MAY 7, 2022

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

1950 - Prairie Prince, a graphic designer, former drummer in the Capitol Records band The Tubes, and now with the band The New Cars, is born Charles L'Emprere Prince in Charlotte, North Carolina.

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY

1946 - Peggy Lee, with the Four Of A Kind (Dave Barbour on guitar, Philip Stephens on bass, Buddy Cole on piano, celeste, and organ, and Tom Romersa on drums) records the tracks "I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me", "I've Had My Moments", "Them There Eyes", "Lonesome Road", and "You Brought A New Kind Of Love To Me" with arrangement by Heinrich "Heine" Beau at Radio Recorders, 7000 Santa Monica Boulevard, Hollywood, California for a transcription disc that will be released by Capitol Records for radio.

75 Years Ago Today In 1947 - Vocalist Ella Mae Morse, with Buddy Cole's Boogie Woogie Seven (Vernon "Geechie" Smith on trumpet, Mahlon Clark on clarinet, Dave Cavanaugh on tenor saxophone, Edwin LeMar "Buddy" Cole on piano, Al Hendrickson on guitar, Harry Babasin on bass, and Lee Young on drums), records the titles "Get It Off And Go", "Old Shank's Mare", and "A Little Further Down The Road A-Piece" in Studio B of Radio Recorders' studios at 932 North Western Avenue in Hollywood, California. Capitol Records will issue the first two titles together as a single (Capitol 424), and the last title on the compilation album "Campus Capers" (BD-58).

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, debuts at #7 on the magazine's Most-Played Juke Box Race Records chart and #11 on the magazine's Most-Played Juke Box Records chart. The King Cole Trio's "Put 'Em In A Box" is #10 on The Billboard magazine's Future Possibilities - The Retailers Pick chart. Also, The King Cole Trio, together with Stan Kenton and His Orchestra, start seven straight days of performances at the Broadway Capitol theater in Detroit, Michigan. The Trio performs after Kenton, doing the songs "My Baby Likes To Be-Bop", "I've Only Myself To Blame", "That's What" and "Nature Boy" with Kenton's band accompanying them for "a sock closer".

1949 - Mel Torme (with orchestra conducted by Sonny Burke)'s Capitol Records single "Careless Hands" is #7 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Jo Stafford and Gordon MacRae (with Paul Weston and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "'A' You're Adorable" is #8, Mel Torme (this time with orchestra conducted by Pete Rugolo)'s Capitol Records single "Again" is #9, and Weston and MacRae (again with Weston and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Need You" is tied at #13 with Vaughn Monroe and His Orchestra's single "Red Roses For A Blue Lady", Margaret Whiting (with Frank DeVol & His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Forever And Ever" is #24, Jack Smith and The Clark Sisters (with Frank DeVol and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Cruising Down The River) is #28, and Margaret Whiting and Johnny Mercer (with Paul Weston and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Baby, It's Cold Outside" debuts at #30 in a tie with Bing Crosby (with Victor Young and His Orchestra)'s single "Galway Bay".

1950 - Nat "King" Cole performs "Mona Lisa" during the first of his eventual thirteen guest appearances on Ed Sullivan's CBS Television show.

70 Years Ago Today In 1952 - Vocalists Bob Hope and Jane Russell, with Joseph (Joe) Lilley directing the orchestra (lineup unlisted), record the titles "Wing Ding Tonight" and "Am I In Love?" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue both titles together as a single (Capitol 2109).

1953 - Capitol Records files the masters it purchased for Les Paul and Mary Ford's titles "Vaya Con Dios (May God Be With You)" and "Johnny (Is The Boy For Me)" in Los Angeles, California and will issue both titles together as a single (Capitol 2486).

1953 - During a three-way split session held this day in Los Angeles, California, first Cliffie Stone and His Hometown Hepcats (lineup unlisted) record the titles "The Bunny Hop" and "In A Shanty In Old Shanty Town", then vocalist Molly Bee, with Cliffie Stone's Orchestra (lineup also unlisted) records the title "The Doggie On The Highway", then vocalist Helen O'Connell, also with Cliffie Stone's Orchestra, records the title "Rub-A-Dub-Dub". Capitol Records will issue "The Bunny Hop" and "In A Shanty In Old Shanty Town" together as a single (Capitol 2497 on 10" shellac and F2497 on 7" vinyl), "The Doggie On The Highway" as a single (Capitol 2494 on 10" shellac and F2494 on 7" vinyl) with "I'll Tell My Mommy" (recorded February 2, 1953) on the flipside, and "Rub-A-Dub-Dub" as a single (Capitol 2506 on 10" shellac and F2506 on 7" vinyl) with "You Two-Timed Me One Time Too Often" (recorded November 15, 1951) on the flipside.

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 (with Cliffie Stone's Band)'s Capitol Records single "The Ballad Of Davy Crocket" is #7, Nat "King" Cole (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Darling, Je Vous Amie Beaucoup" is #10, Cole and Riddle are also at #20 with a double-sided Capitol Records hit single "A Blossom Fell" and its flip side "If I May" (with backing vocals by The Four Knights), and Frank Sinatra (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Learnin' The Blues" debuts at #25.

65 Years Ago Today In 1957 - Zither player Ruth Welcome, with other unlisted musicians, records the titles "Song From 'Moulin Rouge'", "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes", "La Cumparsita", and "Charmaine" in New York City, New York. Capitol Records will issue "Song From 'Moulin Rouge'" and "Charmaine" on Welcome's album "Hi-Fi Zither" (T 942) and have yet to issue either "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" or "La Cumparsita".

65 Years Ago Today In 1957 - Jackie Gleason conducts the orchestra (featuring Bernie Leighton on piano and Tony Mottola on guitar but otherwise unidentified), with The Voices of Artie Malvin (lineup also unlisted), as they record the titles "High On A Windy Hill", "Can This Be Love?", "Thine Alone", and "Dearest You're The Nearest To My Heart" in New York City, New York. Capitol Records will issue all the titles on Gleason's album "Oooo!" (W 905).

65 Years Ago Today In 1957 - The Louvin Brothers (Charlie Louvin on vocals and guitar and Ira Louvin on vocals and mandolin), with Paul Yandell and "Smiley" Wilson on guitar, Floyd T. "Lightnin'" Chance on bass, and Murray M. "Buddy" Harman Jr. on drums, record the titles "Call Me", "I Wish You Knew", "Dogsled" and "When I Loved You" in Nashville, Tennessee. Capitol Records will issue the first two titles together as a single (Capitol F3804) and the last two titles together as a single (Capitol F3871).

1958 - Overdubs are recorded in Los Angeles, California for Alvino Rey and His Orchestra's titles "Little White Lies", "Isn't It Romantic?", "I Didn't Know About You", and "A Swingin' Fling (Nails)" which were all recorded on March 2, 1958. Capitol Records will issue the final mixes of all the titles on Rey and his orchestra's album "Swingin' Fling!" (T 1085).

1958 - Vocalist Ann Richards, with Brian Farnon conducting The Stan Kenton Orchestra (lineup unlisted) records the titles "I'm In The Market For You", "Nightingale", "Poor Little Rich Girl", and "Should I?" in The Capitol Tower Studios at 1750 North Vine Street in Hollywood, California. Capitol Records will issue all the titles, except the take "Nightingale" recorded at this session, on Richards' album "I'm Shooting High" (T/ST 1087) which also includes a take of "Nightingale" recorded on June 12, 1958.

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 "Cheek To Cheek", "It's Been So Long", "If I Had My Way", and "That Naughty Waltz" in an unlisted studio in New York City, New York. Capitol Records will issue all the titles on Hackett's album "Bobby Hackett At The Embers" (T/ST 1077). Although issued as recorded live at the Embers, all the titles on the album were recorded in a studio.

60 Years Ago Today In 1962 - Vocalist Vic Damone, with Billy May conducting his own arrangements to the orchestra (Joe Graves, Bobby Bryant, Ray Triscari, and Mannie Klein on trumpets, Francis "Joe" Howard, Milt Bernhart, Lew McCreary, and George Roberts on trombones, Jules Jacob, Plas Johnson, Justin Gordon, Chuck Gentry on saxophones, Joe Parnello on piano, Billy Strange and Al Hendrickson on guitars, Myer Rubin on bass, Sidney Bulkin on drums, 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 violins, and Edgar Lustgarten and Eleanor Slatkin on cellos), records the titles "Charmaine", "Cherokee", and "Dearly Beloved" at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California. Capitol Records will issue all the titles on Damone's album "The Lively Ones" (T 1748).

60 Years Ago Today In 1962 - Vocalist Carol Ventura, with unlisted musicians, records the titles "Yes Sir, That's My Baby" and unissued takes of an unknown title and "The Music Goes 'Round And Around" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue"Yes Sir, That's My Baby" as a single (Capitol 4782) with "(Hey) Mr. Muscles" (recorded April 27, 1962) on the flipside.

1963 - Earl Sinks, with unlisted others, records the titles "Looking For Love", "Raining ON My Side Of Town", "This Weird Sensation", and "Love Is All I'm Asking For" in (listed as possibly) Nashville, Tennessee. Capitol Records will issue "Looking For Love" and "Raining On My Side Of Town" together as a single (Capitol 4985). Hickory Records will issue "This Weird Sensation" and "Love Is All I'm Asking For" together as a single (Hickory 45-1248).

1966 - The Beach Boys' Capitol Records single "Sloop John B.", with "You're So Good To Me" on the flipside and the original A-side, peaks at #3 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart.

55 Years Ago Today In 1967 - Buck Owens' Capitol Records single "Sam's Place" is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts.

50 Years Ago Today In 1972 - Merle Haggard's Capitol Records single "Grandma Harp" is #1 on the U.S. Country singles chart.

40 Years Ago Today In 1982 - Space People (lineup unlisted) record the track "Love's Got You This Time" in (listed as possibly) Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue the title as a single (Capitol DLP-15003) with "You Really Got A Hold On Me" (recorded April 28, 1982) on the flipside.

35 Years Ago Today In 1987 - The Boogie Boys (lineup unlisted) record the title "Kick It" at an unlisted location. Capitol Records will issue the title on the group's album "Romeo-Knight" (C1-46917).

1998 - Eddie Rabbitt, singer, songwriter, guitarist and Capitol Records artist (1990 to 1992, during which time he recorded the top 10 hit "Runnin' With The Wind"), dies of lung cancer in Nashville, Tennessee at age 56.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY

75 Years Ago Today In 1947 - Babs' Three Bips And A Bop (Tadd Dameron on piano and vocals, Pee Wee Tinney on guitar and vocals, Art Phipps on bass, and Babs Gonzales on vocals), using arrangements by Tadd Dameron, record the titles "Runnin' Around" (without Tinney on guitar and vocals only by Gonzales), "Babs' Dream", "Dob, Bla Bli", and "Weird Lullaby" (again with vocals only by Gonzales) at WOR Studios in New York City, New York. Blue Note Records will issue the first two titles together as a single (Blue Note 537) and the last two titles together as a single (Blue Note 536) and all the tracks on the CD "Weird Lullaby" (7-84464-2).

1966 - Del Shannon's Liberty Records single "The Big Hurt", with "I Got It Bad" on the flipside, enters Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart. The next time Shannon enters the chart will be in 1981.

55 Years Ago Today In 1967 - Capitol Records artist Judy Garland's appearance on Jack Paar's NBC special, "A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To Hollywood", is the last time she's on a primetime network television show.

30 Years Ago Today In 1992 - At sessions held at Estudio Quarzo in Madrid that started today and went to May 12, 1992, Spain Gonzalo Rubalcaba (on piano, with Reynaldo Melian on trumpet, Felipe Cabrera on electric bass, and Julio Barreto on drums) records the tracks "Preludio Proyecto Latino", "Here, There, And Everywhere", "Tress Palabras", "Comienzo", "Nuestro Balance", "4 Y 20", "Siempra Maria" and "Quizas, Quizas, Quizas" and then (without Cabrera but adding Charlie Haden on bass) records the tracks "Transparence", "Our Spanish Love Song", "Love Letters", "Perfidia", "Nadie Me Ama" for the Somethin' Else label. Blue Note Records will issue all the tracks on Rubalcaba's CD "Suite 4 Y 20" (7-80054-2).

25 Years Ago Today In 1997 - Pieces Of A Dream (James Lloyd on keyboards and background vocals, George Duke on synthesizer programming, Kevin Chokan on guitar, Curtis Harmon on drum programming and background vocals, and Mike Davis on vocals and background vocals, over sessions lasting until the next day, record the track Anyway You Want It" at Le Gonks West in Los Angeles, California. Blue Note Records will issue the track on the group's album Pieces (8-54052-2).

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY

1941 - Glenn Miller and His Orchestra record the track "Chattanooga Choo-Choo" for Bluebird Records (a subsidiary of RCA Victor Records) at the Victor Recording Studios in Hollywood, California. The single would later become the first record to be awarded a Gold record, for sales of 1 million copies. The idea for a Gold record was thought up as a publicity event by RCA Victor and later adopted by other labels and finally by the R.I.A.A. in 1958.

1945 - Representatives of the German army sign unconditional surrender documents ending World War II in Europe.

1946 - Tokyo Telecommunications Engineering (later renamed Sony) is founded.

1949 - "A - You're Adorable" by Perry Como becomes the first song available on RCA'S new 45rpm format to hit #1 on the Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records charts.

1953 - Gerry Mulligan, Chet Baker, Carson Smith and Larry Bunker record "Love Me or Leave Me" and "Varsity Drag" for Gene Norman's GNP label.

1955 - Bill Haley and The Comets' Decca single "Rock Around The Clock", with "Thirteen Women" on the flipside, debuts at #22 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart.

1956 - The Rock 'n' Roll Trio, consisting of Johnny Burnette, Dorsey Burnette, and Paul Burlison, has its first recording session for Coral Records at Pythian Temple Studio, in New York City, producing the single "Tear It Up" which will be covered by John Lennon on his Capitol Records "Rock 'n' Roll" solo album. Capitol wanted to sign the trio. but after the Burnettes and their manager, bandleader Henry Jerome, heard that Capitol might be also signing Gene Vincent, they decided to go with Coral. Capitol then signed Vincent who recorded "Be-Bop-A-Lula" three days before the Trio's session.

60 Years Ago Today In 1962 - Wand Records releases The Isley Brothers' cover of The Top Notes' title "Twist And Shout" as a single. This version would later be covered by "The Beatles", with John Lennon doing lead vocals, on February 11, 1963.

1966 - Rolling Stones' single "Paint It Black", with "Stupid Girl" on the flipside, is released on London Records.