APRIL 7, 2018

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1915 - Billie Holiday, singer and Capitol Records artist (the track "Trav'lin' Light", with Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra, using the name Lady Day), is born Eleanora Fagan in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
1920 - Ravi Shankar, composer, sitar player, Capitol ("Concert For Bangladesh") and Angel Records artist, and father of Angel Records artist Anoushka Shankar and Blue Note Records artist Nora Jones, is born Bharat Ratna Ravi Shankar in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India
1951 - Janis Ian, singer, songwriter, and Capitol Records artist is born Janis Eddy Fink in New York City, New York
1952 - Bruce Gary, a percussionist and drummer with the Capitol Records group The Knack, is born in Burbank, California

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
65 Years Ago Today In 1953 - During two sessions held this day in Capitol Records' studios at 5515 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood, California, bandleader and pianist Duke Ellington and His Famous Orchestra (Clark Terry, Willie Cook, Cat Anderson, and Ray Nance on trumpets, Juan Tizol, Britt Woodman, and Quentin Jackson on trombones, Russell Procope on alto saxophone and clarinet, Rick Henderson on alto saxophone, Jimmy Hamilton on clarinet and tenor saxophone, Paul Gonsalves on tenor saxophone, Harry Carney on baritone saxophone and bass clarinet, Wendell Marshall on bass, and Butch Ballard on drums) record the titles "My Old Flame", "I Can't Give You Anything But Love", and, with Jimmy Grissom on vocals, "Ain't Nothin', Nothin' Baby (Without You)" at the first session and the titles "Stormy Weather", "Star Dust", "Three Little Words", and "Orson" at the second session. Capitol Records will issue "My Old Flame", "I Can't Give You Anything But Love", "Stormy Weather", "Star Dust" and "Three Little Words" on Ellington and His Orchestra's album "Premiered By Ellington" (EAP-1/2-440 on 7" EPs, EBF-440 on 7" EP set, and H-440 on 10" LP), "Ain't Nothin', Nothin' Baby (Without You)" as a single (Capitol 2503) with "Ballin' The Blues" (recorded April 9, 1953) on the flipside, and "Orson" on Ellington's album "Dance To The Duke!" (EAP-3-637 on 7" EP and T 637 on 12" LP).
65 Years Ago Today In 1953 - Jackie Gleason conducts His Orchestra (a large string orchestra with Bobby Hackett on trumpet, Toots Mondello on alto saxophone, and unlisted others) as they record the titles "Mickey", "The Man I Love", "I Hadn't Anyone Till You", and "It All Depends On You" in New York City, New York. Capitol Records will issue all the titles on Gleason's album "Music To Make You Misty" (EBF 455 on 7" two EP set, H/L-455 on 10" LP, and W/DW 455 on 12" LP).

65 Years Ago Today In 1953 - Vocalist Faron Young, with (listed as probably) Chet Atkins or Thomas "Grady" Martin on electric guitar, Velma E. Williams Smith on rhythm guitar, (listed as probably) Loren Otis "Jack" Shook on guitar and Bob Foster on steel guitar, and Floyd "Lightnin'" Chance on bass, records the titles "What's The Use To Love You", "That's What I'd Do For You", "Just Married", and "Baby My Heart" at Castle Studio in the Tulane Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee. Capitol Records will issue "What's The Use To Love You" as a single (Capitol 2461) with "I Can't Wait (For The Sun To Go Down" (recorded October 12, 1952) on the flipside, and "That's What I'd Do For You" and "Baby My Heart" together as a single (Capitol 2570). Bear Family Records will issue all the titles in Germany in the five-CD box set "Faron Young - The Classic Years" (BCD 15493).

1954 - Kay Starr's Capitol Records single "The Man Upstairs", with Harold Mooney conducting the orchestra and "If You Love Me" on the flipside, enters the top 40 of the U.S. Pop singles chart
60 Years Ago Today In 1958 - Capitol Records releases Buck Owens' single "Sweet Thing" with "I Only Know That I Love You" on the flipside
60 Years Ago Today In 1958 - Dean Martin's Capitol Records single "Return To Me", with "Forgetting You" on the flipside, enters the top 40 of the U.S. Pop singles chart
60 Years Ago Today In 1958 - Nat "King" Cole's Capitol Records single "Looking Back" debuts at #36 on WMGM's Top 40 Survey in New York City, New York and is #5 on WJJD 11609 AM's Hit Bound chart in Chicago, Illinois.
60 Years Ago Today In 1958 - Vocalist Tennessee Ernie Ford, with The Top Twenty (lineup unlisted) and Harry Geller conducting the orchestra (lineup also unlisted), records the titles "O Little Town Of Bethlehem", "O Holy Night (Cantique De Noël)", "Silent Night", and "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" 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 - Vocalist Wanda Jackson, with "Big" Al Downing on piano, Merrill Moore on piano and organ, Vernon Sandusky on lead guitar and vocals, Buck Owens on rhythm guitar, Enos "Skeets" McDonald on bass, and Joe Brawley on drums, records the titles "Making Believe", "Just Call Me Lonesome", "Happy Happy Birthday, "Let Me Go Lover" and "Let's Have A Party" in The Capitol Tower Studios at 1750 North Vine Street in Hollywood, California between 6:15 PM and 9:15 PM. Capitol Records will issue all the titles on Jackson's album "Day Dreaming" (T 1041), "Happy Happy Birthday" also as a single (Capitol F4469) with "Mean Mean Man" (recorded April 10, 1958) on the flipside, and "Let's Have A Party" also as a single (Capitol F4397) with "Cool Love" (recorded February 28, 1957) on the flipside.
35 Years Ago Today In 1983 - Capitol Records registers the masters for Eddie Jobson & Zinc's titles "Transporter", "Resident", "Easy For You To Say", "Prelude", "Nostalgia", "Walking From Pastel", "Turn It Over", "Green Face", "Who My Friends...", "Colour Code", "Listen To Reason", "Through The Glass", and "Transporter II" in Los Angeles, California and will issue all the titles on the album "The Green Album" as by Eddie Jobson/Zinc (ST-12275) and will also issue "Turn It Over" as a single (Capitol 5273) with "Residential Mix" (recorded June 30, 1983) on the flipside.
35 Years Ago Today In 1983 - Capitol Records registers the masters for The Rockets' titles "Rollin' By The Record Machine", "Desire", "Can't Sleep", "Sally Can't Dance", "Takin' It Back", "Open The Door To Your Heart", "Oh Well", "Turn Up The Radio", and "Born In Detroit" in Los Angeles, California and will issue all the titles on the group's album "Live Rockets" (ST-12270) and will also issue "Can't Sleep" and "Turn Up The Radio" together as a single (Capitol 5262).

1991 - Liberty Records (later renamed Capitol Records Nashville) artist Garth Brooks wins American Country Music awards for Entertainer of the Year, Male Vocalist, Album of the Year (for "No Fences,") Single "Friends in Low Places," Song, and Video of the Year "The Dance"

2002 - Chris Cagle's Capitol Records Nashville single "I Breathe In I Breathe Out", with "Country By The Grace of God" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
80 Years Ago Today In 1938 - Freddie Hubbard, a trumpet player, sideman, bandleader, and Blue Note Records artist, is born Frederick Dewayne Hubbard in Indianapolis, Indiana. Blue Note's catalog is currently owned by Capitol Music Group's parent company EMI Music Group
75 Years Ago Today In 1943 - Mick Abrahams, a guitarist, founder of the Chrysalis Records group Jethro Tull, and a solo artist, is born in Luton, Bedfordshire, England. Chrysalis' catalog is currently owned by Capitol Music Group's parent company EMI Music Group
1949 - The Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein musical "South Pacific" opens at the Majestic Theatre in New York City. Capitol Records will later release an album of cover versions of the hit songs from the musical featuring Gordon MacRae and Jo Stafford
60 Years Ago Today In 1958 - Ricky Nelson's Imperial Records single "Believe What You Say", with "My Bucket's Got A Hole In It" on the flipside, enters the top 40 of the U.S. Pop singles chart.
Imperial's catalog is currently owned by Capitol Music Group's parent company EMI Music Group.
60 Years Ago Today In 1958 - During three sets held live at Small's Paradise in New York City, New York recorded by Blue Note Records, organist Jimmy Smith, with Eddie McFadden on guitar and Donald Bailey on drums, perform the titles "Small's Minor", and with the addition of Lou Donaldson on alto saxophone, "What's New?", "Fugueing The Blues", "Red Sails In The Sunset", and "Cool Blues with the addition of Tina Brooks on tenor saxophone at the first set, "September Song", "Yesterdays", "Small's Minor", and, with the addition again of Lou Donaldson on alto saxophone, "Once In A While" and "Bye Bye Blackbird" at the second set, and, after an announcement by Babs Gonzales, with Lou Donaldson on alto saxophone, Tina Brooks on tenor saxophone, Eddie McFadden on guitar, and Art Blakey on drums, the titles "A Night In Tunisia", "Dark Eyes", and "Groovin' At Smalls" then with Brooks out on tenor saxophone and Donald Bailey replacing Blakey on drums, "Mary Ann" at the third set. Blue Note Records will issue "Cool Blues", "A Night In Tunisia", "Dark Eyes", and Groovin' At Small's" on Smith's album "Cool Blues" (LT-1054) and with the addition of "What's New?", "Small's Minor", and "Once In A While" on the CD release of "Cool Blues" (7-84441-2). Blue Note rejected all the other titles.
1959 - The Fleetwoods' Dolphin Records (later renamed Dolton Records) single "Come Softly To Me", with "I Care So Much" on the flipside, is #1 on the U.S. Pop singles chart. Dolton Records was distributed and later bought by Liberty Records. Liberty Records catalog is currently owned by Universal Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company.
1968 - Bobby Goldsboro's United Artists Records single "Honey", with "Danny" on the flipside, is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart. United Artists' catalog is currently owned by Universal Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company.
1975 - Victoria Adams (aka Victoria Beckham, aka Posh Spice), with the Virgin Records group Spice Girls, wife of European football player David Beckham, is born Victoria Caroline Adams at the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow, Essex, United Kingdom.
1990 - "Hold On", Wilson Phillips' SBK single "Hold On", distributed by Capitol Records with "Over And Over" on the flipside, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Single chart