DECEMBER 5, 2016

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1922 - Don Robertson, pianist, songwriter, accompanist and arranger for Capitol Records group The Dinning Sister, husband of Lou Dinning, rehearsal and session pianist for Capitol in the 1950s, 1972 inductee into the Nashville Songwriters Association's Songwriter's Hall of Fame, and Capitol Records artist (1956, best known for the track "The Happy Whistler"), is born Donald Irwin Robertson in Peking, China
Either 70 Years Ago Today In 1946 Or On This Day In 1952 - Andy Kim (aka Baron Longfellow), singer, songwriter, and Capitol Records artist (1968-1976), is born Andrew Joachim or Andre Youakim in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. If anyone knows Andy's true birth year and name, please leave a comment.

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
70 Years Ago Today In 1946 - The Dinning Sisters (Ginger Dinning, Jayne Bundesen and Jean Dinning on vocals) with Dean Elliott and his Orchestra (lineup unlisted) record the titles "Years And Years Ago", "The Man Who Paints The Rainbow", and "He Like It! She Like It!" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue "Years And Years Ago" and "He Like It! She Like It!" together as a single (Capitol 353) and has yet to issue "The Man Who Paints The Rainbow".
1947 - At a recording session that starts at 9:30 PM and ends at 2:00 PM at Radio Recorders in Los Angeles, California Red Ingle (aka Ernest Ingle on clarinet and saxophone) & The Natural Seven record the tracks "Oh! Nick-Oh-Deemo" (vocals by Red Ingle and Betty Holland), "Cigareets, Whuskey And Wild, Wild Women" (includes vocals by Jay Novello as a drunken heckler and The Might and Main Street Choral Society), "Cigardust (Stardust)" (vocals by Karen Tedder) and "I Surrender Dear". Capitol will issue the first track as a single (Capitol 15210) with "Serutan Yob (Nature Boy)" on the flipside, the second track as a single (Capitol 57-722) with "Tim-Tay-Shun (Temptation)" on the flipside. Bear Family Records will issue all the tracks in Germany on the CD "Tim-Tay-Shun" (BCD 16115).
1947 - The Pied Pipers (vocal group that includes June Hutton, Chuck Lowry, Hal Hopper and Clark Yocum) with Paul Weston and His Orchestra (lineup unlisted) record the tracks "Mary Lou", "I'll See You In My Dreams", It's Watcha Do With Watcha Got" and "Highway To Love" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue all the tracks as singles. The first track with Johnny Mercer and The Pied Pipers' track "Rhode Island Is Famous For You" on the flipside (Capitol 489), the second track with "Ok'l Baby Dok'l" on the flipside (Capitol 495), the third track with "Yes, We Have No Bananas" on the flipside (Capitol 15233) and the last track with "My Happiness" on the flipside (Capitol 15094).
1950 - Unidentified artists record the track "Panchito, The Little Burro Who Could Not Bray (Parts 1 and 2) at Capitol's studios on Melrose Avenue in Hollywood, California. Capitol Records will issue the tracks together as the children's album "Panchito, The Little Burro Who Could Not Bray" (Capitol F32032). If anyone can identify the voices, please leave a comment.
65 Years Ago Today In 1951 - Stan Kenton (on piano) and His Orchestra (Maynard Ferguson, John Howell, Conte Candoli, Stu Williamson and John Coppola on trumpet; Dick Kenney, Bill Russo, Harry Betts and Bob Fitzpatrick on trombone; George Roberts on bass trombone; Stan Fletcher on tuba; Bud Shank on alto saxophone and flute; Art Pepper on alto saxophone and clarinet; Bob Cooper on tenor saxophone, oboe and English horn; Bart Caldarell on tenor saxophone and bassoon; Bob Gioga on baritone saxophone and bas clarinet; Ralph Blaze on guitar; Don Bagley on bass; Shelly Manne on drums and on strings with concert master Alex Law: Earl Cornwell, Phil Davidson, Dwight Muma, Maurice Koukel, Barton Gray, Seb Mercurio, Danny Napolitano, Charlie Scarle and Ben Zimberoff on violin; Paul Israel, Aaron Shapiro and Dave Smiley on viola; Gregory Bemko, Zachary Bock and Gabe Jellen on cello) record the tracks "A Horn", "City Of Glass: 3rd Movement - Reflections" and "City Of Glass: 2nd Movement - Dance Before The Mirror" at Capitol Records' Melrose Avenue Studios in Hollywood, California between 3:00 PM and 6:00 PM. Capitol Records will issue all the tracks on Kenton's album "City Of Glass/This Modern World" (W 736).
1952 - Matthew "Sam" De Kemel (aka Bugle Sam, with Sharkey Bonano on trumpet, Jack Delaney on trombone, Bujie Centobie on clarinet, Stanley Mendelsohn on piano, Arthur Pons on guitar, Joe Loyacano on bass and Monk Hazell on drums) recorded the track "Has Anybody Seen My Kitty?", the (as of 2005) unissued track "Put On Your Old Grey Bonnet" and the tracks "Bugle Call Rag" and "Runnin' Wild" in New Orleans, Louisiana. Capitol Records will issue the first and third tracks together as a single (Capitol 2387) and the last track on the compilation album "The History Of Jazz, Volume 1 - N' Orleans Origins" (T 793).
1952 - Merle Travis records a rejected take of the track "Dance Of The Golden Rod", the track "Guitar Rag", and an unissued and lost take of the track "(Goodbye My) Blue Bell" for Capitol Records. Bear Family Records will release "Guitar Rag" in Germany on the CD "Guitar Rags And A Too Far Past" (BCD 15637).
1954 - Micki Marlo (on vocals), with an orchestra (lineup unlisted) directed by Dick Reynolds, records the tracks "Foolish Notion", "Prize Of Gold", "Can You" and "Don't Go, Don't Go, Don't Go" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue the first two tracks together as a single (Capitol 3062) and the last two tracks together as a single (Capitol 3016).
60 Years Ago Today In 1956 - During two sessions held this day in Los Angeles, California, organist Jackie Davis, with Irving Ashby on guitar and either Shelly Manne or Ed Hall on drums, records the titles "Chasing Shadows", "I've Got A Pocketful Of Dreams", "Night Wind", and "Constantly" at the first session and "Where In The World, "Haunting Me", "Central Park", and "Irresistble You" at the second session. Capitol Records will issue all the titles on Davis' album "Chasing Shadows" (T 815).
60 Years Ago Today In 1956 - Clarinetist Les Brown and His Band of Renown (Wes Hensel, Don Smith, Mickey McMahan, and Bob Styles on trumpet, Bob Raesinger, Roy Main, and Jim Hill on trombone, Stumpy Brown on bass trombone, Matt Utal and Ralph La Polla on alto saxophone, Billy Usselton on tenor saxophone, Abe Aaron on tenor and baritone saxophone, Butch Stone on baritone saxophone, John Bannister on piano, Vernon Polk on guitar, Mel Pollan on bass, and Lloyd Morales on drums) record the titles "If I Had The Money" (with vocals by Butch Stone) and "Shine On Harvest Moon" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue "If I Had The Money" as a single (Capitol F3655) with "Original Joe" (recorded on January 25, 1957) on the flipside and "Shine On Harvest Moon" on the band's album "Dancers' Choice" (T812).
60 Years Ago Today In 1956 - Pianist Leonard Pennario, with Vladimir Golschmann conducting The Concert Arts Orchestra (lineup unlisted), records Chopin's "Piano Concerto N°2 In F  Minor, Opus 21" in New York City, New York. Capitol Records will issue the title on Pennario's album "CHOPIN - Piano Concerto N° 2 in F Minor, Op.21/LISZT - Piano Concerto N° 1 in E Flat Major" (P-8366).
55 Years Ago Today In 1961 - Vocal group The Four Preps (tenor Bruce Belland, high tenor Marvin Inabnett, baritone Glen Larson, and bass Ed Cobb), with Lincoln Mayorga directing the orchestra (lineup unlisted) at live show at North Hollywood High School in North Hollywood, California, perform the titles "Come To The Dance", "The Sphinx Won't Tell", "The Big Draft (Medley of I'll Never Smile Again/Love Is A Many-Splendored Thing/The Mountains High/Heartaches/Anchors Aweigh/Michael/Runaround Sue)", "Lonesome Town", "Suzy Cockroach", "The Next Man Told His Tale", "Lullaby", "Remembering", and Moon River". Capitol Records records the show and releases all the titles on the group's album "Campus Encore" (T 1647).
Here's the album on Spotify
Here's the album on YouTube
55 Years Ago Today In 1961 - Pianist Stan Kenton and His Orchestra (Dalton Smith, Marvin Stamm, Bob Rolfe, Bob Behrendt, and Norman Baltazar on trumpet, Bob Fitzpatrick, Dee Barton, and Bud Parker on trombone, Jim Amlotte and Dave Wheeler on trombone and tuba, Ray Starling, Dwight Carver, Keith LaMotte, and Carl Saunders on mellophone, Gabe Baltazar on alto saxophone, Buddy Arnold and Paul Renzi on tenor saxophone, Joel Kaye and Allan Beutler on baritone saxophone, Pat Senatore on bass, and Jerry McKenzie on drums), record the titles "Some Enchanted Evening", "Make Someone Happy", "Come Rain Or Come Shine", and "Gigi" at The Capitol Tower Studios at 1750 North Vine Street in Hollywood, California between 1:00 PM and 4:30 PM. Creative World will issue all the titles on Kenton's album "Adventures in Standards" (ST-1025) and Capitol Records will issue them on the CD "Sophisticated Approach" (3-52994-2).
55 Years Ago Today In 1961 - Vocalist Vic Damone, with Billy May conducting his own arrangements to the orchestra (Milton Raskin on piano, H.J. Timbrell and Al Hendrickson on guitar, Myer Rubin on bass, Sid Bulkin, Emil Richards, and Ralph Hansell on percussion, Verlye Brilhart on harp, and a string section with Felix Slatkin, Harry Bluestone, Lou Raderman, Dan Lube, Stanley Plummer, Robert Barene, Nathan Ross, Mischa Russell, Marshall Moss, Lou Klass, James Getzoff, and Victor Arno on violin, Ralph Lane, Cecil Figelski, Alvin Dinkin, and Virginia Majewski on viola, and David Pratt, Eleanor Slatkin, Joseph Saxon, and Justin Di Tullio on cello), records the titles "Humming Waters", "Ebb Tide", "You're Loveable", "and "Forevermore" at The Capitol Tower Studios at 1750 Vine Street in Hollywood, California between 8:00 PM and 11:00 PM. Capitol Records will issue all the titles on Damone's album "Strange Enchantment" (T 1691).
50 Years Ago Today In 1966 - Guitarist Laurindo Almeida, with Lex de Azevedo conducting his own arrangements to unlisted string and brass musicians and producing the session, records the titles "Call Me", "Mas Que Nada", "Bluesette", and "Goin' Out Of My Head" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue all the titles on Almeida's album "A Man And A Woman" (T 2701).
50 Years Ago Today In 1966 - During a split session with The Cliffie Stone Group (lineup unlisted) in Los Angeles, California, first vocalist Mark Shannon records the titles "Your Stepping Stone" and "When She Goes By" then vocalist Kay Adams records the titles "Rocks In My Head" and "Trapped" with producer Cliffie Stone. Tower Records, a subsidiary of Capitol Records, will issue "Your Stepping Stone" and "When She Goes By" together as a single (Tower 318) and "Rocks In My Head" and "Trapped" together as a single (Tower 305).
1967 - Buck Owens records the track "Sweet Rosie Jones" for Capitol Records
1970 - George Harrison's Apple Records single "My Sweet Lord", with "Isn't It A Pity" on the flipside and distributed by Capitol Records in the United States, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1970 - Capitol Records releases the soundtrack album to the cartoon show "Josie And The Pussycats" but features the real singers, Cathy Dougher (born Kathleen Dougherty), Patrice Holloway, and Cherie Moor (born Cheryl Jean Stoppelmoor and later better known as actress Cheryl Ladd) on the cover in costume. Wikipedia has a great article about the making of the soundtrack album and here's a playlist with songs from the show and album.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
115 Years Ago Today In 1901 - Walt Disney, cartoonist, animator, cartoon director, producer, studio creator and owner, theme park creator and owner, and television producer and host, is born Walter Elias Disney. Capitol Records will release soundtracks and original children's records based on Walt Disney's creations.
70 Years Ago Today In 1946 - Future Capitol Records artist and arranger Nelson Riddle arrives in Los Angeles, California after securing a job (with the help of his friend guitarist Bob Bain) arranging for Bob Crosby. Riddle will make the town his home base for the rest of his life.
1957 - Baritone saxophonist Gerry Mulligan (with Pail Palmieri on guitar, Dick Wetmore on violin, Calo Scott on cello, Vinnie Burke on bass, and Dave Bailey on drums), records the tracks "May-Reh", "The Preacher", "Good Bait", and "Bags' Groove" with producer Richard Bock in New York City for Pacific Jazz Records. The tracks will remain unreleased until being added to the CD version of Mulligan's Pacific Jazz album "The Gerry Mulligan Songbook" when it is released in 1995 by Capitol Records, whose parent company, EMI Music, currently owns the Pacific Jazz catalog. The recordings have also been recently re-issued as part of the three disc set "Mosaic Select: Gerry Mulligan" released by Mosaic Records.
1965 - The Beatles make their final live appearance in Liverpool at a concert held at the Empire Theatre.
1968 - C. P. MacGregor, Brunswick Records manager for the San Francisco territory in 1924, later record producer, transcriber, and recording Studio owner, dies in Hollywood, California at age 71. He had his own studios, C. P. MacGregor Studios, at 729 S. Western Avenue, in Los Angeles (not Hollywood as is given in many descriptions), California, where many of Capitol Records' earliest artists were recorded, and whose acoustics had a great part in creating what was called "The Capitol Sound". Ironically, according to Margaret Whiting, with the profits made from Capitol, MacGregor repainted his studios, which in turned changed the acoustics of the rooms so much that Capitol stopped using them. The studio's building still exists and has recently been used by recording artist Stevie Wonder.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1932 - "Little Richard", singer, songwriter, motion picture actor, and television commercial spokesman, is born Richard Wayne Penniman in Macon, Georgia. Richard was a piano student of Capitol Records artist Esquerita who heavily influenced his stage persona. Richard would go on to later teach Parlophone and Capitol Records band The Beatles how to do his famous "Wooooo" when the band toured with him in England.