APRIL 18, 2018

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1882 - Leopold Stokowski, a conductor, bandleader, and Capitol Records artist as part of Leopold Stokowski and His Symphony Orchestra, is born in London, England
1952 - Jim Scholten, singer and bass player for the Liberty Records, Capitol Records Nashville, and Curb Records group Sawyer Brown, is born in Midland, Michigan

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1945 - Capitol Records Recording Department is established with Bill Miller (not to be confused with Frank Sinatra's accompanist, Bill Miller) as boss. Miller would, 21 years later in 1966, "prepare for release" The Beatles "Yesterday ...And Today" and "Revolver" albums. He was also an A&R man and producer. He was responsible for signing and producing Jackie Davis and producing sessions for June Christy, Benny Goodman, The Four Freshmen, Sebastian Temple, Warren Durrett and even co-produced Ted Cassidy's novelty record "The Lurch". The current manager is Paula Salvatore, who has guided the always busy Capitol Studios since 2001. Check out Capitol Studios' website for more information. There's also a great article about the Capitol Studios on the studio expresso website.
1951 - Les Paul and Mary Ford's Capitol Records single "How High The Moon", with "Walkin' And Whistlin' Blues" on the flipside, is #1 on The Billboard magazine's Records Most Played by Disc Jockeys and Best Selling Pop Singles charts and #6 on the magazine's Most Played Juke Box Records chart.
1951 - Yma Sumac's Capitol Records album "Voice Of The Xtabay" hits #1 on The Billboard magazine's Best Selling Pop Albums chart in both the album's 33 1/3 RPM and 45 RPM formats.
65 Years Ago Today In 1953 - Nat "King" Cole's Capitol Records single "Pretend" is #3 on The Billboard magazine's Best Selling Singles and Most Played By Jockeys charts and #4 on The Billboard magazine's Most Played In Juke Boxes chart and Cash Box magazine's Best Selling Singles chart. Cole's Capitol Records single "Can't I?" is #18 on The Billboard magazine's Best Selling Singles chart and #19 on Cash Box magazine's Best Selling Singles chart and its flipside "Blue Gardenia" is #31 on also on Cash Box magazine's Best Selling Singles chart.
60 Years Ago Today In 1958 - Nat "King" Cole's Capitol Records single "Looking Back" is #8 on WMCA's Wax To Watch chart in New York City, New York.

60 Years Ago Today In 1958 - Vocalist Tennessee Ernie Ford, with Harry Geller conducting the orchestra (lineup unlisted), records the titles "Adeste Fideles", "Sleep My Little Lord Jesus", and "O Harken Ye" in The Capitol Tower Studios at 1750 North Vine Street in Hollywood, California. Capitol Records will issue all the titles on Ford's album "Tennessee Ernie Ford Sings His Christmas Favorites - The Star Carol" (T/ST 1071).

60 Years Ago Today In 1958 - Jackie Gleason conducts His Orchestra (a large string orchestra featuring Romeo Penque on alto saxophone and flute, Bernie Leighton on piano, and unlisted others) as they record the titles "Long Before I Knew You", "Satin Doll", "You Oughta Be In Pictures", "All The Things You Are", "My Sin", and new takes of the titles "Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me", "Nevertheless", "I'm Making Believe", and "Ain't Misbehavin'" in New York City, New York. Capitol Records will issue all the titles, except "My Sin" which remains unissued, on Gleason's album "Jackie Gleason Presents - Rebound" (W/SW 1075).

60 Years Ago Today In 1958 - During two sessions held this day in New York City, New York, organist Jackie Davis, with Eddie Costa on vibraphone, Kenny Burrell and Mundell Lowe on guitar, and Burtell Knox on drums, records the titles "Surprise", "Just My Luck", and "I Feel Pretty" at the first session and the titles "Jubilation T. Cornpone", a new take of "Say Darling", and the titles "Standing On The Corner" and "Till There Was You" at the second session. Capitol Records will issue all the titles on Davis' album "Most Happy Hammond" (T/ST 1046).

60 Years Ago Today In 1958 - Pianist Joe Bushkin, with an orchestra (lineup unlisted) using arrangements by Kenyon Hopkins, records the titles "Let's Do It", "In The Still Of The Night", "What Is This Thing Called Love?", "Just One Of Those Things", "Round Table Walk", and "Lucky Me" in New York City, New York. Capitol Records will issue "Let's Do It", "In The Still Of The Night", "What Is This Thing Called Love?", and "Just One Of Those Things" on Bushkin's album "I Get A Kick Out Of Porter" (T/ST 1030), "Round Table Walk" as a single (F4027) with "Trudie" (recorded June 26, 1958) on the flipside, and has yet to issue "Lucky Me".

1962 - Buck Owens records "Save The Last Dance For Me" which will be released by Capitol Records on a single with "King Of Fools" on the flipside and enter the Country single charts on May 24, 1962
55 Years Ago Today In 1963 - Vocalist June Christy, with Al Viola on guitar and Don Bagley on bass, records the titles "Fly Me To The Moon", "Spring Is Here", "The More I See You", and "You're Nearer" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue "Spring Is Here" on Christy's album "The Intimate Miss Christy" (T/ST 1953). The new takes of the other three titles will be recorded on May 23, 1963, and those takes will also be issued on the album "The Intimate Miss Christy".

1966 - Wanda Jackson records the track "I Talk A Pretty Story" at Columbia Studios in Nashville, Tennessee with producer Ken Nelson which will be released as a single by Capitol Records as the flipside of "Little Soldier Boy" in July 1968.
50 Years Ago Today In 1968 - During two sessions held this day in Los Angeles, California, vocalist Tennessee Ernie Ford, with Jack Fascinato conducting his own arrangements to the orchestra (lineup unlisted), records the titles "He Is Born, The Holy Child", "The Friendly Beasts", and "The Wassail Song" at the first session and the titles "Good Christian Men, Rejoice" and "White Christmas" at the second session. After overdubs are recorded on May 21, 1968 for "He Is Born, The Holy Child", "The Wassail Song", and "Good Christian Men, Rejoice" and on May 22, 1968, for the titles "The Friendly Beasts" and "White Christmas", Capitol Records will issue the final mixes of all the titles on Ford's album "O Come All Ye Faithful" (ST 2968).
45 Years Ago Today In 1973 - Vocalist Kay Adams, with the Cliffie Stone Group (lineup unlisted), records the titles "Ain't It Funny (How The Heart Rules The Mind)", "Reason To Feel", "I Can, I Can", and "Hearts Of Stone" in Los Angeles, California. After overdubs are recorded for all the titles on April 26, 1973, Capitol Records will issue "Ain't It Funny (How The Heart Rules The Mind)" and "Reason To Feel" as a single (Capitol 3692) and "I Can, I Can" and "Hearts Of Stone" together as a single (Capitol 3624).

45 Years Ago Today In 1973 - Denny Saeger, with unlisted others, records the title "The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue the title as a single (Capitol 3618) with "The Finer Things In Life" (recorded November 3, 1972) on the flipside.

45 Years Ago Today In 1973 - Capitol Records will register the masters for Freddie Hart and The Heartbeats' titles "Trip To Heaven" and "Look-A-Here" in Los Angeles, California and will issue both titles together as a single (Capitol 3612) and on Hart's album "Trip To Heaven" (ST-11197).

45 Years Ago Today In 1973 - Vocalist and guitarist Freddie King, with either Reverend Patrick Henderson or Leon Russell on piano, Don Preston also on guitar, Carl Radle on electric bass, and Chuck Blackwell and Jim Keltner on drums, records the titles "Woman Across The River" with unlisted female background singers, "Hootchie Cootchie Man" with The O'Neil Twins (lineup unlisted) and other female background singers, "Danger Zone" with The O'Neil Twins on background vocals and a string section (lineup unlisted), "Boogie Man", "Leave My Woman Alone" with The O'Neil Twins and other female background singers, "Just A Little Bit", "Yonder Wall", "Help Me Through The Day" with a string section, "I'm Ready", "Trouble In Mind" with The O'Neil Twins on background vocals and a string section, and "You Don't Have to Go" with The O'Neil Twins and other female background singers in Tia Juana, Oklahoma. Shelter Records, at the time distributed by Capitol Records, will issue all the titles on King's self-titled album "Freddie King" (SW-8919) and "Woman Across The River" and "Help Me Through The Day" together as a single (Shelter 7333).

45 Years Ago Today In 1973 - Leon Russell, with unlisted others, records the title "Mighty Quinn Medley: I'll Take You There/Idol With The Golden Head/I Serve A Living Savior/The Mighty Quinn", "Dixie Lullaby", "Queen Of The Roller Derby", "Roll Away The Stone", "It's Been A Long Time Baby", "Great Day", "Alcatraz", "Crystal Closet Queen", "Prince Of Peace", "Sweet Emily", and "Stranger In A Strange Land" in an unlisted studio. Shelter Records, at the time distributed by Capitol Records, will issue all the titles on Russell's self-titled three-LP set "Leon Russell" (STCO-8917).

1977 - The Steve Miller Band's Capitol Records album "Fly Like An Eagle" is certified Gold by the R.I.A.A.

40 Years Ago Today In 1978 - The Honeys (vocalists Diane Rovell, Marilyn Rovell, and Ginger Blake), with an orchestra (lineup unlisted) using arrangements by Elmo Peeler, records the title "Sweet Sunday Kinda Love" in United/Western Studios on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, California. Capitol Records will issue the title on the group's compilation CD "Capitol Collectors Series - The Honeys" (7-93193-2).

35 Years Ago Today In 1983 - Sherry Kean, with unlisted others, records the title "I Want You Back" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue the title as a single (Capitol 5320) with "Sever The Ties" (recorded April 13, 1983) on the flipside and an edited version of the title on Kean's album "People Talk" (ST-12328).

1989 - Judge Robert Takasugi bars Curb Records from releasing Donny Osmond's album and single "Soldier Of Love" in the United States. Owner Mike Curb (who had signed The Osmonds to M-G-M Records in 1970) had argued that he had a verbal agreement with Osmond to release the album previously released by Virgin Records in the UK which Osmond denied. Capitol Records will release the album in the United States on April 25, 1989

1996 - Bernard Edwards, record producer with partner Nile Rodgers for Diana Ross, Debbie Harry, Norma Jean Wright, and Sister Sledge; solo producer for Rod Stewart, Nona Hendryx, ABC, Starpoint, and Missing Persons; songwriter, bass player, and producer for the group Chic and the Capitol Records band Power Station, dies of pneumonia in his hotel room in Tokyo, Japan at age 43 after performing with a reformed Chic as well as with guests Simon Le Bon, Slash, Steve Winwood and Sister Sledge, at The SuperProducers tribute show for Niles Rodgers, who had been named JT SuperProducer of the Year in Japan, at the Budokan Arena

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1929 - Future Capitol Records artist Red Nichols and His Five Pennies (which includes at the time Gene Krupa and future Capitol Records artists Benny Goodman and Jack Teagarden) record Glenn Miller's arrangement of "Indiana" for Brunswick Records in New York City, New York.
60 Years Ago Today In 1958 - Guitarist Wes Montgomery, with Harold Land on tenor saxophone, Buddy Montgomery on piano, Monk Montgomery on electric bass, and Tony Bazley on drums, records the titles "Far Wes", "Leila", "Wes' Tune", "Hymn For Carol", "Montgomeryland Funk" and "Stompin' At The Savoy" in Los Angeles, California for United Artists Records. Blue Note Records will issue all the titles on Montgomery's two-disc compilation album "Beginnings" (BN-LA531-H2).
45 Years Ago Today In 1973 - Electric alto saxophonist Lou Donaldson, with electric pianist Horace Ott conducting his own arrangements to Thad Jones on trumpet, Garnett Brown on trombone, Seldon Powell on flute and tenor saxophone, Buddy Lucas on harmonica, Paul Griffin also on electric piano as well as piano and organ, David Spinozza, John Tropea, and Hugh McCracken on electric guitars, Wilbur Bascomb on electric bass, Bernard Purdie on drums, and Omar Clay and Jack Jennings on percussion, records the titles "Pillow Talk", "Sassy Soul Strut", "Good Morning Heartache" with Donaldson on alto saxophone, and "City, Country, City" at Generation Sound Studio in New York City, New York. Blue Note Records will issue all the titles on Donaldson's album "Sassy Soul Strut" (BN-LA109-F).
30 Years Ago Today In 1988 - Pianist and synthesizer player Renee Rosnes, with Wayne Shorter on soprano saxophone, records the title "Diana" at the Montmartre Club in Copenhagen, Denmark for the Somethin' Else Records. Blue Note Records will issue the title on Rosnes' 1990 self-titled album "Renee Rosnes" (B1-93561 on 12" Vinyl and 7-93561-2 on CD).