MAY 8, 2018

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1905 - "Red" Nichols, cornet player, bandleader (Red Nichols and His Five Pennies), and Capitol Records recording artist in the '50s and '60s, is born Ernest Loring Nichols in Ogden, Utah. The film "The Five Pennies" is based loosely on Nichols life with actor and Capitol Records artist Danny Kaye playing Nichols.
1940 - Rick Nelson, singer, radio, television, and motion picture actor, and Imperial and Capitol Records artist, is born Eric Hilliard Nelson in Teaneck, New Jersey

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL HISTORY
1947 - Jean Stewart signs a contract with Capitol Records
1947 - At a split session held at Radio Recorders' studios at 932 N. Western Avenue in Hollywood, California, first Johnny Mercer (on vocals) and The Pied Pipers (vocal group - lineup unlisted), with Paul Weston and his Orchestra (Ray Linn, Zeke Zarchy, and Don Anderson on trumpet, Allan Thompson, Bill Schaefer, and Carl Loeffler on trombone, Fred Stulce, Matty Matlock, Herbie Haymer, Hap Lawson, and Len Hartman on saxophones, Milt Raskin on piano, George Van Eps on guitar, Jack Ryan on bass, Nick Fatool on drums, and a string section with unlisted musicians on 6 violins, 2 violas, 1 cello, and 1 harp), record the titles "Tallahassee" and "Cecilia" and then Wingy Manone (on trumpet and vocals) and Johnny Mercer (on vocals), with the addition of unlisted reed players and without the string section, record the track "Box Car Blues". Capitol Records will issue the first two tracks together as a single (Capitol 422) and Mosaic Records will issue the last track on the compilation box set "Classic Capitol Jazz Sessions" (LP - MQ19-170, CD - MD12-170) and Wingy Manone and His Orchestra will record another version of the track on May 23, 1947 with the same lineup and that version will be the one released as a single by Capitol Records (Capitol 442).
1947 - Freddie Stewart (on vocals), with The Buddy Cole Orchestra (Buddy Cole listed as possibly on piano, Ernie Felice on accordion, Dave Barbour on guitar, & other unlisted musicians), records the tracks "There's That Lonely Feeling Again" and "Sincerely Yours" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue both tracks together as a single (Capitol 426).
70 Years Ago Today In 1948 - Nat "King" Cole's Capitol Records single "Nature Boy" (with orchestra conducted by Frank DeVol) hits #1 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart for the first of an 8 week stay, and Peggy Lee with then-husband Dave Barbour and His Orchestra's Capitol Records single "Mañana" ends its nine weeks stay at #1 and is now #3
1952 - Joe "Fingers" Carr (aka Lou Busch [Bush] on piano), with an uncredited orchestra, records the tracks "Twelfth Street Rag", "The Daughter Of Rosie O'Grady", and "Dardanella" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue all the tracks on Carr's album "Rough House Piano" (EBF-345).
1954 - Frank Sinatra (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Young At Heart" is #2 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Nat"King" Cole (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Answer Me, My Love" is #8, Kay Starr's double sided hit Capitol Records single has "If You Love Me (Really Love Me) at #9 and its flip side, "The Man Upstairs" at #10, and Les Paul and Mary Ford's Capitol Records single "I Really Don't Want To Know" at #19
1957 - Ann Leonardo (on vocals), with Dick Reynolds and His Orchestra and Chorus (lineup unlisted), record an unissued take of the track "Three Time Loser", the tracks "Lottery" and "One And Only" and an unissued take of the track "I Must Have Your Lovin'" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue the second and third tracks together as a single (Capitol F3733).
1957 - Jane Froman (on vocals), with Marion Evans conducting the orchestra (lineup unlisted but includes French horns, reeds, piano, guitar, bass, and drum players), records the tracks "Under A Blanket Of Blue", "Red Sails In The Sunset", "You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To", and "At Sundown" in New York City, New York. Capitol Records will issue all the tracks on Froman's album "Songs At Sunset" (T 889).
60 Years Ago Today In 1958 - Vocalist Nat "King" Cole, with Gordon Jenkins and his Orchestra (Rene Favre on piano, John Collins on guitar, Charles Harris on bass, Lee Young on drums, and a string section with Victor Arno, Harry Bluestone, Sam Cytron, Harold Dicterow, Kurt Dieterle, Walt Edelstein, Dave Frisina, Jacques Gasselin, Nate Kaproff, Murray Kellner, Sol Kindler, Joseph Livoti, Dan Lube, Rickey Marino, Erno Neufeld, Nick Pisani, Joe Quadri, Lou Raderman, Nathan Ross, Mischa Russell, and Marshall Sosson on violins, Bill Baffa, Lou Kievman, Ray Menhennick, and David Sterkin on violas, Armand Kaproff and Ray Kramer on cellos, and Kathryn Thompson on harp), records the titles "Mangificent Obsession", "Cherie, I Love You", "Impossible", "But Beautiful", and "For All We Know" at The Capitol Tower Studios at 1750 North Vine Street in Hollywood, California between 2:30 PM and 5:30 PM. Capitol Records will issue all the titles on Cole's album "The Very Thought Of You" (W/SW 1084).
60 Years Ago Today In 1958 - Cornet player Bobby Hackett, with Pepe Moreale on piano, John Giuff (aka John Giuffrida) on bass, and Buzzy Drootin on drums, records the titles "Paradise", "I'll See You In My Dreams" with Moreale on celeste for the opening and closing melodies, "If You Were There", and "My Mondy Date" in an unlisted studio in New York City, New York although issued as recorded live at the Embers. Capitol Records will issue all the titles on Hacket's album "Bobby Hackett At The Embers" (T/ST 1077).
1959 - Frank Sinatra records the tracks "High Hopes" and "Love Looks So Well On You" with Nelson Riddle, who arranged both tracks, conducting the studio orchestra at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California. "High Hopes" would later be adapted to become John F. Kennedy's campaign song with Sinatra supplying the vocals to new lyrics.
1961 - Faron Young's Capitol Records single "Hello Walls" is #29 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1961 - Jean Shepard records the track "Two Voices Two Shadows Two Faces" at the Bradley Film & Recording Studio in Nashville, Tennessee which will be released by Capitol Records
1962 - During two sessions held this day at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California, vocalsit Vic Damone, with Billy May conducting his own arrangements to the orchestra (Joe Graves, Bobby Bryant, and Mannie Klein on trumpet, Francis "Joe" Howard on trombone, Jules Jacob, Plas Johnson, Jules Kinsler, and Chuck Gentry on saxophones, Joe Parnello on piano, Al Hendrickson on guitar, Meyer Rubin on bass, Sidney Bulkin on drums, and a string section with Bob Barene, Jacques Gasselin, James Getzoff, Anatol Kaminsky, Lou Klass, Erno Neufeld, Stanley Plummer, Lou Raderman, Nathan Ross, Paul Shure, Felix Slatkin, and Marshall Sosson on violin, and Edgar Lustgarten and Eleanor Slatkin on cello), records the titles "Cathy", "Ruby", "Laura", "Nina Never Knew", and "What Kind Of Fool Am I?" at the first session between 4:00 PM and 7:00 PM and then, with Conrad Gozzo and Uan Rasey replacing Joe Graves on trumpet, the addition of Milt Bernhart, Lew McCreary, and George Roberts on trombone and Billy Strange on guitar, records the tracks "I Want A Little Girl", "The Most Beautiful Girl In The World", "Marie", "Little Girl" and "Diane" at the second session between 8:30 PM and 12:00 AM on May 9, 1952. Capitol Records will issue all the titles, except "Cathy" on Damone's album "The Lively Ones" (T 1748) and will issue "Cathy" as a single (Capitol 4799) with "Vieni, Vieni" (recorded June 6, 1962) on the flipside.
1967 - LaVern Andrews, a singer, motion picture actress, and Capitol Records artist as part of The Andrews Sisters from 1956 to 1959, dies at age 55 of cancer in Brentwood, California and is later buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale, California
1967 - Tony Sandler and Ralph Young (on vocals), with Billy May conducting Sid Feller's arrangements to the orchestra (John Audino, Pete Candoli, Ray Triscari, and Uan Rasey on trumpet, Milt Bernhart, Phillip Teele, Lloyd Ulyate on trombone, and Harry Klee on bass clarinet and flute, Justin Gordon on clarinet, flute, and tenor saxophone, Abe Most on clarinet, alto saxophone, and flute, Jack Nimitz on clarinet, bass clarinet, and baritone saxophone, Arnold Ross on piano and organ, Al Hendrickson and Bob Bain on guitar, Chuck Berghofer on bass, and electric bass, Stan Levey on drums, and Gene Estes on percussion), record the tracks "Sentimental Journey", "Marie", "Cabaret", an unissued take of the track "The Exodus", and the track "The Late, Late Show" at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood California between 8:00 PM and 11:00 PM. Capitol Records will issue the second, third, and fifth tracks on Sandler and Young's album "" (T 2802) and the first track on the compilation CD "Spotlight On...,Vol. 11 - Sandler & Young" (8-32944-2).
1967 - Joanie Summers records the tracks "Trains And Boats And Planes", "Yesterday Morning (Woke Up This Morning)", and "Window Wishing" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue the first two tracks together as a single (Capitol 5936). There is no issuing information listed for the last track.
1967 - People (lineup unlisted) record the track "She's A Dancer" and an unissued take of the track "Floor Talk" in (listed as possibly) Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue the first track on the group's album "Both Sides Of People" (ST-151).
50 Years AGo Today In 1968 - During two sessions held this day in Studio A of The Capitol Tower Studios at 1750 North Vine Street in Hollywood, California, pianist and bandleader Stan Kenton and His Orchestra (Mike Price, Jim Kartchner, Jay Daversa, Carl Leach, and John Madrid on trumpets, Dick Shearer, Tom Whittaker and Shelley Denny on trombone, Joe Randazzo on bass trombone, Bob Goodwin on tuba, Ray Reed on flute and alto saxophone, Mike Altschul on tenor saxophone and bass clarinet, Bob Crosby on tenor saxophone and clarinet, Earle Dumler on baritone saxophone and English horn, Bill Fritz on baritone and bass saxphone and alto flute, Howard Roberts on guitar, John Worster on bass, Dee Barton on drums, Efraim Logreira on Latin perucssion, Steve Dweck also on Latin percusion and typmani, and Milt Holland on tympany and percussion) using compositions and arrangements by Dee Barton, record the titles "Personal Sounds, Part 6" and "Personal Sounds, Part 7" at the first session between 11:00 AM and 2:00 PM and the titles "Personal Sounds, Part 8" with the addition of James McGee, Richard Mackey, Willie Ruff, and David Duke on French horns, and "Personal Sounds, Part 9" at the second session between 3:00 PM and 6:00 PM for Capitol Records. All the titles recorded at both sessions were rejected.
50 Years Ago Today In 1968 - Jackie & Roy (vocalist Jackie Cain and electric piano player and vocalist Roy Krail) with Andy Muson on electric bass and Jim Molinary on drums, record the titles "Fixin' A Hole" and "Lady Madonna" with the addition of Ray De Sio on trombone, Artie Shroeck and George Young on saxophones, and Stuart Sharf on guitar using arrangements by Artie Shroeck, and "Open" in New York City, New York. Capitol Records will issue all the titles on the duo's album "Grass" (ST 2936).
50 Years Ago Today In 1968 - Overdubs are recorded for guitarist Merle Travis' title "Ma, He's Making Eyes At Me" in Nashville, Tennessee. Capitol Records will issue the final mix of the title on Travis' album "Strictly Guitar" (ST 2938).

1970 - Capitol Records releases The Beatles' "Let It Be" soundtrack album in the United States

1972 - Billy May and The Time-Life Orchestra (lineup unlisted) recorded the tracks "Gigi", "Land Of Dreams", "Theme From 'Limelight'", and "Theme From 'A Summer Place'" at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California. Time-Life Records will issue the first, third, and last tracks as part of the "As You Remember Them" Series of 3 LP sets on the album "Volume 1 - Billy May" (STL 241) and the second track on the album "Volume 6 - Billy May" (STL 246).
1972 - Capitol Records registered the masters in licensed from Apple Records for John Lennon and Plastic Ono Band's tracks "Woman Is The Nigger Of The World" and "Sisters, O Sisters", Chris Hodge's tracks "We're On Our Way" and "Supersoul", and Dave Meadow's tracks "I Didn't Mean To Love You So Good, Juanita" and "Lucky Me". Capitol will distribute both of Lennon's tracks as a single (Apple 6244) and both of Chris Hodge's tracks together as a single (Apple 1850) on the Apple label in the United States but will not distribute either of Dave Meadow's tracks in the United States.
45 Years Ago Today In 1973 - During two sessions held this day in Los Angeles, California, vocalist Helen Reddy, with unlisted others records the title "(Sittin' There) Lovin' You" at the first session and the titles "If We Could Still Be Friends", "The Westwind Circus", and "Old Fashioned Way" at the second session. After overdubs are recorded for all the titles on the same day, Capitol Records will issue all the final mixes of all the titles on Reddy's album "Long Hard Climb" (SMAS-11213) and "If We Could Still Be Friends" also as a single (Capitol 3645) with "Delta Dawn" (recorded May 10, 1973) on the flipside and "Old Fashioned Way" also as a single (Capitol 3768) with "Leave Me Along (Ruby Red Dress)" (recorded May 28, 1973) on the flipside.
45 Years Ago Today In 1973 - Vocalist Red Steagall, with unlisted others, records the titles "Bring Back The Waltzes", "Little Old Heartbreaker You", and "She's A Lady At Home" in Nashville, Tennessee. Capitol Records will issue all the titles on Steagall's album "If You've Got The Time, I've Got The Song" (ST-11228).
40 Years Ago Today In 1978 - Vocalist Juice Newton, with unlisted others, records the titles "A Love Like Yours" and "Close Enough" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue both titles on Newton's album "Well Kept Secret" (SW-11811).
40 Years Ago Today In 1978 - Vocalist Karen Wheeler, with unlisted others, records the titles "How Will I Get Over You", "Ain't No Mountain High Enough", "For The First Time In My Life", and "How Is The Sun In California" at Woodland Sound Studio in Nashville, Tennesse. Capitol Records will issue "How Will I Get Over You" and "How Is The Sun In California" together as a single (Capitol 4595), "How Will I Get Over You" and "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" together as a single (Capitol 4697), and has yet to issue "For The First Time In My Life".
1982 - Bob Seger recorded an unissued take of the track "Sunset" in Los Angeles, California for Capitol Records.
35 Years Ago Today In 1983 - Dear Enemy (lineup unlisted) record the titles "Computer One", "The Good Life", "Talking To You", "All Through The Night", "Kids On The Street", "On The Line", "Restless", "A Bit Of Your Heart", and "Day To Day" at an unlisted studio. Capitol Records will issue all the titles on the group's album "Ransom Note" (ST-12295) and "Computer One" and "Day To Day" also together as a single (Capitol 5314).
30 Years Ago Today In 1988 - Nappy Lamare, a guitarist, banjo player, bandleader, and Capitol Records artist dies in Newhall, California at age 81
2001 - Capitol Records releases Paul McCartney's album "Wingspan". I did the design and Photoshop work for the DVD packaging of the "Wingspan" documentary.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1912 - The Paramount company was founded by W. W. Hodkinson as a merger of 11 film rental bureaus. In 1917, Adolph Zukor bought Paramount and merged it with Famous Players to form the new firm called Paramount Pictures Corporation. Zukor also fired W. W. Hodkinson, who went on to found First National to challenge Paramount's distribution power. In 1919, First National and Paramount planned to merge, to gain full control of the market and to cut production cost, but the plan was uncovered by a private eye hired by Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks, Sr. and D.W. Griffith. In reaction to the plan, they decided to found their own distribution company, United Artists Pictures (which would later found United Artists Records), which effectively ended Paramount and First National's efforts to found a monopoly. Future Capitol Records co-founder Buddy DeSylva would become production chief of Paramount and during his reign music from it's films (with "Mona Lisa" from "Captain Carey, U.S.A." being the best known song from the least known movie) would be released by Capitol Records as would recordings by many of its stars including Betty Hutton and Bob Hope.
1942 - Jack Blanchard, singer, songwriter, saxophone and keyboard player, and member of the United Artists duo Jack Blanchard & Misty Morgan, is born in Buffalo, New York
75 Years Ago Today In 1943 - Toni Tennille, a singer and the wife of former keyboardist for The Beach Boys "Captain" Daryl Dragon (who also was a Capitol artist with his band The Dragons), was born Cathryn Antoinette Tennille in Montgomery, Alabama
1947 - Phil Sawyer, the bass guitarist and guitarist for the United Artists band The Spencer Davis Group, is born in Birmingham, England
65 Years Ago Today In 1953 - Billy Burnette, singer, songwriter, guitarist, son of Liberty Records artist Dorsey Burnette and Alberta Burnette, member of Fleetwood Mac (1987-1995), and a solo artist is born William Beau Burnette III in Memphis, Tennessee
1957 - The Horace Silver Quintet (Art Farmer on trumpet, Hank Mobley on tenor saxophone, Horace Silver on piano, Teddy Kotick on bass, and Louis Hayes on drums) records the tracks "Metamorphosis", "No Smoking", "The Back Beat", "Soulville", "My One And Only Love", and "Home Cookin'" in Hackensack, New Jersey. Blue Note Records will issue all the tracks on the group's album "The Stylings Of Silver" (BLP1562).
1961 - Ernie K-Doe's Minit Records single "Mother-In-Law" is #2 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart, Gene McDaniels' Liberty Records single "A Hundred Pounds Of Clay" is #3, Steve Lawrence's United Artists Records single "Portrait Of My Love" is #9, Rick Nelson's Imperial Records single "Travelin' Man" is #18, Al Caiola and His Orchestra's United Artists Records single "Bonanza" is #23, Rick Nelson's Imperial Records single "Hello Mary Lou" is #27, and The Fleetwoods' Dolton Records (distributed by Liberty Records) single "Tragedy" is #31
1962 - The Broadway production of "A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum" opens at The Alvin Theatre in New York City, New York, starring Zero Mostel. The show will run for a total of 964 performances and Capitol Records will record the show on May 13, 1962 and release the show's original Broadway cast album. The motion picture version, which also stars Mostel, will be directed by Richard Lester, who directed The Beatles' first two films.
1962 - At two straight days of sessions starting today Dinah Washington, with Don Costa conducting his own arrangements to the orchestra (lineup unlisted), records the tracks "Lover Man", "The Man That Got Away", and "Baby, Won't You Please Come Home?" for Roulette Records. Blue Note Records will reissue the first two tracks on the compilation CD "Jazz Profile 5 - Dinah Washington" (8-54907-2) and the last track in England on the compilation CD "Blue Divas" (8-53232-2).
55 Years Ago Today In 1963 - United Artists Pictures releases "Dr. No", the first James Bond film, and United Artists Records will release the soundtrack album. Capitol Music Group's parent company, EMI Music Group, currently owns the United Artists catalog.
55 Years Ago Today In 1963 - Pianist Horace Silver, with Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Junior Cook on tenor saxophone, Gene Taylor on bass, and Roy Brooks on drums, records the titles "Let's Go To The Nitty Gritty", "The Dragon Lady", and "Sweet Sweetie Dee" at recording engineer Rudy Van Gelder's studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. Blue Note Records will issue all the titles on Silver's album "Silver's Serenade" (BLP4131 on mono 12" vinyl, BST84131 on stereo 12" vinyl, and 8-21288-2 on CD).
1977 - Leo Sayer's Chrysalis Records single "When I Need You" is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart. Capitol Music Group's parent company, Universal Music Group, currently owns the Chrysalis catalog in the United States.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL HISTORY
1911 - Robert Johnson, singer, guitarist, and songwriter, is born in Hazlehurst, Mississippi. His 29 Blues recordings are among the most influential especially with English musicians including Eric Clapton and The Rolling Stones, who have both covered Johnson's tunes. This date has not been verified and if anyone knows for sure when Johnson's birthdate is, please leave a comment.
1945 - Victory in Europe (aka V.E. Day) during World War II is announced and there is a massive celebration in Times Square in New York City, New York and around the world in the allied nations.