S.) "You're Sixteen", with "Devil Woman" on the flip side, is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
25 Years Ago Today In 1988 - Capitol Records artists The Beach Boys, The Beatles, Leadbelly, and Les Paul are inducted into the Rock 'N' Roll Hall Of Fame
1996 - Gerry Mulligan (born Gerald Joseph Mulligan), baritone saxophonist, pianist, clarinet player, arranger, band leader, and Pacific Jazz, Blue Note and Capitol Records artist, dies of complications from a knee infection at age 68 in Darien, Connecticut
15 Years Ago Today In 1998 - EMI-Capitol Entertainment Properties releases Garth Brooks' video "Garth Live From Central Park", distributed in the United States by Orion Home Video. The video will debut at No. 1 on the Billboard Home Video chart on Februay 2, 1998

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1924 - Slim Whitman, singer, yodeler, guitarist, and United Artists Records artist is born Otis Dewey Whitman, Jr., in Tampa, Florida. EMI Music, Capitol Records' parent company, currently owns United Artists' catalog.
1957 - Ricky Nelson's Imperial Records album "Ricky" hits #1 on Billboard's Pop album chart
1979 - Kenny Roger's United Artists Records album "The Gambler" is #1 on Billboard's Pop album chart. United Artists' catalog is currently owned by Capitol Records' parent company, EMI Music.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1896 - George Burns, vaudeville, radio, motion picture (played Mr. Kite in "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band") and television performer (best know as part of the duo Burns and Allen with his wife Gracie Allen) is born Nathan Birnbaum in New York City, New York
1965 - Alan Freed, radio disc jockey (called "Moon Doggy" at WJW Radio in Cleveland where he coined the phrase “Rock ’N’ Roll” before moving to WABC in New York) and motion picture actor, dies of uremia at age 43 in Palm Springs, California

JANUARY 19, 2013

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1911 - Ken Nelson, Capitol Records producer, founding member of the Country Music Association (CMA), and 2001 Country Music Hall Of Fame inductee, is born in Caledonia, Minnesota
1917 - John Raitt, singer, Broadway and motion picture actor, father of Capitol Records artist Bonnie Raitt, and a Capitol Records artist, is born John Emmett Raitt in Santa Ana, California
1919 - Rollin Sullivan, singer, comedian, and "Oscar" of the Capitol Records duo Lonzo and Oscar, is born in Edmonton, Kentucky
1919 - Ray Eberle, singer, motion picture actor, band leader, and Capitol Records artist (with Tex Beneke & His Orchestra and The Modernaires) is born in Mechanicville, New York
1944 - Laurie London, singer in English and German, actor, Odeon and Capitol Records artist, and the first and youngest person (at age 13) to have single certified Gold by the R.I.A.A. ("He's Got The Whole World In His Hands" with "Handed Down" on the flip side, Capitol 3891), is born in London, England and would retire from singing at age 19
1949 - Robert Palmer, singer, guitarist, solo artist and lead singer of the Capitol Records band Power Station, is born Robert Allen Palmer in Batley, Yorkshire, England
1971 - John Wozniak, guitarist, lead singer, and songwriter with the Capitol Records group Marcy Playground, is born in Saint Paul, Minnesota

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1947 - The King Cole Trio's Capitol Records single "For Sentimental Reasons", with "The Best Man" on the flip side is still #1 on the U.S. Pop singles charts and Johnny Mercer's Capitol Records single "A Gal In Calico", with "Winter Wonderland" on the flip side, is #3
1951 - Mel Blanc's Capitol Records single "I Taut I Taw A Puddy Tat", with "Yosemite Sam" on the flip side (both tracks were written by Capitol Records VP Alan Livingston), enters the top 40 of the U.S. Pop Singles charts
1959 - Ray Anthony's Capitol Records single "Peter Gunn", with "Tango For Two" on the flip side, enters the top 40 of the U.S. Pop singles charts
1962 - Quinn Williams records the as yet unissued tracks "Cherry Red", "Need Your Love So Bad", and "Just A Dream" in Los Angeles, California for Capitol Records.
1962 - Mickey Katz and "Der Ganser Gang" (lineup unlisted) record the tracks "Havah Nagila, "My Yiddische Momme", "Shalom", "Papirossen", and "The Calle Twist" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue the first four tracks on Katz's album "Sing Along With Mickele" (T 1744) and the last track as a single (Capitol 4714) with "Knock Around The Clock" on the flip side.
1962 - Lee Evans (on piano) and Orchestra (lineup unlisted) record the tracks "When Did I Fall In Love?", "Something You Never Had Before", "Again", and "There Is No Greater Love" in New York City, New York. Capitol Records will issue all the tracks on Evans' album "" (T 1708) and the first track as a single (Capitol 4748) with "I Feel Pretty" on the flip side.
1967 - Elli Saint-James records the as yet unissued track "Highways" in New York City, New York for Capitol Records.
1967 - Merle Travis (on vocals and guitar, with unlisted musicians) records the tracks "Farther Down The Road", "Country Joe", and "You're A Little Bit Cuter" in Nashville, Tennessee. Capitol Records will issue the first track as a single (Capitol 5876) with "" on the flip side and the last two tracks together as a single (Capitol 5965).
1967 - The Beatles begin recording the track "A Day In The Life" at EMI's Abbey Road studios in London, England. Capitol Records will issue the finished track on the band's album "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" (MAS 2653).
1971 - George Harrison's Apple Records single "My Sweet Lord", with "Isn’t It a Pity" on the flip side, is still #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1972 - Ferlin Husky (on vocals with unlisted musicians) records the tracks "What's He Doin' In My World", "Easy Loving", the as yet unissued track "Guess I'd Better Move Along", and "Sweet Memories" in Nashville, Tennessee. Capitol Records will issue the first, second and last track on Husky's album "Just Plain Lonely" (ST-11069).
1982 - Donna Washington (on vocals with unlisted musicians) records the track "You Can't Hide From The Boogie" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue the track on Washington's album "Just For You" (ST-12233).
1987 - The Grapes Of Wrath (lineup unlisted) records the track "Seems Like Fate" at unlisted location. Capitol Records will release the track on the band's album "Treehouse" (CDP 7 48018-2). If anyone has more information about this session, please leave a comment.
1994 - Capitol Records artists The Band and John Lennon are inducted into the Rock 'N' Roll Hall Of Fame
5 Years Ago Today In 2008 - John Stewart, singer, guitarist, songwriter, member of the Capitol Records group The Kingston Trio, and a solo artist, died after suffering a stroke in San Diego, California (also the city where he was born) at age 68.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1932 - Richard Lester, television and motion picture producer and director (The Beatles' "A Hard Day's Night" and "Help!", "The Knack...And How to Get It", "Petulia", "How I Won The War", "Robin And Marian", "The Three Musketeers", its sequals, and many more), is born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
1957 - Johnny Cash makes his first network TV appearance on Capitol Records artist Jackie Gleason's CBS-TV show "The Jackie Gleason Show"
50 Years Ago Today In 1963 - Caron Wheeler, singer with the Virgin Records America band Soul II Soul, is born in London, England. Virgin Records is owned by EMI Music, Capitol Records' parent company.
1976 - The former members of The Beatles are offered fifty million dollars to reform by concert promoter Bill Sergent. They decline the offer. The offer becomes a parody on NBC-TV's "Saturday Night Live" when producer Lorne Michaels makes an on-air offer to The Beatles of $5000 dollars to reform on his show. The gag reappears when former member George Harrison appears on the show and is told the offer was only good if all four members appear.
1985 - Sheena Easton's EMI America Single "Sugar Walls" (written by Prince), with "Straight Talk" on the flip side, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart. EMI America's catalog is currently owned by EMI Music, Capitol Records' parent company.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
60 Years Ago Today In 1953 - Desi Arnaz, Jr., actor, drummer with the group Dino, Desi, and Billy, and singer, is born via Caesarian section on the same day the episode airs where his mother's character of Lucy Ricardo gives birth to "Little Ricky" on his parents' television show "I Love Lucy". It becomes the highest rated television show up to that time as sixty-eight percent of all TV sets in the U.S. are tuned in to watch.
1995 - Gene MacLellan, singer and songwriter ("Snowbird", a worldwide hit for Capitol Records artist Anne Murray), dies in Summerside, Prince Edward Island, Canada at age 54
15 Years Ago Today In 1998 - Carl Perkins, singer, songwriter, ("Blue Suede Shoes" and three songs covered by Capitol Records group The Beatles: "Matchbox", "Honey Don't", and "Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby"), guitarist, 1985 Nashville Songwriters Hall Of Fame inductee, and 1987 Rock 'N' Roll Hall Of Fame inductee, dies from throat cancer at age 65 and is later interred in the Ridgecrest Cemetery in Jackson, Tennessee

JANUARY 18, 2013

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
100 Years Ago Today In 1913 - Danny Kaye, motion picture and television actor (who, among many other roles, played the role of Capitol Records artist Red Nichols in the biopic "The Five Pennies"), comedian, singer, dancer, UNICEF ambassador, and Capitol Records artist, is born David Daniel Kaminski in Brooklyn, New York

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1946 - Tex Ritter's Capitol Records single "You Will Have To Pay", with "Christmas Carols By The Old Corral" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
1956 - The Hollywood String Quartet sign with Capitol Records
1960 - Capitol Records releases The Louvin Brothers single "Nellie Moved To Town" with "The Stagger" on the flip side
1964 - The Beatles appear on Billboard's Pop singles chart for the first time with their Capitol Records single "I Want To Hold Your Hand"
1969 - The Capitol Records soundtrack to United Artists' animated feature film "Yellow Submarine" debuts on Billboard's Pop albums chart
35 Years Ago Today In 1973 - Pink Floyd begin the last 11 of 38 days of recording tracks at EMI's Abbey Road studios in London, England for their album "Dark Side Of The Moon", after taking a break on October 27, 1972 for touring. Sessions will end on February 1 and the completed album will be distributed by Capitol Records in the United States.
15 Years Ago Today In 1993 - Capitol Records releases Hoyt Axton's album "American Originals"

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1932 - Irene Kral, singer, and a United Artists Records artist (whose UA album "The Band And I" has been reissued on the Capitol Jazz label by Blue Note Records), is born in Chicago, Illinois
1962 - The duo Shirley & Lee (vocalists Shirley Goodman & Leonard Lee) sign with Imperial Records whose catalog is currently owned by Capitol Music Group's parent company EMI Music Group. Their first recording session for the label will be held in New Orleans on February 1, 1962 where the will record the tracks "The Joker", "Together We Stand", "My Last Letter" and "I'm Old Enough" with Dave Bartholomew and Wardell Quezergue on trumpets, Waldron 'Frog' Joseph on trombone, Warren Bell and Clarence Ford on tenor saxophones, Carl Bluin on baritone saxophone, James Booker on piano, Justin Adams on guitar, George French on bass, and either Robert French or Joe 'Smokey' Johnson on drums. Imperial will release the first two tracks together as a single (Imperial 5818) and the last two tracks together as a single (Imperial 5854).
1944 - The Metropolitan Opera House in New York City hosts it's first jazz concert which features performances by future Capitol Records artists Benny Goodman, Jack Teagarden, and Lionel Hampton (who recorded for Capitol as part of Goodman's bands), as well as Louis Armstrong (who would record tracks for Verve Records at The Capitol Tower Studios as well as perform on the soundtrack for the motion picture "High Society" which was released by Capitol), Artie Shaw, and Roy Eldridge
1969 - The Foundations' UNI single "Build Me Up Buttercup", with "New Direction" on the flip side, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart. Capitol will later release the track as part of its soundtrack to the movie "There's Something About Mary" in 1998
1975 - Epic Records releases future Capitol Records artist Minnie Ripperton's single "Lovin' You" with "Edge Of A Dream" on the flip side. Capitol Records currently distributes Ripperton's catalog.
1992 - Right Said Fred's Charisma Records (a division of Virgin Records America, whose catalog is now owned by EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company) single "I'm Too Sexy", with a 7" version on one side and a Spanish version on the flip side, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1996 - Future Capitol Records artist Lisa Marie Presley files for divorce from Michael Jackson

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1892 - Oliver Hardy, comedian and motion picture actor, best known as part of the team Laurel and Hardy, is born Oliver Norvell Hardy in Harlem, Georgia
1952 - Curly Howard (born Jerome Lester Horwitz), vaudeville and motion picture actor, comedian, brother of Moe and Shemp Howard, and member of The Three Stooges dies at age 48 in San Gabriel, California. He would later be buried at Home of Peace Memorial Park in East Los Angeles in the Western Jewish Institute Section, Row 5, Grave 1.
1954 - Sydney Greenstreet, stage and motion picture actor, dies at age 74 and is later interred in Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery, in Glendale, California
1987 - Billy Vera & The Beaters' single "At This Moment" peaks at #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart. The single, reissued by Rhino Records after being featured on the television series "Family Ties", was originally issued in 1981 by Alfa Records, which was shuttered by its Japanese owners, and Rhino licensed the track from ATCO. The single was originally released by Rhino with Vera's own composition "I Can Take Care Of Myself" on the flip side but later, according to Billy, "Rhino got word that 'Peanut Butter' was popular within the Carolinas Beach Music scene, so they repressed with that song on the flip...". Billy's still busy performing, writing and producing, and doing some really fun voiceover work.

JANUARY 17, 2013

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
100 Years Ago Today In 1913 - Vido Musso, clarinetist and tenor saxophonist with Benny Goodman and His Orchestra, Gene Krupa and His Orchestra, Harry James and His Orchestra, Woody Herman and His Orchestra, Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra, and Capitol Records artist Stan Kenton and His Orchestra (1945-1947) as well as his own small groups, is born in Carini, Italy
1931 - Clifford Solomon, tenor saxophonist with Capitol Records artist Johnny Otis as well as John Mayall, Charles Brown, Ray Charles and others, is born in Los Angeles, California

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1946 - Johnny Mercer's Capitol Records single "Personality", with "If I Knew Then" on the flip side, enters the top 40 of the U.S. Pop singles charts
1952 - Kay Starr is called into Capitol Records' Melrose studios in Hollywood, California late at night to quickly record, with Harold Mooney directing the orchestra (lineup unlisted), the tracks "Too Busy", "Wheel Of Fortune" and "Three Letters" for a rush release. Capitol Records will release "Wheel Of Fortune" as a single (Capitol 1964) in February 1952 with "Angry" on the flip side. The single will become Starr's first gold record and will eventually become the #2 selling single of 1952.
1965 - Sonny James' Capitol Records single "You're The Only World I Know", with "Tying The Pieces Together" on the flip side, is #1 on the Country singles charts.
1969 - Nat "King" Cole's Capitol Records album "The Christmas Song" is certified Gold by the R.I.A.A.
1972 - Capitol Records releases Buck Owens' single "I'll Still Be Waiting For You" with "Full Time Daddy" on the flip side
1976 - Merle Haggard's Capitol Records single "Roots Of My Raising", with "The Way It Was In '51" on the flip side, enters the Country singles charts
1992 - Liberty Records (later renamed Capitol Records Nashville) artist Garth Brooks' first TV special airs on NBC-TV
1996 - Tower, Harvest, and Capitol Records group (The) Pink Floyd is inducted into the Rock 'N' Roll Hall Of Fame
15 Years Ago Today In 1998 - Cliffie Stone, singer, songwriter, bandleader, radio and television variety show host, personal manager, 1989 Country Music Hall Of Fame inductee, Capitol Records A&R executive and record producer, dies of a heart attack at his Saugus, California home at age 80.

ON THIS DATE NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
95 Years Ago Today In 1918 - Elmore James, guitarist and songwriter (whose Blues songs have been covered by Capitol Records artists from The Raspberries to Bonnie Raitt) is born in Durant, Mississippi
1981 - John Lennon's Geffen/Lenono Music Records single "Woman", with Yoko Ono's "Beautiful Boys" on the flip side, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart. Capitol Records currently distributes the John Lennon and Yoko Ono catalogs.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1880 - Mack Sennett, motion picture director, producer and studio owner, is born Michael Sinnott in Richmond, Quebec, Canada.
35 Years Ago Today In 1978 - Benny Goodman returns to Carnegie Hall forty years and one day after his 1938 concert to celebrate the show's anniversary. Goodman puts together a big band, which includes George Benson on guitar, but does not recreate the first concert's playlist. A recording of the new show will be released in 1982.

JANUARY 16, 2013

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1942 - Bill Francis, keyboardist with the Capitol Records group Dr. Hook, is born William Francis in Mobile, Alabama
1946 - Ronnie Milsap, singer and Capitol Records artist (1996), is born Ronnie Lee Milsap in Robbinsville, North Carolina

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1960 - Capitol Records artist Gene Vincent and Liberty Records artist Eddie Cochran appear together on ITV's pop show "Boy Meet Girl" in England
1961 - Buck Owens and Rose Maddox record the tracks "Loose Talk" and "Mental Cruelty" which will be released as both sides of the same single by Capitol Records
40 Years Ago Today In 1973 - Merle Haggard records the track "If We Make It Through December" for Capitol Records
1975 - Paul McCartney and Wings arrive in New Orleans to begin sessions on their Capitol Records album "Venus and Mars" at Allen Toussaint's Sea Saint studios
1976 - Final overdubs are recorded for Natalie Cole's tracks "Can We Get Together Again?", "No Plans For The Future", "Mr. Melody", "Hard To Get Along (Without You)", "Good Morning Heartache", "Keep Smiling", "Touch Me", "Not Like Mine", "Sophisticated Lady (She's A Different Lady)", and "Heaven Is With Me" at an unlisted location. Capitol Records will issue the final versions of all tracks on Cole's album "Natalie" (ST-11517).
1980 - Kenny Rogers' Capitol Records album "Kenny" is certified Gold and Platinum by the R.I.A.A.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1937 - Bob Bogle, bass guitarist and lead guitarist with the Dolton Records (a subsidiary of Liberty Records, whose catalog is currently owned by Capitol Records' parent company EMI Music) group The Ventures, is born Robert Lenard Bogle at his family's home near Wagoner, Oklahoma
75 Years Ago Today In 1938 - Future Capitol Records artist Benny Goodman, his orchestra, and his quartet, with future Capitol Records artist Martha Tilton supplying vocals, play Carnegie Hall for the first time at the venue's first Jazz and Swing concert. The performance is broadcasted by CBS Radio, transcribed, and later released on album and CD by Columbia Records. Anyone for a 12 plus minute version of "Sing, Sing, Sing (With A Swing")? Wow! It's my favorite Big Band track.
1957 - The Cavern Club opens under Matthew Street in Liverpool, England.
1972 - Ross Bagdasarian (aka David Seville), actor, songwriter, singer, record producer, creator (and voices) of the Liberty Records group The Chipmunks, dies at age 52 of a heart attack in Beverly Hills, California and is later cremated at the Chapel of the Pines Crematory in Los Angeles, California
1976 - The television variety show "Donny and Marie", starring future Capitol Records artists (as solo performers) Donny and Marie Osmond, debuts on ABC-TV
1980 - Paul McCartney is jailed in Tokyo, Japan, for possession of a half-pound of marijuana found in his luggage. He will spend ten days in jail before being thrown out of the country by the Japanese authorities, forcing the cancellation of his Japanese tour.
25 Years Ago Today In 1988 - George Harrison's Dark Horse Records single "I Got My Mind Set On You", with "Lay His Head" on the flip side and distributed by Warner Bros. Records in the United States, hits #1 on Billboard's Top 100 Singles chart setting a record for longest span between #1s (23 years and 11 months after The Beatles' "I Want To Hold Your Hand" hit #1 in February 1964). Harrison's record will be broken the same year by Capitol Records artists The Beach Boys when their Elektra Records single "Kokomo" (from the soundtrack to the motion picture "Cocktail"), with Little Richard's "Tutti Frutti" on the flip side, hits #1 on November 5, 1988 (24 years and 6 months after their Capitol Records single "I Get Around" hit #1 in May 1964).
1996 - Former Capitol Records artist Wayne Newton performs his 25,000th show in Las Vegas

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1884 - Irving Mills, agent and music publisher (including "Straighten Up And Fly Right", is born in New York City, New York
1909 - Ethel Merman, Broadway, motion picture, and television actress and singer, is born Ethel Agnes Zimmerman in Astoria, New York
1921 - Charlie Chaplin's motion picture "The Kid" co-starring Jackie Coogan (later known for his role of Uncle Fester on the ABC-TV series "The Addams Family") opens

JANUARY 15, 2013

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1920 - Yvonne King, singer and member of the Capitol Records group The King Sisters, is born Cornelia Yvonne Driggs in Ephraim, Sanpete, Utah
1937 - Margaret O'Brien, motion picture, radio and television actress, and Capitol Records artist (1944-1948), is born Angela Maxine O'Brien in San Diego, California
1951 - Martha Davis, singer, songwriter, and member of the Capitol Records band The Motels, is born in Berkeley, California
1959 - Pete Trewavas, bass player, backing vocalist, and member of the Capitol Records group Marillion, is born in Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, England

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1946 - Wesley Tuttle (on vocals and guitar) and His Texas Stars (Margie Ann "Fiddlin' Kate" De Vere and Charles Linville on fiddle; Paul Sells on accordion; Jack Rivers Lewis and Don Weston on guitar; Phil Marx Jr. on steel guitar; Allen Williams on bass; and Robert "Bob" Conzelman on drums) record the tracks "The End Of The World", "You Two-Timed Me One Time Too Often", "There's A New Moon Over My Shoulder", "Nobody's Darlin' But Mine", "Born To Lose", "We Live In Two Different Worlds Now", "That Pioneer Mother Of Mine", "No Letter Today", "Christmas Carols By The Old Corral", "Pins And Needles In My Heart", and "Home In San Antone" for The Capitol Records Transcription Service at Radio Recorders' studios in Hollywood, California. Bear Family Records will issue all the tracks in Tuttles' 4 CD box set "Detour" (BCD 16416) in Germany.
1947 - Andy Russell (on vocals), with Paul Weston and His Orchestra (lineup unlisted), records the tracks "My Best To You" and "Anniversary Song" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue both tracks together as a single (Capitol 368).
65 Years Ago Today In 1948 - Jack Guthrie (born Leon Jerry Guthrie), singer, songwriter, cousin of Woody Guthrie, and a Capitol Records artist (1945-1948), dies of tuberculosis at Livermore Veterans Tubercular Hospital near Sacramento, California at age 32 and is later buried in Sacramento's Memorial Cemetery.
65 Years Ago Today In 1948 - Tex Ritter (on vocals, guitar, and skybird effects) records the tracks "Skybird, Part 1", "Skybird, Part 2", "Skybird, Part 3", "Skybird, Part 4", and the (as of 2005) unissued track "Skybird, Part 4B" at the Capitol Lounge in Los Angeles, California. Bear Family Records will issue the first four tracks in Ritter's CD box set "High Noon" (BCD 16356) in Germany.
1949 - Gordon MacRae & Jo Stafford's Capitol Records single "My Darling, My Darling", with "Girls Were Made To Take Care Of Boys" on the flip side, hits #1 on the U.S. Pop singles charts.
1951 - The Hollywood String Quartet (Felix Slatkin leading and on violin; Paul Shure on violin; Paul Robyn on viola; Eleanor Aller on cello), with Kurt Reher (on additional cello), record Schubert's "Quintet In C Major, Opus 163: First Movement, Part 1; Part 2; and Part 3" at Capitol Records' Melrose Avenue studios in Hollywood, California. Capitol Records will issue all the tracks on the quartet's album "SCHUBERT - Quintet In C Major, Opus 163" (P-8133).
1952 - Ramblin' Jimmie Dolan (on vocals and guitar, with William Harris on piano, Maurice Cameron Hill and Jimmie Widener on guitar, Leodie Jackson on steel guitar, and Jimmy Wyble on bass) records the tracks "Got My Heart Set On You", "Trade Winds Now Die", "There's A Blue Sky Way Out Yonder", and "Stingy" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue the first and third tracks together as a single (Capitol 2006) and the second and last tracks together as a single (Capitol 1970).
1952 - Kay Starr (on vocals) and The Lancers (vocal group with unlisted lineup), with Harold Mooney and His Orchestra (lineup also unlisted), records the tracks "I Wanna Love You", "I Waited A Little Too Long", the (as of 2005) unissued track "If You Don't Hug 'Er By Nine O'Clock", the track "More I Cannot Wish You", and a rejected take of the track "I'll Always Be In Love With You" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue the first track as a single (Capitol 1964) with "Wheel Of Fortune" on the flip side and the second track as a single (Capitol 2062) with "(Ho Ho Ha Ha) Me Too" on the flip side.
1952 - During three sessions held this day in New York City, New York Jane Froman, Dick Beavers, Pat Northrup, Elaine Stritch, Helen gallagher, and Lewis Bolyard, with unlisted members of the Broadway cast of "Pal Joey" and with Max Meth directing the orchestra (lineup unlisted) using music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Lorenz Hart, record the tracks "What Is A Man" (vocals by Jane Froman), "Happy Hunting Horn" (vocals by Dick Beavers), "Bewitched" (vocals by Jane Froman), "Pal Joey" (vocals by Dick Beavers), and "Finale" at the first session, the tracks "I Could Write A Book" (vocals by Dick Beavers and Pat Northrop), "Zip" (vocals by Elaine Stritch), "In Our Little Den" (vocals by Jane Froman and Dick Beavers), "Do It The Hard Way" (vocals by Dick Beaver), "Take Him" (vocals by Pat Northrop and Jane Froman), and "Bewitched (Reprise)" (vocals by Jane Froman) at the second session, and the instrumental track "Overture" and the tracks "You Musn't Kick It Around" (vocals by Dick Beavers), "Chicago" (vocals by Helen Gallagher and a chorus of unlisted singers), "That Terrific Rainbow" (vocals by Helen Gallagher and a chorus of unlisted singers), "The Flower Garden Of My Heart" (vocals by Lewis Bolyard and Helen Gallagher), "Plant You Now, Dig You Later" (vocals by Helen Gallagher and a chorus of unlisted singers), and "Finale" (vocals by The Company) at the third session. Capitol Records will issue all the tracks on Froman and Beavers' album "Pal Joey" (S-310).
60 Years Ago Today In 1953 - Billy May and His Orchestra (with May directing: [listed as possibly] Jack Laubach, Tony Facciuto, Bob McKenzie, and Andy Peele on trumpet; Bob Raesinger, Dick Nash, George Kenny, and Karl DeKarske on trombone; Willie Smith and Dick Clay on alto saxophone; Len Mitchell and Charlie Deremoe on tenor saxophone; John Agee on baritone saxophone; Cliff Fishbach on piano; John Collins on guitar; Carson Smith on bass; and Larry Bunker on drums) records the (as of 2005) unissued tracks "Hollywood Hop" (arrangement by Larry Cramer) and "Comin' Thru The Rye" (arrangement by Billy May, vocals by The Encores - Alicia Adams, Clark Burroughs, Jack Elliott, Bob Morse, and Randy Van Horne. Clark Burroughs and Bob Morse), and the track "From The Land Of Sky Blue Waters" (arrangement by Billy May). Capitol Records will issue the last track as a single (2474) with "Good Gravy" on the flip side.
1954 - Al "Jazzbo" Collins records the tracks "Little Hood Riding Red" and "Pee Little Thrigs (Three Little Pigs)" and the (as of 2005) unissued tracks "Back In The Jean Stalk", "How To Change A Diaper", "Fut Nudge Recipe", "Fricken Chickasee", "Recipe For Sop Suey", "Paul Revides Here", "Panderella And The Cince", "Sea Food Recipe", "Drayonnaise Messing", "Pie Berry Goose", and "Cham Chowder" in New York City, New York. Capitol Records will issue the first two tracks together as a single (Capitol 2773).
1954 - During two sessions held this day at (listed as possibly) Castle Studio in Tulane Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee Roy Acuff (on vocals) and His Smoky Mountain Boys (Howard "Howdy" Forrester on fiddle; James L. "Jimmy" Riddle on harmonica; Lonnie "Pap" Wilson and Jess Esterhasy on guitar; Beecher "Bashful Brother Oswald" Kirby on Dobro resonator guitar and harmony vocals; and (listed as possibly) Joseph S. Zinkan on bass) record a new take of the track "I Closed My Heart's Door" at the first session and the tracks "I'm Planting A Rose", "River Of Crystal", "Please Daddy Forgive", and "Streamline Heartbreaker" at the second session. Capitol Records will issue the new take of "I Closed My Heart's Door" as a single (Capitol 2820) with "Sunshine Special" on the flip side, the first and last track from the second session together as a single (Capitol 2901), "River Of Crystal" on Acuff's album "The Voice Of Roy Acuff" (T 2276) and "Please Daddy Forgive" on Acuff's album "The Great Roy Acuff" (T 2103).
1955 - Electric Musical Industries (EMI) of Great Britain buys 70 percent of Capitol Records, and a 96.41 percent equity controlling interest, for $8,500,000 and Sir Joseph Lockwood joins Capitol Records’ Board of Directors. EMI's investment will payoff a hundred fold by 1971.
1955 - Pinto Colvig (on vocals), with an orchestra (lineup unlisted) and using a script by Alan Livingston and Robert Willheim, records the tracks "Bozo's Merry-Go-Round Music Ride 1, Part 1: Ciribiribin", "Bozo's Merry-Go-Round Music Ride 1, Part 2: Our Director", "Bozo's Merry-Go-Round Music Ride 2, Part 1: The Thunderer", and "Bozo's Merry-Go-Round Music Ride 2, Part 2: Artist's Life" at Capitol Records' Melrose Avenue studios in Hollywood, California. Capitol Records will issue the first two tracks on the children's album "Bozo's Merry-Go-Round Music Ride" (CAS-3173) and planned to issue the last two tracks on another children's album, and was assigned the number CAS-3174, but are listed as probably not released.
1955 - Les Baxter, His Chorus and Orchestra (lineups for both unlisted) record the (as of 2005) unissued track "There You Are", and the tracks "Blue Mirage (Don't Go)", "Take My Love", and "Unchained Melody" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue the second track as a single (Capitol 3040) with "I Ain't Mad At You" on the flip side and the third and last tracks together as a single (Capitol 3055).
1957 - The Four Freshmen (vocalists Bob Flanigan, Don Barbour, Ross Barbour, Ken Albers), with Bob Enevoldsen conducting his own arrangements to the orchestra (Bob Cooper, Dave Pell, Nino Tempo, and Bud Shank on tenor saxophone; Geoff Clarkson on piano; Barney Kessel on guitar; Buddy Clark on bass; and Frank Carlson on drums), record the tracks "What It's Gonna Be", "How Can I Begin To Tell?" and a rejected take of the track "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You" at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California. Capitol Records will issue the first two tracks together as a single (Capitol F3652) and on the group's album "Freshmen Favorites Volume 2" (T 1103).
1957 - June Christy (on vocals), with Pete Rugolo conducting his own arrangements to the orchestra (Don Fagerquist on trumpet; Frank Rosolino on trombone; Vince De Rosa on French horn; Clarence Karella on tuba; Bud Shank on flute and alto saxophone; Bob Cooper on tenor saxophone; Dave Pell on baritone saxophone; Benny Aronov on piano; Howard Roberts on guitar; Red Mitchell on bass; Shelly Manne on drums; Larry Bunker on percusssion; and on strings: Nick Pisani, Mischa Russell, and Erno Neufeld on violin; David Sterkin on viola; and Edgar Lustgarten on cello) records the tracks "I've Never Been In Love Before", "I Know Why", "Let There Be Love", and "No More" at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California between 3:00pm and 6:00pm. Capitol Records will issue all the tracks on Christy's album "Fair And Warmer" (T 833).
1957 - Tex Ritter (on vocals), with Pete King conducting the orchestra and chorus (lineups for both unlisted), records the tracks "I Leaned On A Man" and "Children And Fools" in Los Angeles, California. After overdubs are recorded for "I Leaned On A Man" on January 17, 1957 Capitol Records will issue both tracks together as a single (Capitol F3640) and on Ritter's album "Songs From The Western Screen" (T 971).
55 Years Ago Today In 1958 - Faron Young (on vocals, with [listed as probably] Merrill Moore on piano; Buck Owens on guitar; The Jack Halloran Singers (vocal group of unlisted singers), and other unlisted musicians) records the tracks "Who Wouldn't Love You", "I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me", "The Object Of My Affection" and "It All Depends On You" in Studio A at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California. Capitol Records will issue all the tracks on Young's album "The Object Of My Affection" (T 1004).
55 Years Ago Today In 1958 - Johnny Richards (directing his own arrangements) and His Orchestra (Al Stewart, Doug Mettome, Burt Collins, Jerry Kail, and John Bello on trumpet; Slide Hampton, Jim Dahl, Jimmy Cleveland, and Eddie Bert on trombone; Al Antonucci on French horn; Jay McAllister on tuba; Gene Quill on alto saxophone; Frank Socolow on tenor saxophone; Billy Slapin on baritone saxophone and piccolo; Shelly Gold on bass saxophone; Hank Jones on piano; Whitey Mitchell on bass; Maurice Marks on drums; and Joe Venuto on percussion) record rejected takes of the tracks "Neolore", "Omo Ado" (with the band providing vocals) and "What Is There To Say?" in New York City, New York for Capitol Records.
1959 - Mavis Rivers (on vocals), with Nelson Riddle conducting his own arrangements to the orchestra (lineup unlisted), records the tracks "At the Eleventh Hour", "Dinner At Eight", Four A.M." and "Three Coins In The Fountain" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue all the tracks on Rivers' album "Take A Number" (T 1210).
1959 - June Christy (on vocals), with Pete Rugolo conducting his own arrangements to the orchestra (), records the tracks "Willow Weep For Me", "Come Rain Or Come Shine", "Lonesome Road", and the (as of 2005) unissued track "Please Be Mine (Please Be Kind)" at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California between 3:00pm and 7:00pm. Capitol Records will issue the first three tracks on Christy's album "June Christy Recalls Those Kenton Days" (T 1202).
1959 - The Four Preps (Bruce Belland on tenor vocals; Don Clarke on high tenor vocals; Glen Larson on baritone vocals; and Ed Cobb on bass vocals), with Lincoln Mayorga conducting his own arrangements to the orchestra (lineup unlisted), record the tracks "Somewhere Along The Way", "I'll Be Around", "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes", and "I Get Along Without You Very Well" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue all the tracks on the group's album "Dancing And Dreaming" (T 1216).
1959 - Judy Garland (on vocals), with Gordon Jenkins conducting his own arrangements to the orchestra (lineup unlisted), records the tracks "The Worst Kind Of Man" and "The Red Balloon" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue both tracks on Garland's album "The Letter" (T 1188).
1959 - Jackie Gleason and His Orchestra (lineup unlisted) record a new take of the track "Pink Chiffon" and the tracks "Violet Mist", "Dawn Desire", "Rapture", and "Farewell Rendezvous" in New York City, New York. Capitol Records will issue all the tracks on Gleason's album "Jackie Gleason Presents: Aphrodisia" (W 1250).
1961 - During two sessions held this day in Los Angeles, California final overdubs are recorded for Stan Freberg's track "Betsy Ross And The Flag" at the first session and then Stan Freberg records narration vocals for parts used throughout Frebeg's album "Stan Freberg Presents The United States Of America" (W 1573) which will also include the final version of the track "Betsy Ross And The Flag".
1961 - During two sessions held this day in Los Angeles, California The Kingston Trio (Dave Guard on vocals, banjo, and guitar; Nick Reynolds on vocals and guitar; Bob Shane on vocals and guitar), with Morris "Buck" Wheat on bass, record the tracks "Lemon Tree", "Wines Of Madeira", "Adieu To My Island", "You're gonna Miss Me", and "Senora" at the first session between 3:00pm and 6:00pm and the tracks "Golden Spike", "Razors In The Air", and "It Was A Very Good Year" at the second session between 6:30pm and 9:30pm. Capitol Records will issue the first, fourth, and last track from the first session and the last two tracks from the second session on the trio's album "Goin' Places" (T 1564) and all the tracks from the first session, except "Lemon Tree", and "Golden Spike" on the group's 4 CD set "The Kingston Trio - The Capitol Years" (8-28498-2).
50 Years Ago Today In 1963 - Freddy Martin and His Orchestra (with Martin conducting to unlisted musicians) record the tracks "Medley: For Me And My Gal/Stars Fell On Alabama/Who's Sorry Now", "Medley: Moonglow/Mood Indigo/Star Dust", "Medley: When You're Smiling/I've Got The World On A String/Jealous", "Medley: Home/Rock-A-Bye Your Baby With A Dixie Melody/
Lonesome And Sorry", and an (as of 2005) uniissued take of the track "Sophisticated Lady" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue all the tracks on Martin's album "In A Sentimental Mood" (T 1889).
50 Years Ago Today In 1963 - Billy May and His Orchestra (with May conducting his own arrangements to: Frank Beach, Don Fagerquist, Conrad Gozzo, Uan Rasey, and Ray Triscari on trumpet; Dave Wells(bass tp) Milt Bernhart, Ed Kusby,Tommy Shepard and George Roberts on trombone; Paul Horn on flute and alto saxophone; Justin Gordon on tenor saxophone and piccolo; Chuck Gentry on bass; Jimmy Rowles on piano; Joe Gibbons on guitar; Max Bennett on bass; and Irv Cottler on drums) record the tracks "The Preacher", "Dat Dere", "Little Suede Shoes", and "Shiny Stockings" at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California between 8:30pm and 11:30pm. Capitol Records will issue all the tracks on May's album "Bill's Bag" (T 1888).
50 Years Ago Today In 1963 - Jay Miller records the track "It's Just A Waste Of Time", the (as of 2005) unissued track "I Need Your Love So Bad", the track "Can't You Tell Him No?" and the (as of 2005) unissued track "You Took The Words Right Out Of My Mouth" in New York City, New York. Capitol Records will issue the first and third tracks together as a single (Capitol 4959).
1964 - Jack Teagarden (born Weldon Leo Teagarden), trombonist, bandleader, singer, radio and motion picture performer, and Capitol Records (1942, 1943, 1955-1959) and Roulette Records (1959-1961) artist, dies of bronchial pneumonia at age 58 in his room at the Prince Conti Hotel in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana after playing a gig there the night before. Teagarden is later buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery, in Los Angeles, California.
1964 - Capitol Records obtains an injuction in Chicago, Illinois which prohibits Vee-Jay Records from manufacturing or distributing any further Beatles records. Vee-Jay files suit against Capitol and Swan Records, which owned the rights to "She Loves You".
1964 - During two sessions held this day in Studio A at The Capitol Tower Studios, in Hollywood, California, with producer Dave Cavanaugh and recording engineers John Kraus and Joe Polito, Blossom Dearie (on vocals and piano), with Jack Marshall conducting his own arrangements to The Capitol Orchestra (featuring Jack Sheldon on trumpet; unlisted brass players; Joe Mondragon on bass; Shelly Manne on drums, and unlisted flute and guitar players), records the tracks "Love Is A Necessary Evil", "I'm In Love Again", "Something Happens To Me", and an (as of 2005) unissued take of the track "When Sonny Gets Blue" at the first session and the tracks "Quiet Nights (Corcovado)" and a new take of "When Sunny Gets Blue" at the second session. Capitol Records will issue the all the tracks, except the first take of "When Sunny Gets Blue" on Dearie's only album for the label "May I Come In?" (T 2086).
1964 - Glen Gray and The Casa Loma Orchestra (Mannie Klein, Shorty Sherock, and Pete Candoli on trumpet; Ed Kusby and Lew McCreary on trombone; Joe Howard on trombone and vocals; Abe Most on clarinet and alto saxophone; Skeets Herfurt on alto saxophone; Plas Johnson and Justin Gordon on tenor saxophone; Chuck Gentry on baritone saxophone; Ray Sherman on piano; Jack Marshall on guitar; Mike Rubin on bass; and Nick Fatool on drums), using arrangements by Van Alexander and Larry Wagner, record the tracks "Never On Sunday" (in the style of Tommy Dorsey), "Misty" (in the style of Claude Thornhill), "One Note Samba" (in the style of Les Brown), and "Washington Square" (in the style of Artie Show) in Los Angeles, Calfornia. Capitol Records will issue all the tracks on the group's album "Sounds Of The Great Bands, Volume 8: More Of Today's Best" (T 2014).
1964 - Leon McAuliffe records the tracks "Star Dust", "Memphis", and "Muskrat Ramble" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue all the tracks on McAuliffe's album "Everybody Dance, Everybody Swing" (T 2148).
1964 - Dr. Ray LaScola records the tracks "Let's Try To Stop Smoking, Part 1: Instruction" and "Let's Try To Stop Smoking, Part 2: Hypnosis" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue both tracks on Dr. LaScola's album "Let's Try To Stop Smoking" (T 2077).
1964 - Jackie Gleason and His Orchestra (with Gleason conducting a large string orchestra featuring Pee Wee Erwin on trumpet and Charlie Ventura on tenor saxophone and other unlisted musicians) record the tracks "Fools Rush In", "Have You Heard", "Charade", and "Theme From 'The Cardinal'" in New York City, New York. Capitol Records will issue all the tracks on Gleason's album "Today's Romantic Hits For Lovers Only, Volume 2" (W 2056).
1964 - Sonny James (on vocals, with unlisted musicians) records the tracks "Least Of All You", a rejected take of "Ask Marie" and the track "Baltimore" in Nashville, Tennessee. Capitol Records will issue the first and last tracks together as a single (Capitol 5129).
1965 - The Beach Boys' finish the second of two sessions to record the stereo track "Kiss Me, Baby" at Western Studios in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue the final version of the track as a single (Capitol 5395) with "Help Me Rhonda" on the flip side.
1965 - Jill Harris (on vocals, with unlisted musicians) records the (as of 2005) unissued tracks "Lover Boy" and "You Got Me Waiting" for Capitol Records in New York City, New York.
1966 - The Beach Boys' Capitol Records single "Barbara Ann", with "Girl Don't Tell Me" on the flip side, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart at #31 and will peak at #2 for two weeks on January 29, 1966.
45 Years Ago Today In 1968 - Final overdubs are recorded for The Stone Poneys' tracks "Hobo (Morning Glory)", "Carnival Bear", "By The Fruits Of Their Labor", and "Up To My Neck In High Muddy Water" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue the final version of the first track as a single (Capitol 2195) with "Some Of Shelly's Blues" on the flip side, the second track and the last track together as a single (Capitol 2110), and the third track on the album "Linda Ronstadt, Stone Poneys & Friends, Volume III" (ST 2863) and both singles and the album as by Linda Ronstadt and The Stone Poneys.
1969 - Merryweather records the track "Peek-A-Boo" in Los Angeles, California for Capitol Records. No issuing information is listed for the track so if anyone knows if it was ever issued please leave a comment.
1969 - During two sessions held this day in Los Angeles, California The Lettermen (vocalists Jim Pike, Tony Butala, and Gary Pike) record the tracks "I Love How You Love Me", "The Worst That Could Happen", "I'm Gonna Make Make You Love Me", and "Wichita Lineman" at the first session and the tracks "You Showed Me", "Catch The Wind", "California Dreaming", and T.K.E. Sweetheart Song (Of All The Girls That I Have Known" at the second session. After overdubs are recorded on January 28, 29, and March 13, 1969 Capitol Records will issue all the tracks, except "Catch The Wind", on the group's album "I Have Dreamed" (ST-202) and will issue "Catch The Wind" as a single (Capitol 2482) with "Hurt So Bad" on the flip side and on the group's album "Traces/Memories" (ST-390).
1969 - During two sessions held this day in New York City, New York Cashman, Pistilli & West (Terry Cashman on vocals; Gene Pistilli on guitar and vocals; Tommy West on keyboards, guitar, and vocals), with Ed Freeman conducting his own arrangements, record the track "Richard And Me" at the first session and the track "Oscurita" at the second session. Capitol Records will issue both tracks on the group's eponymous album "Cashman, Pistilli & West" (ST-211).
1969 - Sonny James (on vocals, with unlisted musicians) records the tracks "Mean Ole Mississippi", "She Will, I Know", and "Wake Up To Me Gentle" in Nashville, Tennessee. Capitol Records will issue all the tracks on James' album "Only The Lonely" (ST-193).
1969 - Billy Jo Spears (on vocals, with unlisted musicians) records the tracks "Keep Me From Cryin' Today" and "Mr. Walker, It's All Over" in Nashville, Tennesseee. Capitol Records will issue both tracks on Spear's album "Mr. Walker, It's All Over" (ST-224).
1970 - The Band (Garth Hudson and Richard Manuel on keyboard and vocals; Jaime Robbie Robertson on guitar and vocals; Rick Danko on bass and vocals; and Levon Helm on drums) records the track "Get Up Jake" in (listed as possibly) Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will purchase the master and issue the track as a single (Capitol 3758) with "Ain't Got No Home" on the flip side.
1970 - Al Martino (on vocals, with unlisted musicians) records the tracks "Can't Help Falling In Love With You" and "You're All The Woman I Need", and "Whatever (Baby) Happened To You And I" in Studio A at United Recording in Hollywood, California. Capitol Records will issue the first two tracks together as a single (Capitol 2746) and all the tracks on Martino's album "Can't Help Fallin' In Love" (ST-405).
1970 - Smokey Roberds records the tracks "Don And Rosemarie" and "Irma Jackson" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue both tracks together as a single (Capitol 2745).
1970 - The Steve Miller Band (lineup unlisted) record the tracks "Willow Tree Rock", "My Babe", and "I Always Tried To Please You" in Los Angeles, California for Capitol Records. No issuing information is listed for any of the tracks so if anyone knows if any of them have ever been issued, please leave a comment.
1970 - During two sessions held this day in Nashville, Tennessee Linda Ronstadt (on vocals, with [listed as probably] Elliot Mazer on keyboards and [listed as possibly synthesizer; Adam Mitchell on guitar; Norbert Putnam on bass; and Kenneth Buttrey on drums) records the (as of 2005) unissued track "I Try Harder" at the first session and the track "Love Sick Blues" (arranged and conducted by Kenneth Buttrey) and the (as of 2005) unissued track "Why You Been Gone So Long" at the second session. Capitol Records will issue "Lovesick Blues" as a single (Capitol 2767) with "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" on the flip side.
1971 - Apple Records finally releases George Harrison's single "My Sweet Lord", with "Isn't It A Pity" on the flip side, in the U.K.
40 Years Ago Today In 1971 - Final overdubs are recorded for Stoney Edwards' track "Mama's Love" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue the final version of the track as a single (Capitol 3061) with "Poor Folks Stick Together" on the flip side.
1971 - During two sessions held this day in Los Angeles, California Jerry Corbitt records the track "Burning In Your Lovelight" at the first session and the track "Pain" at the second session. Capitol Records will issue both tracks on Corbitt's eponymoums album "Jerry Corbitt" (ST-771) and the second track as a single (Capitol 3137) with "Country Boy Blues" on the flip side.
1971 - Dunn & McCashen (lineup unlisted) record the (as of 2005) unissued tracks "Heartbeat" and "Come On And Dance" for Capitol Records.
1971 - During two sessions held this day in New York City, New York Happy & Artie Traum (Artie Traum on guitar, banjo, and vocals and Happy Traum on guitar and banjo) record the track "Please Mister Movie Man" at the first session and the track "Jackaboro" at the second session. Capitol Records will issue both tracks on the duo's album "Double-Back" (ST-799).
40 Years Ago Today In 1973 - During four days of overdub sessions that start today at Bearsville Recording Studios in Bearsville, New York The Band (Garth Hudson and Richard Manuel on keyboard and vocals; Jaime Robbie Robertson on guitar and vocals; Rick Danko on bass and vocals; and Levon Helm on drums) record unlisted and (as of 2005) unissued tracks that were recorded between November 6-10, 1972for Capitol Records.
40 Years Ago Today In 1973 - Overdubs are recorded for Tennesse Ernie Ford's tracks "Thanks For The Mem'ries", "Farther Down The River (Where The Fishin's Good", "Baby", "Sweet Child Of Sunshine", "Good Old Time Religion Thing", "I"d Like To Be", "You've Still Got Love All Over You", "Colorado Country Morning", "Daddy Usta Say", and "Printer's Alley Stars" in Los Angeles, California. After final overdubs are recorded on March 2 and 13, 1973 Capitol Records will issue the final versions of all the tracks on Ford's album "Country Morning" (ST-11205).
40 Years Ago Today In 1973 - Billy May and The Time-Life Orchestra (lineup unlisted) record the tracks "Bewitched", Dance Of The Spanish Onion", "High Noon", "Port Au Prince" and "Sabre Dance Boogie" at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California. Time-Life Records will issue all the tracks, except "Port Au Prince" on the album "As You Remember Them: Great Instrumentals, Volume 5" (STL-245) and will issue "Port Au Prince" on the album "As You Remember Them: Great Instrumentals, Volume 6" (STL-246).
1976 - Overdubs are recorded for Natalie Cole's tracks "Can We Get Together Again?", "No Plans For The Future", "Mr. Melody", "Hard To Get Along (Without You)", "Good Morning Heartache", "Keep Smiling", "Touch Me", "Not Like Mine", "Sophisticated Lady (She's A Different Lady)", and "Heaven Is With Me" at an unlisted location. After final overdubs are recorded the following day on January 16, 1976 Capitol Records will issue the final versions of all tracks on Cole's album "Natalie" (ST-11517).
1976 - Capitol Records registers the masters it purchased for The Earl Slick Band (lineup unlisted)'s tracks "Heaven Couldn't Find", "Star Of The Street", "Sho' Nuff", "Doom", "Burnt Love", "Bright Light", "Do It", "Lady Luck", "Very Blue", "P.J. Proby", and "The Way Down" and will issue all the tracks, except "Doom" (which, as 2005, is still unissued) on the group's eponymous album "The Earl Slick Band" (ST-11493).
1977 - Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band's Capitol Records single "Night Moves", with "Main Street" on the flip side, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart at #36 and will peak at #4 for two weeks on March 12, 1977.
35 Years Ago Today In 1978 - Helen Reddy (on vocals, with unlisted musicians) records the tracks "If I Ever Had To Say Goodbye To You" and "Poor Little Fool" at Larrabee Studios in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue the first track as a single (Capitol 4582) with "Ready Or Not" on the flip side and the second track as a single (Capitol 4628) with "Lady Of The Night" on the flip side.
35 Years Ago Today In 1978 - A Taste Of Honey (lineup unlisted) record the track "Disco Dancing" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue the track as a single (Capitol 4668) with "Sky High" on the flip side and on the group's eponymous album "A Taste Of Honey" (ST-11754).
35 Years Ago Today In 1978 - Bob Seger records the track "Star Gazer" in Los Angeles, California. No issuing information is listed for the track so if anyone knows if the track was ever issued please leave a comment.
1979 - Face Dancer records the track "Red Shoes" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue the track as a single (Capitol 4734) with "Time Bomb" on the flip side and on the group's album "This World" (ST-11934).
1979 - Cheryl Ladd (on vocals) records the track "Whatever Would I Do Without You?" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue the track on Ladd's album "Dance Forever" (ST-11927).
1979 - The Pousette-Dart Band (lineup unlisted) records the track "Long Legs" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue the track on the band's album "Never Enough" (ST-11935).
1980 - Donna Washington (on vocals), with an orchestra (lineup unlisted) using an arrangement by Benjamin Wright, records the track "If You Leave Me Now" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol records will issue the track as a single (Capitol 4881) with "First Thing First" on the flip side and on Washington's album "For The Sake Of Love" (ST-12076).
1980 - Gene Watson records the tracks "Tryin' To Satisfy", "A Cold Day In July", "No One Will Ever Know", and "Have A Good Day" in Nashville, Tennessee. Capitol Records will issue all the tracks on Watson's album "No One Will Ever Know" (ST-12102).
1981 - Earl Klugh records the track "Crazy For You" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue the track on Klugh's album "Key Notes" (ST-12405).
1982 - Donna Washington (on vocals, with unlisted musicians) records the tracks "Livin' With Out You" and "Where You Are Is Where I Wanna Be" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue both tracks on Washington's album "Just For You" (ST-12233).
1982 - During two sessions held this day in Los Angeles, California Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band (lineup unlisted) record the (as of 2005) unissued track "White Monkey" and the track "Love's The Last To Know" at the second session. Capitol Records will issue the last track on the group's album "The Distance" (ST-12254).
1982 - During two sessions held this day in Los Angeles, California Frankie Miller (on vocals and guitar, with with Barry Beckett on keyboards; Pete Carr, Wayne Perkins, and Chris Spedding on guitar; David Hood on bass; Roger Hawkins on drums; Mickey Bucins on percussion; Ava Aldridge, Linda Brockway, and Robert Byrne on vocals) records the (as of 2005) unissued track "Surrender" at the first session and the track "On My Way" at the second session. Capitol Records will issue the last track as a single (Capitol 5152) with "Danger, Danger" on the flip side and on Miller's album "Standing On The Edge" (ST-12206).
30 Years Ago Today In 1983 - Capitol Records will register the masters for America (Gerry Beckley and Lee "Dewey" Bunnell on vocals and guitar)'s tracks "My Kinda Woman", "She's A Runaway", "Cast The Spirit", "Love's Worn Out Again", "The Border", "Your Move", "Honey", "My Dear", "Tonight Is For Dreamers", "Don't Let Me Be Lonely", and "Someday Woman", which were recorded on an unlisted date earlier in January 1983 at EMI Studios on Abbey Road in London England, and will issue all the tracks on the band's album "Your Move" (ST-12277).
1991 - Garth Brooks' Capitol Records Nashville single "Unanswered Prayers", with "Alabamba Clay" on the flip side, is #1 on Billboard's Country Singles chart
1996 - Les Baxter, bandleader, arranger, music director, and Capitol Records artist (1947-1962), dies of a heart attack brought on by kidney failure at age 73 at Hoag Memorial Hospital in Newport Beach, California at age 73

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1961 - Blue Note Records releases Kenny Dorham (with Hank Mobley, Kenny Drew, Paul Chambers, and Philly Joe Jones)'s album "Whistle Stop". Blue Note's catalog is currently owned by Capitol Records parent company, EMI Music.
1972 - Don MacLean's United Artists Records single "American Pie" (with part 1 on one side and part 2 on the flip side) peaks at #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart where it will stay for four weeks.
35 Years Ago Today In 1978 - Cliff Richards (on vocals, with unlisted musicians) records the track "Count Me Out" in England. EMI Americal will issue the track as a single (EMI America 8025) with "We Don't Talk Anymore" on the flip side. EMI America's catalog is currently owned by Capitol Music's parent company, EMI Music.
1982 - During two sessions held this day in England for RAK Records Ltd. Kim Wilde records the tracks "Water On Glass", "Our Town", "Everything We Know", "Young Heroes", "Kids In America", "Chequered Love", "2-6-5-8-0", "You'll Never Be Wrong", "Falling Out", and "Tuning In, Tuning Out" at the first session and the tracks "Boys", "Cambodia", and "Watching For Shapes" at the second session. EMI will purchase the masters for the tracks and issue all of the tracks from the first session in the United States on the EMI America label on Wilde's eponymous album "Kim Wilde" (ST-17065) and "Boys" in England on the album "The Very Best Of Kim Wilde" (EJ 2601081). No issuing information is listed for the last two tracks so if anyone knows if they have ever been issued, please leave a comment. EMI America's catalog is currently owned by Capitol Music's parent company, EMI Music.
1986 - The Del Lords (featuring Scott Kempner, Eric Ambel, Manny Caqiate, and Frank Funaro making unlisted contributions) record the tracks "Drug Deal", "Saint Jake" and "Against My Will" at an unlisted location. EMI America will issue all the tracks on the band's album "Johnny Comes Marching Home" (AML 3103) in England. EMI America's catalog is currently owned by Capitol Music's parent company, EMI Music.
20 Years Ago Today In 1993 - Sammy Cahn, lyricist (responsible for such Oscar-winning songs recorded by Capitol Records artist Frank Sinatra [and many others] as "Call Me Irresponsible", "Three Coins in the Fountain", and "All the Way", as well as many other standards) dies in Los Angeles, California at age 79
1994 - Harry Nilsson (born Harry Edward Nelson III), singer, songwriter, friend of John Lennon, and RCA Records artist, dies of heart failure at his home in Agoura Hills, California at 52 after completing the vocal tracks for his last album ""Harry's Got a Brown New Robe" with producer Mark Hudson earlier that day. The album has yet to be released. Among his biggest hits were the theme from the 1969 film "Midnight Cowboy", "Everybody's Talkin'" (composed by Capitol Records artist Fred Neil), and 1972's "Without You, (composed by Pete Ham and Tom Evans, of the Capitol Records group Badfinger and which on this day in 1972 entered the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart). Among my favorites of his other tracks are "Jump In To The Fire" (which heavily influenced The Cult's single "She Sells Sanctuary"), "Coconut", "Me And My Arrow" from Nilsson's score for the full length animated feature "The Point", as well as the soundtrack to the motion picture "Skidoo" (in which he also had an acting role).

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1947 - Elizabeth Short (aka The Black Dahlia) is found dead, her body badly mutilated, in a vacant lot on the 3800 block of South Norton Avenue in the Leimert Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. Her murder has yet to be solved and has spawned many books and a motion picture.
1974 - "Happy Days" premieres on ABC-TV