FEBRUARY 15, 2016

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1905 - Harold Arlen, composer (Oscar-winning songwriter: Somewhere Over the Rainbow "Stormy Weather" and "It’s Only a Paper Moon" with Ted Koehler, "That Old Black Magic" with Ira Gershwin and Johnny Mercer, "Somewher Over The Rainbow" with "Yip" Harburg for which they won the 1939 Academy Award for Song Of The Year, score for the 1946 Broadway muscial "St. Louis Woman" with Johnny Mercer which was the first Original Broadway Cast album released by Capitol Records, and many more), singer, and Capitol Records artist (1955 album "Harold Arlen and His Songs"), is born Hyman Arluck in Buffalo, New York
75 Years Ago Today In 1941 - Brian Holland, composer (best known as part of the teams Holland, Dosier, and Holland and Dosier/Holland), record producer, and co-founder of Invictus Records which was distributed by Capitol Records, is born in Detroit, Michigan

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1947 - The King Cole Trio's "(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons", with "The Best Man" on the flipside, is still #1 on the U.S. Pop Singles chart
65 Years Ago Today In 1951 - During two session held this day at Capitol Records' studios at 5515 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood, California, vocalist Ernest "Red" Ingle and The Natural Seven (John LaMonte on trombone, Paul Sells on accordion, Ivy "Jimmy" Bryant on guitar and fiddle, Eddie Kirk on guitar, Wesley "Speedy" West on steel guitar, Frederick "Hank" Wayland on bass, and Milton "Muddy" Berry on drums) record the title "Run, Little Eva" with vocalist Mimi Laurie at the first session between 2:00 PM and 5:00 PM and the titles "People Are Funny" and "Let Me In" at the second session between 5:30 PM and 8:30 PM. Capitol Records will issue "Let Me In" as a single (Capitol 1431) with "Chew Tobacco Rag" (recorded February 5, 1951) on the flipside and "People Are Funny" as a single (Capitol 1599) with "Pool" (recorded March 31, 1950) on the flipside. Bear Family Records will issue all the titles in Germany on the CD compilation "Tim-Tay-Shun" (BCD 16115).
60 Years Ago Today In 1956 - Trumpet player Ray Anthony and His Orchestra (John Best, Conrad Gozzo, Art DePew, and John Dolny also on trumpets, Tommy Pederson, Jimmy Priddy, Ray Sims, and Ken Trimble on trombones, Med Flory and Gene Merlino on clarinets and alto saxophones, Georgie Auld and Irv Roth on tenor saxophones, Leo Anthony on baritone saxophone, Corky Hale on piano and harp, Nick Bonney on guitar, Don Simpson on bass, and Irv Kluger on drums), using an arrangement by Don Simpson, George Williams, and Dick Reynolds, record a new take of the title "Rhaposdy In Blue" (a rejected take was recorded on February 13, 1956) in Los Angles, California. Capitol Records will issue the title on Anthony's album "Concert" (T 406).
60 Years Ago Today In 1956 - Les Baxter conducts his arrangements to his orchestra (lineup unlisted) as they record the titles "Carnival", "Taboo", "Temptation", and "Sway (Quien Sera)" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue all the titles on Baxter's album "Caribbean Moonlight" (T 733).
1964 - The Beatles' Capitol Records album "Meet The Beatles" is #1 on the U.S. album charts
1964 - Al Martino's Capitol Records single "I Love You More And More Every Day", with "I'm Living In Heaven With You" on the flip side, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1965 - Nat "King" Cole (born Nathaniel Adams Coles), pianist, singer, motion picture actor, television variety show host, member of the Capitol Records group The King Cole Trio, husband of Capitol Records artist Maria Ellington, father of Capitol Records artist Natalie Cole, and a Capitol Records solo artist, dies of lung cancer at age 45 at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica, Calfornia and is later buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California
1965 - Capitol Records releases The Beatles' single "Eight Days A Week" with "I Don't Want To Spoil The Party" on the flip side
1965 - After John Lennon passes his driving test in Weybridge, England, The Beatles record the tracks "Ticket To Ride", "Another Girl", and "I Need You" at EMI's Abbey Road Studios in London, England
50 Years Ago Today In 1966 - Vocalist Andy Russell, with unlisted others, records the titles "Longin'" and "Enamorado" in Los Angeles, California. After overdubs are recorded for both titles on February 18, 1966 and for "Longin'" on March 3, 1966, Capitol Records will issue both titles together as a single (Capitol 5626).
45 Years Ago Today In 1971 - Capitol Records releases Buck Owens' album "Bridge Over Troubled Waters"
1973 - During two session held in Nashville, Tennessee, Al Martino records the as yet unissued takes of the titles "I'd Fight The World", "Sweet Memories", and "I Fall To Pieces" at the first session and an unissued take of the title "I Have Lived" and the title "Crazy Arms" at the second session. Capitol Records will issue "Crazy Arms" on Martino's album "Country Style" (ST-11184).
1975 - Capitol Records rush releases John Lennon's "Rock and Roll" album after a version called "Roots" was marketed on late-night television. "Roots" was put together by music publisher Morris Levy from the "oldies" sessions Lennon was court-ordered to record as payment for a line ("Here come old flat-top, he come groovin' up slowly") from a Chuck Berry song, to which Levy owned the copyright, that Lennon used in the Beatles' track "Come Together".
1975 - Linda Ronstadt's Capitol Records single "You're No Good", with "I Can't Help It" on the flip side, is still #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1975 - Linda Ronstadt's Capitol Records album "Heart Like a Wheel" hits #1 on Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart
1977 - George Harrison's Apple Records album "The Best Of George Harrison", distributed by Capitol Records in the United States, is certified Gold by the R.I.A.A.
1986 - Tanya Tucker's Capitol Records single "One Love At A Time", with "Fool Fool Heart" on the flip side, enters the Billboard Country Singles chart
15 Years Ago Today In 2001 - George Harrison participates in his first-ever online chat via Yahoo! Chat and MSN Live to help promote the release of the re-issue of his album "All Things Must Pass". Harrison was in the ninth floor conference room of The Capitol Tower in Hollywood, California and I was in the art department on the fifth floor trying to participate in the chat. Security was tight and management asked that staff not go to the ninth floor to watch, but there was a just a kind of happiness and thrill that was felt by most just knowing he was there. The chat was flooded with participants (many of whom just made quick comments and didn't ask questions) and lasted about an hour.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1954 - Chet Baker (on trumpet and vocals), with Russ Freeman on piano, Carson Smith on bass, and Bob Neel on drums, records the titles "But Not For Me", "I Get Along Without You Very Well" (with Freeman also on celeste), "My Funny Valentine", and "I Fall In Love To Easily" for Pacific Jazz Records at Capitol Records' studios on Melrose Avenue in Hollywood, California. Pacific Jazz issued all the songs on Baker's album "Chet Baker Sings" (PJLP-11). Capitol Records' parent organization, currently owns Pacific Jazz's catalog.
1960 - Mikey Craig, bass player with the Virgin Records group Culture Club, is born in Hammersmith, London, England
1963 - The Horace Parlan Sextet (Horace Parlan on piano, Johnny Coles on trumpet, Booker Ervin on tenor saxophone, Grant Green on guitar, Butch Warren on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums) records the titles "Happy Frame Of Mind", "A Tune For Richard", "Home Is Africa", "Dexi", "Back From The Gig", and "Kucheza Blues (without Green on guitar) in Englewood Cliff, New Jersey. Blue Note Records will issue all the tracks on the group's album "Happy Frame Of Mind" (BST84134).
1977 - Glen Matlock, bass player for The Virgin Records group The Sex Pistols, is fired and replaced by Sid Vicious who has a better look but has as much talent playing the bass as Stuart Sutcliffe did.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1932 - George Burns and Gracie Allen debuted as regulars on future Capitol Records artist Guy Lombadro's CBS Radio show "The Guy Lombardo Show"
50 Years Go Today In 1966 - The ABC-TV series "Batman" debuted.