FEBRUARY 17, 2017

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
1923 - Buddy DeFranco, clarinet player, bandleader, and Capitol Records artist (as part of The Metronome All Stars in 1947 and as a bandleader of his own orchestra and sextet in 1949), is born Boniface Ferdinand Leonard DeFranco in Camden, New Jersey.
Possibly 1971? - Walter Gross, former Senior Director, Digital Strategy - EMI Music North America at EMI is born in Brooklyn, New York
45 Years Ago Today In 1972 - Taylor Hawkins, drummer for the Capitol Records group Foo Fighters, is born Oliver Taylor Hawkins in Laguna Beach, California
1984 - Farrah King, singer and founding member of the Capitol Records group Cherish, is born in Maywood, Illinois

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1946 - During a split session held at Capitol Records' studios in New York City, New York, first Johnny Mercer, with Paul Weston and His Orchestra (lineup unlisted) records a rejected take of the title "Li'l Angie Is A Natural Man" then Margaret Whiting, with Paul Weston conducting his own arrangements to the orchestra, records the title "Come Rain Or Come Shine". Capitol Records will issue "Come Rain Or Come Shine" as a single (Capitol 247) with "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man Of Mine" (recorded January 12, 1956) on the flipside.
70 Years Ago Today In 1957 - Vocalist Joe Alexander, with Dave Cavanaugh conducting a orchestra (lineup unlisted), records the titles "I'll String Along With You", "I Never Had A Chance", "If I Could Make The World Stand Still", and "A Thousand Times A Day" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue "I'll String Along" and "A Thousand Times A Day" together as a single (Capitol 407), "I Never Had A Chance" as a single (Capitol 15274), and "If I Could Make The World Stand Still" as a single (Capitol Blues 57-70054).
1956 - Jackie Gleason conducts His Orchestra (lineup unlisted) as they record the titles "I Can't Give You Anything But Love", "Japanese Sandman", "and "I Cover The Waterfront" in New York City, New York. Capitol Records will issue all the titles on Gleason's 2 LP set "Jackie Gleason's Lover's Portfolio" (WBO 1619).
1956 - Trombonist Pee Wee Hunt, with unlisted others, records new takes of the titles "Surrender" and "Lonely Man" in New York City, New York. Capitol Records will issue both titles in France on Hunt's EP "Pee Wee Hunt" (EAP-1-20163).
1956 - Pianist Leonard Pennario, with Felix Slatkin conducting The Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra (lineup unlisted) record the title "Rhapsody In Blue" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue the title on Pennario's album "GERSHWIN - Rhapsody In Blue/An American In Paris" (P 8343).
1956 - Pianist Madam Agi Jambor records Johann Sebastian Bach's "Toccata In D Major", "Toccata In F Sharp Minor", and "Toccata In C Minor" in New York City, New York. Capitol Records will issue all the titles on Jambor's 2LP album "BACH-Toccatas/Fantasias" (PBR-8354).
1965 - The Beatles record the tracks "The Night Before" in the afternoon and then at 11 pm they record "You Like Me Too Much" at EMI's Abbey Road Studios in London, England
1966 - Brian Wilson, at the first session of nineteen full sessions (and many other hours of separate recordings) held between today and September 21, 1966, records tracks for The Beach Boys' title "Good Vibrations" at Gold Star Studios at 6252 Santa Monica Boulevard in Hollywood, California. Capitol Records will issue the final version as a single (Capitol 5676), with "Let's Go Away For Awhile" (recorded January 18 and 19, 1966) on the flipside, on October 10, 1966.
50 Years Ago Today In 1967 - Smiley Burnette (born Lester Alvin Burnette), singer, songwriter, motion picture, radio and television actor, comedian, and Capitol Records artist, dies at age 55 of leukemia in Encino, California and is later interred at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles, California.
50 Years Ago Today In 1967 - Capitol Records releases The Beatles' single "Strawberry Fields Forever" with "Penny Lane" on the flipside and the group begins four straight days of sessions at Abbey Road Studios in London, England to record the title "For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite" which Capitol Records will issue in the United States on the group's album "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" (MAS/SMAS 2653).
45 Years Ago Today In 1972 - Billy May conducts his own arrangements to The Time-Life Orchestra (John Audino, John Best, Pete Candoli, Uan Rasey, and Joe Graves on trumpet, Joe Howard, Lloyd Ulyate, Lew McCreary, and Dick Nash on trombone, Les Robinson, Wilbur Schwartz, Justin Gordon, Abe Most, Plas Johnson, and Chuck Gentry on saxophones, Ray Sherman on piano, Jack Marshall on guitar, Morty Corb on bass, and Nick Fatool on drums) as the record the titles "Flatbush Flanagan", "I Know That You Know", "I Surrender Dear", and "Carpice XXIV Paganini" in The Capitol Tower Studios at 1750 North Vine Street in Hollywood, California. Time-Life Records will issue all the titles as part of the "Swing Era Series" in the three LP box set "Volume 14 - One More Time - Swing Lives!: Billy May" (STA/STL 353).
45 Years Ago Today In 1972 - Capitol Records creates a short version edit of Joyous Noise's "Rock & Roll Cowboy" edited from master 78007 in Los Angeles, California. No issuing information is listed.
45 Years Ago Today In 1972 - Skylark (lineup unlisted) records the title "The Writing On The Wall" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue the title as a single (Capitol 3511) and on the group's self-titled album "Skylark" (ST-11048).
78135 The writing on the wall Cap.3511,6255,ST-11048
1981 - Rene & Angela (vocalists Rene Moore and Angela Winbush), with unlisted others, record the as yet unissued title "Eyes On You" and "Secret Rendezvous" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue "Secret Rendezvous" as a single (Capitol 5220) with "Bangin' The Boogie" (recorded September 21, 1982).
1981 - Vocalist Lisa Dal Bello, with unlisted others, records the title "Just Like You" in Los Angles, California. Capitol Records will issue the title on Dal Bello's album "Drastic Measures" (ST-12140).
35 Years Ago Today In 1982 - Vocalist Juice Newton, with unlisted others, records the titles "Love Sail Away (Here Comes Another Heartache)" and "Adios Mi Corazon" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue both titles on Newton's album "Quiet Lies" (ST-12210).
1985 - Mel McDaniel's Capitol Records single "Baby's Got Her Blue Jeans On", with "The Gunfighter's Song" on the flipside, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
1999 - The Beatles' Capitol Records single "Lady Madonna", with "Inner Light" on the flipside, and their Apple Records single "The Long And Winding Road", with "For You Blue" on the flipside, which was distributed by Capitol Records in the United States, are certified Platinum by the R.I.A.A.
2010 - Kathryn Grayson, singer, motion picture actress and wife of Capitol Records artist and motion picture actor Johnnie Johnston, died at age 88 of natural causes at her home in Los Angeles, California.
2013 - Mindy McCready, singer and Capitol Records Nashville (2002) artist is found dead at age 37 on the porch of her home in Heber Springs, Arkansas of an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
55 Years Ago Today In 1962 - The Beach Boys' first single "Surfin'" on Candix Records enters Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1941 - Singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist Gene Pitney is born in Hartford, Connecticut.