JUNE 3, 2009

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
80 Years Ago Today In 1929 - Chuck Barris, television producer, game show creator and host, songwriter, novelist, admitted assassin for the C.I.A., basis of the movie "Confessions Of A Dangerous Mind", and a Capitol Records artist (1969), is born born Charles Hirsch Barris in Oakland, New Jersey
1932 - Dakota Staton (aka Aliyah Rabia), singer, dancer, sister of saxophonist Fred Staton, and a Capitol Records and United Artists Records artist, is born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She was "discovered" by Capitol Records A&R man and producer Dave Cavanaugh while she was performing at The Baby Grand Club in Harlem, New York.
1968 - Jamie O'Neal, singer, songwriter, and Capitol Records Nashville artist, is born Jamie Murphy in Syndey, Australia

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1947 - Benny Goodman and His Orchestra re-record the track "Eight, Nine And Ten" for Capitol Records with producer Lee Gillette, with Goodman handling the vocals instead of Peggy Lee, who recorded the first version of this song with the band on March 28, 1947
1950 - Nat "King" Cole (with Les Baxter and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Mona Lisa", the flip side of "The Greatest Inventor Of Them All", enters the top 20 of Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart at #15
1951 - Capitol Records country artist Hank Thompson and His Brazos Valley Boys (Billy Gray on guitar; Curly Chalker, Lefty Nason on steel guitar; Cliffie Stone, Billy Stewart on bass; Bill Foster on drums; Red Hayes on fiddle; Gil Baca on piano;
Buddy Woody on accodion) record the track "Love Thief" at Sellers Company in Dallas, Texas. The track will be released by Capitol Records as a single with "How Do You Feel?" on the flip side.
1957 - Ferlin Husky's Capitol Records single "Gone" is #8 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart and Tommy Sands' Capitol Records single "Goin' Steady" is tied for #21 with Jim Lowe (with Billy Vaughn and His Orchestra)'s single "Four Walls"
1963 - Capitol Records Canada releases Cliff Richards and The Shadows album "On Your Mark...Get Set...Let's Go!" and their soundtrack album "Summer Holliday" is #1 on the CHUM LP chart. The label also releases Mrs. Mills' album "Summer Party.
45 Years Ago Today In 1964 - Ringo Starr, drummer for The Beatles, collapses from tonsillitis and pharyngitis. Jimmy Nicol becomes substitute drummer when Ringo enters a London hospital for his throat problem and the band would rehearse with him in Abbey Road Studios the same day. Nicol would stay with the band for concerts in Holland, Amsterday, Hong Kong and Australia until Ringo rejoins the band in Melbourne, Australia on June 14, 1964
1968 - Capitol Records releases The Beach Boys' album "Friends"
1968 - Tower Records (a subsidiary of Capitol Records) releases Pink Floyd's single "It Would Be So Nice", with "Julia Dream" on the flip side, Eternity's Children's self-titled album, The Love Exchange's self-titled album, and Them's album "Now And Them"
1968 - Sidewalk Records, a subsidiary of Capitol Records, releases The Smoke's self-titled album
1968 - The last session is held for Ella Fitzgerald's last album for Capitol Records, "30 By Ella", produced by Dave Dexter, Jr. with accompaniment by Benny Carter's Magnificent Seven
1968 - Capitol Records Canada releases Frank Ifield's album "The Singer And The Song"
1990 - MC Hammer's Capitol Records album "Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em" is #1 on Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart
1990 - Wilson Phillips' SBK Records (distributed by Capitol Records) single "Hold On" is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1991 - Morrisey records the tracks "There's A Place In Hell For Me And My Friends", "My Love Life", and "Sing Your Life" live to two track DAT tape with no overdubs especially for KROQ-FM radio, with Boz Boorer and Alain White on guitars, Gary Day on bass, Spencer Cobrin on drums, and Morrissey on vocals, at Capitol Studios in Hollywood, California at an overnight session which Warner Bros. Records will release as a CD single entitled "Morrisey at KROQ"
1991 - Capitol Records announces that Los Angeles based hard rock band XYZ (guitarist Marc Diglio, bassist Patt Fontaine, vocalist Terry Ilous and drummer Paul Monroe), formerly with Enigma Records, has signed with the label and that they are finishing up work on their debut album "Hungry" with producer George Tutko
15 Years Ago Today In 1994 - Wally Fowler (born John Wallace Fowler), Capitol Records artist (1945 as Wally Fowler and The Georgia Clodhoppers and later as Wally Fowler and The Oakridge Quartet), dies at age 77 after drowining in Dale Hollow Lake, northeast of Nashville, where he had been fishing
1997 - Capitol Records releases "Bossa Novaville", the 14th release in their UltraLounge series
2001 - Diana Krall begins recording her album "The Look Of Love" in The Capitol Tower Studios
2002 - Janet H. Shifflett (born Janet Henry), a machinist for Capitol Records for 15 years and for Audiopak for seven years, dies at her home in Winchester, Virginia at age 62
2003 - Capitol Records Nashville releases Trace Adkins' compilation album "Greatest Hits Collection, Vol.1"
2005 - Capitol Records Nashville announces that Garth Brooks has ended his relationship with the label and that EMI Music will no longer distribute his catalog

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1957 - Rick Nelson's Imperial Records single "Teenager's Romance" is tied for #13 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart with The Coasters' single "Searchin'", and Nelson's Imperial Records single "I'm Walkin'" is #19, Fats Domino's Imperial Records single "Valley Of Tears" is #24 and Domino's Imperial Records single "I'm Walkin'" is #33. EMI Music Group, parent company of Capitol Music Group, currently owns the Imperial Records catalog.
45 Years Ago Today In 1964 - Former Capitol Records artist Dean Martin hosts ABC-TV's variey show "The Hollywood Palace" which this night features future Virgin Records artists The Rolling Stones making their first U.S. television appearance during their first U.S. concert tour
45 Years Ago Today In 1964 - The Stanley Turrentine Sextet (Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Curtis Fuller on trombone, Stanley Turrentine on tenor saxophone), Herbie Hancock piano, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and Otis Candy Finch on drums) records the tracks "Fried Pies" and "In Memory Of" with Mickey Roker on congo and "Sunday In New York", "Make Someone Happy", "Jodie's Cha Cha", and "Niger Mambo" at The Van Gelder Studio in Englewood, New Jersey with producer Alfred Lion and recording engineer Rudy Van Gelder and will be released in 1980 by Blue Note Records on the album "In Memory Of"
40 Years Ago Today In 1969 - Arranger Gerald Wilson (with Larry McGuire, Jay Daversa, and Paul Hubinon on trumpet; Lester Robinson, Frank Strong, and Thurman Green on trombone; Alexander Thomas on bass trombone; Arthur Maebe on french horn; Henry DeVega and Anthony Ortega on alto saxophone; William Green on flute and piccolo; Ernie Watts on tenor saxophone, flute and piccolo; Hadley Caliman and Harold Land on tenor saxophone; Richard Aplanalp on baritone saxophone; Bobby Hutcherson on vibraphone; Richard Holmes on organ; George Duke on piano; Bob West on electric bass; and Carl Lott on drums) records the track "Pisces" (which will be released on the World Pacific Records album "Eternal Equinox"), as well as the tracks "You, Me and Now", "Bluesnee", and (with vocal by William Marshall) "Baby, Baby Don't You Cry" with producer Richard Bock and engineer Lanky Linstrot at Liberty Studios on Third Street, near Robertson Boulevard, in Los Angeles, California
1975 - Ozzie Nelson (born Oswald George Nelson), band leader, producer, director, radio and television actor, husband to Harriet Hilliard Nelson and father of David Nelson and Imperial and Capitol Records artist Eric "Ricky" Nelson, dies of cancer at age 69 and is later in Hollywood's Forest Lawn Cemetery
30 Years Ago Today In 1979 - Kenny Rogers' Liberty Records single "She Believes In Me", with "Morgana Jones" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
45 Years Ago Today In 1964 - Peter Sellers leaves his hand and foot prints in cement during ceremony #127 at Graumann's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California
40 Years Ago Today In 1969 - The last original episode of "Star Trek" airs at 10:00 PM on a Friday on NBC-TV

JUNE 2, 2009

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
85 Years Ago Today In 1924 - Carl Butler, singer, songwriter, Capitol Records country artist (1951-1953) and part of the recording duo Carl & Pearl Butler, is born Carl Roberts Butler in Knoxville, Tennessee

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1945 - The Pied Pipers (with Paul Weston and His Orchestra)' Capitol Records single "Dream" (with "Tabby The Cat" on the flip side) is #5 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Johnnie Johnston (with Orchestra conducted by Paul Baron)'s Capitol Records single "Laura" (with "There Must Be A Way" on the flip side) is #6, and Johnny Mercer, Jo Stafford, and The Pied Pipers (with Paul Weston and His Orchestra)' Capitol Records single "Candy" (with Johnny Mercer's "I'm Gonna See My Baby" on the flip side) is #7
1966 - The Beatles begin sessions for the track "I Want To Tell You" in Abbey Road Studios, in London, England. The track will appear on their album Capitol Records album "Revolver"
1966 - Carl Wilson and session musicians (Diane Rovell [leader], Hal Blaine, Charles Britz, William Pitman, Don Randi, Lyle Ritzare) record tracks for the song "Inspiration" for The Beach Boys' album "Smile" at Western Recorders in Los Angeles. The album will never be released by Capitol Records.
40 Years Ago Today In 1969 - Capitol Records releases Buck Owens' album "Buck Owens In London"
35 Years Ago Today In 1974 - Paul McCartney and Wings' Apple Records single "Band On The Run", with "Nineteen Hundred And Eighty Five" on the flip side and distributed by Capitol Records in the United States, is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1990 - Jack Guilford (born Jacob Aaron Gellman), Broadway, motion picture and television actor (probably best remembered for his 10 year run of pantomime performances in Cracker Jacks commercials), singer, and Capitol Records artist (on the original Broadway cast album for the musical "A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum"), dies of stomach cancer at his home in Greenwich Village, New York at age 81.
1998 - Capitol Records Nashville releases Suzy Bogguss' single "Nobody Love, Nobody Gets Hurt" with "When I Run" on the flip side

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1941 - Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts is born Charles Robert Watts in Islington (a suburb of London), England
1952 - Judy Garland marries Sid Luft who, at the time, was her manager
45 Years Ago Today In 1964 - The Beatles record the tracks "Any Time At All", "When I Get Home", and "Things We Said Today" in Studio Two at EMI's Abbey Road Studios, in London England which will be released by United Artists Records as part of the soundtrack album for their UA movie "A Hard Day's Night". Capitol Records will later acquire U.S. Distribution rights to the album when EMI buys United Artists Records catalog.
1965 - Director Dick Lester (who directed The Beatles film "A Hard Day's Night" the year before)'s film "The Knack (And How To Get It)" premieres at the London Pavillion Cinema with John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr among the celebrities in attendance. The film's title will later become the inspiration for the Capitol Records band The Knack.
40 Years Ago Today In 1969 - Arranger Gerald Wilson and His Orchestra (Larry McGuire, Jay Daversa, Paul Hubinon on trumpet; Lester Robinson, Frank Strong, Thurman Green on trombone; Alexander Thomas on bass trombone; Arthur Maebe on french horn; Henry DeVega, Anthony Ortega on alto saxophone; William Green on flute and piccalo; Ernie Watts on tenor saxophone, flute and piccalo; Hadley Caliman, Harold Land on tenor saxophone; Richard Aplanalp on baritone saxophone; Bobby Hutcherson on vibes; Richard Holmes on organ; George Duke on piano; Bob West on electric bass; and Carl Lott on drums), with producer Richard Bock and engineer Lanky Linstrot, record the tracks "Equinox", "Aquarius", and "Celestial Soul" for the Pacific Jazz Records label at Liberty Studios on Third Street near Robertson Boulevard, in Los Angeles, California
40 Years Ago Today In 1969 - John Lennon and Yoko Ono's bed-in, which started May 26 at The Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, ends

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
105 Years Ago Today In 1904 - Olympic Gold Medalist Swimmer and actor (MGM's Tarzan series) Johnny Weissmuller is born János Weißmüller in Freidorf, Austro-Hungary (present-day Timişoara)
1990 - Actor Rex Harrison (born Reginald Carey Harrison) dies of pancreatic cancer in New York City, New York at age 82

JUNE 1, 2009

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1890 - Frank Morgan, Broadway, motion picture (best known for multiple roles in "The Wizard Of Oz") and radio actor and Capitol Records artist (narrator on the 1949 Dr. Suess childrens records "Gossamer Wump"), is born Francis Phillip Wuppermann in New York City, New York
1921 - Nelson Riddle, trombonist, arranger, conductor, composer and Capitol Records artist as Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra is born Nelson Smock Riddle, Jr. in Oradell, New Jersey His son, Christopher Riddle (who took over running, and touring with, The Nelson Riddle Orchestra in 1986), has written a biographical article about his father for the American Music Hall of Fame. Nelson's family also has a website and Nelson's papers and memorabilia are now part of The Nelson Riddle Collection at the University of Arizona, Tucson, that is administered by Keith Pawlak.
1926 - Andy Griffith, Broadway, motion picture and television actor and Capitol Records artist, is born Andrew Samuel Griffith in Mount Airy, North Carolina

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1942 - The Certificate of Amendment submitted by George G. DeSylva, John Mercer, and Glenn E. Wallichs on May 27, 1942 before Ms. Leta Niccum to change the name of the corporation from Liberty Records, Inc. to Capitol Records, Inc. is stamped as filed with the state of California, officially marking the beginning of Capitol Records.
Here's a rememberance about the beginning of Capitol Records from Margaret Whiting's 1987 autobiography "It Might As Well Be Spring" that she co-wrote with Will Holt which Ms. Whiting has graciously given me permission to reproduce.
Johnny Mercer and seventeen year-old singer Margaret Whiting were "...strolling around the Hillcrest Golf Course in 1941 with (composer) Harold Arlen and bandleader Bobby Sherwood,...Johnny said, in an offhand manner, 'I've got this idea of starting a record company. I get so tired of listening to the way everyone treats music. I keep feeling they're selling out. And I don't like the way artists are treated either. Bing Crosby isn't the only one who can make records. I don't know, I think it would be fun.'...One of (Mercer's) best friends was Glenn Wallichs, the owner of Music City, a record store across from NBC....One day Johnny went to visit Glenn, who took him in back to hear some of the new releases. Johnny shook his head, then blurted out 'How about coming in on a record company with me?' Let's try something new.' And Glenn said, 'Fine. You run the company and find the artists.' And Johnny said, 'And you run the business.'"
1942 - Tex Ritter signs with Capitol Records becoming the label's first Country Music artist. In 10 days, he will have his first recording session which will produce the track "Jingle Jangle Jingle"
1946 - Andy Russell (with Paul Weston and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Laughing On The Outside" is #4 on Billboard's Best Selling Retal Records chart and Alvino Ray and His Orchestra (with vocal by Rocky Coluccio)'s Capitol Records single "Cement Mixer (Put-Ti Put-Ti)" is #9
1956 - Jane Powell, with Buddy Bregman's Orchestra, records the tracks "Mind If I Fall In Love With You", "True Love", "What Gives? What Goes?", "Till The Next Time" at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California
1958 - Capitol Records releases The Kingston Trio's first album "The Kingston Trio", produced by Voyle Gilmore, and on the same day, Trio member Dave Guard's eldest daughter, Catherine, is born
50 Years Ago Today In 1959 - Franck Pourcel and His French Fiddles' Capitol Records single "Only You (Loin De Vous)" is #9 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
50 Years Ago Today In 1959 - Capitol Records releases The Kingston Trio's album "The Kingston Trio At Large" and on the same day they record the track "A Worried Man"
1963 - Al Martino's Capitol Records single "I Love You Because" is #3 on Billboard's Hot 100 Single chart, The Beach Boys' Capitol Records single "Surfin' U.S.A." (it's flip side, "Shut Down", is #33) is #4, Kyu Sakamoto's Capitol Records single "Sukiyaki" is #10, Nat "King" Cole's Capitol Records single "Those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days Of Summer" is #16, The Kingston Trio's Capitol Records single "Reverend Mr. Black" is #19, Bobby Darin's Capitol Records single "Yellow Roses" is #23, and The Beach Boy's Capitol Records single "Shut Down" (the flip side of "Surfin' U.S.A") is #33
1963 - The Beatles perform "Young Blood", "Sure To Fall (In Love With You)", "Baby It's You", and "I Got To Find My Baby" during a live in studio appearance at the BBC. The tracks will later be released by Apple Records on The Beatles' compilation cd "Live At The B.B.C." with Capitol Records handling distribution in the United States
1966 - Billy May starts recording his album "Billy May Today!" in The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California
1966 - The Beatles finish work on the track "Yellow Submarine" for their album "Revolver" at Abbey Road Studios, London, England. The track would inspire the creation of their third film for United Artists, the animated feature "Yellow Submarine"
1967 - The Beatles' album "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" is released in the U.S.
1972 - Pink Floyd, with engineer Alan Parsons, begin work on their album "Dark Side Of The Moon"
35 Years Ago Today In 1974 - Capitol Records' Grand Funk Railroad performs in concert in San Diego, California. The performance is filmed and released on video tape and laserdisc in Japan.
1978 - The Knack perform for the first time when they hit the stage at the Whisky-A-Go-Go, in Hollywood, California
5 Years Ago Today In 2004 - EMI Capitol releases Dean Martin's compilation CD "Dino: The Essential Dean Martin" that contains 30 of Martin’s hits from both his Capitol Records (1949-1961) and Reprise Records (1960-1969) catalog
2005 - Thomas Allen Ritter, one time employee of Capitol Records, dies in his home in Winchester, Virginia at age 63

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
50 Years Ago Today In 1959 - Martin Denny and His Orchestra's Liberty Records single "Quiet Village" is #5 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart, Dion and The Belmonts' Laurie Records single "A Teenager In Love" is #6, and Fats Domino's Imperial Records single "I'm Ready" is #16
1963 - Roulette Records single "Hot Pastrami With Mashed Potatoes (Part 1)" is #36
45 Years Ago Today In 1964 - The Joe Pass Quartet (Bill Perkins on tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone, flute; Joe Pass on guitar; John Pisano on rhythm guitar; Frank Strazzeri on piano; and Jim Hughart on bass) record the tracks "I Believe In You", "It's A Wonderful World", "Hello Dolly", "Summer Night", and "The Sweetest Sound" for their Pacific Jazz Records album "12-String Guitar Movie Themes" at the Pacific Jazz Studios in Los Angeles, California. EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company, currently owns the Pacific Jazz catalog and it's distributed by Blue Note Records, a division of Capitol Music Group.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
75 Years Ago Today In 1934 - Benny Goodman and his first permanent performing orchestra make their public peforming debut at Billy Rose's Music Hall, 1697 Broadway at W. 53rd St., New York, NY, which started out as the Hammerstein Theatre and would become CBS' Studio 50, home of "The Ed Sullivan Show" where The Beatles made their first U.S. television appearance, and currently home to "The Late Show With David Letterman"
1938 - Superman makes his first appearance on the cover of Action Comics #1

MAY 31, 2009

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1947 - The Pied Pipers (with Paul Weston and His Orchestra)' Capitol Records single "Mam'selle" is tied for #10 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart with Perry Como and The Satisfiers (with Lloyd Shaffer and His Orchestra)'s single "Chi-Baba, Chi-Baba (My Bambino Go To Sleep)"
1951 - The Maynard Ferguson Orchestra, with Ferguson directing and playing trumpet with members of the Stan Kenton Orchestra (Alfred "Chico" Alvarez, John Howell, Shorty Rogers, Jimmy Salko also on trumpet; Milt Bernhart, Harry Betts, Bob Fitzpatrick, Dick Kenney on trombone; Paul Weigand on bass trombone; Art Pepper, Bud Shank on alto saxophone; Bart Caldarell, Jimmy Giuffre on tenor saxophone; Bob Gioga on baritone saxophone; Ralph Blaze on guitar; Stan Kenton on piano; Don Bagley on bass; and Shelly Manne on drums), records the tracks "What’s New" (arranged by Shorty Rogers), and "The Hot Canary" (arranged by Pete Rugolo) at Capitol Record's Melrose studio in Hollywood, California. The tracks will be released as a single on Capitol. At the same session Art Pepper, on alto saxophone, will be featured on the track "Jump For Joe" that will be released as the flip side of Stan Kenton and His Orchestra's single "Laura".
1952 - Al Martino (with orchestra conducted by Monty Kelly)'s Capitol Records single "Here In My Heart" is tied for #1 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart with Leroy Anderson and His Orchestra's single "Blue Tango", Kay Starr (with orchestra conducted by Harold Mooney)'s Capitol Records single "Wheel Of Fortune" is #5, Ella Mae Morse (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Blacksmith Blues" is #10, Jane Froman (with orchestra conducted by Sid Feller)'s Capitol Records single "I'll Walk Alone" is #17, and Les Paul's Capitol Records single "Carioca" is #18
1956 - The Four Freshman (Bob Flanigan on vocals, trombone and bass; Don Barbour on vocals and guitar; Ross Barbour on vocals and drum; Ken Albers on volcals, trumpet, mellophone, and bass), with arranger Dick Reynolds conducting Buddy Childers, Pete Candoli, Uan Rasey, Ray Triscari on trumpets; Geoff Carslon on piano; Al Hendrickson, Jack Marshall on guitar; Don Simpson on bass; Frank Carlson on drums) record the tracks "Goodbye" and "Give Me The Simple Life" for the band's Capitol Records album "The Four Freshman and Five Trumpets" at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California
1956 - Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra (Ken Albers on trumpet, mellophone, and bass; Buddy Childers, Pete Candoli, Uan Rasey, and Ray Triscari on trumpets; Bob Flanigan on trombone and bass; Geoff Carslon on piano; Ross Barbour, Al Hendrickson and Jack Marshall on guitar; Don Simpson on bass; Ross Barbour and Frank Carlson on drums; and Ralph Hansell on tympani) record the track "Theme From The Proud Ones" which will be released by Capitol Records as a single with "The Love Of Genevieve" on the flip side, at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California
50 Years Ago Today In 1959 - Peggy Lee and The George Shearing Quintet (Toots Thielemans on guitar, James Bond and Carl Pruitt on bass, George Shearing on piano, Warren Chaisson on vibraphone, Roy Haynes and Ray Mosca on drums, and Armando Peraza on bongos and congas) record the tracks "Don't Ever Leave Me", "You Came A Long Way From St. Louis", "There'll Be Another Spring", "Nobody's Heart", "Blue Prelude", "Do I Love You", "All Too Soon", "If Dreams Come True", "I Lost My Sugar In Salt Lake City", "Get Out Of Town", and "Always True To You In My Fashion" for their Capitol Records album "Beauty And The Beat!" with producer Dave Cavanaugh at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California
1963 - Peggy Lee records the tracks ""This Could Be The Start Of Something Big" (which was not issued) and "Leave It To Love" (which would be included on her 1965 Capitol Records album ""Then Was Then And Now Is Now") with producer Dave Cavanaugh and arranger Billy May conducting the studio orchestra at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California
45 Years Ago Today In 1964 - Buck Owens' Capitol Records single "Together Again", with "My Heart Skips A Beat" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
1967 - Buck Owens' Capitol Records single "Sam's Place", with "Don't Ever Tell Me Goodbye" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
40 Years Ago Today In 1969 - The song "Give Peace A Chance" was recorded by John Lennon, Yoko Ono and The Plastic Ono Band during a 'bed-in' at Hotel La Reine in Montreal, Quebec, Canada
1976 - The Beatles' single "Got To Get You Into My Life" with "Helter Skelter" on the flip side is released with a picture sleeve in the U.S.
1978 - Paul McCartney and Wings finish sessions for their album "London Town" in Record Plant's mobile studio aboard the yacht "Fair Carol" in waters off the Virgin Islands
1996 - Dr. Timothy Francis Leary, who participated in the live recording of John Lennon's "Give Peace A Chance", dies in Beverly Hills, California at age 75 of prostate cancer

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1945 - Bobby Hackett and His Orchestra: Bobby Hackett on trumpet; Vernon Brown on trombone; Joe Dixon on clarinet; Deane Kincaide on baritone saxophone; Dave Bowman on piano; Carl Kress on guitar; Bob Haggart on bass; and George Wettling on drums) record two takes of "Pennies From Heaven", two takes of "Rose Of The Rio Grande", four takes of "Body And Soul" and the track "I Want To Be Happy" for Melrose Records at WOR Studios in New York City, New York. One take of "Pennies From Heaven" and "Rose Of The Rio Grande" will be released by Melrose as a single. Blue Note Records will later buy the masters of the entire session but will not release them. The will finally be released on Mosaic Records' 1997 box set "Classic Capitol Jazz Sessions"
50 Years Ago Today In 1959 - Trumpetist Donald Byrd, (with Charlie Rouse on tenor saxophone, Pepper Adams on baritone saxophone, Walter Davis on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Art Taylor on drums) records the tracks "Here I Am", "Witchcraft", "The Injuns", "Devil Whip", "Bronze Dance", and "Clarion Calls" with producer Alfred Lion and recording engineer Rudy Van Gelder at The Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, New Jersey for his Blue Notes Records album "Byrd In Hand"
1961 - Corey Hart, singer and EMI America Records artist, is born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada
1963 - Sarah Vaughn (with Carmell Jones on trumpet, Teddy Edwards on tenor saxophone, Jack Wilson on organ, John Collins on guitar, Al McKibbon on bass, and Milt Turner on drums) records the tracks "A Taste Of Honey" and "Moanin'" at United Recorders, in Los Angeles, California, for her Roulette Records album "Sarah Sings Soulfully"
45 Years Ago Today In 1964 - Kid Frost (aka Frost), rapper, solo artist on Virgin Records America artist (1990-1999), and Vice President of the Music Division of Goldmark Industies, is born Arturo Molina, Jr. in East Los Angeles, California
1987 - Dan Seals' EMI America Records single "I Will Be There", with "It's Gonna Be Easy Now" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1790 - George Washington signs into law the 1790 copyright act, the United States' first copyright law, which gave protection for 14 years, with the right of renewal for another 14 years, to "the author and authors of any map, chart, book or books already printed within these United States, being a citizen or citizens thereof....shall have the sole right and liberty of printing, reprinting, publishing and vending such map, chart, book or books....". There's a reproduction of the law, as it appeared in the July 17, 1790 edition of the Columbian Centinel on earlyamerica.com.
1930 - Actor, singer and Jazz pianist Clint Eastwood is born Clinton Eastwood, Jr. in San Francisco, California
1937 - Tyrone Power and Loretta Young leave their hand and foot prints in cement at Graumann's Chinese Theatre's Ceremony #37, in Hollywood, California
1967 - Pianist and composer ("Lush Life", "Take The 'A' Train") Billy Strayhorn dies of cancer of the esophagus at the age of 51 at the Hospital for Joint Diseases in New York City, New York
15 Years Ago Today In 1994 - Capitol's sister label, Blue Note Records, who controls the acquired Roulette Records catalog, issues an expanded version of Count Basie's album "The Atomic Mr. Basie" with 5 extra tracks, and remastered back to it's intended monophonic sound, under the title "The Complete Atomic Basie"

MAY 30, 2009

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1903 - Alex J. Kramer, composer (best known for the Johnny Mercer and Jo Stafford Capitol Records hit "Candy", which he co-wrote with lyricists Mack David and Joan Whitney, and "Far Away Places") is born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada
1908 - Mel Blanc cartoon voice artist, radio and television performer, and Capitol Records artist, is born Melvin Jerome Blank in San Francisco, California
100 Years Ago Today In 1909 - Benny Goodman, clarinetist, singer, composer, bandleader, and Capitol Records artist from January 1947 to 1964, is born Benjamin David Goodman in the Maxwell Street ghetto of Chicago, Illinois
1911 - Bobby Sherwood, trumpet, trombone, guitar and piano player, bandleader, Capitol Records artist as Bobby Sherwood and His Orchestra, is born in Indianapolis, Indiana. Shorewood's Capitol Records single "The Elks' Parade", with "I Don't Know Why" on the flip side, was #7 in Capitol's first release schedule and one of the top 3 hits the label had in its first year ("Strip Polka" and "Cow Cow Boogie" were the other two).
40 Years Ago Today In 1969 - Spragga Benz, dancehall DJ, and Capitol Records artist (1995), is born Carlton Grant in Kingston, Jamaica

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1941 - Stan Kenton and his Orchestra make their debut at the Rendezvous Ballroom on Balboa Island, California
1953 - Les Baxter and His Orchestra's Capitol Records single "April In Portugal" is #2 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Nat "King" Cole (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Pretend" is #9, Les Baxter and His Orchestra's Capitol Records single "Ruby" (theme from the movie "Ruby Gentry" is #12, and Jane Froman (with orchestra conducted by Sid Feller)'s Capitol Records single "I Believe" is #13
1962 - Capitol Records artist Benny Goodman turns 53 and leads the first American Jazz band to play in the Soviet Union on the first of six dates
1966 - The Beatles' Capitol Records single "Paperback Writer", with "Rain" on the flip side, is released in the U.S.
1967 - Claude Rains, Broadway, motion picture, and radio actor and Capitol Records artist ("Bible Stories" series of childrens records), dies at age 77 in Laconia, New Hampshire and is later interred in the Red Hill Cemetery, Moultonborough, New Hampshire
20 Years Ago Today In 1989 - Dave Coleman, drummer with Capitol Records group Freddie Slack and His Orchestra, dies in Seattle, Washington at age 65
1995 - Capitol Records, as part of its "Spotlight On Great Ladies Of Song" series releases separate compilations of greatest hits featuring Nancy Wilson and June Christy

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
90 Years Ago Today In 1919 - Joe Gaines, lead vocalist with the Imperial Records group The Hawks, is born in New Orleans, Louisiana
1922 - Future Capitol Records artist "Smilin’" Ed McConnell debuts on radio, smiling and playing his banjo
1945 - Meredith MacRae, motion picture and television actress and daughter of future Capitol Records artists Gordon and Sheila MacRae
1958 - Marie Fredriksson, singer, songwriter, and member of the EMI America Records duo Roxette, is born in Östra-Ljungby, Sweden
40 Years Ago Today In 1969 - The Beatles' Apple Records single "The Ballad of John and Yoko", with "Old Brown Shoe" on the flip side, is released in the U.K.
1986 - Hank Mobley, tenor saxophonist and Blue Note Records artist, dies in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at age 55
2003 - Mickie Most (born Michael Peter Hayes) founder of RAK Records (whose catalog was bought by EMI in 1983), record producer, with a string of Number 1 hit singles with his own label and for acts such as The Animals, Herman's Hermits, Donovan and Hot Chocolate, father of Calvin Hayes (member of the Virgin Records group Johnny Hates Jazz), dies of mesothelioma, a form of lung cancer, in his home in London, England at age 64

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
110 Years Ago Today In 1899 - Irving Grant Thalberg, motion picture producer and head of production for both Universal and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios is born in Brooklyn, New York.
55 Years Ago Today In 1954 - Bing Crosby's last original show for CBS Radio is broadcast with Bing's sons Gary and Lindsay as guests
1961 - My wife, Kristine Heimback-Nielsen, is born Kristine Ann Heimback in Glendale, Arizona. Without her love, support and friendship, I wouldn't be possible.
20 Years Ago Today In 1989 - The 33 foot high "Goddess of Democracy" statue is unveiled in Tiananmen Square, China by student demonstrators

MAY 29, 2009

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1903 - Bob Hope, comedian, Broadway, motion picture, radio and television actor, and Capitol Records recording artist, is born Leslie Towns Hope in Eltham, England, a suburb of London
100 Years Ago Today In 1909 - Dick Stabile, alto saxophonist and bandleader of the Capitol Records group Dick Stabile and His Orchestra which released solo recordings and was the studio orchestra for many Dean Martin recordings, is born in Newark, New Jersey
1941 - Roy Crewsdon, guitarist with the Tower Records (a subsidiary of Capitol Records) group Freddie and The Dreamers, is born

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL HISTORY
1945 - Carl Kress records the tracks "The Goose From Gander (Squeeze Box Swing)" and "Jazz In G" as guitar solos at the WMCA studios in New York City, New York
1945 - Cootie Williams and His Orchestra (Cootie Williams, E. V. Perry, George Treadwell, Billy Ford, and Clarence "Gene" Redd on trumpet; Ed Burke, Dan Logan, and Bob Horton on trombone; Rupert Cole and Eddie Vinson on alto saxophone; Sam Taylor and Lee Pope on tenor saxophone; George Favors on baritone saxophone; Arnold Jarvis on piano; Carl Pruitt on bass; and Sylvester Payne on drums), record the tracks "Mood For Coot", "Juice Head Baby" with vocal by Eddie Vinson, "Salt Lake City Bounce" and "Jitterbug Serenade" with an unknown vocalist, possibly Cootie Williams
1947 - The Hollywood Hucksters (Benny Goodman on clarinet; Red Norvo on xylophone; Benny Carter on alto saxophone; Charlie Shavers on trumpet; Dave Cavanaugh on tenor saxophone; Joe Koch on baritone saxophone; Jimmy Rowles on piano; Irving Ashby on guitar; Red Callendar on bass; and Lee Young on drums), with producer Dave Dexter, Jr., record the tracks "I Apologize", "Them There Eyes" and, with vocals by Stan Kenton and Benny Goodman, "Happy Blues"
1948 - The King Cole Trio (with orchestra conducted by Frank DeVol)'s Capitol Records single "Nature Boy" (with "Lost April" on the flip side) is still #1 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Peggy Lee (with Dave Barbour and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Mañana" (with "All Dressed Up With A Broken Heart" on the flip side) is #10, and The Sportsmen's a capella Capitol Records single "You Can't Be True, Dear" (with "Toolie Oolie Doolie" on the flip side) is #18
1951 - Fanny Brice (born Fania Borach), comedienne, Broadway, motion picture and radio actor, and Capitol Records artist (as Baby Snooks), dies at age 59 in Hollywood, California. Her life story will be turned into the Broadway musical "Funny Girl" whose original Broadway cast album will be released by Capitol Records, marking the only time Barbra Streisand would record for Capitol.
55 Years Ago Today In 1954 - Kay Starr (with orchestra conducted by Harold Mooney)'s Capitol Records single "If You Love Me (Really Love Me)" (with "The Man Upstairs" on the flip side which is on the same chart at #10) is #4 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Frank Sinatra (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Young At Heart" (with "Take A Chance" on the flip side) is #6, Nat "King" Cole (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Answer Me, My Love" (with "Why?" on the flip side) is #11,
1958 - Frank Sinatra, during a session produced by Dave Cavanaugh, records the tracks "Monique", "Ebb Tide", "Angel Eyes", "Spring Is Here", "Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry", "Only The Lonely", "Lush Life" and "Willow Weep For Me" at a full day and night session with Felix Slatkin conducting the Nelson Riddle Orchestra that included the musicians Pete Candoli on trumpet; Milton Bernhart, Tommy Pederson, Kenneth Shroyer on trombones; John Cave, James Decker, Vincent DeRosa on french horns; Mahlon Clark, Mitchell Lurie on clarinet; Don Christlieb, Jack Marsh on Bassoon; Arnold Koblentz, Warren Webb on oboe; Charles Buttler, Chuck Gentry on bass clarinet; Arthur Gleghorn, Harry Klee on flute; Victor Arno, Israel Baker, Victor Bay, Alex Beller, Arnold Belnick, David Frisina, James Getzoff, Henry Hill, Daniel Karpilkowsky, Erno Neufeld, Paul Shure, Marshall Sosson on violin; Alvin Dinkin, Stanley Harris, Paul Robyn, David Sterkin on viola; James Arkatov, Armand Karproff, Kurt Reher, Eleanor Slatkin on cello; Bill Miller, Harry Sukman on piano; Joe Comfort, Mike Rubin on bass; Al Viola on guitar; Frank Flynn, Bill Richmond on percussion; Dominic Frontiere on accordian; and Kathryn Julye on harp
50 Years Ago Today In 1959 - Capitol Records artists Peggy Lee and The George Shearing Quintet give a live performance at the Second National Disc Jockey Convention held at The Americana Hotel in Miami, Florida. The show is recorded, but problems with the audio will lead to the set being re-recorded a few days later at The Capitol Studios in Hollywood, California and passed for live when the tracks were released as the album "Beauty And The Beat!" by Capitol Records.
1963 - Peggy Lee, with conductor Max Bennett and producer Dave Cavanaugh, records the tracks "Got That Magic" and "A Doodlin' Song" at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California. Capitol Records will release the tracks together as a single (Capitol 5001).
1965 - The Beach Boy's Capitol Records single "Help Me, Rhonda", with "Kiss Me, Baby" on the flip side, is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1967 - Capitol Records Canada releases Lyn and Graham McCarthy's album "Bitter And Sweet"
20 Years Ago Today In 1989 - Johh Cipollina, guitarist with the Capitol Records band Quicksilver Messenger Service, dies of congenital emphysema at age 45 in San Francisco, California. There's a great biographical article by William Ruhlmann that was in the November 3, 1989 issue of Goldmine magazine.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1961 - Rick Nelson's Imperial Records single "Travelin' Man" is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart, Ernie K-Doe's Minit Records single "Mother-In-Law" is #5, Gene McDaniels' Liberty Records single "A Hundred Pounds Of Clay" is #8, The Fleetwoods' Dolton Records single "Tragedy" is #10, Ricky Nelson's Imperial Records single "Hello Mary Lou" is #16, Steve Lawrence's United Artists Records single "Portrait Of My Love" is #18, and Al Caiola and His Orchestra's United Artists Records single "Bonanza" is #31. EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company, currently owns the catalogs of Imperial, Minit, Liberty, Dolton, and United Artists Records.
1973 - Mike Oldfield's Virgin Records album "Tubular Bells" is released in the United States
1975 - Melanie Brown (aka Mel B, aka Scary Spice), singer with the Virgin Recorsd group Spice Girls, is born Melanie Janine Brown in Leeds, England
20 Years Ago Today In 1989 - Danielle Riley Keough, daughter of Capitol Records artist Lisa Marie Presley, is born

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL HISTORY
1917 - Future president John Fitzgerald Kennedy is born in Brookline, Massachusetts. Capitol Records would release a tribute soundtrack album "Years Of Lightning, Days Of Drums" in 1966.
80 Years Ago Today In 1929 - Janet Gaynor leaves her hand and foot prints in cement outside Graumann's Chinese Theater in Hollywood, California during it's 14th ceremony
1942 - Bing Crosby, with the John Scott Trotter Orchestra and the Ken Darby Singers, records the track "White Christmas" for Decca Records after introducing it in the motion picture "Holiday Inn" and featuring it on his radio shows. The single will become the best selling record of all time.

MAY 28, 2009

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1910 - T-Bone Walker, guitarist and Capitol and Imperial Records artist, is born Aaron Thibeaux Walker in Linden, Texas and would later become a major influence on many Blues guitarists including a very young Steve Miller when Walker visited Miller's father's home recording studio for impromptu sessions
1912 - Dave Barbour, guitarist, composer, arranger, band leader and husband of Capitol Records artist Peggy Lee, is born David Michael Barbour in Flushing, New York
1928 - Arno Marsh, tenor saxophone player with Capitol Records group Stan Kenton and His Orchestra, is born in Grand Rapids, Michigan
65 Years Ago Today In 1944 - Billy Vera, singer (as a solo artist, in a duo with Judy Clay, and with the bands Resolution and Billy And The Beaters), songwriter, actor, voice over artist, music historian, 45 rpm collector, and producer of Capitol Records' "From The Vaults" series and writer of the liner notes for Mosaic Records upcoming release of Capitol Records co-founder Johnny Mercer's compilation CD "Mosaic Select: Johnny Mercer", is born William Patrick McCord in Riverside, California and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at the north east corner of Vine and Yucca, right outside The Capitol Tower's Gogerty Building extension. Billy wrote me to correct an earlier post I made saying "The note writer on my first Atlantic LP wrote that my real name is William McCord, Jr., and the mistake has been continued ever since. Actually, my father and I have different middle names, which means I'm not a 'Jr. ... My full name is William Patrick McCord, born in Riverside, CA [where his father served as a pilot in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II and was stationed at March Field], not San Diego, as that same LP said. My mom [Ann Ryan] was one of The Ray Charles Singers on the Perry Como Show during the '50s and sang on a number of his hits. My dad [William J. "Bill" McCord] was an announcer on NBC in New York for almost 30 years [where he was the voice on such TV Quiz shows as "Tic Tac Dough" and "Twenty-One"], so there's a show biz background."
1968 - Kylie Minogue, singer, television and motion picture actress, and Capitol Records artist, is born in Melbourne, Australia

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1946 - On her husband's, (Dave Barbour) 34th birthday, vocalist Peggy Lee records "Can't Help Lovin' That Man", "Mean To Me", "I'm Confessin' (That I Love You)", and "Summertime" for Capitol Records transcription service with Buddy Cole's Four Of A Kind (Dave Barbour on guitar, Philip Stephens on bass, Buddy Cole on piano, celeste and organ, and Tom Romersa on drums) at Radio Recorders studios at 7000 Santa Monica Boulevard, Los Angeles, California with engineer John Palladino
60 Years Ago Today In 1949 - Mel Tormé (with orchestra conducted by Pete Rugolo)'s Capitol Records single "Again" is #8 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Margaret Whiting and Johnny Mercer's Capitol Records single "Baby It's Cold Outside" is #10, Jo Stafford and Gordon MacRae (with Paul Weston and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "'A' You're Adorable" is #11, Mel Tormé (with orchestra conducted by Pete Rugalo)'s Capitol Records single "Careless Hands" is #16, and Jo Stafford and Gordon MacRae (with Paul Weston and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Need You" is #18
1955 - Les Baxter and His Orchestra's Capitol Records single "Unchained Melody" is #2 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Nat "King" Cole (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s single "A Blossom Fell" and it's flip side "If I May" (with The Four Knights and Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra) are #6, Frank Sinatra (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Learin' The Blues" is #10, Tennessee Ernie Ford (with Cliffie Stone's Band)'s Capitol Records single "The Ballad Of Davy Crocket" is #11, and Nat "King" Cole (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s "Darling, Je Vous Aime Beaucoup" is #18
1955 - Frank Sinatra's Capitol Records album "In The Wee Small Hours" enters the top 20 of Billboard's album chart beginning a top 20 album career that would last, in the U.S., for next 39 years and 7 months until his album "Duets" exited the top 20 on December 31, 1994
1961 - Faron Young's Capitol Records single "Hello Walls", with "Congratuations" on the flip side, is #12 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1966 - The Beach Boys' album "Pet Sounds" enters Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart where it will spend the next 39 weeks
1967 - Wynn Stewart's Capitol Records single "It's Such A Pretty World Today", with "Ol' What's Her Name" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
2006 - Dierks Bentley's Liberty Records (a subsidiary of Capitol Records Nashville) single "Settle For A Slowdown" is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL HISTORY
1943 - Tony Mansfield, songwriter and member of the bands Billy J. Kramer and The Dakotas as well as New Musik, is born
5 Years Ago Today In 2004 - Vance "Pinto" Colvig is inducted into the International Clown Hall of Fame as the original Bozo

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1943 - Monty Woolley places his hand and foot prints in cement outside Graumann's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California during ceremony #69

MAY 27, 2009

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1911 - Vincent Price, Broadway, motion picture and television actor and Capitol Records recording artist (his "Witchcraft and Magic: An Adventure In Demonology" album had a gatefold cover and accompanying booklet, and I have a copy of an 8 mm promo film made for it by Capitol), is born Vincent Leonard Price Jr. in St. Louis, Missouri
1927 - Ralph R. Carmichael, arranger who worked with Capitol Records artist Nat "King" Cole, is born in Quincy, Florida
1927 - Mac Wiseman, singer, guitarist, songwriter, producer, disc jockey and Capitol Records artist (1962), is born Malcolm B. Wiseman in Crimora (near Waynesboro), Virginia
70 Years Ago Today In 1939 - Don Williams, singer and Capitol Records artist (1986-1989), is born Donald Ray Williams in Floydada, Texa
1943 - Cilla Black, singer, and Captiol Records artist, is born Priscilla Maria Veronica White in Liverpool, England
1958 - Neil Finn, singer and songwriter with the Capitol Records band Crowded House, as well as the band Split Enz, is born Neil Mullane Finn in Te Awamutu, New Zealand

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1942 - George G. DeSylva, John Mercer, and Glenn E. Wallichs appear before Los Angeles county and California state Notary Public Leta Niccum to apply for a Certificate of Amendment to change the name of the corporation from Liberty Records to Capitol Records, Inc. The amendment will be filed with the state of California on June 1, 1942.
1944 - Jo Stafford (with Paul Weston and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Long Ago (And Far Away)" is #7 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart and Andy Russell (with orchestra conducted by Al Sack)'s Capitol Records single "Amor" is tied for #10 with Jo Stafford (with Paul Weston and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "I Love You"
1950 - Future Capitol Records artist Frank Sinatra makes his TV debut when he appears on NBC-TV’s "Star-Spangled Review" with Capitol Records artist Bob Hope
1950 - Kay Starr (with orchestra conducted by Frank DeVol)'s Capitol Records single "Hoop-Dee-Doo" debuts at #14 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart
1957 - Nat "King" Cole's album "Love Is The Thing", arranged and conducted by Gordon Jenkins, hits #1 on Billboard's Top 200 albums chart where it will stay for 8 weeks
1957 - The Four Freshmen (Bob Flanigan on vocals, trombone, and bass; Don Barbour on vocals and guitar; Ross Barbour on vocals and drums; and Ken Albers on vocals trumpet, mellophone and bass) with arranger Pete Rugolo conducting the accompanists (Gus Bivona on soprano saxophone and alto saxophone; Bud Shank on alto saxophone; Dave Pell and Bob Cooper on tenor saxophone; Chuck Gentry on baritone and bass saxophone; Al Hendrickson on guitar; Geoff Clarkson on piano; Joe Comfort on bass; and Frank Carlson on drums record the tracks "I May Be Wrong", "Liza", "East Of The Sun", and "This Can't Be Love" at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California and will all be released on their Capitol Records album "The Four Freshmen and Five Saxes"
1968 - Buck Owens records the track "Let The World Keep On A Turning" which Capitol Records will release as a single with "(I'll Love You) Forever And Ever" on the flip side on August 7, 1968
1973 - Paul McCartney and Wings' Apple Records single "My Love", distributed by Capitol Records in the United States, is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
20 Years Ago Today In 1989 - Paul McCartney's Capitol Records single "My Brave Face" debuts at #72 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1993 - It's announced that EMI Music fired Capitol Records president Hale Milgrim and his #2 man, executive VP Art Jaeger.
1993 - Patti Ouderkirk takes Crowded House band member Tim Finn's photo at a shoot at Capitol Records' New York City office

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1933 - Disney releases the cartoon "The Three Little Pigs" with its hit song "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?". Capitol Records will later release a children's record of the song.
1962 - Frank Ifield, with Norrie Paramor conducting the orchestra, records the track "I Remember You" (words by Capitol Records co-founder Johnny Mercer with music by Victor Schertzinger) for EMI Records in the U.K.
1963 - Vee-Jay Records releases The Beatles' single "From Me To You", with "Thank You Girl" on the flip side
45 Years Ago Today In 1964 - Gerry and The Pacemkers record the track "Ferry 'Cross The Mersey"
1977 - Virgin Records releases The Sex Pistols' single "God Save the Queen" in the U.K.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
85 Years Ago Today In 1924 - The Music Corporation of America (MCA) is founded.
1932 - Junior Walker, singer, songwriter, and musician, is born Herman Parker, Jr. in Clarksdale, Mississippi. His song "Mystery Train" will be covered by The Band on their sixth Capitol Records album "Moondog Matinee".

MAY 26, 2009

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
95 Years Ago Today In 1914 - Ziggy Elman, trumpet player, bandleader, songwriter (best known for "And The Angels Sing" which he co-wrote with Capitol Records' co-founder Johnny Mercer and was sung by future Capitol Records artist Martha Tilton), part of Benny Goodman and His Orchestra, Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra, and Mickey Katz and His Orchestra and a Capitol Records session musician (with Paul Weston and His Orchestra, Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra and others), is born Harry Finkelman in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
1920 - Peggy Lee, songwriter, cartoon voice artist, vocalist with Benny Goodman and His Orchesra, and a solo artist on Capitol and Decca Records, is born Norma Delores Egstrom in Jamestown, North Dakota
1926 - Miles Davis, trumpet player, composer, bandleader, film scorer, television actor, and Capitol Records artist (1948) may have been born on this day as Miles Dewey Davis, Jr. in Alton, Illinois. There are also references for May 25 and July 25, 1926. If anyone knows for sure which date is correct, please leave a comment.
1942 - Levon Helm, drummer, mandolinist and singer for the Captiol Records recording group The Band, as well as Ronnie Hawkins and The Hawks, The Canadian Squires, and The Hawks, is born Mark Levon Helm in Marvell, Arkansas

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1945 - Johnny Mercer, Jo Stafford and The Pied Pipers (with Paul Weston and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Candy" is #4 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records charts, The Pied Pipers (with Paul Weston and His Orchestra)' Capitol Records single "Dream" is #5, and Johnny Johnston (with orchestra conducted by Paul Baron)'s Capitol Records single "Laura" enters the chart at #9
1946 - Johnny Mercer with The Pied Pipers (June Hutton, Clarke Yocum, Hal Hopper, Chuck Lowry) records the tracks "My Sugar Is So Refined" and "Baby I'm True To You" and with Paul Weston and his Orchestra (Bruce Hudson, Charlie Griffard, Ray Woods, and Ray Linn on trumpet; Allan Thompson, Bill Schaefer, and Elmer Smithers on trombone; Hap Lawson, Matty Matlock, Fred Stulce, Lenny Hartman, Eddie Miller, and Artie Quenzer on reeds; Charles LaVere on piano; Dave Barbour on guitar; Jack Ryan on bass; and Nick Fatool on drums and speech) records the tracks "Sugar Blues" and "Minding My Business" at a Capitol Records Transcription Service session in Los Angeles, California
60 Years Ago Today In 1949 - Woody Herman and His Orchestra (Stan Fishelson, Al Porcino, Ernie Royal, Charlie Walp, and Shorty Rogers on trumpet; Bill Harris, Earl Swope, and Ollie Wilson on trombone; Bart Varsalona on bass trombone; Herman on clarinet, alto saxophone, and vocals; Sam Marowitz on alto saxophone; Gene Ammons, Buddy Savitt, and Jimmy Giuffre on tenor saxophone; Serge Chaloff on baritone saxophone; Terry Gibbs on vibraphone; Lou Levy on piano; Oscar Pettiford on bass; Shelly Manne on drums; and Mary Ann McCall on vocals) record the tracks "The Crickets" arrganged byRalph Burns with Herman and McCall on vocals and "More Moon" arranged by Shorty Rogers, in Chicago, Illinois for Capitol Records
1951 - Les Paul and Mary Ford's Capitol Records single "How I The Moon" is #1 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Nat "King" Cole (with orchestra conducted by Les Baxter)'s Capitol Records single "Too Young" is #2, and Les Paul and Mary Ford's Capitol Records single "Mockin' Bird Hill" is #7
1953 - Skeets McDonald and Helen O'Connell, with producer Ken Nelson, record the tracks "Hi Diddle Dee (My Way)" and "Worried Mind" at Capitol Records' Melrose studio in Hollywood, California. The tracks will be released as the A & B sides of the same single and issued in the 78 and 45 rpm formats.
1956 - Les Baxter and His Orchestra's Capitol Records single "Poor People Of Paris" is tied at #3 with Morris Stoloff and His Orchestra's single "Moonglow and Theme From 'Picnic'" on Billboard's Best Selling Retailing Records chart, Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra's Capitol Records single "Lisbon Antiqua" is #17, Nat "King" Cole's Capitol Records single "Too Young To Go Steady" is #32, and Dean Martin (with Dick Stabile and His Orchestra with Chorus)'s Capitol Records single "Standing On The Corner" is # 39
1958 - Laurie London's Capitol Records single "He's Got The Whole World In His Hand" is tied for #5 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart with Nat "King" Cole's Capitol Records single "Looking Back", Dean Martin (with Gus Levene and His Orchestra and Chorus)'s Capitol Records single "Return To Me" is #7, The Four Prep's Capitol Records single "Big Man" is #10, and Ed Townsend's Capitol Records single "For Your Love" is #15
1966 - The Beatles begin recording the track "Yellow Submarine" at Abbey Road Studios and would finish the track at another session on June 1, 1966
1968 - Glen Campbell's Capitol Records single "I Wanna Live" returns to the #1 spot on the U.S. Country singles charts
1968 - An early version of The Beach Boys' track "Do It Again" is recorded and, with new vocals and a guitar track, will be the basis for the version released later in 1968 as part of their "Wild Honey" album. The single will go to #1 in the U.K.
40 Years Ago Today In 1969 - Capitol Records releases John Lennon and Yoko Ono's second album, "Unfinished Music No. 2 - Life with the Lions" in the U.S. and the couple begin their second "bed-in" for peace in a 29th-floor room at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal, Canada
1970 - The Beatles' last album "Let It Be", released by Capitol Records in the United States, is certified Gold by the R.I.A.A.
1973 - The Beatles' Apple Records compilation double album "The Beatles 1967-1970" (aka "The Blue Album") hits #1 on Billboards Top 200 Albums chart

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1942 - Ray Ennis, guitarist and singer with the Capitol Records Canada group The Swinging Blue Jeans, is born in Liverpool, England
1956 - Fats Domino's Imperial Records single "I'm In Love Again" is #19 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, and Domino's Imperail Records single "My Blue Heaven is #38
1958 - David Seville's Liberty Records single "Witch Doctor" is #2 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Rick Nelson's Imperial Records single "Believe What You Say" is tied for #31 with it's flip side "My Bucket's Got A Hole In It", Fats Domino's Imperial Records single "Sick And Tired is #34, and Dion and The Belmonts' Laurie Records single "I Wonder Why" is tied at #35 with Andy Williams (with Archie Blyer and His Orchestra)' single "I Wonder Why"
1962 - Walter Brennan's Liberty Records single "Old Rivers" is #5 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart, Jay and The Americans' United Artists Records single "She Cried" is #7, Dion's Laurie Records single "Lovers Who Wander" is #10, Joey Dee and The Starlighters' Roulette Records single "Shout (Part 1)" is #19, and Dick and DeeDee's Liberty Records single "Tell Me" is #26. EMI Music Group, parent company of Capitol Music Group, currently owns the catalogs of Liberty, United Artists, Laurie and Roulette Records.
45 Years Ago Today In 1964 - Lenny Kravitz, Virgin Records America artist, is born Leonard Albert Kravitz in New York City, New York
1982 - Bobby Darin's star on The Hollywood Walk of Fame is unveiled
15 Years Ago Today In 1994 - Future Capitol Records artist Lisa Marie Presley secretly marries Michael Jackson in the Dominican Republic

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1886 - Al Jolson, singer, Vaudeville, Broadway, and motion picture actor (best known as star of the first popular talking film "The Jazz Singer"), and first popular music superstar of the 20th century, is born Asa Yoelson in Seredzius, Lithuania. For just about everything you might want to know about Jolson, check out Dr. Marc I Leavy's massive tribute website.
1942 - Joan Fontaine, actress, puts her handprints in cement outside Graumann's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California
1948 - Stevie Nicks, songwriter, solo artist, and vocalist with the bands Fritz, Buckingham Nicks, and Fleetwood Mac, is born Stephanie Lynn Nicks in Phoenix, Arizona

MAY 25, 2009

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1915 - Van Alexander, arranger, composer (arranged and co-wrote "A-Tisket A-Tasket" with Ella Fitzgerald for Chick Webb and His Orchestra), film scorer, bandleader and Capitol Records artist as Van Alexander and His Orchestra, is born Al Feldman in New York City, New York
1922 - Kitty Kalen, singer, vocalist for Artie Shaw and His Orchestra, Jack Teagarden and His Orchestra, Capitol Records artist Bobby Shorewood and His Orchestra (best known on the 1942 track "Moonlight Becomes You"), Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra, and Harry James and His Orchestra, and a solo artist, is born Genevieve Agostinello in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
1926 - Miles Davis, trumpet player, bandleader, motion picture scorer, television actor, and Capitol Records and Blue Note Records artist, may have been born Miles Dewey Davis III today (there are also references to him being born on May 26, 1926 and July 25, 1926) in Alton, Illinois. If anyone knows for sure Miles' correct birthday, please leave a comment.
1926 - Milt Bernhart, trombonist, member of Benny Goodman and Stan Kenton's Capitol Records bands, session musician on some of Frank Sinatra's Capitol Records sessions (including "I've Got You Under My Skin"), is born in Valpariso, Indiana
1947 - Jessi Colter, singer and Capitol Records artist (1975-1976, 1978, 1981), is born Mirriam Johnson in Phoenix Arizona. She would first marry Duane Eddy (1961-1968) with whom she had daughter Jennifer Eddy and then Waylon Jennings (1969) with whom she had sons Buddy and Scooter Jennings.
1953 - Rich "Dude" Alves, guitarist for the Capitol Records group (1990-1991) Pirates of the Mississipi, is born in Pleasanton, California

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1945 - Guitarist Carl Kress (with guitarist Tony Mattola and a clarinetist, bass player, and drummer), records the tracks "Swan Of Tonnelle Avenue", "Sarong", "Blond On The Loose", and "Walking Behind Miss Lucy" at WMCA studios in New York City for Capitol Records, but all would be rejected and would be released in 1997 on Mosaic Records' box set "Classic Capitol Jazz Sessions"
1948 - Margaret Whiting records the vocals for the track "A Tree In The Meadow" in Los Angeles over an instrumental track recorded by Frank DeVol in London, getting around the second Petrillo recording ban. The track will be released by Capitol Records as a single, with "I'm Sorry, But I'm Glad" on the flip side, on June 21, 1948 and will eventually hit #1 on Billboard's singles chart on August 21, 1948.
1955 - The Louvin Brothers record the track "When I Stopped Dreaming" which Capitol Records will release as a single with "Pitfall" on the flip side in July, 1955
1955 - Wardell Gray, tenor saxophonist with the Capitol Records group Benny Goodman and His Orchestra (1948-1949) and then with Count Basie's band (1950-1955), is found dead in the desert outside Las Vegas with a broken neck. The Jazzitude website has a great article by Marshall Bowden about the life and mysterious death of Gray.
1957 - Ferlin Husky's Capitol Records single "Gone" is #4 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart
50 Years Ago Today In 1959 - Franck Pourcel's French Fiddlers' Capitol Records single "Only You", with "Rainy Night In Paris" on the flip side, is #9 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1961 - Faron Young's Capitol Records single "Hello Walls", with "Congratulations" on the flip side, hits #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
1963 - The Beach Boys' Capitol Records single "Surfin' USA" hits #3 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart becoming the group's first top 10 single, Al Martino's Capitol Records single "I Love You Because" is #5, The Kingston Trio's Capitol Records single "Reverend Mr. Black" is #14, Kyu Sakamoto's Capitol Records single "Sukiyaki", with "Anoko No Namaewa Nantenkana" on the flip side, is #20 (and #2 on KFWB's Fabulous Forty survey), Nat "King" Cole's Capitol Records single "Those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days Of Summer" is #25, Bobby Darin's Capitol Records single "Yellow Roses" is #34, and The Beach Boys' single "Shutdown" (the flip side of "Surfin' USA") is #38
1976 - Sweet's Capitol Records album "Desolation Alley" is certified gold by the R.I.A.A.
1995 - Dick Curless, (aka The Baron of Country Music and born Richard William Curless), singer, songwriter, guitarist, bandleader, and Tower Records (a subsidiary of Capitol Records) artist (1965-1969) and Capitol Records artist (1970-1974), dies of stomach cancer at age 63 at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Togus, Maine
2005 - Domenic Troiano, singer, songwriter, guitarist and solo artist with Capitol Records (1977-1979) and member of the bands Mandala, Bush, James Gang, The Guess Who, and Black Market, dies of cancer at age 59 at his home in Toronto, Canada

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1957 - Fats Domino's Imperial Records single "I'm Walkin'" is #14 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart and Rick Nelson's Imperial Records version of the same is song is tied for #27 with Mitchell Torok's single "Pledge Of Love". EMI Music Group, Capitol Records parent company, currently owns Imperial's catalog.
50 Years Ago Today In 1959 - Martin Denny's Liberty Records single "Quiet Village" is #4 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart, Dion and The Belmonts' Laurie Records single "A Teenager In Love" is #6, and Fats Domino's Imperial Records single "I'm Ready" is #17. EMI Music Group, Capitol Records parent company, currently owns the Liberty, Laurie, and Imperial catalogs.
1963 - Lou Christie's Roulette Records single "Two Faces Have I" is #7 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart, The Chiffons' Laurie Records single "He's So Fine" is #28, and Bobby Vee's Liberty Records single "Charms" is #35. EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company, currently owns the Roulette, Laurie and Liberty Records catalogs.
45 Years Ago Today In 1964 - Capitol Records Canada releases The Swinging Blue Jean's single "Hippy Hippy Shake"
1967 - John Lennon's Rolls Royce gets a psychedelic paint job from Dutch team of gypsy artists group The Fool who were commissioned by J. P. Fallon Ltd. John Whelan has a pretty comprehensive article about the vehicle, and the paint job, on the Ottawa Beatles Site.
1973 - Virgin Records releases its first album, Mike Oldfield's "Tubular Bells"

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1846 - Patty Smith Hill, composer (best known for "Happy Birthday To You" which is still under copyright even though Miss Hill died in 1924), is born

MAY 24, 2009

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1941 - Tony Valentino, guitarist with the Tower Records (a subsidiary of Capitol Records) group The Standells and owner of Bellisimo's (an Italian restaurant on Ventura Boulevard in Woodland Hills, California), is born Emilio Bellissimo in Los Angeles, California
1942 - Derek Quinn, guitarist with Tower Records (a subsidiary of Capitol Records)' first released group Freddie and The Dreamers, is born in Manchester, England
65 Years Ago Today In 1944 - Patti LaBelle, singer, founding member of the group LaBelle, solo artist and Capitol Records artist (on the track "Bewitched" as a duet with Frank Sinatra), is born Patricia Louise Holt in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
1955 - Roseanne Cash, singer, guitarist, songwriter, daughter of Johnny Cash and Vivian Dorraine Libreto Cash, and Capitol Records artist, is born in Memphis, Tennessee
1963 - Vivian Trimble (aka Dusty Trails), keyboardist and backing vocals with the Capitol Records group Luscious Jackson, is born in New York City, New York

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL HISTORY
1952 - Al Martino (with orchestra conducted by Monty Kelly)'s Capitol Records single "Here In My Heart" is #3 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Kay Starr (with orchestra conducted by Harold Mooney)'s Capitol Records single "Wheel Of Fortune" is #4, Ella Mae Morse (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Blacksmith Blues" is #10, Jane Froman (with orchestra conducted by Sid Feller)'s Capitol Records single "I'll Walk Alone" is #16, Les Paul's Capitol Records single "Carioca" is #19, and Les Paul and Mary Ford's Capitol Records single "I'm Confessin' (That I Love You)" is #20
1957 - The Four Freshmen (Bob Flanigan on vocals, trombone and bass; Don Barbour on vocal and guitar; Ross Barbour on vocal and drums; and Ken Albers on vocal, trumpet, mellophone, and bass), with arranger Dick Reynolds conducting the accompanists (Skeets Herfurt and Wilbur Schwartz on alto saxophone; Ted Nash and Georgie Auld on tenor saxophone; Chuck Gentry on baritone saxophone; Al Hendrickson on guitar; Geoff Clarkson on piano; Don Simpson on bass; and Frank Carlson on drums) record the tracks "This Love Of Mine" "Sometimes I'm Happy", "For All We Know", "I Get Along Without You Very Well", and "Lullaby In Rhythm" at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California for their Capitol Records album "The Four Freshmen And Five Saxes"
1961 - Buck Owens records the tracks "Under The Influence Of Love" and "Nobody's Fool But Yours" which Capitol Records will release together as a single
45 Years Ago Today In 1964 - The Beatles' single "Love Me Do" is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles charts
40 Years Ago Today In 1969 - The Beatles' Apple Records single "Get Back", with "Don't Let Me Down" on the flip side and distributed in the United States by Capitol Records, hits #1 on Billboard's singles chart where it will stay for 5 weeks
35 Years Ago Today In 1974 - Duke Ellington (born Edward Kennedy Ellington), Capitol Records artist (1953-1955), composer, pianist and band leader, dies of cancer at age 75 in New York City and is later interred in Woodlawn Cemetery, Bronx, New York
1975 - Jessi Colter's Capitol Records single "I'm Not Lisa", with "For The First Time" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles chart
1991 - Gene Clark (born Howard Eugene Clark), songwriter, guitarist and vocalist as as solo artist and with the Capitol Records band McGuinn, Clark & Hillman, as well as the bands Dillard and Clark, The Byrds, and The New Christy Minstrals, is found unconcious at his home in Sherman Oaks, California and dies at age 46 from a heart attack brought on by complications of a bleeding ulcer. Clark is later buried in his home town of Tipton, Missouri
2005 - Swedish band Shout Out Louds' debut full length Capitol Record album "Howl Howl Gaff Gaff" is released
2005 - Mike Krinik joins Capitol Records Nashville as regional director promotion, West Coast. Based in San Diego, Krinik works as a liaison between the label and country radio stations.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1982 - "The Cooler", an eleven-minute film featuring Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, is shown at Cannes Film Festival. Ringo plays a prisoner in a jail policed entirely by women, two of whom are played by Linda McCartney and Barbara Bach (Ringo's wife)
1986 - Future Capitol Records artist Garth Brooks marries Sandy Mahl

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL HISTORY
1941 - Bob Dylan, singer, songwriter, guitarist, and motion picture actor, is born Robert Allen Zimmerman in Duluth, Minnesota
1946 - Priscilla Beaulieu Presley, actress, mother of Capitol Records artist Lisa Marie Presley, grandmother of Danielle Riley Keough and Benjamin Storm Keough, and first wife of Elvis Presley, is born Priscilla Ann Wagner in Brooklyn, New York
1968 - Future Virgin Records band The Rolling Stones' single "Jumping Jack Flash", with "Child Of The Moon" on the flip side, is released on London Records
35 Years Ago Today In 1974 - "The Dean Martin Show" ends its nine year run on NBC-TV
2005 - Vivian Dorraine Libreto Cash Distin, mother of Roseanne, Kathleen, Cindy and Tara Cash, and first wife of Johnny Cash, dies in Ventura, California of complications after lung cancer surgery at age 71.
2005 - "Brian Wilson Presents Smile" is released as a 2 disc DVD

MAY 23, 2009

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1910 - Scatman Crothers, singer, drummer, guitarist, bandleader, dancer, motion picture and television actor, cartoon voice actor, and Capitol Records (1948-1949) and Aladdin Records (1951-1953) artist, is born Benjamin Sherman Crothers in Terre Haute, Indiana
1920 - Helen O’Connell, singer, motion picture actress, dancer, vocalist with Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra, television personality, wife of Capitol Records artist and bandleader Frank DeVol, and a Capitol Records artist, is born in Lima, Ohio
80 Years Ago Today In 1928 - Rosemary Clooney, singer, motion picture actress, and Capitol Records (on the 1965 album "That Travelin' Two Beat" with Bing Crosby) and United Artists Records (1976-1977) artist, is born in Maysville, Kentucky
50 Years Ago Today In 1959 - Bill Vorn, synthesizer player and founding member of the Capitol Records band Rational Youth, is born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada
1967 - Phil Selway, drummer for the Capitol Records band Radiohead, is born Philip James Selway in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, England

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1947 - Wingy Manone and His Orchestra (Manone on trumpet; Charlie Griffard, Zeke Zarchy, and Ray Linn on trumpet; Bill Schaefer, Allan Thompson, and Carl Loeffler on trombone; Heinie Beau on clarinet; Fred Stulce and Leonard Hartman on alto saxophone; Herbie Haymer and Ted Nash on tenor saxophone; Moe Weschsler on piano; George Van Eps on guitar; Jack Ryan on bass; and Nick Fatool on drums) record the track "Box Car Blues", with Manone sharing vocals with Johnny Mercer, in Los Angeles, California which will be released as a single by Capitol Records with "Hello Baby" on the flip side. At the same session, The Pied Pipers, with Paul Weston conducting the same musicians (except for Wingy Manone), record the tracks "Just Plain Love" and "The Riddle Song" which Capitol Records will release together as a single.
1952 - Louis Bellson Just Jazz All Stars (Clark Terry on trumpet; Juan Tizol on valve trombone; John Graas on french horn; Willie Smith on alto saxophone; Wardell Gray on tenor saxophone; Harry Carney on baritone saxophone; Billy Strayhorn on piano; Wendell Marshall on bass; Louis Bellson on drums) record the tracks "The Jeep Is Jumpin'", "Passion Flower", and "Johnny Come Lately" (all three arranged by Strayhorn), "Sticks" and "Punkin'" (both arranged by Shorty Rogers), "Eyes" (arranged by Buddy Baker)", Rainbow" (arranged by Tizol), and "Shadows" (also arranged by Baker) in Los Angeles, California. All the tracks will be released on a 10" album by Capitol Records as part of it's "Classics in Jazz" series.
1953 - Les Baxter and His Orchestra's Capitol Records single "April in Portugal" is #2 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Singles chart, Nat "King" Cole (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s single "Pretend" is #9, Jane Froman (with Orchestra conducted by Sid Feller)'s Capitol Records single "I Believe" is #11, and Les Baxter and His Orchestra's Capitol Records single "Ruby (theme from the movie Ruby Gantry)" enters the chart at #20
1960 - The Four Prep's Capitol Records single "Got A Girl" is #24 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
45 Years Ago Today In 1964 – Capitol Records releases The Beach Boys' single “I Get Around” with “Don’t Worry Baby” on the flip side
1965 - The Beach Boys' Capitol Records single "Help Me Rhonda", with "Do You Wanna Dance?" on the flip side, hits #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1967 - Buck Owens's Capitol Records single "Sam's Place" is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1967 - The Pink Floyd records Syd Barrett's "See Emily Play" at Sound Techniques Studios in England. The track will later be released in the United States on Tower Records, a subsidiary of Capitol Records.
1970 - Paul McCartney's Apple Records album "McCartney", distributed by Capitol Records in the United States, reaches #1 on Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart
15 Years Ago Today In 1994 - The Beastie Boys' Grand Royal and Capitol Records album "Ill Communication" is released and will become their second #1 album and second album to be certified triple platinum
1996 - Capitol Records Nashville releases Suzy Bogguss's first single for the newly renamed label, "Give Me Some Wheels" with "Far And Away" on the flip side

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1883 - Douglas Fairbanks, Sr., motion picture actor and co-founder of United Artist Pictures which would go on to create United Artists Records, is born Douglas Elton Ulman in Denver, Colorado
1960 - Rick Nelson's Imperial Records single "Young Emotions" is #16 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart and Dion and The Belmont's Laurie Records single "When You Wish Upon A Star" is #30. EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company, currently owns the Imperial and Laurie Records catalogs.
40 Years Ago Today In 1969 - Jimmy McHugh (born James McHugh), composer ("I Can't Give You Anything But Love", "On The Sunny Side Of The Street", "I'm In The Mood For Love", etc.) and pianist, dies in Beverly Hills, California at age 74. Capitol Records released a CD compilation of various Capitol Records artists covering McHugh's songs as part of it's "Capitol Sings" series.
1971 - The Rolling Stones' single "Brown Sugar", with a cover of Chuck Berry's "Let It Rock" on the flip side, hits #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart. The Rolling Stones' catalog is now released by Virgin Records, a subsidiary of Capitol Music Group's parent company EMI Music Group
1983 - Pink Floyd's Columbia Records album "The Final Cut" is certified Gold by the R.I.A.A. Pink Floyd's entire catalog is now distributed by Capitol Records in the United States
2006 - The complete "Bugaloos" is released on DVD.

The Bugaloos with their Barris Custom buggy at the back entrance of The Capitol Tower. Photo courtesy of Bill Ung

Rhino Video releases a 3 DVD set with all 17 original episodes of the series, as well as some great extras. In 1970 Capitol Records released The Bugaloos only album and sponsored a promotional tour of in-store and personal appearances to support it. Bill Ung has a wondeful and massive tribute website to The Bugaloos and I've contributed some photos from the personal appearances in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Dallas, Texas, to it.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1910 - Artie Shaw, clarinet player and bandleader, is born Arthur Jacob Arshawsky in New York City, New York
65 Years Ago Today In 1944 - Tiki Fulwood, drummer for the bands Parliament and Funkadelic, is born Ramon Fulwood in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
1968 - John Lennon and George Harrison open Apple Tailoring (Civil And Theatrical) at 161 King's Road, London, England

MAY 22, 2009

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
1948 - Buddy Alan, singer, songwriter, guitarist, son of Capitol Records artists Buck and Bonnie Owens, step-son of Capitol Records artist Merle Haggard, and Capitol Records artist (1968-1976), is born Alvis Alan Owens in Mesa, Arizona

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1948 - The King Cole Trio (with orchestra conducted by Frank DeVol)'s Capitol Records single "Nature Boy" is still #1 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart and Peggy Lee (with Dave Barbour and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Manana" is #12
55 Years Ago Today In 1954 - Frank Sinatra (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Young At Heart" is #3 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Kay Starr (with orchestra conducted by Harold Mooney)'s Capitol Records single "If You Love Me (Really Love Me)" is #6 and its flip side "The Man Upstairs" is #7, and Nat "King" Cole (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Answer Me, My Love" is #11
1961 - Faron Young's Capitol Records single "Hello Walls" is #18 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1965 - The Beatles' Capitol Records single "Ticket to Ride", with "Yes, It Is" on the flip side, hits #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
May 22, 1970 - Buck Owens and Susan Raye (on vocals, with unlisted musicians) record the tracks "Your Tender Loving Care", "Think Of Me", "I Thank You For Sending Me You", and "I Don't Care (Just As Long As You Love Me)" and overdubs for all the tracks but "Think Of Me" at Buck Owens Studios in Bakersfield, California. Capitol Records will issue "You're Tender Loving Care" as a single (Capitol 2871) with "The Great White Horse" on the flip side and all the tracks on the duo's album "Great White Horse" (ST-558).
1972 - The Raspberries' second Capitol Records single from their self-titled debut album, "Go All The Way" with "With You In My Life" on the flip side, is released and will eventually peak at #5 on Billboard's singles chart
1976 - Paul McCartney & Wings' Apple Records single "Silly Love Songs", with "Cook Of The House" on the flip side, hits #1 on Billboard's singles chart
1977 - Hampton Hawes, pianist and member of many jazz bands including Stan Kenton's All Stars, Shorty Rogers and his Giants, Teddy Edwards' Septet, The Bud Shank - Bill Perkins Quintet, as well as leader of his own trio, quartet, quintet, septet, and nonet, Hampton Hawes dies of a stroke at age 48 in Los Angeles, California. The Jazz Discography Project has a great discography of Hawes' work.
2001 - Capitol Records releases The Beach Boys' 2 CD, 58 track, album "Hawthorne, CA — Birthplace of a Musical Legacy"
2005 - Keith Urban's Capitol Records Nashville single "Making Memories Of Us" is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
50 Years Ago Today In 1959 - Morrissey, singer, songwriter, with the band The Smiths, and a solo artist who occasionally uses The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California to record in and to broadcast radio events from, is born Steven Patrick Morrissey in Manchester, England
1961 - Ernie K-Doe's Minit Records single "Mother-In-Law" is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart, Gene McDaniels's Liberty Records singe "A Hundred Pounds Of Clay" is #4, Rick Nelson's Imperial Records single "Travelin' Man" is #5 and his Imperial Records single "Hello Mary Lou" is #9, Steve Lawrence's United Artists Records single "Portrait Of My Love" is #13, and Al Caiola and His Orchestra's United Artists Records single "Bonanza" is #20
1977 - Former Capitol Records artist Stan Kenton, on tour with his orchestra, is found unconscious at 8 p.m., lying on the floor of the Abraham Lincoln Motor Inn in Reading, Pennsylvania. He underwent neurosurgery for a skull fracture with a blood clot on the brain.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1942 - Calvin "Thang" Simon, vocalist for the bands The Parliments, Parliament and Funkadelic, and a member of the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame, is born in Beckley, West Virginia
1950 - Lyricist Bernie Taupin is born in Lincolnshire, England

MAY 21, 2009

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 flip side, 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

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1942 - Freddie Slack & His Orchestra (Slack on piano; George Wendt, Bob Goodrich, and John Kec on trumpets; Bruce Squires and Bill Anthens on trombones; Willie Martinez on clarinet and alto saxophone; Al Harding, John Hamilton, and Walter Clark on reeds; Jack Marshall on guitar; Jim Lynch on bass; and John Cyr on drums} record "Baby Doll", "Cow Cow Boogie" with vocals by 17 year old Ella Mae Morse and, as backing for vocalist Johnny Mercer, "The Air Minded Executive" in a split session with David Street from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM, with Johnny Mercer producing, at C. P. MacGregors Studios at 729 S. Western Avenue in Los Angeles, California
1944 - Benny Carter and His Orchestra record the tracks "I Can't Escape From You", "I'm Lost", "I Can't Get Started" and "I Surrender Dear" In Los Angeles, California for Capitol Records
60 Years Ago Today In 1949 - Jo Stafford & Gordon MacRae (with Paul Weston and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "'A' You're Adorable" is #9 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Mel Tormé (with orchestra conducted by Pete Rugolo)'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 & Gordon MacRae (with Paul Weston and His Orchestra)'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
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 Crockett" is #7, Nat "King" Cole (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "A Blossom Fell" and it's flip side "If I May" with The Four Knights joining Cole and Riddle is #8, Nat "King" Cole (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Darling Je Vous Aime Beaucoup is #14, and Frank Sinatra (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Learnin' The Blues" is #16
1962 - Capitol Records releases Buck Owens' single "Save The Last Dance For Me" with "King Of Fools" on the flip side
45 Years Ago Today In 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
40 Years Ago Today In 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
5 Years Ago Today In 2004 - Rick Henderson, 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

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.
45 Years Ago Today In 1964 - The Beatles' "Sie Liebt Dich" (a version of their song "She Loves You" sung in German) with "I'll Get You" on the flip side is released on Swan Record
40 Years Ago Today In 1969 - John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s “bed-in” begins at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal, Canada
1983 - David Bowie's EMI America single "Let's Dance" is still #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart

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

MAY 20, 2009

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
65 Years Ago Today In 1944 - Joe Cocker, singer and Capitol Records artist, is born John Robert Cocker in Sheffield, Yorkshire, England

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
65 Years Ago Today In 1944 - Jo Stafford (with Paul Weston and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Long Ago And Far Away" is #6 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart and it's flip side "I Love You" is #10
65 Years Ago Today In 1944 - Stan Kenton and His Orchestra record the tracks "How Many Hearts Have You Broken" and "She's Funny That Way" with vocals by Gene Howard, and "I'm Going Mad For A Pad" as well as two versions (one without and one with piano accompaniment) of "And Her Tears Flowed Like Wine" with vocals by Anita O'Day, at C. P. MacGregor Studios on Western Avenue in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will release "And Her Tears Flowed Like Wine" as a single with "How Many Hearts Have You Broken" on the flip side.
1947 - Carl Kress is at WMCA studios in New York City to records the tracks "The Goose From Gander" and "Swan Of Tonnelle Avenue" with Kress and Tony Mottola on guitar, Paul Ricci on clarinet, Bob Haggart on bass and Terry Snyder on drums. The tracks will be released as part of Kress' self titled Capitol Records album in the label's "Classics In Jazz" series.
1950 - Jo Stafford and Gordon MacRae (with Paul Weston and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Dearie" is in a three way tie for #20 on Billboards' Best Selling Retail Records chart with Frankie Lane's single "The Stars And Stripes Forever", and Hoagy Carmichael and Cass Daley (with Matty Matlock's All-Stars)'s single "The Old Piano Roll Blues"
1956 - Comedian and Capitol Records recording artist Harry Stewart, aka Yogi Yorgesson, Hari Kari and Klaus Hammerschmidt, is killed at age 47 when his car goes off the rode near Tonopah, Nevada
1957 - Frank Sinatra records the tracks "Witchcraft", "Something Wonderful Happens In Summer", "Tell Her You Love Her" and "You're Cheating Yourself (If You're Cheating On Me)" at the Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California with an arrangements and orchestra conducted by Nelson Riddle and produced by Voyle Gilmore
45 Years Ago Today In 1964 - Buck Owens' Capitol Records single "My Heart Skips A Beat" is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
1972 - Merle Haggard's Capitol Records single "Grandma Harp" is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
1978 - Paul McCartney & Wings' Capitol Records single "With A Little Luck" hits #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1997 - Capitol Records releases The Foo Fighters' self-titled debut album
1998 - Frank Sinatra is interred at Cathedral City's "Desert Memorial Park" in Palm Springs, California at B-8, #151 with the inscription "The Best Is Yet To Come"

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1851 - Emile Berliner, inventor and developer of the disc gramophone, is born in Hanover Germany. His Berliner Gramophone Company would later become EMI, parent company of Capitol Music Group
1967 - Kit Clark, accordion player and vocalist with the Virgin Records America group Meet Danny Wilson, is born in Dundee, Scotland
2005 - A lage brick monument is dedicated at the site of Capitol Records band The Beach Boys' members Brian, Carl and Dennis Wilson's childhood home on 119th Street in Hawthorne, California, which had been demolished 20 years earlier to make way for a freeway. The site is also named an official California State Historical Landmark.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1985 - Forty Hard Rock music artists (including Jimmy Bain, Vivian Campbell and Ronnie James Dio [all three from Dio], Don Dokken [Dokken], Geoff Tate [Queensrÿche], Yngwie Malmsteen, Rob Halford [Judas Priest], Ted Nugent, Vince Neil [Mötley Crüe], Dave Meniketti [Y & T], Dave Murray and Adrian Smith [Iron Maiden]) gather at A&M Records Studios to participate in the making of a record called "Stars", part of project known as Hear 'N Aid to raise money for famine relief efforts in Africa and around the world.
20 Years Ago Today In 1989 - Comedienne and actress Gilda Radner dies of ovarian cancer at age 42 in Los Angeles, California. After her death her husband, Gene Wilder, and her cancer therapist, Joanna Bull, start Gilda's Club, now a worldwide support group helping those living with cancer.

MAY 19, 2009

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL HISTORY
1951 - Les Paul and Mary Ford's Capitol Records single "How High The Moon" is #1 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Nat "King" Cole (with Les Baxter conducting the orchestra using a Nelson Riddle arragement)'s Capitol Records single "Too Young" is #3, and Les Paul and Mary Ford's Capitol Records single "Mockin' Bird Hill" is #5
1953 - Jean Shepard and Ferlin Husky record the duet "Dear John Letter" at Capitol's Melrose Avenue studios in Hollywood, California with producer Ken Nelson. The song would go on to be spend six weeks at #1 on the country charts.
1956 - Les Baxter and His Orchestra's Capitol Records single "Poor People Of Paris" is #3 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra's Capitol Records single "Lisbon Antiqua is #10,
1958 - Peggy Lee records the track "Fever" at the Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California. "Fever"'s original recording, by Little Willie John, was brought to Lee's attention by her bass player, Max Bennett. Lee wrote additional lyrics and a stripped down arrangement, possibly with Bennett, which featured her vocals, Joe Mondragon on string bass, Shelly Manne with fingers on snare drums with the snares turned off, and finger snapping that may have been provided by guitarist Howard Roberts. Since he was the documented session conductor, Jack Marshall initially got credit for the arrangement, even getting a Grammy nomination for best arrangement. The song would also get Lee a Grammy nomination for best female vocal. At the same session, which was produced by "Big Dave" Cavanaugh, Lee would also record the tracks "Things Are Swinging", "Lullaby In Rhythm", and "You're Getting To Be A Habit With Me". This track would be released as a single with "You Don't Know" on the flip side and, during its 14 week run on Billboard's Hot 100 charts, would peak at #8 on August 25, 1958. The song would first appear on an album in 1960 as part of the compilation album "All Aglow Again". Gino Falzarano wrote a great article for "Fever"'s 30th anniversary that appeared in the July/August edition of Discoveries magazine, and was reproduced on peggylee.com. For more information about this and many other tracks, go to Iván Santiago and Steve Albin's amazing discography site created as a test for Brian, a discography database application.
1958 - Judy Garland, with Nelson Riddle conducting his orchestra, records the track "Day In, Day Out" and re-records the track "Zing Went The Strings Of My Heart", which she first sang in the 1938 film "Listen, Darling" and first recorded in 1939 for Decca Records. Produced by Voyle Gilmore, the songs would be among the first Judy would record, outside of a film soundstage, in stereo and will be part of her first stereo Capitol album "Judy In Love", released on November 3, 1958. I wonder if Judy and Peggy ran into each other or heard each other's sessions on that day.
50 Years Ago Today In 1958 - Laurie London's Capitol Records single "He's Got The Whole World In His Hands" is #5 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Dean Martin (with Gus Levine and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Return To Me" is #6, Nat "King" Cole's Capitol Records single "Looking Back" is #8, and The Four Prep's Capitol Records single "Big Man" is #14,
40 Years Ago Today In 1969 - Coleman Hawkins, Capitol artist (1945), tenor saxophonist and leader of the first bebop recording session, dies of pneumonia in New York City at age 64 and is interred at the Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx
1978 - Darlene Edwards, aka Jo Stafford, gives her last public performance at a 25th anniversary celebration of SHARE, an organization devoted to work with mentally handicapped children, sharing the spotlight with Jo's old bandmate, Frank Sinatra
1987 - The Beatles' album "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" is released worldwide on CD
1998 - Dorothy Donegan, pianist, leader of The Dorothy Donegan Trio, and a Capitol Records artist, dies at age 77 in Los Angeles, California
10 Years Ago Today In 1999 - Capitol releases the original soundtrack to the motion picture "Hope Floats"
5 Years Ago Today In 2004 - Keith Urban's Capitol Records Nashville single "You'll Think of Me" is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
2006 - Freddie Garrity, milkman, songwriter, singer and founder of Tower Records (a subsidiary of Capitol Records)' first released group Freddie and The Dreamers, dies at age 69

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1932 - Alma Cogan, singer and HMV and EMI Records artist, is born Alma Angela Cohen in St. John's Wood, England
1956 - Fats Domino's Imperial Records single "I'm In Love Again" is #1 on the U.S. R&B singles charts and tied for #21 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart with Pat Boone's single "Long Tall Sally". Waller's other Imperial Records single "My Blue Heaven" is tied for #40 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart with Elvis Presley's RCA single "I Was The One"
1958 - David Seville's Liberty Records single "Witch Doctor" is #2 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Rick Nelson's Imperial Records single "Belive What You Say" is #25, and its flip side "My Bucket"s Got A Hole In It" is #29
1962 - Jay and The American's United Artists Records single "She Cried" is #5 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart, Walter Brennan's Liberty Records single "Old Rivers" is #7, Joey Dee and The Starlighter's Roulette Records single "Shout (Part 1)" is #12, Dick and DeeDee's Liberty Records single "Tell Me" is #22, and Rick Nelson's Imperial Records single "Young World" is #31
1968 - Bobby Goldsboro's United Artists Records single "Honey", with "Danny" on the flip side, hits #1 on the U.S. Country singles chart

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1873- Sime Silverman, founder of the trade magazine Variety, is born in Cortland, New York
1958 - Atco Records releases future Capitol Records artist Bobby Darin's single "Splish Splash", making it the first eight-track recording ever released on 45

MAY 18, 2009

REST IN PEACE
2009 - Carol Cole, actress, niece and adopted daughter of Nat and Maria Cole, and administrator of her father's estate, has died at age 65.

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1902 - Meredith Willson, flute and piccolo player, bandleader, radio performer, motion picture scorer ("The Great Dictator") and composer of the Broadway musicals "The Music Man" and "The Unsinkable Molly Brown" (in which Capitol Records invested so that it could release their original Broadway cast albums) as well as "Here's Love" and "1491", is born Robert Meredith Reiniger in Mason City, Iowa
1922 - Kai Winding, trombonist, composer, member of the Benny Goodman, Stan Kenton and Miles Davis' Capitol Records bands (including four tracks with the Miles Davis Nonet on the "Birth Of The Cool" sessions) and Aladdin and Capitol Records artist, is born Kai Chresten Winding in Denmark, Denmark
75 Years Ago Today In 1934 - Dwayne Hickman, television ("The Many Loves Of Dobie Gillis") and motion picture ("Dr. Goldfoot And The Bikini Machine" the soundtrack of which was released by Capitol Records subsidiary Tower Records) actor, CBS Television executive, and Capitol Records artist, is born in Los Angeles, California
1953 - Feliciano "Butch" Tavares, who with his four brothers made up the Capitol Records group Tavares, is born in New Bedford, Massachusetts

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1946 - Alvino Rey and His Orchestra (with vocals by Rocky Coluccio)'s Capitol Records single "Cement Mixer (Put-Ti Put-Ti)" is #6 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart and Andy Russell (with Paul Weston & His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Laughing On The Outside (Crying On The Inside) is #8
1957 - Ferlin Husky's Capitol Records single "Gone" is #4 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart and Tommy Sand's Capitol Records single "Teenage Crush" is #34
50 Years Ago Today In 1959 - Franck Pourcel's French Fiddles' Capitol Records single "Only You (Loin De Vous)", with "Rainy Night In Paris" on the flip side, is #10 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart and The Kingston Trio's Capitol Records single "Tijuana Jail" is #27
1963 - The Beach Boys' Capitol Records single "Surfin' U.S.A" is #4 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart, The Kingston Trio's Capitol Records single "Reverend Mr. Black" is #8, and Al Martino's Capitol Records single "I Love You Because" is #10
1968 - Glen Campbell's Capitol Records single "I Wanna Live", with "That's All That Matters" on the flip side, becomes his first #1 on the country charts
40 Years Ago Today In 1969 - The Beatles' Apple Records single "Get Back", released by Capitol Records in the United States, is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1970 - Capitol Records releases The Beatles' Apple Records soundtrack album "Let It Be" in the United States
1970 - Capitol Records releases Buck Owens' single "The Kansas City Song"
1975 - Jesi Colter's Capitol Records single "I'm Not Lisa", with "For The First Time" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles chart
1988 - Daws Butler (born Charles Dawson Butler), Capitol Records artist (on recordings of Stan Freberg and on various children's records), radio actor, and voice for many Warner Brothers and Hanna-Barbera cartoon characters, dies of a heart attack at age 71 in Los Angeles, California

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1957 - Fats Domino's Imperial Records single "I'm Walkin'" is #12 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Rick Nelson's Imperial Records single of the same song is #33, and Eddie Cochran's Liberty Records single "Sittin' In The Balcony" is #38
50 Years Ago Today In 1959 - Martin Denny's Liberty Records single "Quiet Village" is #8 on Billbard's Hot 100 Singles chart, The Fleetwood's Dolton (originally Dolphin) Records single "Come Softly To Me" (distributed by Liberty Records) is #21, Fats Domino's Imperial Records single "I'm Ready" is #27, and Rick Nelson's Imperial Records single "Never Be Anyone Else But You" is #40
1963 - Lou Christie's Roulette Records single "Two Faces Have I" is #11 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart, Bobby Vee's Liberty Records single "Charms" is #20, and Jan and Dean's Liberty Records single "Linda" is 340
1981 - President Ronald Reagan announces his intention to nominate former VP of Capitol Records (1942-1951) and former president of Columbia Records (1951-1956), James B. Conkling, to be Associate Director of the International Communication Agency (Broadcasting)
1986 - Kenny Rogers' United Artists Records single "Tomb Of The Unknown Love", with "Our Perfect Song" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles chart
5 Years Ago Today In 2004 - Elvin Jones, drummer, Blue Note, United Artists, and Roulette Records artist, dies at age 76 of heart problems in Englewood, New Jersey

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1883 - Walter Gropius, architect and founder of the Bauhaus, is born Walter Adolph Gropius in Berlin, Germany
1912 - Perry Como, singer and star on radio and television, is born Pierino Ronald Como in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania
1975 - Leroy Anderson, conductor and composer of light instrumental music ("Sleigh Ride", "The Typewriter", "The Penny Whistle Song", etc.) dies in Woodbury, Connecticut