MARCH 5, 2022

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

1928 - Lou Levy, a pianist with Woody Herman and His Thundering Herd and the Capitol Records band Supersax, as well as a session pianist for Capitol Records artists Frank Sinatra, Peggy Lee (and also a music director for her), Nancy Wilson, and Anita O’Day, is born Lewis A. Levy in Chicago, Illinois.

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY

75 Years Ago Today In 1947 - Clarinetist Benny Goodman, with unlisted others, records "Duo Concertante Opus 48: 1st Movement" in two parts and "Duo Concertante Opus 48: 2nd Movement" in two parts in Los Angeles, California for Capitol Records which has yet to issue either of the titles.

1948 - Peggy Lee's Capitol Records single "Mañana (Is Good Enough For Me)", with "All Dressed Up In A Broken Heart" on the flipside, is #1 on The Billboard magazine's Best-Selling Popular Retail Records chart for the week ending March 5, 1948.

1951 - Paul Neighbors and His Orchestra (lineup unlisted) record the titles "Here Comes My Ball And Chain", "And I Was Kissing You", "Happiness" and "There She Was" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue the first and third titles together as a single (Capitol 1461) and the second and last titles together as a single (Capitol 1537).

70 Years Ago Today In 1952 - Billy May conducts arrangements of his own music to the orchestra (John Best and Conrad Gozzo on trumpets, Francis "Joe" Howard and James Priddy on trombones, John Graas on French horn, Jules Kinsler, Gordon Green, Nicholas Dann, and Fred Falensby on saxophones, Paul Smith on piano, Al Hendrickson on guitar, Meyer Rubin on bass, Lou Singer on drums, Kathryn Thompson on harp, Ivan Eppinoff, Harry Bluestone, and Mischa Russell on violins, David Sterkin on viola, and Cy Bernard on cello) as they record the music tracks entitled "Robin Hood And His Merrie Men" at Capitol Records' studios at 5515 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood, California. After vocal tracks are overdubbed in four parts during sessions held on March 17 and April 16, 1952 by Nestor Paiva, Alan Reed, Ben Wright, June Foray, Jimmy McDonald, and Harry Stanton (aka Geoffrey Keen), using a script adapted by Alan Livingston, Capitol Records will issue all the parts on the children's album "Walt Disney's Story Of Robin Hood" (DBX-3138).

70 Years Ago Today In 1952 - Trumpet player and bandleader Clyde McCoy and His Orchestra (Mannie Klein, Clayton Cash, and Uan Rasey on trumpets, Si Zentner, Ed Kusby, and Tommy Pederson on trombones, Wilbur Schwartz on clarinet and alto saxophone, Ted Romersa on alto saxophone, Skeets Herfurt and Babe Russin on tenor saxophones, Chuck Gentry on baritone saxophone, Edwin "Buddy" Cole on piano, Vincent Terri on guitar, Phil Stephens on bass, and Alvin Stoller on drums) with Nelson Riddle directing his own arrangements, records the titles "I Love To Hear A Choo Choo Train" with vocals by Liz Tilton, "The Music Goes 'Round And Around" and "Mr. Wah-Wah" with a vocal trio (lineup unlisted), "To Be Loved By You" with vocals by Liz Tilton, and "Baia" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue "I Love To Hear A Choo Choo Train" and "To Be Loved By You" together as a single (Capitol 2045) as by Liz Tilton, "The Music Goes 'Round And Around" and "Mr. Wah-Wah" together as a single (Capitol 2321), and have yet to issue "Baia". Unfortunately, only "To Be Loved By You" is currently available on YouTube.

1953 - Daws Butler signs a contract with Capitol Records.

1953 - Vocalist Thomas "T. Tommy" Cutrer, with an orchestra (lineup unlisted), records the titles "All The Way", "I'm Just As Rich As You", "Just A Kiss Away", and "Baby, You're The Only One" in (listed as possibly) Shreveport, Louisiana. Capitol Records will issue "All The Way" on the multi-artist compilation album "Church In The Wildwood" (EAP-1-1113 on three-disc 45 RPM EP and T 1113 on 12" 33 1/3 LP).

1955 - Jerry Reed signs a contract with Capitol Records.

1955 - Nat "King" Cole's Capitol Records single "Darling Je Vous Aime Beaucoup", with "The Sand And The Sea" on the flipside, enters the top 40 of the U.S. Pop singles chart.

1956 - At the first comedy session to be held in The Capitol Tower Studios, Stan Freberg, with Billy May directing Billy May's Music (Justin Gordon on saxophone, Paul Smith on piano, Phil Stephens on bass, Lou Singer on drums, and Ann Stockton on harp), records the titles "The Quest For Bridey Hammerschlaugen" with additional vocals by June Foray and "The Great Pretender" with the vocal group The Toads (lineup unlisted). Capitol Records will issue both titles together as a single (Capitol 3396).

65 Years Ago Today In 1957 - Vocal group The Merry Macs (Ted McMichael, Judd McMichael, Richard Baldwin, and Marjorie Garland), with Frank De Vol and his Orchestra (lineup unlisted), record the titles "Ho Sa Bonnie", "There's Honey On The Moon Tonight", "On The Bumpy Road To Love", and "By-U, By-O" in Los Angeles, California. After overdubs are recorded on March 14, 1957 for "On The Bumpy Road To Love" and on April 1, 1957 for "By-U, By-O", Capitol Records will issue all the titles on the group's album "The Very Merry Macs" (T 850). Unfortunately, only "By-U, By-O" is currently available on YouTube.

65 Years Ago Today In 1957 - Vocalist Tommy Sands, with unlisted others, records the titles "My Love Song" and "Ring-A-Ding-Ding" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue both titles together as a single (Capitol F3690).

65 Years Ago Today In 1957 - Capitol Records purchases the masters for orchestra director Don Robertson's title "I Don't Know If I'll Ever Love Again" with vocals by Lou Dinning which it will release as a single (Capitol F3675) with "Remember You Belong To Me" (recorded January 17, 1957) on the flipside. Unfortunately, neither title is available on YouTube.

65 Years Ago Today In 1957 - Vocalist Trudy Richards, with Owen B. Massingill directing the orchestra (lineup unlisted), records the titles "I Want A Big Butter And Egg Man", "Hangin' Around", "Wishbone" and "Down Home Rag" in New York City, New York. Capitol Records will issue "I Want A Big Butter And Man" as a single (Capitol F3729) with "Weaker Than Wise" (recorded September 21, 1956) on the flipside, "Hangin' Around" and "Wishbone" together as a single (Capitol F3694), and has yet to issue "Down Home Rag". Unfortunately, only "Wishbone" is available on YouTube.

1958 - During two sessions held this day in Los Angeles, California, Glen Gray leads The Casa Loma Orchestra (Shorty Sherock, Conrad Gozzo, Mannie Klein, and Pete Candoli on trumpets,  Walt Benson, Joe Howard, and Si Zentner on trombones, Murray McEachern also on trombone and alto saxophone, Skeets Herfurt also on alto saxophone, Gus Bivona on clarinet and also on alto saxophone, Babe Russin and Jules Jacob on tenor saxophones, Chuck Gentry on baritone saxophone, Ray Sherman on piano, Jack Marshall on guitar, Mike Rubin on bass, and Nick Fatool on drums), using arrangements Gene Gifford and Larry Wagner, records the titles "Take The 'A' Train" in the style of Duke Ellington, "Song Of India" in the style of Tommy Dorsey, and "Woodchopper's Ball" in the style of Woody Herman at the first session and the titles "Begin The Beguine" in the style of Artie Shaw, "South Rampart Street Parade" in the style of Bob Crosby, and "The Elk's Parade" in the style of Bobby Sherwood and the second session. Capitol Records will issue all the titles, except "South Rampart Street Parade" on Glen Gray And The Casa Loma Orchestra's album "Sounds Of The Great Bands" (W/SW 1022) and "South Rampart Street Parade" on Glen Gray And The Casa Loma Orchestra's album "Sounds Of Great Bands, Volume 2" (T/ST 1067).

1958 - Pianist Gordon Jenkins and His Orchestra (lineup unlisted), with chorus and Latin accompaniment (lineups also unlisted), records the titles "Baubles, Bangles And Beads", "For Want Of A Star", "Never Let Me Go", "Dream Dust", "Time Was", and "Something To Dream About" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue all the titles on Gordon Jenkins And His Chorus' album "Dream Dust" (T 1023).

1958 - Guy Lombardo conducts His Royal Canadians (lineup unlisted) as they record the titles "Medley #1: A Pretty Girl Is Like A Melody/All By Myself/How Deep Is The Ocean/Always/The Song Is Ended", "Medley #2: Soft Lights And Sweet Music/Lazy/They Say It's Wonderful/Lady Of The Evening/Blue Skies", and "Medley #3: White Christmas/Say It Isn't So/All Alone/Russian Lullaby/Say It With Music" in New York City, New York. Capitol Records will issue all the titles on the albums "Berlin By Guy Lombardo And His Royal Canadians" (T/DT 1019) and in the four-LP set "Guy Lombardo - The Lombardo Years" (TDL/STDL 2181).

1958 - Erich Leinsdorf conducts The Concert Arts Symphony Orchestra (lineup unlisted) as they record Rimsky-Korsakov's "The Russian Easter Overture" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue the title on the orchestra's album "Portraits In Sound" (P/SP-8446).

60 Years Ago Today In 1962 - Pianist Cy Coleman, with unidentified bass and drums players and vocalists, records the titles "Here I'll Stay", "Tell Hope", "The Gentleman Is A Dope", "Lost In Loveliness", and "Lonely Town" in New York City, New York. Capitol Records will issue all the titles on Coleman's album "Broadway Pianorama" (T/ST 1740). Unfortunately, separate videos for each title are not currently available on YouTube, but the entire album is available as a single video.

60 Years Ago Today In 1962 - During two sessions held this day in Los Angeles, California, Capitol Records remasters and overdubs drums on vocalist Jack Guthrie's titles "Oklahoma Hills", "Dallas Darling", "You Laughed And I Cried", "Shame On You" "The Answer To 'Moonlight And Skies'", and "Ida Red" at the first session and on "Oakie Boogie", "I'm Branding My Darlin' With My Heart", "Careless Darling", "When The Cactus Is In Bloom", "Chained To A Memory", and "The Colorado Blues" at the second session and will issue all the titles on the album "Jack Guthrie" (T/ST 2456). Unfortunately, none of the titles from these sessions are currently available on YouTube.

1963 - Vocalist and guitarist Merle Travis, with unlisted others, records the titles "The Browder Explosion", "The Harlan County Boys", "Miner's Strawberries", and "The Courtship Of Second Cousin Claude" in The Capitol Tower Studios at 1750 North Vine Street in Hollywood, California. Capitol Records will issue all the titles on Travis' album "Songs Of The Coal Mines" (T/ST 1956).

1963 - The Honeys (vocalists Diane Rovell, Marilyn Rovell, and Ginger Blake), with Leon Russell on piano, Glen Campbell and Billy Strange on guitars, and Hal Blaine on drums), record the titles "Shoot The Curl" and "Surfin' Down The River" with additional vocals by Brian Wilson and Skip Taylor in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue both titles together as a single (F4952).

1963 - The Escorts (lineup unlisted) record the titles "Dream Boy", "I Miss You So", "Enchanted Frog", and "Look Homeward Angel" in Los Angeles, California for Capitol Records which has yet to issue any of the titles.

1963 - The Beatles (George Harrison on lead guitar and vocals, John Lennon on rhythm guitar and vocals, Paul McCartney on bass guitar and vocals, and Ringo Starr on drums and vocals) record the titles "Thank You Girl" and "From Me To You" in EMI's Abbey Road Studios in London, England. Capitol Records will issue "Thank You Girl" as a single (Capitol 6064) with "Do You Want To Know A Secret" (recorded February 11, 1963) on the flipside, "From Me To You" as a single (Capitol 6063) with "Please Please Me" (recorded November 26, 1962) on the flipside, and both titles on the album "The Beatles' Second Album" (T/ST 2080).

1966 - The Beatles' Capitol Records single "Nowhere Man", with "What Goes On" on the flipside, enters the top 40 of the U.S. Pop singles charts.

55 Years Ago Today In 1967 - Buck Owen's Capitol Records single "Where Does The Good Times Go", with "The Way That I Love You" on the flipside, returns to the #1 slot on the U.S. Country singles chart.

1968 - Capitol Records registers the masters it purchased for Maxine Brown's titles "In The Midnight Hour" and "Soul Serenade", The Ramsey Lewis Trio's titles "Salute To Ray Charles", "Hang On Sloopy", and "Goin' Out Of My Head" and Lou Rawls' titles "On Broadway", "Love Is A Hurting Thing", "They Don't Give Medals", and "Tobacco Road" and will issue all the titles on the album "Lou Rawls/Maxine Brown/Ramsey Lewis - Central Park Music Festival" (ST 2933).

1968 - Capitol Records registers the master it purchased from Hot Biscuit Records for Libby Titus' title "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight" but has yet to issue the title.

1968 - At two sessions held this day in New York City, New York, The Stone Poneys (Kenny Edwards and Bob Kimmel on guitars and Linda Ronstadt on vocals) records the title "Let's Get Together" at the first session and the title "Some Of Shelly's Blues" at the second session. After overdubs are recorded at the same sessions, Capitol Records will issue "Let's Get Together" on the album "Linda Ronstadt, Stone Poneys & Friends, Volume III" (ST 2863) and "Some Of Shelly's Blues" as a single (Capitol 2195) with "Hobo (Morning Glory)" (recorded November 30, 1967) on the flipside and on the two-LP multi-artist compilation "Super Oldies, Volume 4" (STBB-149). 

1968 - During two sessions held this day in Nashville, Tennessee, Ken "Thumbs" Carllile, with unlisted others, records the titles "Gentle On My Mind", "Boss-A-Minuet", "Truckin'", and "Rollin'" at the first session and the titles "By The Time I Get To Phoenix", "It's A Good Day", "Green Fields", and "Nine Pound Hammer" at the second session for Capitol Records which, even after overdubs are recorded for "Gentle On My Mind" and "By The Time I Get To Phoenix" on May 3, 1968, has yet to issue any of the titles.

1969 - The Beach Boys (Carl Wilson on bass, Alan Jardine on guitar, Brian Wilson on piano, Bruce Johnston on organ, and Dennis Wilson on drums) record the titles "Sail Plane Song" (aka "Glide Plane Song", which will finally be retitled "Loop-De-Loop Flip Flop"), and "Flying In An Airplane" at Brian Wilson's home studio near Los Angeles, California. Even after overdubs are recorded on March 6 and 7, 1969, Capitol Records has yet to issue either title

1971 - Capitol Records releases Goose Creek Symphony's album "Welcome To Goose Creek" which was recorded during the summer of 1970 at Audio Recorders, Phoenix, Arizona.

50 Years Ago Today In 1972 - Freddie Hart's Capitol Records single "My Hang-Up Is You", with "Big Bad Wolf" on the flipside is #1 on the U.S. Country singles chart.

50 Years Ago Today In 1972 - During two sessions held this day in Amigo Studios in North Hollywood, California, America (Gerry Beckley and Lee "Dewey" Bunnell on vocals and guitars), with unlisted others, record the title "Never Be Lonely" at the first session and the title "Love On The Vine" at the second session. Capitol Records will issue both titles on the group's album "View From The Ground" (ST-12209).

1973 - Capitol Records releases Buck Owens' single "Ain't It Amazing, Gracie" with "The Good Old Days" on the flipside.

1973 - Billy May and The Time-Life Orchestra (lineup unlisted) record the titles "Shangri-La", "Sweet Caroline", "'S Wonderful", "Theme From 'Summer Of '42'", and "Warsaw Concerto" in The Capitol Tower Studios at 1750 North Vine Street in Hollywood, California for Time-Life Records which, after overdubs are recorded at the same session for "Sweet Caroline" will issue, as part of its "As You Remember Them" series, "Shangri-La" on the three-LP set "Volume 7 - Billy May", the final mix of "Sweet Caroline" on the three-LP set "Volume 8 - Billy May", and "'S Wonderful", "Theme From 'Summer Of '42'", and "Warsaw Concerto" on the three-LP set "Volume 6 - Billy May".

1976 - Bill Cosby signs a contract with Capitol Records.

45 Years Ago Today In 1977 - Glen Campbell's Capitol Records single "Southern Nights", with "The William Tell Overture" on the flipside, enters the U.S. Country singles chart.

35 Years Ago Today In 1987 - Boogie Boys (rappers Boogie Knight and Romeo J.D. with scratches by D.J. Dynamite, and synthesizers programmed by Mac Quayle and Steve Rimland) record the title "Rise Up" at Unique Recording's studio in New York City, New York with producer Ted Currier. Capitol Records will issue the title on the group's album "The Boogie Boys - Romeo-Knight" (C1-46917 on vinyl and C2-46917).

30 Years Ago Today In 1992 - Vocalist, keyboardist, organist, strings player, and horn player Rachelle Ferrell, with Freddie Washington on bass, Paulinho Da Costa on drums, Paul Jackson, Jr. on guitar, and producer Michael J. Powell on tambourine, records the title "I Know You Love Me". Capitol Records will issue the title on Ferrell's self-titled CD "Rachell Ferrell" (7-93769-2).

1996 - Capitol Records releases The Beatles' Apple Records single "Real Love", with "Baby's In Black" on the flipside, in the United States.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY

1963 - Vocalist Sarah Vaughan, with Marty Manning conducting his own arrangements to the orchestra (lineup unlisted), records the title "Once Upon A Summertime" in New York City, New York for Roulette Records. After EMI acquires the Roulette catalog, Blue Note Records will issue the title on the CD "Sarah Vaughan" (8-23517-2) as part of its Jazz Profile series.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY

40 Years Ago Today In 1982 - John Belushi, actor, singer, and record collector, dies of a drug overdose in Bungalow 3 at The Chateau Marmont Hotel on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, California at age 33.