AUGUST 24, 2016

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1942 - Capitol Records issues "The Thrill Is Gone" with "Mister Five By Five" on the flipside (Capitol 115) by Freddie Slack and His Orchestra with vocals by Ella Mae Morse as part of the label's fifth ever release.
1953 - During two sessions held this day at Capitol Records' studios at 5515 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood, California vocalist and pianist Nat "King" Cole, with Nelson Riddle conducting his own arrangements to the orchestra and a chorus of singers (lineups unlisted) records the titles "Why?", "Darling Je Vous Aime Beaucoup", and an as yet to be issued take of "Little Fingers" at the first session then, with the addition of John Collins on guitar and Charlie Harris on bass, records "For A Moment Of Your Love", "I Envy", a new take of "Sleeping Beauty", and Cole's third version of "The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas To You)". The sessions were recorded with producer by Lee Gillette and were Hi-Fi mono recordings done on an Ampex 200 tube recorder using Ampex tape. Capitol Records will initially issue "Why?" as a single (Capitol 2687) with "Answer Me, My Love" (recorded on December 3, 1953) on the flipside, "Darling Je Vous Aime Beaucoup" as a single (Capitol 3027) with "The Sand And The Sea" (recorded on December 20, 1954) on the flipside, "For A Moment Of Your Love" as a bonus track on the CD version of Cole's album "Ballads Of The Day" (7-99776-2), "Sleeping Beauty" on the EP version of Cole's album "10th Anniversary" (EAP-2-514), and this version of "The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas To You)" as a single (Capitol 2955) with "(All I Want Fro Christmas Is) My Two Front Teeth" (recorded on August 2, 1949) on the flipside.
1964 - Capitol Records releases The Beatles' single "Matchbox" with "Slow Down" on the flipside and The Beatles' Capitol Records album "Something New" is certified Gold by the R.I.A.A.
1978 - Louis Prima, composer, trumpeter, bandleader, and Capitol Records recording artist, dies in New Orleans at age 77 after being in a coma since 1976 as a result of brain surgery to remove a tumor.
1987 - Capitol Records releases The Beatles albums "The Beatles" (aka "The White Album") and the soundtrack to the United Artists animated movie "Yellow Submarine" on CD for the first time in the United States as part of a simultaneous world wide release
1988 - Nat Stuckey, radio personality, band leader of The Louisiana Hayriders, and composer (co-wrote, with Buck Owens and Don Rich, Owens' #1 country song "Waitin' In Your Welfare Line", released by Capitol Records, which will be #1 for seven weeks), dies in Nashville, Tennessee at age 55
1999 - Capitol Records Jazz, a division of Blue Note Records, which is owned by Capitol Records, releases the compilation album "Trumpet Blues: The Best Of Harry James"
2004 - Capitol Records Canada releases Don Yute's album "Boobilious"

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1924 - Francis Barraud, painter of the "His Master's Voice" pictures, the corporate logo for His Master's Voice and EMI, dies

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1962 - Producer Phil Spector records a "wall of sound" version "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah" with Bobby Sheen doing the lead vocal with former Capitol Records singing group (1957-1958 and formerly known as The Dreamers until Capitol exec Tom Fransend renamed the group) The Blossoms (Darlene Wright [soon to be renamed Darlene Love], Fanita James, and Gloria Jones) doing backup vocals. When the track is released it will be credited to Bob B. Soxx and the Blue Jeans.