JULY 17, 2017

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
105 Years Ago Today In 1912 - Art Linkletter, talk show host and Capitol Records artist (1958-1969), is born Gordon Arthur Kelly in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada
1935 - Diahann Carroll, singer, motion picture, Broadway, and television actress and Capitol Records artist (on the original Broadway cast album "No Strings"), is born Carol Diahann Johnson in The Bronx, New York

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
70 Years Ago Today In 1947 - Guitarist and bandleader Alvino Rey and His Orchestra (Dick Cathcart, Russ Granger, and Frank Nelson on trumpet, Billy Young on trumpet and vocals, Tasso Harris, Roger Thorndyke, Moe Schneider, and Ed Kiefer on trombone, Buff Estes and John Gruey on alto saxophones, Herbie Steward and Zoot Sims on tenor saxophone, Lee Yardum on baritone saxophone, Rocky Coluccio on piano and vocals, Chick Parnell on bass, and Don Lamond on drums) record the titles "Oh Peter (You're So Nice)" with vocals by The Blue Reys (Jimmy Joyce, Tom Kenny, Ralph Hall, and Blossom Dearie) and "Near You" with vocals by Jimmy Joyce in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue both titles together as a single (Capitol 452).

70 Years Ago Today In 1947 - The Ernie Felice Quartet (Ernie Felice on accordion, Dick Anderson on clarinet, Dick Fisher on guitar, and Rolly Bundock on accoustic double bass) records the titles "Stumbling", "Hickory, Dickory Dock", and "O Sole Mio" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue "Stumbling" and "O Sole Mio" together as a single (Capitol 453) and has yet to issue "Hickory, Dickory Dock". 

Dick Anderson, clarinet; Claude Williamson, piano, music director; Ernie Felice, accordion; Dick Fisher, guitar; Rolly Bundock, acoustic double bass.

70 Years Ago Today In 1947 - During two sessions for The Capitol Records Transcription Service held this day in Los Angeles, California with pianist Buddy Cole firs four unlisted titles are recorded with vocals by Clark Dennis then four additional unlisted titles are recorded with just Cole. No issuing information is listed.

65 Years Ago Today In 1952 - Vocalist and guitarist Billy Strange, with instrumental accompaniment (lineup unlisted but includes steel guitar, piano, drums, and fiddle), records the titles "Kiss, Kiss, Kiss", "Crazy Quilt Rag" and "Just Bummin' Around" in Los Angles, California. Capitol Records will issue "Kiss Kiss Kiss" and "Crazy Quilt Rag" together as a single (Capitol 2228) and "Just Bummin' Around" as a single (Capitol 2357) with "New Carroll County Blues" (recorded February 28, 1952) on the flipside.

65 Years Ago Today In 1952 - Vocalist Rufe Davis, with unlisted others, records the titles "Old MacDonald Had A Farm" and "The Old Sow Song" in Capitol Records' studios at 5515 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood, California. Capitol Records will issue "Old MacDonald Had A Farm" as a children's album "Rufe Davis" (CAS-3141) with "Swingin' On A Star" (recorded July 18, 1952) on the flipside and "The Old Sow Song" as a children's album also titled "Rufe Davis" (CAS-3142) with ",  both titles together as a children's album "Rufe Davis" (CAS-3142) with "The Little Engine That Could" (recorded July 22, 1952) on the flipside.

65 Years Ago Today In 1952 - Billy May conducts his own arrangements to His Orchestra (lineup unlisted) as they record the titles "Sad Sax Soliloquy", "Cute Piece Of Property", "You Turned The Tables On Me", and "Private Eye" in New York City, New York. Capitol Records has yet to issue any of the takes of the titles recorded on this day but May and His Orchestra re-recorded "Cute Piece Of Property" in Hollywood on October 22, 1952 which was released as a single (Capitol 2297) with "Driftwood" (recorded at the same session) on the flipside.

65 Years Ago Today In 1952 - Pianist Lou Busch, with unlisted others, recorded the titles "Boys From Syracuse", "Music In The Air", "Babes In Arms", and "Porgy And Bess" for The Capitol Records Transcription Service at "The Chateau" on De Longpre Avenue in Hollywood, California. No issuing information is listed.

60 Years Ago Today In 1957 - Vocalists Frank Sinatra and The Ralph Brewster Singers (Ralph Brewster, Loulie Jean Norman, Norma Zimmer, Barbara Ford, Thora Mathiason, Betty Noyes, Sue Allen, Gloria Wood, Betty Allan, Betty Wand, Dorothy McCarty, Ginny Rees, Beverly Jenkins, Peggy Clark, Robert Stevens, Bill Thompson, Bob Wacker, Max Smith, John Mann, Lee Gotch, Bill Lee, Gene Lanham, Thurl Ravenscroft, Jimmy Joyce, and Ray Linn Jr.), with Gordon Jenkins conducting His Orchestra (Bill Miller on piano, Allan Reuss on guitar, Jack Ryan and Nathaniel

Gangursky on bass, Ralph Hansell on drums, Kathryn Thompson Vail on harp and a string section with Victor Arno, Harry Bluestone, Walter Edelstein, David Frisina, Sol Kindler, Joseph Livoti, Nicholas Pisani, Joseph Quadri, Lou Raderman, and Mischa Russell on violins, William Baffa, Louis Kievman, Paul Robyn, and David Sterkin on viola, and Cy Bernard and Armand Kaproff on cello) record the titles "Mistletoe And Holly", "The Christmas Song", "Silent Night, Holy Night", and "I'll Be Home For Christmas" in The Capitol Tower Studios at 1750 North Vine Street in Hollywood, California. Capitol Records will issue all the titles on Sinatra's album "A Jolly Christmas From Frank Sinatra" (W/DW 894). Sinatra would later mix this recording of "The Christmas Song" with vocals by recorded at a different session by Nat "King" Cole to create a faux duet that appeared on the CDs "Duets II" and "Frank Sinatra 80th - All The Best" (8-28103-2 and 8-35952-2 respectively)

60 Years Ago Today In 1957 - The Al Belleto Sextet (Willie Thomas on trumpet and fluglehorn, Jimmy Guinn on trombone and vocals, Al Belletto on alto and baritone saxophones, Fred Crane on baritone saxophone and piano, Kenny O'Brien on bass, and Tommy Montgomery on trumpet and drums), records the titles "All For The Blues", "Sixty-Four", and "Whisper Not" in New York City, New York. Capitol Records will issue all the titles Belleto's album "Whisper Not" (T 901).

1959 - Billie Holiday (born Eleanora Fagan), singer and Decca, Capitol (on the 1942 single "Trav'lin' Light"), and Verve Records artist, dies at age 44 from liver and heart disease at Metropolitan Hospital in New York City, New York and is later interred in St. Raymond's Cemetery, Bronx, New York.

55 Years Ago Today In 1962 - Bandleader and trumpet player Ray Anthony and His Orchestra (lineup unlisted) record the titles "Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying" arranged by Jimmie Haskell, It Do Me No Good" also arranged by Jimmie Haskell, "I Almost Lost My Mind", "Long Lonely Nights", and "Trouble In Mind" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue all the titles on Anthony's album "I Almost Lost My Mind - The Soul Of Big City Rhythm & Blues" (T/ST 1783).

55 Years Ago Today In 1962 - Dean Elliott and His Orchestra (lineup unlisted) record the titles "You Do Something To Me", "Trees", "Baubles, Bangles And Beads", and "I Didn't Know What Time It Was" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue all the titles on group's album "Zounds! What Sounds!" (T/ST 1818).

50 Years Ago Today In 1967 - Vocalist Lou Rawls, with H. B. Barnum conducting the orchestra (lineup unlisted), records the titles "Merry Christmas Baby", "Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town", "Little Drummer Boy", and "Christmas Is" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue all the titles on Rawls' album "Merry Christmas Ho! Ho! Ho!" (T/ST 2790).

50 Years Ago Today In 1967 - Vocalist Ella Fitzgerald, with Ralph Carmichael directing the orchestra and chorus (lineups unlisted), records the titles "Silent Night", "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing", "Angels We Have Heard On High", and "We Three Kings" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue all the titles on Fitzgerald's album "Christmas"(T/ST 2805).

50 Years Ago Today In 1967 - Capitol Records releases The Beatles' single "All You Need Is Love" with "Baby You're A Rich Man" on the flipside (Capitol 5964).

45 Years Ago Today In 1972 - Capitol Records registered the masters for the original film soundtrack "The Hero" with music composed and conducted by Johnny Harris and featuring vocals by The Bloomfields and Heads, Hands & Feet and will release the thirteen titles on the soundtrack album "The Hero" (SW-11098).

45 Years Ago Today In 1972 - Billy May and The Time-Life Orchestra (lineup unlisted) record the titles "Love Letters", "'Mission Impossible' Theme", "Stella By Starlight", and "The High And The Mighty" in The Capitol Tower Studios at 1750 North Vine Street in Hollywood, California. Time-Life Records, as part of its "As You Remember Them" Series of 3 LP sets, will issue "Love Letters" and "'Mission Impossible' Theme" in the set "Volume 2 - Billy May" (STL 242), "Stella By Starlight" in the set "Volume 4 - Billy May" (STL 244), and "The High And The Mighty" in the set "Volume 3 - Billy May" (STL 243).

1974 - Don Rich (born born Donald Eugene Ulrich), fiddle player, guitarist, singer with the Capitol Records group The Buckaroos (which backed up Rich's good friend Buck Owens and recorded on their own), dies at age 33 when he loses control of his motorcycle and strikes a guard rail on Highway 99, north of Bakersfield, California, after a recording session at the Buck Owens Studios in Oildale, California. He is later interred at Hillcrest Memorial Park Cemetery on Kern Canyon Road (Highway 184) in the foothills of northeast Bakersfield, California
1985 - Wynn Stewart (born Winford Lindsey Stewart), singer, songwriter, guitarist and Capitol Records country artist (1956-1958, 1964-1971), dies of a heart attack at age 51 at his home in Hendersonville, Tennessee the day he was going to leave to start a four-day tour in Louisiana and Texas to promote his upcoming, self-released album. There will later be graveside services at Rose Hill Cemetary, north of Willard, Tennessee
2009 - Gordon Waller, lead singer in the Capitol Records vocal duo Peter And Gordon, died of cardiovascular disease at The William W. Backus Hospital in Norwich, Connecticut at age 64.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1941 - Spencer Davis, harmonica player, guitarist, and founder of the United Artists Records group, is born in South Wales, United Kingdom
1950 - "The Colgate Comedy Hour" makes its television debut with hosts comedy team and Capitol Records artists Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis
65 Years Ago Today In 1952 - Arthur Blanch, Australian country singer and future EMI and Capitol Records artist (1968), has his first recording session, recording six tracks including two of his own compositions, one of which, "Shearing Time", was his earliest hit, for Rodeo Records
1956 - MGM releases the motion picture "High Society" whose soundtrack, featuring Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby (who gets the gold record in his career for the single "True Love"), Grace Kelly, and Celeste Holmes, is released by Capitol Records
1963 - Tenor saxophonist Harold Land, with Carmell Jones on trumpet, John Houston on piano, Jimmy Bond on bass and Mel Lee on drums, records the tracks "Take This Hammer", "Hava Na Gila", "Foggy, Foggy Dew", "On Top Of Old Smokey", and "Blue Tail Fly" for his album "JAZZ IMPRESSIONS OF FOLK MUSIC" for Imperial Records, whose catalog was acquired by Capitol Records.
1966 - Frank Sinatra marries his third wife, actress Mia Farrow in a private ceremony in Las Vegas
50 Years Ago Today In 1967 - John Coltrane, saxophonist, composer, and Blue Note Records artist, dies at age 40 from liver cancer at Huntington Hospital in Long Island, NY
1968 - United Artists premieres The Beatles' animated feature motion picture "The Yellow Submarine" in London, England
1988 - Richard Marx's EMI Manhattan Records single "Hold On To The Night", with "Lonely Heart" on the flipside, is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1955 - Disneyland opens in Anaheim, California