MAY 21, 2018

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1916 - Dennis Day, tenor, radio, television and motion picture actor, and Capitol Records artist (whose single "Phil The Fluters Ball", with "Johnny Doughboy Found A Rose In Ireland" on the flipside, was fourth in the first records released by Capitol, and his album "Dennis Day Sings" was one of the first albums released by the label), is born Owen Patrick Eugene McNulty in Bronx, New York
1931 - Sleepy Willis, guitarist with Capitol Records artist Dick Curless' band and later his manager, is born Tasio Golios in Newport, Rhode Island
1941 Pauline "Polly" Smoot, Capitol Records employee in North Carolina, is born Pauline Huffman in Milton, North Carolina.

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1942 - At Capitol Records' fourth recording session, pianist Freddie Slack and His Orchestra (Bob Goodrich, John Kec, and George Wendt on trumpet, William Anthens and Bruce Squires on trombone, William Martinez on clarinet and alto saxophone, Walter "Buddy" Clark, John
Hamilton, and Al Harding on reeds, Jack Marshall on guitar, Jim Lynch on bass, and John Cyr on drums) record the titles "Here You Are" with vocals by David South, "Doll Dance", "Cow-Cow Boogie" with vocals by seventeen year old Ella Mae Morse, and "The Air-Minded Executive" with vocals by Johnny Mercer at C.P MacGregor Studios at 729 South Western Avenue in Los Angeles, California between 3:00 PM and 5:50 PM. Capitol Records will issue "Here You Are" and "Cow Cow Boogie" together as a single (Capitol 102, part of Capitol's first release to retail), "Doll Dance" as a single (Capitol 113) with "He's My Guy" (recorded July 20, 1942) on the flipside, and "The Air-Minded Executive" as a single (Capitol 103) with "Strip Polka" (recorded April 6, 1942) on the flipside.
70 Years Ago Today In 1948 - Nat "King" Cole's Capitol Records single "Nature Boy" is #1 on The Billboard magazine's Best-Selling Popular Retail Records and Records Most Played By Disk Jockeys charts, #2 on the magazine's Most-Played Juke Box Records chart, #3 on the magazine's Best Selling Retail Race Records chart, and #5 on the magazine's Most-Played Juke Box Race Records chart
1949 - Jo Stafford's and Gordon MacRae's Capitol Records single "'A' You're Adorable" is #9 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Mel Tormé's Capitol Records single "Again" is #10, Margaret Whiting and Johnny Mercer's Capitol Records single "Baby It's Cold Outside" is #12, Jo Stafford's and Gordon MacRae's Capitol Records single "Need You" is #13, and Mel Tormé (with orchestra conducted by Pete Rugolo)'s Capitol Records single "Careless Hands" is #15
1949 - Capitol Records is given until May 26 to answer brought in a countersuit by Mercury Records that asks for an injunction to stop Capitol from releasing recordings licensed from Telefunken and an accounting of profits made from the recordings. Capitol had brought suit against Mercury after it had released recordings from the Telefunken label which Mercury said were part of a licensing deal it has with Gramophone Works of Czechoslovakia but had not released and had no plans to release the recordings using the Telefunken name.
65 Years Ago Today In 1953 - Vocalist and guitarist Merle Travis, with Harold Glenn Hensley and Robert "Buddy Ray" Roy on fiddles, Billy Liebert on piano, Gene Mombeck and Dick Stubbs, Jr. on guitars, Donald "Dusty" Rhodes on bass, and Milton Curtis "Muddy" Berry on drums, records the titles, "Crazy 'Bout You", "Dance of The Golden Rod", and "Re-Enlistment Blues" in Capitol Records' studios at 5515 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood, California between 7:30 PM and 11:30 PM. Capitol Records will issue "Re-Enlistment Blues" as a single (Capitol 2563 on 10" shellac and F2563 on 7" vinyl) with a new take of "Dance Of The Golden Rod" (recorded June 30, 1953) on the flipside. Bear Family Records will issue "Crazy 'Bout You" and "Re-Enlistment Blues" in Germany in Travis' five-CD compilation box set "Guitar Rags And A Too Far Past" (BCD 15637). The take of "Dance Of The Golden Rod" from this session is unissued and listed as lost.
1955 - Les Baxter and His Orchestra's Capitol Records single "Unchained Melody" is #2 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Tennessee Ernie Ford's Capitol Records single "The Ballad Of Davy Crockett" is #7, Nat "King" Cole's Capitol Records single "A Blossom Fell" and it's flipside "If I May" with The Four Knights is #8, Nat "King" Cole's Capitol Records single "Darling Je Vous Aime Beaucoup is #14, and Frank Sinatra's Capitol Records single "Learnin' The Blues" is #16.
60 Years Ago Today In 1958 - Billy May conducts his own arrangements to His Orchestra (listed as probably Conrad Gozzo, Frank Beach, John Best, Uan Rasey, Pete Candoli, and Mannie Klein on trumpets, Si Zentner, Tommy Pederson, Ed Kusby, and George Roberts on trombones, Vincent De Rosa, John Cave, Jim Decker, Dick Perissi, and Art Frantz on French horns, Red Callender and Clarence Karella on tubas, Verlye Mills on harp, Paul Smith on piano, Al Hendrickson on guitar, either Joe Mondragon or Ralph Pena on bass, Alvin Stoller on drums, and Lou Singer and Ralph Hansell on percussion) as they record the titels "Joom Jooms", "The Continental", and "Love Is The Thing" in The Capitol Tower Studios at 1750 North Vine Street in Hollywood, California. Capitol Records will issue all the titles on May and his orchestra's album "Billy May's Big Fat Brass" (T/ST 1043).
60 Years Ago Today In 1958 - Vocalist Tennessee Ernie Ford, with Harry Geller conducting the orchestra and chorus (lineups unlisted), records the titles "The First Noel", "Some Children See Him", and "We Three Kings Of Orient Are" 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 - During two sessions held this day at EMI's Abbey Road Studio N° 1 in London, England, Erich Leinsdorf conducts The Philharmonia Orchestra (lineup unlisted) as they record the second movement of Kodaly's "Hary Janos Suite" and portions of Brahms' "Variations On A Theme By Joseph Haydn" at the first session and Mozart's "Le Nozze Di Figaro Overture" and the second and fourth movements of Prokofiev's "Lieutenant Kije Suite" at the second session. Capitol Records will issue the second movement of "Hary Janos Suite" and the second and fourth movements of "Lieutenant Kije Suite" on the album "PROKOFIEV - Lieutenant Kije Suite/KODALY-Hary Janos Suite" (P/SP-8508), the portions of "Variations On A Theme By Haydn" on the album "BRAHMS - Symphony N° 3 In F Major/Variations On A Theme By HAYDN" (G/SG-8483), and "Le Nozze Di Figaro Overture" on the orchestra's album "Opera Overtures" (G/SG-8465).

1962 - Capitol Records releases Buck Owens' single "Save The Last Dance For Me" with "King Of Fools" on the flipside
55 Years Ago Today In 1963 - Nat "King" Cole's Capitol Records single "Those Hazy-Lazy-Crazy Days Of Summer is #23 on WABC's Silver Dollar Sound Survey in New York City, New York.
55 Years Ago Today In 1963 - The Midnighters (Paul Buff, David Aerni, and Frank Zappa) sign a contract with Capitol Records, Inc. Capitol had purchased the masters to Brian Lord and The Midnighter's titles "Not Another One" and "The Big Surfer" on May 17, 1963, and would issue both titles together as a single (Capitol 4981).
55 Years Ago Today In 1963 - During two sessions held this day in Los Angeles, California, pipe organist Eddie Dunstedter, with unlisted others, records a new take of the title "White Christmas" and the title "Ring, Christmas Bells" at the first session and the titles "Silver Bells" and "Winter Wonderland" at the second session. Capitol Records will issue all the titles on Dunstedter's album "The Bells Of Christmas Chime Again" (T/ST 1968).
1964 - "Four By the Beatles", an EP of 4 songs by The Beatles ("All My Loving", "This Boy", "Roll Over Beethoven" and "Please Mister Postman") is released by Capitol Records only in the United States.
50 Years Ago Today In 1968 - Overdubs are recorded in Los Angeles, California for Tennessee Ernie Ford's titles "O Come All Ye Faithful", "Slumber Song Of Infant Jesus", "While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks", "The Little Boy King", "He Is Born, The Holy Child", "The Wassail Song", and "Good Christian Men, Rejoice". Capitol Records will issue the final mixes of all the titles on Ford's album "O Come All Ye Faithful" (ST 2968).

60 Years Ago Today In 1968 - Six Penny Opera (lineup unlisted) records the title "I'm Gonna Live In A Bag", "It Doesn't Happen Very Often", "Love Is On The Way", and "Chance To Fly" in Los Angeles, California for Capitol Records which has yet to issue "I'm Gonna Live In A Bag", "It Doesn't Happen Very Often", and "Chance To Fly". No issuing information is listed for "Love Is On The Way".

50 Years Ago Today In 1968 - Overdubs are recorded for Carnival Connection's titles "Poster Man" and "Beautiful Beige" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue the final mix of "Poster Man" as a single with "Alfred Applebee's Awful Dream" (recorded or purchased on June 6, 1968) on the flipside and has yet to issue "Beautiful Beige".

50 Years Ago Today In 1968 - Robert Irving conducts The Concert Arts Orchestra (lineup unlisted) as they record the beginning of Aaron Copland's "For Dance Episodes From 'Rodeo'" in New York City, New York. Capitol Records will issue the entire piece on the orchestra's album "COPLAND - Four Dance Episodes From 'Rodeo'/Appalachian Spring" (SP-8702).

1969 - The Beatles announce that accountant Allen Klein will now handle their financial affairs.

1971 - Apple Records releases Paul McCartney's album “Ram" with Capitol Records distributing the album in the United States
45 Years Ago Today In 1973 - Warren Wilson signs a contract with Capitol Records, Inc. which had purchased the masters for his titles "Don't Quit", "Don't Ever Fall In Love", "Forget My Name", and "Find My Way" and will issue "Forget My Name" as singles (Capitol 3696 and 3757), both with an edited version of "Don't Quit" on the flipside.
45 Years Ago Today In 1973 - Forest Green Enterprises, Inc. signs a contract with Capitol Records, Inc. to purchase the masters for the group Forest Green's titles "Never Found A Way", "I've Been This Before", "What It's About", "Black Shepherd", "Beggar Man", "Scream Fear", "The Ballad Of Widow Jenkins And Rita", "Movin' To The Country", "Boundless Sky", and "Mountain" and will issue all the titles on the group's album "Never Found A Way" (ST-11239) and also "Never Found A Way" and "Black Sheperd" together as a single (Capitol 3781).
2004 - Rick Henderson, an alto saxophonist in Duke Ellington's Orchestra on Ellington's "Ellington 55" album on Capitol Records, dies at his home in Washington, D.C. at age 76.
2006 - Billy Walker, country-music singer, guitarist, Capitol Records and Columbia Records artist, nicknamed "The Tall Texan", is killed at age 77 when the van he was driving back to Nashville after a performance in Foley, Alabama veered off Interstate 65 in Fort Deposit, Alabama and overturned.
2009 - Kimberly Caldwell signs with Vanguard Records, which currently is distributed by Capitol Records

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1912 - Dario Soria, co-founder of Cetra-Soria records, co-founding manager (along with his wife, producer Dorle Jarmel Soria) of Angel Records, is born in Rome, Italy. The Sorias ran Angel from 1953, when they sold their Cetra-Soria classical label (the largest catalog of recorded opera in the world) to EMI, until 1957 when Angel was folded into Capitol Records for distribution.
1940 - Tony Sheridan, singer and Polydor Records artist who was backed on recording sessions by The Beatles, is born Anthony Esmond Sheridan McGinnity in Norwich, England.
60 Years Ago Today In 1958 - Pianist Gil Evans conducts his own arrangement to Johnny Coles, Louis Mucci, and Ernie Royal on trumpets, Frank Rehak and Joe Bennett on trombones, Tom Mitchell on bass trombone, Julius Watkins on French horn, Bill Barber on tuba, Julian "Cannonball" Adderley on alto saxophone, Phil Bodner on piccolo, flute, bass clarinet, and English horn, Chuck Wayne on guitar, Paul Chambers on bass, and Art Blakey on drums as they record the title "Struttin' With Some Barbecue" (composed by Louis Armstrong) at Judson Hall in New York City, New York for World Pacific Records which will issue the title on the album "New Bottle, Old Wine" (STEREO-1011) as by Gil Evans And His Orchestra Featuring Julian "Cannonball" Adderley. Blue Note Records will acquire the master and will re-issue it on the two-LP compilation set "Pacific Standard Time" (BN-LA461-H2).
1964 - The Beatles' "Sie Liebt Dich" (a version of their song "She Loves You" sung in German) with "I'll Get You" on the flipside is released on Swan Record
1969 - John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s “bed-in” begins at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal, Canada
35 Years Ago Today in 1983 - David Bowie's EMI America single "Let's Dance" is still #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
25 Years Ago Today In 1993 - During two sessions at Protocal Studios in London, England for EMI, one that takes place today and the other on May 23, 1993, tenor and soprano saxophonist Andy Sheppard, with Claude Deppa on trumpet, Steve Lodder on keyboards, Sylvan Richardson on electric bass, and Dave Adams on drums, records the titles "Sofa Safari" with the addition of Gary Valentine on trombone, "All Access Areas", "So", "Hop Dreams", and, with Kevin Robinson on flugelhorn replacing Deppa, the title "Undercovers". No breakdown is listed for the individual sessions. Blue Note Records will acquire the masters and will issue all the titles on Sheppard's album "Rhythm Method" (8-27798-2 on CD).
2002 - DRG Records re-issues the "Bells Are Ringing" motion picture soundtrack on compact disc. It was originally issued on CD in 1989 by Capitol Records and, on July 5, 1960, as a vinyl LP.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS
30 Years Ago Today in 1988 - Sammy Davis, Sr., a dancer, singer, and father of Capitol Records artist Sammy Davis, Jr., dies of natural causes at age 87 in Beverly Hills, California