MAY 10, 2018

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1907 - "Pee Wee" Hunt, trombone player, bandleader and Capitol Records artist (whose single "Twelfth Street Rag" was Capitol's biggest seller in the label's first decade and almost didn't happen. Its master had been accidentally tossed and it had to be remastered from a 16" transcription disc that had been created for radio use to make the commercial discs after the Dixieland single became a surprise radio hit), is born Walter Hunt in Mount Healthy, Ohio
1929 - Mel Lewis, drummer, with the Capitol Records bands of Alvino Rey, Ray Anthony and Stan Kenton, and bandleader, arranger, composer and music director of the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra which performed every Monday night at the Village Vanguard club, is born Melvin Sokoloff in Buffalo, New York
1947 - Jay Ferguson, Capitol Records solo artist (albums "Terms and Conditions" and "White Noise"), and former lead vocalist of the bands Spirit and Jo Jo Gunne, is born John Ferguson in the San Fernando Valley in southern California
1967 - Young MC, a singer, songwriter and Delicious Vinyl and Capitol Records artist (albums "Brainstorm" and "What's The Flavor"), is born Marvin Young in London, England

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1947 - The Pied Pipers (with Paul Weston and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Mam'selle", with "It's The Same Old Dream" on the flipside, is #9 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart
1952 - Hank Thompson's Capitol Records single "Wild Side of Life", with "Crying In The Deep Blue Sea" on the flipside, hits #1 on the U.S. Country singles chart
65 Years Ago Today In 1953 - During a split session held this day in New York City, New York with Sid Feller directing the orchestra (lineup unlisted), first vocalist Jane Froman records the title "If I Love You A Mountain" then vocalist Bob Manning records the titles "All The Time", "It's All Right With Me", "All I Desire", and It's Easy To Remember". Capitol Records will issue "If I Love You A Mountain" as a single (Capitol 2496 on 10" shellac and F2496 on 7" vinyl) with "My Shining Hour" (recorded December 23, 1952) on the flipside, "It's All Right With Me" and "All I Desire" together as a single (Capitol 2493 on 10" shellac and F2493 on 7" vinyl), and has yet to issue "All The Time" and "It's Easy To Remember".
1956 - Pianist Rudolph Firkusny records Claude Debussy's "Suite Bergamasque: Prelude/Menuet/Claire De Lune/Pässepied" at Capitol Records' Studio A in New York City, New York. Capitol will issue the title on Firkusny's album "DEBUSSY - Estampes/Suite Bergamasque/Children's Corner" (P-8350).
60 Years Ago Today In 1958 - It's Saturday and Nat "King" Cole performs on the CBS Radio show "Entertainment, USA" at 9:30 PM EST and Cole's Capitol Records single "Looking Back" and its flipside, "Do I Like It?" are #7 on The Billboard magazine's Best Selling Pop Singles In Stores chart. "Looking Back" is also #2 on The Billboard magazine's Most Played R&B By Jockeys chart, #4 on the magazine's R&B Best Sellers In Stores chart, #8 on the magazine's Top 100 Sides chart, and #9 on the magazine's Most Played By Jockeys chart. Also, "Do I Like It?" is #24 and "Looking Back" is #29 on KFWB's Fabulous Forty Survey in Los Angeles, California.
60 Years Ago Today In 1958 - After a rehearsal session, Felix Slatkin conducts The Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra (lineup unlisted) as they records Barber's "Adagio For String Orchestra (String Quartet In B Minor)" and Borodin's "Nocturne (String Quartet N° 2 In D Major)" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue both titles on the orchestra's album "Strings By Starlight" (P/SP-8444).
60 Years Ago Today In 1958 - During two sessions held this day in New York City, New York, Fred Waring conducts The Pennsylvanians (lineup unlisted) as they record the titles "Old Devil Moon" using an arrangement by Roy Ringwald with vocals by Joanne Wheatley on vocals, "Dancing In The Dark" with vocals by Chuck Nelson, and "Wagon Wheels" using an arrangement by Hawley Ades with vocals by Leonard Kranendonk at the first session and the titles "So In Love" using an arrangement by Charlie Naylor and Roy Ringwald with vocals by Gordon Goodman, "Buckle Down, Winsocki" using an arrangement y Roy Ringwald and Hawley Ades, and "April In Paris" using an arrangement by Harry Simeone at the second session. Capitol Records will issue all the titles, except the take of "April In Paris" that was recorded at the second session, on Waring and The Pennsylvanians' two-LP set "Broadway Cavalcade" (WBO/SWBO 1079). A new take of "April In Paris" will be recorded on May 11, 1958, and that take will also be issued in "Broadway Cavalcade".
55 Years Ago Today In 1963 - Buck Owens' Capitol Records single "My Heart Skips A Beat", with "Together Again" on the flipside, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles chart
1965 - After spending the day shooting the Buckingham Palace scenes indoors at Cliveden House in Berkshire and in Bluebell Wood at Cliveden for their movie "Help", The Beatles return to Studio 2 at EMI's Abbey Road Studios in London, England to record the tracks "Dizzy Miss Lizzy" and "Bad Boy" in sessions that go late into the night.
50 Years Ago Today In 1968 - Overdubs are recorded for Glen Campbell's titles "Words", "Dreams Of A Everyday Housewife", "If You Go Away", and "(Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue the final mixes of all the titles on Campbell's album "Wichita Lineman" (SU/ST/SM-103) and will also issue the final mix of "Dreams Of A Everyday Housewife" as a single (Capitol 2224) with the instrumental "Kelly Hoedown" (recorded April 19, 1967) on the flipside.

50 Years Ago Today In 1968 - Mad River (David Robinson and Rick Bockner on guitars, Lawrence Hammond on bass, keyboards, and vocals, Greg Dewey on drums, harmonica, and vocals, and Tom Manning on vocals), with producer Nick Venet, records the title "Hush, Julian" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue the title on the group's self-titled album "Mad River" (ST 2985).

50 Years Ago Today In 1968 - Vocalist Bobbie Gentry, with an orchestra (lineup unlisted) using arrangements by Perry Botkin, Jr., records the titles "Here, There And Everywhere" and "Peaceful" in Los Angeles, California. After overdubs are recorded for "Here, There And Everywhere" on May 29, 1968, Capitol Records will issue the final mixes of both titles on Gentry's album "Local Gentry" (ST 2964).

50 Years Ago Today In 1968 - Vocalist Ella Fitzgerald, with Benny Carter conducting his own arrangement to the orchestra (lineup unlisted), records the title "It's Up To Me And You" in New York City, New York. Capitol Records will issue the title as a single (Capitol 2212) with "Brighten Up The Corner Where You Are" (recorded November 28, 1966) on the flipside.

50 Years Ago Today In 1968 - Vocalist Matt Monro, singing in Spanish with George Martin directing the orchestra (lineup unlisted but includes piano, guitar, bass, drums, and string section players), records the titles "De Repente Un Dia (One Day Soon)" and "Alguien Canto (The Music Played)" in London, California. Capitol Records will issue both titles together as a single (Capitol 2318).

1970 - Sonny James' Capitol Records single "My Love", with "Blue For You" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles chart

45 Years Ago Today In 1973 - Guitarist Howard Roberts, with unlisted others, records the titles "Moondance", "This Masquerade", "A Song For You", and "The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue "Moondance" and "This Masquerade" on Roberts' album "Sounds" (ST-11247) and has yet to issue the other titles.

45 Years Ago Today In 1973 - Vocalist Helen Reddy, with unlisted others, records the titles "Get A Hold Of Yourself", "Long Hard Climb", and "Delta Dawn" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue "Long Hard Climb" and "Delta Dawn" on Reddy's album "Long Hard Climb" (SMAS-11213) and "Delta Dawn" also as a single (Capitol 3645) with "If We Could Still Be Friends" (recorded May 8, 1973) on the flipside. No issuing information is listed for "Get A Hold Of Yourself".

45 Years Ago Today In 1973 - Capitol Records registers the masters for La Wanda Lindsey's titles "Paint Me A Picture" and "Today Will Be The First Day Of The Rest Of My Life" it purchased from Buck Owens Enterprises which were recorded at Buck Owens Studios in Bakersfield, California and will issue both titles together as a single (Capitol 3652) and also on Lindsey's album "This Is La Wanda Lindsey" (ST-11306).

45 Years Ago Today In 1973 - Shelter Records, at the time distributed by Capitol Records, registers the masters for Black Grass' titles "Sweeping Through The City", "Come Across Your Bridge", "Early Morning Rain", "I'm So Grateful To You", "Great Day", "Lock, Stock And Barrel", "Going Down To The River", "Give, Give, Give", "Burnin' Love", and "Morning Train" and will issue all the titles on the group's self-titled album "Black Grass" (SW-8916) and will also issue "Sweeping Through The City" and "Going Down To The River" together as a single (Shelter 7335) and "Come Across Your Bridge" and "Lock, Stock And Barrel" together as a single (Shelter 7331).

1982 - Duran Duran's debut album "Rio" is released worldwide. In the U.S., the album is released on Harvest Records, a subsidiary of Capitol Records.
35 Years Ago Today In 1983 - The Motels (featuring Martha Davis with unlisted others) record the title "Little Robbers" in (listed as possibly) Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue the title on the group's album "Little Robbers" (ST-12288 on 12" vinyl and 7-46020-2 on CD).

1989 - Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band's Capitol Records album "Beautiful Loser" is certified Platinum

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1899 - Fred Astaire, a Broadway, motion picture and television actor, dancer, singer, and EMI recording artist, is born Frederick Austerlitz in Omaha, Nebraska
1957 - Sid Vicious, singer and bass guitarist with the EMI, Virgin, and Warner Bros. Records group The Sex Pistols, is born John Simon Ritchie
55 Years Ago Today In 1963 - Future Virgin Records band The Rolling Stones, at their first recording session for Decca Records, cut the tracks "Come On" and "I Want To Be Loved" at Olympic Studios in London, England. Decca will issue both tracks together as the first single for the label.
1964 - The Beatles performance at the New Musical Express 1963-64 Annual Poll Winner's Concert at Empire Pool, Wembley, England was aired in the UK by ABC-TV on the special "Big Beat '64". They sang "She Loves You," "You Can't Do That," "Twist and Shout," "Long Tall Sally," and "Can't Buy Me Love." at a taping held on April 26, 1964
50 Years Ago Today In 1968 - Tenor saxophonist Stanley Turrentine, with Shirley Scott on organ, Jimmy Ponder on guitar, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and Ray Lucas on drums, records the titles "I Got The Feeling", "She's Looking Good", and "Ain't No Way" at recording engineer Rudy Van Gelder's recording studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. After rejecting the takes of "I Got The Feeling" and "She's Looking Good", Blue Note Records will issue "Ain't No Way" on Turrentine's album "Ain't No Way" (LT-1095).
1981 - Kim Carnes' EMI America Records single "Bette Davis Eyes", with "Miss You Tonight" on the flipside, is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart. EMI America's catalog is currently owned by Universal Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1909 - Mother Maybelle Carter, a singer, guitarist, a founding member of the singing group The Carter Family, and grandmother of future Capitol Records artist Roseanne Cash, is born Maybelle Addington in Nicklesville, Virginia
45 Years Ago Today In 1973 - Jack E. Leonard, comedian, actor, and television game show panel member, dies at age 63 in New York City, New York a few weeks after cardiac bypass surgery.