MAY 23, 2026

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.

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.

1959 - Bill Vorn, a synthesizer player and a 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.

1980 - Heather Peggs, Capitol Records A&R executive (2004-2009), founder and president of HELL YA! Records, is born in Wexford, Pennsylvania.

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 flipside. 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 The Billboard magazine'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. Nat "King" Cole's single "Pretend" (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra) is also #5 on Cash Box magazine's Best Selling Singles chart, #8 on The Billboard magazine's Most Played By Juke Boxes and also #9 on the magazine's Most Played By Jockeys charts. "Pretend"'s flipside "Can't I" is #38 also on Cash Box magazine's Best Selling Singles chart. Cole's single "I Am In Love" is #2 on The Billboard magazine's Coming Up In The Trade - Disc Jockeys Pick chart and #3 on the magazine's Coming Up In The Trade - The Dealers Pick chart.

1958 - Vocalist Tennessee Ernie Ford, with Harry Geller conducting the orchestra (lineup unlisted), records the titles "Sleepin' At The Foot Of The Bed", "Love Makes The World Go Round", "Sunday Barbecue", and "Glad Rags" in The Capitol Tower Studios at 1750 North Vine Street in Hollywood, California. Capitol Records will issue "Sleepin' At The Foot Of The Bed" and "Glad Rags" together as a single (Capitol F4107) and "Love Makes The World Go Round" and "Sunday Barbecue" together as a single (Capitol F3997).

1958 - Pianist Leonard Pennario records the second half of Franz Liszt's "Sonata In B Minor" and the fourth movement of Frederick Chopin's "Sonata N° 3 In B Flat" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue the final mixes of the complete "Sonata In B Minor" and "Sonata N° 3 In B Flat" on Pennario's album "CHOPIN - Sonata In B Flat/LISZT - Sonata In B Minor" (P-8457).

1958 - Erich Leinsdorf conducts The Philharmonia Orchestra (lineup unlisted) as they record parts of Brahms' "Symphony N° 3 In F Major" in EMI's Abbey Road Studio N° 1 in London, England. Capitol Records will issue the final mix of the complete "Symphony N° 3 In F Major" on the orchestra's album "BRAHMS - Symphony N° 3 In F Major/Variations On A Theme By HAYDN" (G/SG-8483).

1960 - The Four Prep's Capitol Records single "Got A Girl" is #24 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart.

1963 - During three sessions held this day in Los Angeles, California, vocalist June Christy with Al Viola on guitar and Don Bagley on bass, records new takes of the titles "Fly Me To The Moon" with the addition of Bud Shank (as "Bud Legge") on flute, "The More I See You", and, again with Shank on flute, "You're Nearer" at the first session, with Shank on flute for the rest of the sessions, the titles "The More I See You", and "Time After Time" at the second session, and the titles "I Get Along Without You Very Well" and "Suddenly It's Spring" at the third session. Capitol Records will issue all the new takes from all three sessions on Christy's album "The Intimate Miss Christy" (T/ST 1953).

1963 - Jerry Guthrie, with unlisted others, records the titles "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star", "One Has My Name, The Other Has My Heart", "I Saw Linda", and "King Of The Surf" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue "One Has My Name, The Other Has My Heart" and "I Saw Linda" together as a single (Capitol 5013) and has yet to issue the other two titles.

1963 - Capitol Records will master in Los Angeles, California all of Vic Damone's titles "You And The Night And The Music", "When Your Lover Has Gone", "What Kind Of Fool Am I?", "At Long Last Love", "Fascinating Rhythm", "They Can't Take That Away From Me", "The Most Beautiful Girl In The World", "Adios", "I Left My Heart In San Francisco", "A Lot Of Livin' To Do", "You're Nobody 'Til Somebody Loves You", and "On The Street Where You Live" which were recorded during a live performance at Basin Street East recorded on April 26, 1963 and will issue all the titles on Damone's album "Vic Damone At Basin Street East" (T/ST 1944).

1963 - Vocalist Bobby Darin, with Jack Nitzsche conducting his own arrangments to the orchestra (lineup unlisted), records the titles "Our Day Will Come", "On Broadway", and "I Will Follow Her" in New York City, New York. Capitol Records will issue all the titles on Darin's album "18 Yellow Roses & 11 Other Hits" (T/ST 1942).

1964 – Capitol Records releases The Beach Boys' single “I Get Around” with “Don’t Worry Baby” on the flipside.

1965 - The Beach Boys' Capitol Records single "Help Me Rhonda", with "Do You Wanna Dance?" on the flipside, hits #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.

1968 - Vocalist Fred Neil, with unlisted others, records the titles "How Long" and "Second Hand Information" in Los Angeles, California for Capitol Records which has yet to issue any of the titles.

1968 - Overdubs are recorded for pianist Eddie Heywood's titles "Don't Take Your Love From Me", "Soft Summer Breeze", "Give My Regards To Broadway", and "Ramona". Capitol Records will issue the final mixes of all the titles on Heywood's album "The Piano Artistry Of Eddie Heywood - Soft Summer Breeze" (ST-163).

1968 - Robert Irving conducts The Concert Arts Orchestra (lineup unlisted) as they record the conclusion of Leonard Bernstein's "Fac Simile (A Choreographic Essay)" in New York City, New York. Capitol Records will issue the final mix of the entire "Fac Simile (A Choreographic Essay)" on the orchestra's album "BERNSTEIN - Fancy Free/Fac Simile" (SP-8701).

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.

1978 - Vocalist Glen Campbell, with unlisted others, records the titles "I'm Gonna Love You", "Love Takes You Higher", "Darling Darlinka", and "Grafhaidh Me Thu" in Sherman Oaks, California. Capitol Records will issue "I'm Gonna Love You" and "Love Takes You Higher" together as a single (Capitol 4682) and with "I See Love" and "Grafhaidh Me Thu" on Campbell's album "Basic" (SW-11722) and "Darling Darlinka" on Campbell's album "Highwayman" (SOO-12008).

1983 - Ronnie Laws, with unlisted others, records the titles "Mr. Nice Guy" and "Rolling" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue "Mr. Nice Guy" as a single (Capitol 5274) with "Off And On Again" (session date not listed) on the flipside and "Rolling" as a single (Capitol 5421) with "City Girl" (recorded August 31, 1984) on the flipside.

1983 - Vocalist Juice Newton, with an orchestra (lineup unlisted) using arrangments by Charles Calello, records the titles "Stranger At My Door", "Tell Her No", "Till I Loved You", and "Runaway Hearts" at Conway Recording Studio in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue all the titles on Newton's album "Dirty Looks" (ST-12294) and "Stranger At My Door" and "Tell Her No" also as a single (Capitol 5265).

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.

30 Years Ago Today In 1996 - Capitol Records Nashville releases Suzy Bogguss' first single for the newly renamed label, "Give Me Some Wheels" with "Far And Away" on the flipside.


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. Universal Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company, currently owns the Imperial and Laurie Records catalogs.

1963 - Tenor saxophonist Dexter Gordon, with Bud Powell on piano, Pierre Michelot on bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums, records the titles "Our Love Is Here To Stay", "Broadway", "Stairway To The Stars", "A Night In Tunisia", "Willow Weep For Me", "Scrapple From The Apple", and, without Gordon on tenor saxophone, "Like Someone In Love" at the CBS Studios in Paris, France with producer Francis Wolff. Blue Note Records will issue "Our Love Is Here To Stay" and "Like Someone In Love" on the compilation album "Bud Powell ‎– Alternate Takes" (BST84430), the rest of the titles on the album "Our Man In Paris" (BLP4146 in mono on 12" LP and BST84146 in stereo on 12" LP), and all the titles on the CD release of "Our Man In Paris" (7-46394-2).

1968 - Som Tres (a big band with an unlisted lineup) records the title "Jungle" in Brazil for EMI Odeon. Blue Note Records will license the title and issue it on the multi-artist compilation album "Blue Brazil Volume 2 (Blue Note In A Latin Groove)" (B1-57741 on the 12" LP and 8-57741-2 on CD).

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.

55 Years Ago Today In 1971 - The Rolling Stones' single "Brown Sugar", with a cover of Chuck Berry's "Let It Rock" on the flipside, 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 Universal 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.

1983 - Vocalist Sheena Easton, with unlisted others, records the title "I'm Almost Over You" at an unlisted studio. EMI America will issue the title as a single (EMI America 8186) with "I Don't Need Your Word" (session date not listed) on the flipside and also on Easton's album "Best Kept Secret" (ST-17101 on 12" LP and 7-91754-2 on CD).

20 Years Ago Today In 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 wonderful 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, a clarinet player and a bandleader, is born Arthur Jacob Arshawsky in New York City, New York.

1944 - Tiki Fulwood, drummer for the bands Parliament and Funkadelic, is born Ramon Fulwood in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

1953 - Bill Haley and The Comets' Decca Records single "Crazy Man Crazy" debuts at #15 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart and is considered the first Rock 'N' Roll single to enter the chart.

1968 - John Lennon and George Harrison open Apple Tailoring (Civil And Theatrical) at 161 King's Road, London, England.

MAY 22, 2026


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 in his own right (1968-1976), is born Alvis Alan Owens in Mesa, Arizona.

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY

1943 - Tor Mann conducts The Radio Symphony Orchestra of Stockholm as they record Sibelius' "Symphony #1 In E Minor, Opus 39" in Stockholm, Sweden for Telefunken Records. After Capitol Records leases Telefunken's catalog for release in the United States, it will issue the piece on the album "SIBELIUS-Symphony #1 In E Minor, Opus 39/GRIEG-Norwegian Dance #1" (P-8020).

1944 - Capitol Records issues its first album, a four-disc 78 rpm collection entitled "Capitol Presents... Songs By Johnny Mercer" (listed initially as A-1 in The Billboard magazine but released as CD-1) which includes the titles "Blues In The Night", "On The Nodaway Road", "You And Your Love", You Grow Sweeter", "Jamboree Jones", "Dixieland Band", "I Remember You", and "Too Marvelous For Words".

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.

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 flipside "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.

1958 - Vocalist Ed Townsend, with unlisted others, records the titles "What Shall I Do?", "Richer Than I", and "Please Never Change" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue "What Shall I Do?" and "Please Never Change" together as a single (Capitol F3994), also on Townsend's self-titled EP "Ed Towsend" (EAP-1-1091), and "Richer Than I" as a single (Capitol F4104) with "Getting By Without You" (recorded August 6, 1958) on the flipside.

1958 - Alvino Rey conducts His Orchestra (lineup unlisted) as they record the titles "Speak Low", "Night Train", "I'll Be Seeing You", and "Chukkar" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue "Speak Low", "Night Train", and "Chukkar" on Rey and his orchestra's album "Swingin' Fling!" (T/ST 1085) and have yet to issue "I'll Be Seeing You".

1958 - During two sessions held this day in EMI's Abbey Road Studio N° 1 in London, England, Erich Leinsdorf conducts The Philharmonia Orchestra (lineup unlisted) as they record portions of Brahms' "Variations On A Theme By Joseph Haydn" at the first session and the first, third, and fifth movements of Prokofiev's "Lieutenant Kije Suite" at the second session. Capitol Records will issue the complete "Variations On A Theme By Joseph Haydn" on the orchestra's album "BRAHMS - Symphony N° 3 In F Major/Variations On A Theme By HAYDN" (G/SG-8483) and the complete "Lieutenant Kije Suite" on the orchestra's album "PROKOFIEV - Lieutenant Kije Suite/KODALY-Hary Janos Suite" (P/SP-8508).

65 Years AgonToday In 1961 - Faron Young's Capitol Records single "Hello Walls" is #18 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart.

1963 - Nat "King" Cole's Capitol Records single "Those Hazy-Lazy-Crazy Days Of Summer is #25 on WMCA's Top 25 chart in New York City, New York.

1963 - The Four Freshmen (Bob Flanigan on vocals, trombone, and bass, Bill Comstock on vocals and guitar, Ross Barbour on vocals, trumpet, and drums, and Ken Albers on vocals, trumpet, flugelhorn, and bass), with Shorty Rogers conducting his own arrangements to the orchestra (lineup unlisted), records the titles "Walk Right In", "Summertime", and "We've Got A World That Swings" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue "Walk Right In" and "Summertime" on the group's album "Got That Feelin'" (T/ST 1950), "Summertime" also as a single (Capitol 5007) with "Baby Won't You Please Come Home" (recorded May 20, 1963) on the flipside, and "We've Got A World That Swings" on the album "Funny How Time Slips Away" (T/ST 2067).

1965 - The Beatles' Capitol Records single "Ticket to Ride", with "Yes, It Is" on the flipside, hits #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart.

60 Years Ago Today In 1966 - Capitol Records artist Mrs. Elva Miller appears on the Ed Sullivan show.

1967 - The Knack (Mike Chain, Larry Gould, Dink Kaplan and Pug Baker), with producer Nick Venet and engineer John Krauss, record the tracks "Pretty Daisy" and "Banana Man" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will release the tracks together as a single (Capitol 5940).

1968 - Overdubs are recorded in Los Angeles, California for Tennessee Ernie Ford's titles "As Lately We Watched", "Bring A Torch, Jeanette Isabella", "The Friendly Beasts", and "White Christmas". Capitol Records will issue all the titles on Ford's album "O Come All Ye Faithful" (ST 2968).

1968 - Vocalists John Stewart and Buffy Ford, with unlisted others, records the title "Draft Age" and a new take of the title "Cody" in Los Angeles, California. After overdubs are recorded for both titles on June 5, 1968, Capitol Records will issue the final mixes of both titles on Stewart and Ford's album "Signals Through The Glass" (ST 2975).

1968 - Robert Irving conducts The Concert Arts Orchestra (lineup unlisted) as they record the conclusion of Aaron Copeland's "Four Dance Episodes From 'Rodeo'" and the beginning of Leonard Bernstein's "Fac Simile (A Choreographic Essay)" in New York City, New York. Capitol Records will issue the entire "Four Dance Episodes From 'Rodeo'" on the orchestra's album "COPLAND - Four Dance Episodes From 'Rodeo'/Appalachian Spring" (SP-8702) and the entire "Fac Simile (A Choreographic Essay)" on the orchestra's album "BERNSTEIN - Fancy Free/Fac Simile" (SP-8701).

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).

1970 - Capitol Records group The Bob Seger System perform at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago, Illinois. Despite having to stop twice to fix the sound system the band gives a great show. Opening for them is the Swedish five-man group the Mecki Mark Men who are distributed by Limelight Records.

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 flipside, is released and will eventually peak at #5 on Billboard's singles chart.

50 Years Ago Today In 1976 - Paul McCartney & Wings' Apple Records single "Silly Love Songs", with "Cook Of The House" on the flipside, 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.

1988 - Mother's Finest (lineup unlisted) records the title "Still Over Each Other" at an unlisted studio. Capitol Records will issue the title on the group's album "Looks Could Kill" (C1-48988 on 12" LP and 7-48988-2 on CD).

25 Years Ago Today In 2001 - Capitol Records releases The Beach Boys' two-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.

2007 - Capitol Records releases The Beach Boys' greatest hits album "The Warmth Of The Sun".

2008 - D Kilpatrick passes away at age 88. He was a music executive from the 1940s to the 1960s in Nashville. He was considered the first salaried producer based in Music City and produced sessions for Hank Thompson, Tex Ritter, and Jimmie Skinner. Kilpatrick, born William David "D" Kilpatrick on July 18, 1919 in Charlotte, North Carolina, got into the record business as a salesperson for Capitol Records in his hometown. By the late 1940s, he was producing acts for the label, including James and Martha Carson. In 1956, Kilpatrick became manager of the Grand Old Opry, bringing in acts such as Porter Wagoner, the Everly Brothers and Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper. In 1958, he helped found the Country Music Association. He left the Opry in 1959 to form Acuff-Rose Artists Corp., a booking agency for Opry acts and pop stars such as Roy Orbison. He later returned to sales and promotion for Warner, Philips and Mercury Records. He eventually left the music business to run a drapery and fabrics business.

2009 - Capitol Records group Sick Puppies perform at Harrah's Casino Voodoo Lounge in Las Vegas, Nevada.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY

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.

65 Years Ago Today In 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 single "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.

1973 - Vocalist Jimmy Witherspoon, with Blue Mitchell, Thad Jones, Ernie Royal, and Melvin Moore on trumpets, Garnett Brown and Benny Powell on trombones, Seldon Powell, Delbert Hill, and Don Menza on tenor saxophones, Arthur Clark on baritone saxophone, Buddy Lucas on harmonica, Richard Tee on organ, Horace Ott on electric piano, Joe Sample on clavinet, Robben Ford, Cornell Dupree, and Freddy Robinson on electric guitars, Chuck Rainey on electric bass, Bernard Purdie on drums, Gene Estes, King Errison, and Omar Clay on percussion, and Hilda Harris, Ella Winston, and Barbara Massey on background vocals, using arrangements by Horace Ott, records the titles "Sign On The Building", "Spoonful", "Big Boss Man", "Inflation Blues", "Pearly Whites", "Nothing's Changed", "Gloomy Sunday", "Take Out Some Insurance", and "Reds And Whiskey" at Wally Heider Studios in Los Angeles, California. Blue Note Records will lease all the masters from Far Out Productions and issue them on Witherspoon's album "Spoonful" (BN-LA534-G).

1977 - Former Capitol Records artist Stan Kenton, on tour with his orchestra, is found unconscious at 8:00 PM, 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 Parliaments, 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.

1958 - President Dwight D. Eisenhower dedicates the new color television facilities of NBC's WRC-TV station in Washington, DC which is in part broadcast in color and captured on early 2" videotape which has been restored.

MAY 21, 2026

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!

110 Years Ago Today In 1916 - Dennis Day, tenor singer, radio, television, and motion picture actor, and Capitol Records artist whose single "Phil The Fluters Ball", with "Johnny Doughboy Found A Rose In Ireland" on the flipside, was the fourth single, and his album "Dennis Day Sings" was the fifth album, released by Capitol Records, is born Owen Patrick Eugene McNulty in Bronx, New York.

95 Years Ago Today In 1931 - Sleepy Willis, guitarist with Capitol Records artist Dick Curless' band and later his manager, is born Tasio Golios in Newport, Rhode Island.

85 Years Ago Today In 1941 - Pauline "Polly" Smoot, Capitol Records employee in North Carolina, is born Pauline Huffman in Milton, North Carolina. If anyone has a photo, please leave a comment.

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY

1942 - At Capitol Records' fourth recording session, pianist Freddie Slack and His Orchestra (Bob Goodrich, John Kec, and George Wendt on trumpet, William Anthens and Bruce Squires on trombone, William Martinez on clarinet and alto saxophone, Walter "Buddy" Clark, John Hamilton, and Al Harding on reeds, Jack Marshall on guitar, Jim Lynch on bass, and John Cyr on drums) record the titles "Here You Are" with vocals by David South, "Doll Dance", "Cow-Cow Boogie" with vocals by seventeen year old Ella Mae Morse, and "The Air-Minded Executive" with vocals by Johnny Mercer at C.P MacGregor Studios at 729 South Western Avenue in Los Angeles, California between 3:00 PM and 5:50 PM. Capitol Records will issue "Here You Are" and "Cow Cow Boogie" together as a single (Capitol 102, part of Capitol's first release to retail), "Doll Dance" as a single (Capitol 113) with "He's My Guy" (recorded July 20, 1942) on the flipside, and "The Air-Minded Executive" as a single (Capitol 103) with "Strip Polka" (recorded April 6, 1942) on the flipside.

1948 - Nat "King" Cole's Capitol Records single "Nature Boy" is #1 on The Billboard magazine's Best-Selling Popular Retail Records and Records Most Played By Disk Jockeys charts, #2 on the magazine's Most-Played Juke Box Records chart, #3 on the magazine's Best Selling Retail Race Records chart, and #5 on the magazine's Most-Played Juke Box Race Records chart.

1949 - Jo Stafford's and Gordon MacRae's Capitol Records single "'A' You're Adorable" is #9 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Mel Tormé's Capitol Records single "Again" is #10, Margaret Whiting and Johnny Mercer's Capitol Records single "Baby It's Cold Outside" is #12, Jo Stafford's and Gordon MacRae's Capitol Records single "Need You" is #13, and Mel Tormé (with orchestra conducted by Pete Rugolo)'s Capitol Records single "Careless Hands" is #15.

1949 - Capitol Records is given until May 26 to answer brought in a countersuit by Mercury Records that asks for an injunction to stop Capitol from releasing recordings licensed from Telefunken and an accounting of profits made from the recordings. Capitol had brought suit against Mercury after it had released recordings from the Telefunken label which Mercury said were part of a licensing deal it has with Gramophone Works of Czechoslovakia but had not released and had no plans to release the recordings using the Telefunken name.

1953 - Vocalist and guitarist Merle Travis, with Harold Glenn Hensley and Robert "Buddy Ray" Roy on fiddles, Billy Liebert on piano, Gene Mombeck and Dick Stubbs, Jr. on guitars, Donald "Dusty" Rhodes on bass, and Milton Curtis "Muddy" Berry on drums, records the titles, "Crazy 'Bout You", "Dance of The Golden Rod", and "Re-Enlistment Blues" in Capitol Records' studios at 5515 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood, California between 7:30 PM and 11:30 PM. Capitol Records will issue "Re-Enlistment Blues" as a single (Capitol 2563 on 10" shellac and F2563 on 7" vinyl) with a new take of "Dance Of The Golden Rod" (recorded June 30, 1953) on the flipside. Bear Family Records will issue "Crazy 'Bout You" and "Re-Enlistment Blues" in Germany in Travis' five-CD compilation box set "Guitar Rags And A Too Far Past" (BCD 15637). The take of "Dance Of The Golden Rod" from this session is unissued and listed as lost.

1955 - Les Baxter and His Orchestra's Capitol Records single "Unchained Melody" is #2 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Tennessee Ernie Ford's Capitol Records single "The Ballad Of Davy Crockett" is #7, Nat "King" Cole's Capitol Records single "A Blossom Fell" and it's flipside "If I May" with The Four Knights is #8, Nat "King" Cole's Capitol Records single "Darling Je Vous Aime Beaucoup is #14, and Frank Sinatra's Capitol Records single "Learnin' The Blues" is #16.

1958 - Billy May conducts his own arrangements to His Orchestra (listed as probably Conrad Gozzo, Frank Beach, John Best, Uan Rasey, Pete Candoli, and Mannie Klein on trumpets, Si Zentner, Tommy Pederson, Ed Kusby, and George Roberts on trombones, Vincent De Rosa, John Cave, Jim Decker, Dick Perissi, and Art Frantz on French horns, Red Callender and Clarence Karella on tubas, Verlye Mills on harp, Paul Smith on piano, Al Hendrickson on guitar, either Joe Mondragon or Ralph Pena on bass, Alvin Stoller on drums, and Lou Singer and Ralph Hansell on percussion) as they record the titels "Joom Jooms", "The Continental", and "Love Is The Thing" in The Capitol Tower Studios at 1750 North Vine Street in Hollywood, California. Capitol Records will issue all the titles on May and his orchestra's album "Billy May's Big Fat Brass" (T/ST 1043).

1958 - Vocalist Tennessee Ernie Ford, with Harry Geller conducting the orchestra and chorus (lineups unlisted), records the titles "The First Noel", "Some Children See Him", and "We Three Kings Of Orient Are" in The Capitol Tower Studios at 1750 North Vine Street in Hollywood, California. Capitol Records will issue all the titles on Ford's album "Tennessee Ernie Ford Sings His Christmas Favorites - The Star Carol" (T/ST 1071).

1958 - During two sessions held this day at EMI's Abbey Road Studio N° 1 in London, England, Erich Leinsdorf conducts The Philharmonia Orchestra (lineup unlisted) as they record the second movement of Kodaly's "Hary Janos Suite" and portions of Brahms' "Variations On A Theme By Joseph Haydn" at the first session and Mozart's "Le Nozze Di Figaro Overture" and the second and fourth movements of Prokofiev's "Lieutenant Kije Suite" at the second session. Capitol Records will issue the second movement of "Hary Janos Suite" and the second and fourth movements of "Lieutenant Kije Suite" on the album "PROKOFIEV - Lieutenant Kije Suite/KODALY-Hary Janos Suite" (P/SP-8508), the portions of "Variations On A Theme By Haydn" on the album "BRAHMS - Symphony N° 3 In F Major/Variations On A Theme By HAYDN" (G/SG-8483), and "Le Nozze Di Figaro Overture" on the orchestra's album "Opera Overtures" (G/SG-8465).

1962 - Capitol Records releases Buck Owens' single "Save The Last Dance For Me" with "King Of Fools" on the flipside.

1963 - Nat "King" Cole's Capitol Records single "Those Hazy-Lazy-Crazy Days Of Summer is #23 on WABC's Silver Dollar Sound Survey in New York City, New York.

1963 - The Midnighters (Paul Buff, David Aerni, and Frank Zappa) sign a contract with Capitol Records, Inc. Capitol had purchased the masters to Brian Lord and The Midnighter's titles "Not Another One" and "The Big Surfer" on May 17, 1963, and would issue both titles together as a single (Capitol 4981).

1963 - During two sessions held this day in Los Angeles, California, pipe organist Eddie Dunstedter, with unlisted others, records a new take of the title "White Christmas" and the title "Ring, Christmas Bells" at the first session and the titles "Silver Bells" and "Winter Wonderland" at the second session. Capitol Records will issue all the titles on Dunstedter's album "The Bells Of Christmas Chime Again" (T/ST 1968).

1964 - "Four By the Beatles", an EP of 4 songs by The Beatles ("All My Loving", "This Boy", "Roll Over Beethoven" and "Please Mister Postman") is released by Capitol Records only in the United States.

1968 - Overdubs are recorded in Los Angeles, California for Tennessee Ernie Ford's titles "O Come All Ye Faithful", "Slumber Song Of Infant Jesus", "While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks", "The Little Boy King", "He Is Born, The Holy Child", "The Wassail Song", and "Good Christian Men, Rejoice". Capitol Records will issue the final mixes of all the titles on Ford's album "O Come All Ye Faithful" (ST 2968).

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

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

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

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

55 Years Ago Today In 1971 - Apple Records releases Paul McCartney's album “Ram" with Capitol Records distributing the album in the United States.

1973 - Warren Wilson signs a contract with Capitol Records, Inc. which had purchased the masters for his titles "Don't Quit", "Don't Ever Fall In Love", "Forget My Name", and "Find My Way" and will issue "Forget My Name" as singles (Capitol 3696 and 3757), both with an edited version of "Don't Quit" on the flipside.

1973 - Forest Green Enterprises, Inc. signs a contract with Capitol Records, Inc. to purchase the masters for the group Forest Green's titles "Never Found A Way", "I've Been This Before", "What It's About", "Black Shepherd", "Beggar Man", "Scream Fear", "The Ballad Of Widow Jenkins And Rita", "Movin' To The Country", "Boundless Sky", and "Mountain" and will issue all the titles on the group's album "Never Found A Way" (ST-11239) and also "Never Found A Way" and "Black Sheperd" together as a single (Capitol 3781).

2004 - Rick Henderson, an alto saxophonist in Duke Ellington's Orchestra on Ellington's "Ellington 55" album on Capitol Records, dies at his home in Washington, D.C. at age 76.

20 Years Ago Today In 2006 - Billy Walker, country-music singer, guitarist, Capitol Records and Columbia Records artist, nicknamed "The Tall Texan", is killed at age 77 when the van he was driving back to Nashville after a performance in Foley, Alabama veered off Interstate 65 in Fort Deposit, Alabama and overturned.

2009 - Kimberly Caldwell signs with Vanguard Records, which currently is distributed by Capitol Records


ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY

1912 - Dario Soria, co-founder of Cetra-Soria records, co-founding manager (along with his wife, producer Dorle Jarmel Soria) of Angel Records, is born in Rome, Italy. The Sorias ran Angel from 1953, when they sold their Cetra-Soria classical label (the largest catalog of recorded opera in the world) to EMI, until 1957 when Angel was folded into Capitol Records for distribution.

1940 - Tony Sheridan, singer and Polydor Records artist who was backed on recording sessions by The Beatles, is born Anthony Esmond Sheridan McGinnity in Norwich, England.

1958 - Pianist Gil Evans conducts his own arrangement to Johnny Coles, Louis Mucci, and Ernie Royal on trumpets, Frank Rehak and Joe Bennett on trombones, Tom Mitchell on bass trombone, Julius Watkins on French horn, Bill Barber on tuba, Julian "Cannonball" Adderley on alto saxophone, Phil Bodner on piccolo, flute, bass clarinet, and English horn, Chuck Wayne on guitar, Paul Chambers on bass, and Art Blakey on drums as they record the title "Struttin' With Some Barbecue" (composed by Louis Armstrong) at Judson Hall in New York City, New York for World Pacific Records which will issue the title on the album "New Bottle, Old Wine" (STEREO-1011) as by Gil Evans And His Orchestra Featuring Julian "Cannonball" Adderley. Blue Note Records will acquire the master and will re-issue it on the two-LP compilation set "Pacific Standard Time" (BN-LA461-H2).

1964 - The Beatles' "Sie Liebt Dich" (a version of their song "She Loves You" sung in German) with "I'll Get You" on the flipside is released on Swan Record.

1969 - John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s “bed-in” begins at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal, Canada.

1983 - David Bowie's EMI America single "Let's Dance" is still #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart

1993 - During two sessions at Protocal Studios in London, England for EMI, one that takes place today and the other on May 23, 1993, tenor and soprano saxophonist Andy Sheppard, with Claude Deppa on trumpet, Steve Lodder on keyboards, Sylvan Richardson on electric bass, and Dave Adams on drums, records the titles "Sofa Safari" with the addition of Gary Valentine on trombone, "All Access Areas", "So", "Hop Dreams", and, with Kevin Robinson on flugelhorn replacing Deppa, the title "Undercovers". No breakdown is listed for the individual sessions. Blue Note Records will acquire the masters and will issue all the titles on Sheppard's album "Rhythm Method" (8-27798-2 on CD).

2002 - DRG Records re-issues the "Bells Are Ringing" motion picture soundtrack on compact disc. It was originally issued on CD in 1989 by Capitol Records and, on July 5, 1960, as a vinyl LP.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS

1988 - Sammy Davis, Sr., a dancer, singer, and father of Capitol Records artist Sammy Davis, Jr., dies of natural causes at age 87 in Beverly Hills, California

MAY 20, 2026


HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!

1933 - Gil Garfield, singer, songwriter, member of the Capitol Records vocal group The Cheers, and a solo artist on A&M Records is born Gilbert Garfield in Los Angeles, California.

1944 - Joe Cocker, singer and Capitol Records artist, is born John Robert Cocker in Sheffield, Yorkshire, England.

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY

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 flipside "I Love You" is #10.

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 flipside.

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 are 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".

1953 - At a split session held this day in Los Angeles, California, Dave Cavanaugh's Music (lineup unlisted but includes trumpet, violin, piano, guitar, bass, drums, and percussion players) records the titles "When The Hands Of The Clock Pray At Midnight" and "Give Me The Name, Age, Height And Size" with vocals by Helen O'Connell and Gisele MacKenzie then the title "Le Gros Bill (Big Bill) with vocals by just Gisele MacKenzie Capitol Records will issue "When The Hands Of The Clock Pray At Midnight" and "Give Me The Name, Age, Height And Size" together as a single (Capitol 2521 on 10" shellac and F2521 on 7" vinyl) as by Helen O'Connell and Gisele MacKenzie and "Le Gros Bill (Big Bill) as a single (Capitol 2695 on 10" shellac and F2695 on 7" vinyl) with "A Letter And A Ring" (recorded August 20, 1953) on the flipside as by Gizele MacKenzie.

70 Years Ago Today In 1956 - Comedian, actor, and Capitol Records recording artist Harry Stewart, born Harry Edward Skarbo and who recorded as the characters Yogi Yorgesson, Hari Kari and Klaus Hammerschmidt, is killed at age 47 when his car goes off the road near Tonopah, Nevada while returning to Los Angeles, California from an appearance in Ely, 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 Nelson Riddle conducting his own arrangements to the orchestra and produced by Voyle Gilmore.

1958 - Vocalist Mark Murphy signs a contract with Capitol Records.

1958 - The Frank Moore Four (Frank Moore on accordion with unlisted tenor saxophone, bass, and drums players) record the titles "They Can't Take That From Me", "Frenesi", "Midnight Sun", and "Four Brothers" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue "They Can't Take That From Me" and "Frenesi" on the group's self-titled album "The Frank Moore Four" (T 1127) and has yet to issue the takes of "Midnight Sun" and "Four Brothers" recorded at this session or on May 26, 1958.

1958 - Pianist Leonard Pennario records the first half of Franz Liszt's "Sonata In B Minor" in Los Angeles, California. After Pennario records the last half on May 23, 1958, Capitol Records will issue the entire piece on Pennario's album "CHOPIN - Sonata In B Flat/LISZT - Sonata In B Minor" (P-8457).

1958 - During two sessions held this day at EMI's Abbey Road Studio N° 1 in London, England, Erich Leinsdorf conducts The Philharmonia Orchestra (lineup unlisted) as they record Rossini's "L'Italiana In Algeri Overture" and Weber's "Oberon Overture" at the first session and the first, fourth, and sixth movements of Kodaly's "Hary Janos Suite" at the second session. Capitol Records will issue "L'Italiana In Algeri Overture" and "Oberon Overture" on the album "Opera Overtures" (G/SG-8465) as by The Philharmonia Orchestra, conducted by Erich Leinsdorf and all the movements of "Hary Janos Suite" on the album "PROKOFIEV - Lieutenant Kije Suite/KODALY-Hary Janos Suite" (P/SP-8508) also as by The Philharmonia Orchestra, conducted by Erich Leinsdorf.

1963 - The Four Freshmen (Bob Flanigan on vocals, trombone, and bass, Bill Comstock on vocals and guitar, Ross Barbour vocals, trumpet, and drums, and Ken Albers on vocals, trumpet, flugelhorn, and bass), with Shorty Rogers conducting is own arrangements to the orchestra (Bub Brisbois, Al Porcino, Ray Triscari, Ollie Mitchell also on trumpet, Lew McCreary, Tricky Lofton, Bobby Knight, and George Roberts also on trombones, Ray Johnson on keyboards, Billy Strange on tenor guitar, Bill Pitman on bass guitar, Glen Campbell on 12-string guitar, Jimmy Bond also on bass, Earl Palmer also on drums, and Fats Blackstone on harminonica), record the titles "Baby Won't You Please Come Home", "When The Felling Hits You", "I Gotta Right To Sing The Blues", and "Just A-Sittin' And A-Rockin'" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue all the titles on the group's album "Got That Feelin'" (T/ST 1950).

1963 - Sandra Sawn, with unlisted others, records the titles "Your Eyes Are Windows To Your Soul", "Why Must I Pay", and "Everybody Knows But Jim" in New York City, New York for Capitol Records which has yet to issue any of the titles.

1964 - Buck Owens' Capitol Records single "My Heart Skips A Beat" is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts.

1967 - Buck Owens's Capitol Records single "Sam's Place" is #1 on Billboard's Hot Country Singles chart.

1968 - Overdubs are recorded in Los Angeles, California for John Stewart and Buffy Ford's title "Lincoln's Train" (recorded May 6, 1968). Capitol Records will issue the final take of the title on Stewart and Ford's album "Signals Through The Glass" (ST 2975).

1968 - During two sessions held this day in Los Angeles, California, vocalist John Steward, with unlisted others, records the title "Omaha Rainbow" at the first session and a new take of the title "Lincoln's Train" at the second session for Capitol Records which has yet to issue the takes of either title recorded on this day.

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.

1983 - Richard Leigh, with unlisted others, records the titles "It Ain't Gonna Worry My Mind" and "Whole New World" in Nashville, Tennessee. Capitol Records will issue both titles together as a single (Capitol 5247).

1988 - The band Elvis Hitler (Jim Leedy, John Defever, Damian Lang, and Warren Defever) signs a contract with Capitol Records Inc. and will have three albums released by Enigma Records' subsidiary Restless Records, who at the time has a distribution deal with Capitol Records.

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

175 Years Ago Today In 1851 - Emile Berliner, an inventor and the developer of the disc gramophone, is born in Hanover Germany. His Berliner Gramophone Company would later become EMI, the parent company of Capitol Music Group.

1953 - The Howard McGhee Sextet (Howard McGhee on trumpet, Gigi Gryce on alto saxophone, Horace Silver on piano, Tal Farlow on guitar, Percy Heath on bass, and Walter Bolden on drums) record the titles "Shabozz", "Tranquility", "Futurity", "Jarm (Fast Version)", "Jarm", "Ittapanna" and, without Gryce, "Goodbye" in radio station WOR's studios in New York City, New York. Blue Note Records will issue all the titles, except "Jarm (Fast Version)", on the sextet's album "Howard McGhee, Volume 2" (BLP 5024) and all the titles on the compilation CD "Howard McGhee Volume 2 - Tal Farlow Quartet" (4-957248-2).

1953 - The Gerry Mulligan Quartet (Chet Baker on trumpet, Gerry Mulligan on baritone saxophone, Carson Smith on bass, and Larry Bunker on drums) perform the titles "Five Brothers", "I Can't Get Started", "Ide's Side", "Funhouse" (aka "Haig And Haig"), and "My Funny Valentine" at a gig in The Haig at 638 South Kenmore Avenue in Hollywood, California which was recorded by Pacific Jazz Records. Blue Note Records will issue "Five Brothers" and "My Funny Valentine" on the compilatation CD "Gerry Mulligan Jazz Profile" (8-54905-2). Mosaic Records will issue all the titles in the box set "The Complete Pacific Jazz And Capitol Recordings Of The Original Gerry Mulligan Quartet And Tentette With Chet Baker" (MR5-102 on 5 LPs and MD3-102 on 3 CDs).

1963 - Trumpet player Donald Byrd, with Sonny Red on alto saxophone, Jimmy Heath on tenor saxophone, Herbie Hancock on piano, Eddie Khan on bass, and Albert Heath on drums, records the titles "All Numbers" and "On The Trail" at recording engineer Rudy Van Gelder's studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. The take of "On The Trail" was rejected. Blue Note Records will issue "All Numbers" on the CD release of Byrd's album "Blackjack" (8-21286-2).

1967 - Kit Clark, the accordion player and a vocalist with the Virgin Records America group Meet Danny Wilson, is born in Dundee, Scotland.

2005 - A large 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.

15 Years Ago Today In 2011 - EMI's catalog is now on eMusic in the United States.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY

40 Years Ago Today In 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.

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, 2026

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

1992 - Sam Smith, singer and Capitol Records recording artist, is born Samuel Frederick Smith in London, England.

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL HISTORY

1945 - The King Cole Trio (Nat "King" Cole on piano and vocals, Oscar Moore on guitar, and Johnny Miller on bass) record the tracks "You're Nobody 'Til Somebody Loves You", "Don't Blame Me", "I"m In The Mood For Love", "What Can I Say Dear After I Say I'm Sorry" and "I'm Thru With Love" in Radio Recorders' studios at 932 North Western Avenue in Hollywood, California.

75 Years Ago Today In 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 arrangement)'s Capitol Records single "Too Young" is #3, and Les Paul and Mary Ford's Capitol Records single "Mockin' Bird Hill" is #5.

1952 - Mickey Katz and His Orchestra (lineup unlisted) record the titles "Kiss Of Meyer (Kiss of Fire)", "Schvitzburgh, Pennsylvania", and "A Schmo Is A Schmo (A Guy Is A Guy)" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue "Kiss Of Meyer (Kiss of Fire)" and "Schvitzburgh, Pennsylvania" together as a single (Capitol 2124) and "A Schmo Is A Schmo (A Guy Is A Guy)" as a single (Capitol 2169) with "The Downtown Strutter's Ball" (recorded January 9,1952) on the flipside.

1953 - Vocalist Jean Shepard, with Bill Woods on piano, Charles Lee "Fuzzy" Owen, Leonard "Tommy Collins" Sipes, and Lewis Talley on guitars, and Herman "Herman The Hermit" Snyder on bass, records the titles "I'd Rather Die Young", "A Dear John Letter" with Ferlin Husky on recitation and also guitar, "My Wedding Ring", and "With All These Memories" at Capitol Records' studios at 5515 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood, California with producer Ken Nelson. Capitol Records will issue "I'd Rather Die Young" and "A Dear John Letter" together as a single (Capitol 2502 on 10" shellac and F2502 on 7" vinyl) which would go on to spend six weeks at #1 on the country charts and "My Wedding Ring" as a single (Capitol 2586) with "Forgive Me John" (recorded August 18, 1953) on the flipside. Bear Family Records will issue all the titles in Germany in Shepard's five-CD box set "The Melody Ranch Girl" (BCD 15905).

70 Years Ago Today In 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 - 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. "Looking Back" is also #18 on WMGM's Top 40 Survey in New York City, New York.

1958 - Pianist and bandleader Stan Kenton and His Orchestra (Jules Chaikin, Billy Catalano, Lee Katzman, and Phil Gilbert on trumpets, Archie Le Coque, Kent Larsen, Don Reed, and Jim Amlotte on trombones, Ken Shroyer on bass trombone, Lennie Niehaus on alto saxophone, Bill Perkins and Richie Kamuca on tenor saxophone, Bill Robinson and Steve Perlow on baritone saxophone, Red Kelly on bass, and Mel Lewis on drums) record the titles "Early Autumn", "More Than You Know", and "The Night We Called It A Day" in The Capitol Tower Studios at 1750 North Vine Street in Hollywood, California. Capitol Records will issue all the titles on Kenton and his orchestra's album "The Ballad Style Of Stan Kenton" (EAP-1/2-1068 on 7" vinyl EPs and T/ST 1068 on 12" LP).

1958 - Vocalist Peggy Lee, with Jack Marshall's Music (Marshall conducting Conrad Gozzo, Don Fagerquist, and Mannie Klein on trumpets, Bob Enevoldsen on valve trombone, Milt Bernhart on trombone, Justin Gordon and George Smith on reeds, Joe Harnell on piano, Howard Roberts on guitar, Joe Mondragon on bass, and Shelly Manne on drums), records the titles "Things Are Swingin'", "Lullaby In Rhythm", "You're Getting To Be A Habit With Me", and, with just Lee on 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, the title "Fever" using an arrangement initially credited to Jack Marshall but probably by Lee who also wrote additional lyrics and possibly with Jack Bennett who brought Little Willie John's version to Lee's attention, in The Capitol Tower Studios at 1750 North Vine Street in Hollywood, California with producer "Big Dave" Cavanaugh. Capitol Records will issue "Things Are Swingin'", "Lullaby In Rhythm", and "You're Getting To Be A Habit With Me" on Lee's album "Things Are Swingin'" (T/ST 1049) and "Fever" on Lee's 7" EP "Fever" (EAP-1-1052) and also as a single (Capitol F3998) with "You Didn't Know" (recorded May 25, 1958) on the flipside and, during its 14 week-long run on Billboard's Hot 100 charts, would peak at #8 on August 25, 1958. 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 - Vocalist Judy Garland, with Nelson Riddle conducting his own arrangements to the orchestra (lineup unlisted) records the titles "Day In, Day Out", "This Is It", and "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 in The Capitol Tower Studios at 1750 North Vine Street in Hollywood, California with producer 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 (EAP-1/2-1036 on 7" EPs and T/ST 1036 on 12" LP).

1958 - Pianist Leonard Pennario records the second part of Frederic Chopin's "Sonata N° 3 In B Flat, 2nd Movement" (he recorded the first part on May 17, 1958) in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue the entire piece on Pennario's album "CHOPIN - Sonata In B Flat/LISZT - Sonata In B Minor" (P-8457).
I wonder if Stan, Judy, Peggy, and/or Leonard ran into each other or heard each other's sessions on that day?

1958 - Vocalist Ferlin Husky, with unlisted others, records the titles "I Saw God" and "I Feel That Old Heartache Again" in Nashville, Tennessee. Capitol Records will issue both titles together as a single (Capitol F4000) and also on Husky's album "Gone" (T/DT 1383).

1963 - Nat "King" Cole's Capitol Records single "Those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days Of Summer" is #24 on KRLA's Tune-Dex in Los Angeles, California.

1963 - During three sessions held this day in New York City, New York, Stanley Lebowski directs the orchestra (lineup unlisted), using music by Lee Pockriss and lyrics by Anne Croswell as they record the titles "Say You'll Stay" with vocals by Louise Kirtland and George S. Irving, "That Face" with vocals by Louise Kirtland, the instrumental "Overture, "It Used To Be Me" with vocals by Michael Kermoyan, Gene Varrone, Louise Troy, and Paul Michael, "Nitchevo" with vocals by Jean-Pierre Aumont, Michael Kermoyan, Gene Varrone, Rita Metzger, and The Ensemble (lineup unlisted), and "Uh-Oh!" with vocals by Margery Gray and Byron Mitchell at the first session, the titles "Stuck With Each Other" with vocals by Margery Gray and Byron Mitchell, "A Small Cartel" with vocals by Louise Kirtland, George S. Irving, and The Ensemble, "Make A Friend" with vocals by Vivien Leigh, Margery Gray, Louise Troy, Jean-Pierre Aumont, Byron Mitchell, Michael Kermoyan, Gene Varrone, and The Ensemble, "Wilkes-Barre, Pa." with vocals by Vivien Leigh and Byron Mitchell, "No! No! No!" with vocals by Margery Gray and Jean-Pierre Aumont, and "I Know The Feeling" with vocals by Vivien Leigh at the second session, and the titles "I Go To Bed" with vocals by Jean-Pierre Aumont, "The Only One" with vocals by Vivien Leigh, and "You Love Me" and "All For You" with vocals by Vivien Leigh and Jean-Pierre Aumont at the third session. Capitol Records will issue all the titles on the original Broadway cast album "Tovarich" (TAO/STAO 1940).

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.

1973 - Glenn Martin, with unlisted others, records the titles "Dad's Old Fiddle", "If She Keeps Loving Me", "You Ain't Missed A Thing", and "Billy Ray Wrote A Song" in Nashville, Tennessee. Capitol Records will issue "Dad's Old Fiddle" and "Billy Ray Wrote A Song" together as a single (Capitol 3655) and "If She Keeps Loving Me" and "You Ain't Missed A Thing" together as a single (Capitol 3719).

1978 - Darlene Edwards, aka Jo Stafford, gives her last public performance at a 25th-anniversary celebration of SHARE, an organization devoted to working 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.

1988 - Mother's Finest (lineup unlisted) records the title "Your Wish Is My Command" in an unlisted studio. Capitol Records will issue the title on the group's album "Looks Could Kill" (C1-48988 on 12" LP and 7-48988-2 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.

1999 - Capitol releases the original soundtrack to the motion picture "Hope Floats".

2004 - Keith Urban's Capitol Records Nashville single "You'll Think of Me" is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts.

20 Years Ago Today In 2006 - Freddie Garrity, milkman, brush salesman, songwriter, singer and founder of Tower Records (a subsidiary of Capitol Records)' first released group Freddie and The Dreamers, dies at Bangor in North Wales, at the age of 69, after being taken ill while on holiday.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY

1932 - Alma Cogan, a singer and an HMV and EMI Records artist, is born Alma Angela Cohen in St. John's Wood, England.

70 Years Ago Today In 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 "Believe 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 flipside, hits #1 on the U.S. Country singles chart.

1983 - EMI-America purchases the masters for Combo Audio's titles "Romanticide", "Military English", "Hi Fidelity Situations", and "Shadow Occupations" and will issue all the titles on the group's self-titled album "Combo Audio" (DLP-19005).


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", the first eight-track recording ever released on a 45 RPM 7" single.

MAY 18, 2026

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 Aarhus, Denmark.

95 Years Ago Today In 1931 - Robert Morse, Broadway, movie, and television actor, singer, and Capitol Records artist, is born Robert Xavier Morse in Newton, Massachusetts.

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

1942 - At Capitol Records' third recording session, vocalist Dennis Day, with Gordon Jenkins and His Orchestra (lineup unlisted), records the titles "Johnny Doughboy Found A Rose In Ireland" (which Day had previously performed on The Jack Benny Show on radio on May 10, 1942), "Phil, The Fluter's Ball", "I'm Glad There Is You", "Dear Old Pal Of Mine", and a rejected take of an unlisted title in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue  "Johnny Doughboy Found A Rose In Ireland" and "Phil, The Fluter's Ball" together as a single (Capitol 104, part of the label's first release of singles to retail), "I'm Glad There Is You" as a single (Capitol 125) with "Always" (recorded June 25, 1942) on the flipside, and have yet to issue "Dear Old Pal Of Mine.

80 Years Ago Today In 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.

1953 - Francis Scott and His Orchestra (lineup unlisted) record the titles "The One I Love (Belongs To Somebody Else)", "I'll Remember April", "My Foolish Heart", and "Easy To Love" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue all the titles on Scott and His Orchestra's album "Moods For Starlight" (EAP-1/2-446 on 7" EPs, EBF-446 on two-disc 7" EP set, H/L 446 on 10" vinyl) and the compilation album "Moods For Starlight/Moods For Firelight" (W 552 on 12" vinyl).

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.

1958 - Fred Waring conducts The Pennsylvanians (lineup unlisted) as they record a new take of "All The Things You Are" using an arrangement by Roy Ringwald and, with vocals by Joe Marine, the titles "September Song" using an arrangement by Hawley Ades, "The Birth Of The Blues" using an arrangement by Charlie Naylor, and "Once In Love With Amy" using an arrangement by Hawley Ades in New York City, New York. Capitol Records will issue all the titles in Waring and The Pennsylvanian's two-LP set "Broadway Cavalcade" (WBO-SWBO 1079), also the new take of "All The Things You Are", "Birth Of The Blues", and "Once In Love With Amy" on their album "Broadway Cavalcade, Volume 2" (T/ST 1390), and "September Song" on their album "Broadway Cavalcade, Volume 1" (T/ST 1389).

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, Al Martino's Capitol Records single "I Love You Because" is #10, and Nat "King" Cole's Capitol Records single "Those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days Of Summer" is #47. Also, Nat "King" Cole's Capitol Records single "Those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days Of Summer" is #13 on the Billboard magazine's Middle-Road Singles chart and #44 on Cash Box magazine's Top 100 Singles chart. Nat "King" Cole's Capitol Records album "Ramblin' Rose" is #69 and his album "Dear Lonely Hearts" is #123 on Billboard magazine's Top LPs - 150 Best Sellers - Monaural chart.

1968 - Glen Campbell's Capitol Records single "I Wanna Live", with "That's All That Matters" on the flipside, becomes his first #1 on the country charts.

1968 - Carnival Connection (Allan Nicholls, Frank William Hill, and Nick Katsos on unlisted instruments) records the titles "Poster Man" and "Beautiful Beige" in New York City, New York. After overdubs are recorded on May 21, 1968, Capitol Records will issue "Poster Man" as a single (Capitol 2244) with "Alfred Applebee's Awful Dream" (either purchased or recorded June 6, 1968) on the flipside.

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 55 Years Ago Today In  single "I'm Not Lisa", with "For The First Time" on the flipside, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles chart.

1978 - Vocalist and guitarist Sammy Hagar, with unlisted others, records the title "This Planet's On Fire (Burn In Hell)" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue the title on Hagar's album "Street Machine" (ST-11983).

1978 - Lee Dresser, with unlisted others, records the titles "Robin Hood", "Write A Beautiful Song (For A Beautiful Lady)", "The Man In The Mansion", and "Someone Who Loved You Just Like Me" in (listed as possibly) Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue  "Write A Beautiful Song (For A Beautiful Lady)" and "The Man In The Mansion" together as a single (Capitol 4613). No issuing information is listed for the other two titles.

1978 - Billy "Crash" Craddock, with unlisted others, records the titles "You Are Everything I Wanted You To Be", "Hubba Hubba" and "Let's Get Back To The Beginning" in Nashville, Tennessee. Capitol Records will issue all the titles on Craddock's album "Turning Up And Turning On" (SW-11853) and "Hubba Hubba" and "Let's Go Back To The Beginning" together as a single (Capitol 4624).

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.

1988 - Mother's Finest (lineup unlisted) records the title "I'm 'N' Danger" at an unlisted studio. Capitol Records will issue the title on the group's album "Looks Could Kill" (C1-48988 on 12" vinyl and 7-48988-2 on CD) and also a single version and a swing beat version of the title together as a single (Capitol 44416).

2009 - Carol Cole, an actress as well as the niece and adopted daughter of Nat and Maria Cole, and administrator of her father's estate dies at age 65.

2013 - A two-day auction of the property of Capitol Records artist the late Mrs. Nat "King" Cole begins today at Matheson's Auctions at 600 East New Haven Avenue in Melbourne, Florida.


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.

1959 - Martin Denny's Liberty Records single "Quiet Village" is #8 on Billboard'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.

45 Years Ago Today In 1981 - President Ronald Reagan announces his intention to nominate former VP of Capitol Records (1942-1951) and former president of Columbia Records (1951-1956), and Warner Bros. Records James B. Conkling, to be Associate Director of the International Communication Agency (Broadcasting).

40 Years Ago Today In 1986 - Kenny Rogers' United Artists Records single "Tomb Of The Unknown Love", with "Our Perfect Song" on the flipside, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles chart.

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, a singer and a 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 of cancer at age 66 in Woodbury, Connecticut

MAY 17, 2026

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!

1957 - Audie Desbrow, drummer with the Capitol Records group Great White, is born in Los Angeles, California.

1959 - Paul Di'Anno, a vocalist with the Capitol Records and EMI America Records band Iron Maiden, is born in London, England.

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY

1947 - The Pied Pipers (with Paul Weston and His Orchestra)' Capitol Records single "Mam'selle" is #10 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart.

1952 - Kay Starr (with orchestra conducted by Harold Mooney)'s Capitol Records single "Wheel Of Fortune" is #2 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Ella Mae Morse (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Blacksmith Blues" is #7, Jane Froman (with orchestra conducted by Sid Feller)'s Capitol Records single "I'll Walk Alone" is #16, and Les Paul's Capitol Records single "New Carioca" is #19

1953 - Capitol Records releases the original Broadway cast album of Cole Porter's "Can-Can".

1958 - Nat "King" Cole's Capitol Records single "Looking Back" is #4 on The Billboard magazine's R&B Best Sellers In Stores and Most Played R&B By Jockeys charts, "Looking Back" and its flipside, "Do I Like It?" are #5 on the magazine's Best Selling Pop Singles In Stores chart, and "Looking Back" is #6 on the magazine's Top 100 Sides chart and #14 on the magazine's Most Played By Jockeys chart. Nat "King" Cole's Capitol Records album "St. Louis Blues" is #22 on The Billboard magazine's Best Selling Pop LPs chart.

1958 - Pianist Leonard Pennario records the first, part one of the second, and the third movements of Chopin's "Sonata N° 3 In B Flat" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue all the titles on Pennario's album "CHOPIN - Sonata In B Flat/LISZT - Sonata In B Minor" (P-8457).

1958 - During two sessions held this day in New York City, New York, Fred Waring conducts The Pennsylvanians (lineup unlisted) as they record the titles "Alice Blue Gown", "My Romance", and "Stars In My Eyes", all with vocals by Jane Wilson and using arrangements by Roy Ringwald, at the first session and, using arrangements by Charles Naylor the titles "Body And Soul" and, with vocals by Chuck Nelson, "Dance Only With Me" then, using arrangements by Roy Ringwald, the titles "Ah! Sweet Mystery Of Life" with vocals by Gordon Goodman and "All The Things You Are" at the second session. Capitol Records will issue "Alice Blue Gown", "My Romance", "Body And Soul", and "Dance Only With Me" on Waring and The Pennsylvanians' album "Broadway Cavalcade, Volume 1" (T/ST 1389), "Stars In My Eyes" and "Ah! Sweet Mystery Of Life" on their album "Broadway Cavalcade, Volume 2" (T/ST 1390), all the previous titles together on the two-album set "Broadway Cavalcade" (WBO/SWBO 1079), and have yet to issue the take of "All The Things You Are" recorded at the second session but will release a new take of the title, recorded on May 18, 1958, also on the album "Broadway Cavalcade, Volume 2" and in the two-LP set "Broadway Cavalcade".

1958 - Vocalist Jean Shepard, with Floyd Cramer on piano, Thomas Grady Martin or Jackie Phelps on lead guitar, Ray Edenton on rhythm guitar, (listed as probably) Walter Haynes on steel guitar, Roy M "Junior" Huskey, Jr. on bass, and Murray M. "Buddy" Harman, Jr. on drums, records the titles "Your Telling Me Sweet Lies Again", "He's My Baby", and "Just Another Girl" at Bradley Film And Recording Studio in Nashville, Tennessee between 1:00 PM and 3:00 PM. Capitol Records will issue "You're Telling Me Sweet Lies Again" on Shepard's album "Lonesome Love" (EAP-2-1126 on 7" EP and T 1126 on 12" LP), "He's My Baby" as a single (Capitol F4013) with "Secret Of Life" (recorded May 15, 1958) on the flipside, and "Just Another Girl" as a single (Capitol F4068) with "I Want To Go Where No One Knows Me" (recorded Movember 6, 1956) on the flipside.

1963 - During two session held this day in Los Angeles, California, pipe organist Eddie Dunstedter, with unlisted others, records the title "The Christmas Song" at the first session and the titles "I'll Be Home For Christmas" and "White Christmas" at the second session. Capitol Records will issue "The Christmas Song" and "I'll Be Home For Christmas" on Dunstedter's album "The Bells Of Christmas Chime Again" (T/ST 1968) and has yet to issue the take of "White Christmas" recorded at the second session but will release a new take of the title, recorded on May 21, 1963, also on the album "The Bells Of Christmas Chime Again".

1963 - Wendy Turner, with unlisted others, records the titles "Dreamer That I Am", "Pretend", "Joanie", and "The Boy I Used To Know" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue "Dreamer That I Am" and "Joanie" together as a single (Capitol 4988) and has yet to issue the other two titles.

1963 - Capitol Records purchases in Los Angeles, California the masters for Brian Lord And The Midnighters' (The Midnighters (Paul Buff, David Aerni, and Frank Zappa)) titles "Not Another One" and "The Big Surfer" and will issue both titles together as a single (Capitol 4981), their only one for the label.

1968 - During two sessions held this day in Los Angeles, California, vocalist Fred Neil, with unlisted others, records the title 'Pineapple Wine" at the first session and the title "Fred Neil Medley" at the second session for Capitol Records which has yet to issue either title.

1968 - During a live show held in Los Angeles, California recorded by Capitol Records, vocalist John Stewart, with unlisted others, performs the titles "Goodbye Julianna" and a new take "Signals To Ludi". Even after overdubs are recorded for "Signals To Ludi" on June 14, 1968, Capitol Records has yet to issue either title recorded at this show.

1968 - During two sessions held this day in Los Angeles, California, vocalists John Stewart and Buffy Ford, with unlisted others, record the title "Santa Barbara" at the first session and the title "Mother Country" and a new take of the title "Mucky Truckee River" at the second session. After string overdubs are recorded for "Santa Barbara" on June 7, 1968 and overdubs for "Mucky Truckee River" are recorded on June 6, 1968, Capitol Records will issue "Santa Barbara" and "Mucky Truckee River" on Stewart and Ford's album "Signals Through The Glass" (ST 2975). No issuing information is listed for "Mother Country".

1968 - Vocalist Nancy Wilson, with Jimmy Jones conducting his own arrangements to the orchestra (Benny Carter on alto saxophone, Clyde Raesinger on trumpet, John Audino, Bobby Bryant, and Harry Edison on trumpets and flugelhorns, Chuck Cooper, Ed Kusby, Tommy Pederson, Dick Nash, Lew McCreary, and Ken Shroyer on trombones, Arthur "Skeets" Herfurt on alto saxophone, William Green and Plas Johnson on saxophones and clarinets, Justin Gordon on saxophone and flute, Chuck Gentry on baritone saxophone, and bass clarinet, Don Trenner on piano, Bob Bain and Mundell Lowe on guitars, Buster Williams on bass, Shelly Manne on drums, Larry Bunker, Gene Estes, and Victor Feldman on vibraphone and percusssion) records the titles "On The Other Side Of The Tracks", "When The Sun Comes Out", "Below, Above", and "Alone With My Thoughts Of You" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue all the titles on Miss Wilson's album "The Sound Of Nancy Wilson" (ST 2970).

1968 - Overdubs are recorded for pianist Eddie Heywood's titles "Bluer Than Blues", "Long Time No See", "Something Happens Inside Of Me" and "How Are Things In Glocca Mora". Capitol Records will issue the final mixes of all the titles on Heywood's album "The Piano Artistry Of Eddie Heywood - Soft Summer Breeze" (ST-163).

1968 - Artie Shaw directs a big band that includes Bernie Privin and Mel Davis on trumpets, Buddy Morrow on trombone, Walt Levinsky on clarinet, Toots Mondello on alto saxophone, Al Klink and Billy Slapin on tenor saxophones, Bernie Leighton on piano, and Don Lamond on drums, as they record the titles "Octoroon", "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise", "Begin The Beguine", and "What Is This Thing Called Love?" in New York City, New York. Capitol Records will issue all the titles on the album "Artie Shaw Recreates His Great '38 Band" (ST 2992).

1968 - Vocalist Billie Jo Spears, with unlisted others, records the titles "Before Your Time", "Get Behind Me, Satan And Push", "Home Loving Man", and "Mollie Brown" in Nashville, Tennessee. Capitol Recors will issue "Before Your Time" on Spears' album "Miss Sincerity" ST-397, the other three titles on Spears' album "The Voice Of Billie Jo Spears" (ST-114), and "Get Behind Me, Satan And Push" also as a single (Capitol 2279) with "Harper Valley P.T.A." (recorded August 7, 1968) on the flipside.

1969 - Glen Campbell's Capitol Records single "Where's The Playground Susie", with "Arkansas" on the flipside, enters the U.S. Country singles charts.

1969 - Paul McCartney and John Lennon record overdubs and sound effects for their Apple Records title "You Know My Name (Look Up The Number)" at EMI's Abbey Road Studios in London, England.

55 Years Ago Today In 1971 - Apple Records releases Paul McCartney's second solo album, "Ram", with Capitol Records handling distribution in the United States.

1973 - Vocalist Tennessee Ernie Ford, with Jack Fascinato conducting his own arrangements to the orchestra (lineup unlisted), records the titles "Jesus, Savior, Pilot Me", "Almost Persuaded", "What A Friend We Have In Jesus", "Jesus, Keep Me Near The Cross", 'Jesus Paid It All", "Must Jesus Bear The Cross Alone?", "Asleep In Jesus", "My Jesus, As Thou Wilt", "Take Up The Cross", and "The Name Of Jesus" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue all the titles on Ford's album "Ernie Ford Sings About Jesus" (ST-11232).

50 Years Ago Today In 1976 - Dr. Hook's Capitol Records single "Only Sixteen", with "Let Me Be Your Lover" on the flipside, is certified Gold by the R.I.A.A.

1978 - Vocalist and guitarist Sammy Hagar, with unlisted others, records the title "Flying Y" in San Francisco, California for Capitol Records which has yet to issue the title.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY

95 Years Ago Today In 1931 - Blue Note artist (1959-1967), composer, and alto saxophonist Jackie McLean is born John Lenwood McLean in New York City, New York.

1962 - Tracy Bryn, a member of the band Voice Of The Beehive and daughter of Bruce Belland of the Capitol Records band The Four Preps, is born in Encino, California.

1968 - Pianist McCoy Tyner, with Bobby Hutcherson on vibraphone, Herbie Lewis on bass, and Freddie Waits on drums, records the titles "Little Madimba", "May Street", "I Didn't Know What Time It Was", "African Village", "The Surrey With The Fringe On Top" without Hutcherson on vibraphone, and with just Tyner on piano, "I've Grown Accustomed To her Face" at Rudy Van Gelder's studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. Blue Note Records will issue all the titles on Tyner's album "Time For Tyner", (BST84307 on 12" and 7-84307-2 on CD).

1973 - Final mixing is done at Ardent Studios in Memphis, Tennessee for all the titles recorded at Leon Russell's concert held at Long Beach Arena in Long Beach, California on August 28, 1972. The final mixes of all the titles will be issued by Shelter Records, at the time manufactured and distributed by Capitol Records, Russell's three-LP set "Leon Live" (STCO-8917).

1983- The Michael Stanley Band (lineup unlisted) records the titles "Hard Time", "The Damage Is Done", "Kiss It Off", and "Just How Good (A Bad Woman Feels)" at an unlisted studio. EMI America will issue "Hard Time", "The Damage Is Done", and "Just How Good (A Bad Woman Feels) on the band's album "You Can't Fight Fashion" (ST-17100) and "Just How Good (A Bad Woman Feels)" also as a single (EMI America 8178) with an edited version of "My Town" (recorded May 13, 1983) on the flipside.

2002 - Sharon Sheely, songwriter ("Poor Little Fool", "Something Else, "Hurry Up", etc.) and one-time fiancee of Liberty Records artist Eddie Cochran, dies of complications following a cerebral hemorrhage in Los Angeles, California at age 62. Sheely was also injured in the same cab crash in England that killed Cochran and injured Capitol Records artist Gene Vincent.


ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY

180 Years Ago Today In 1846 - The saxophone is patented by Antoine Joseph Sax.

1963 - The first Monterey Folk Festival is held in California with Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, Pete Seeger, and others performing.