JUNE 14, 2026

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!

1905 - Nappy Lamare, a banjo player, guitarist, singer, member of the group The Bob Crosby Bob Cats, and a Capitol Records session and solo artist, is born Joseph Hilton Lamare on Dumaine Street in New Orleans, Louisiana. Jazz Connection Magazine wrote a wonderful biographical article to celebrate Nappy's centennial birthday.

1918 - John Simmons, a bassist and a member of an early version of The King Cole Trio, is born in Haskell, Oklahoma.

1949 - Alan White, the drummer with the Apple and Capitol Records group Plastic Ono Band, drummer on John Lennon's album and single "Imagine", George Harrison's album "All Things Must Pass" and single "My Sweet Lord", as well as drummer for the group Yes, is born in Pelton, County Durham, England.

1963 - Chris DeGarmo, a songwriter, the lead and rhythm guitarist with the Capitol Records band Queensryche (1982-1997, 2003), is born Christopher Lee DeGarmo in Wenatchee, Washington.

1969 - MC Ren, Capitol Records artist and vocalist with Priority Records (now a subsidiary of Capitol Records) group NWA, is born Lorenzo Patterson in Compton, California.

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY

80 Years Ago Today In 1946 - The King Cole Trio records the track "The Christmas Song" (which Mel Tormé and Robert Wells wrote specifically for Nat) at WMCA Studios in New York City. This is the first of four separate recordings Cole would make of the song during his lifetime. Cole was not happy with this version and would persuade Capitol Records to let him re-record the track with a string section, arranged by Charlie Grean, with producers Carl Kress and Walter Rivers on August 19, 1946.

1943 - It's a Monday and The King Cole Trio perform "Honeysuckle Rose" and "Slender, Tender, and Tall" on the Armed Forces Radio Service (AFRS)'s show "Jubilee" at NBC-Radio's  Studio City studios on the northeast corner of Sunset Boulevard and Vine Street in Hollywood, California. The AFRS will issue the entire show which also features Jimmie Lunceford and His Orchestra, Dolores Williams, Jim Doyle and emcee Ernie "Bubbles" Whitman on an electronic transcription disc (Jubilee 29).

1949 - Freddie Slack's Quartet (actually a septet, with Neal Hefti on trumpet, John Haliburton on trombone, Hank Horn on baritone saxophone, Slack on piano, Bob Bain on guitar, Paul Moresy on bass, and Maynard Sloate on drums) record the tracks "Whatever Happened To Ol' Jack?" (with Phil Gordon and Bobby Troup on vocals) and an untitled Phil Moore instrumental (that went unissued until Mosaic Records released it on their 2005 3 CD set "Mosaic Select: Freddie Slack") in Los Angeles, California.

1952 - Kay Starr (with orchestra conducted by Harold Mooney)'s Capitol Records single "Wheel Of Fortune" is #18 on The Billboard magazine's Best Selling Pop Singles chart, Jane Froman (with orchestra conducted by Sid Feller)'s Capitol Records single "I'll Walk Alone" is #16, and Ella Mae Morse (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Blacksmith Blues" is #19.

1955 - Arranger Bob Cooper, on tenor saxophone, oboe, and english horn, with Bud Shank on flute, alto saxophone, and tenor saxophone, Jimmy Giuffre on clarinet, tenor saxophone, and baritone saxophone;, Bob Enevoldsen on tenor saxophone, bass clarinet, and valve trombone, John Graas on French horn, Claude Williamson on piano, Ralph Pena on bass, and Shelly Manne on drums, records the titles "All Or Nothing At All" (which Capitol Records released on the album "Kenton Presents Bob Cooper - Shifting Winds"), "'Round Midnight", and "Tongue Twister" (both of which will finally be released by Mosaic Records as part of its 1999 box set "Kenton Presents Cooper, Holman & Rosolino") with producer Stan Kenton at Capitol Records' studios at 5515 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood, California.

1958 - Nat "King" Cole's Capitol Records single "Looking Back" is #3 on The Billboard magazine's Most Played R&B By Jockeys chart and #6 on the magazine's R&B Best Sellers In Stores chart. "Looking Back" is #8 on The Billboard magazine's Top 100 Sides chart. "Looking Back" and its flipside, "Do I Like It?" are #8 on The Billboard magazine's Best Selling Pop Singles In Stores chart. "Looking Back" is #12 on Cash Box magazine's Best Selling Singles chart, #17 on The Billboard magazine's Most Played By Jockeys chart, and #10 on KFWB's Fabulous Forty Survey in Los Angeles, California.

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

1964 - Ringo Starr rejoins Parlophone and Capitol Records group The Beatles on tour when he arrives in Melbourne, Australia after missing part of the tour due to illness.

1965 - Capitol Records release The Beatles' album "Beatles VI".

1965 - Capitol Records releases the Buck Owens' EP "Four By Buck Owens".

1965 - The Beatles record the tracks "I've Just Seen A Face" (six takes) and "I'm Down" (seven takes) and the rest of the group stays as Paul McCartney records the track "Yesterday" in Studio 2 at EMI's Abbey Road studios in London, England. "Yesterday" will be released by Capitol Records in the U.S. as a single and on the album "'Yesterday' and Today" as well as by United Artists on the soundtrack to the group's second motion picture "Help!".

60 Years Ago Today In 1966 - Ron Tepper, manager of Capitol Records' press and information services, sends out a letter to reviewers requesting they disregard and, "if possible", send back (yeah, right) their promotional copy of the "Butcher Cover" version of The Beatles' album "'Yesterday' and Today" album. His assistant, Mickey Diage, handled the distribution of the letter and coordinated the return of the album and promotional posters that used the same artwork.

1967 - The Beach Boys (Alan Jardine, Brian Wilson, Carl Wilson, and Dennis Wilson with session musician Diane Rovell) record the track "Heroes And Villains" at The Beach Boys Studio at 10452 Bellagio Road, Bel Air, California from 3PM to 6PM.

1968 - Ken Errair, Capitol Records solo artist (1957), member of Capitol Records recording act The Four Freshmen (1953-1955), and second husband to actress Jane Withers, dies in a small plane crash in California.

1969 - Vocalist Letta Mbulu is back in The Capitol Tower Studios with arranger H.B. Barnum who conducts the studio orchestra (Tony Terran and Freddie Hill on trumpet and flugelhorn; Charles Loper on trombone; Dick Leith on trombone and bass trombone; Jackie Kelso on tenor saxophone and flute; Jim Horn on tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, flute, oboe, and recorder; Dick Houlgate on bass saxophone and flute; Don Randi on piano, electric piano and harpsichord; Mike Melvoin on organ; Al Casey, John Gray, and Les Buie on guitar; Bob West on bass and electric bass; Earl Palmer on drums, tympani and bells; Joe Clayton on congas; King Errison on bongos; Gary Coleman boo bams and tamborine; John Guerin on bells, tympani, and mallets; Ken Watson on mallets, traps, and Latin percussion) to record the tracks "Gumba Gumba", "Kukuchi", "What More Could Be Right", and "Only When You're Mine Again" for her Capitol Records album "Free Soul".

50 Years Ago Today In 1976 - The Beatles' Capitol Records compilation album "Rock 'N' Roll Music" is certified Gold by the R.I.A.A.

1998 - Capitol Records releases The Beastie Boys album "Hello Nasty".

2000 - Merrill Moore, a Capitol Records artist and contract session player (1955-1958), country swing and boogie-woogie pianist, dies in San Diego, California of cancer.

2003 - On the stage of the Grand Ole Opry, Capitol Records Nashville artist, Trace Adkins is invited by Little Jimmy Dickens to become a member with a formal induction to be held on August 23, 2003.

2005 - A scheduled performance by Capitol Records recording artists Saosin is cancelled due to police reaction to a shooting that occurred at the venue a few days earlier.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY

1929 - Cy Coleman, child prodigy pianist, composer (best known for "Witchcraft" and "The Best Is Yet To Come" both recorded by Capitol Records artist Frank Sinatra, as well as "Hey Look Me Over" for the musical "Wildcat", and the musical "Sweet Charity" with lyricist Dorothy Fields), is born Seymour Kaufman in New York City, New York.

85 Years Ago Today In 1941 - Future Capitol Records artist Tex Ritter weds actress Dorothy Fay. Their marriage that will last until his death on January 2, 1974.

1950 - Harold Perry, a radio and motion picture actor and Capitol Records artist, plays his best-known role, The Great Gildersleeve, for the last time after 13 years. Perry is changing networks but he can't take Gildersleeve with him so he will be replaced by Willard Waterman, who will play Gildersleeve for the next 8 years on radio and then for several years on television but, as a mark of respect for Perry, will never imitate Perry's signature laugh.

1952 - Al Martino (with orchestra conducted by Monty Kelly)'s BBS Records single (BBS 101) "Here In My Heart" (with "I Cried Myself To Sleep" on the flipside) hits #1 on The Billboard magazine's Best Selling Pop Singles chart. Two weeks earlier it had tied for the #1 spot with Leroy Anderson's Decca Records single "Blue Tango" and the previous week was #2 on the chart.

1957 - Sessions begin for arranger Martin Denny's Liberty Records album "Exotica Volume II" (with Denny on piano and celeste; Arthur Lyman on vibes, marimba, xylophone, and percussion; Augie Colon on bongos, congas, Latin effects, and bird calls; Bernard Miller on string bass; Jack Shoop on alto flute and baritone saxophone; Roy Harte on drums and percussion; and Gil Baumgart on percussion and also helping with arranging) in The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California with recording engineers Val Valintin and Ted Keep.

65 Years Ago Today In 1961 - Boy George, singer, Broadway musical performer, and Virgin Records and Virgin Records America artist with group The Culture Club and as a solo artist, is born George Alan O'Dowd in Eltham, Kent, England. Virgin Records is a subsidiary of Capitol Music Group.

1963 - Sarah Vaughan, with arranger Benny Carter conducting the studio orchestra (Ed Kusby, Tom Shepard, Dick Nash, and Bob Knight on trombone; Jimmy Rowles on piano; Bobby Gibbons on guitar; Red Callender on bass; Earl Palmer on drums, and unknown string section), records the tracks "These Foolish Things", "Look For Me, I'll Be Around", "Friendless", and "The Man I Love" at United Recorders' studios in Los Angeles, California during her last session for her Roulette Records album "Lonely Hours".

2009 - Bob Bogle, the original lead guitarist and founding member of the Dolphin/Doltin Records label group The Ventures died of complications from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma at age 75 in a local Southern California hospital according to fellow co-founder Don Wilson.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY

1895 - Cliff Edwards (aka "Ukulele Ike"), singer, ukulele player, Broadway (introduced the song "Toot, Toot, Tootsie"), radio ("The Rudy Vallee Show")  and motion picture actor (introduced the song "Singing In The Rain"), and the voice of Jiminy Cricket in Walt Disney's animated feature "Pinocchio", is born in Hannibal, Missouri.

1909 - Burl Ives, a singer, author, actor, and voice of the world's second best-known snowman is born Burl Icle Ivanhoe Ives in Jasper County, Illinois.

65 Years Ago Today In 1961 - Liberty Records releases Johnny Burnette's sixth single for the label "I've Got A Lot Of Things To Do" with "Girls" on the flipside.

1977 - Alan Reed, a motion picture, radio and television actor, and voice of Fred Flintstone, dies of a heart attack at age 69 in West Los Angeles, California.

40 Years Ago Today In 1986 - Alan Jay Lerner, Broadway and motion picture lyricist and librettist (including "Brigadoon", "Paint Your Wagon", "Royal Wedding", "My Fair Lady", "Gigi", "Camelot" and others), and screenwriter ("An American In Paris") dies of lung cancer in New York City at age 67.

1994 - Henry Mancini (born Enric Nicoloa Mancini), a composer (co-wrote "Moon River" with Capitol Records' co-founder "Johnny Mercer"), arranger, and television ("Peter Gunn") and film scorer ("The Pink Panther" series and many others) dies at age 70 of cancer of the pancreas and liver in Beverly Hills, California.

2000 - Bob Rolontz, a record executive and the originator of the Platinum record certification, dies at age 79

JUNE 13, 2026


HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

1892 - Basil Rathbone, actor and Capitol Records artist (1949, narrator on the children's record "Mr. Toad" EAS-3042) is born Philip St. John Basil Rathbone in Johannesburg, South African Republic.

1917 - Si Zentner, a trombonist, member of Capitol Records group Billy Butterfield and His Orchestra as wells as being a session player for the label from 1942 to 1970, bandleader, and Liberty Records artist from 1959-1972, is born Simon Hugh Zentner in New York City, New York.

1949 - Dennis Locorriere, a guitarist and a singer with the Capitol Records group Dr. Hook, is born in Union City, New Jersey.

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY

1947 - It's a Friday and The King Cole Trio (Nat "King" Cole on piano, Oscar Moore on guitar, and Johnny Miller on bass) records the titles "Naughty Angeline", "I Miss You So", and "That's What" at Radio Recorders' studios at 932 North Western Avenue in Hollywood, California. Capitol Records will release "Naughty Angeline" and ""That's What" together as a single (Capitol 437) and "I Miss You So" as a single (Capitol 444) with "I Think You Get What I Mean" (recorded July 3, 1942) on the flipside.

1952 - Capitol Records awards it second ever gold record for sales of 1 million copies to Nat "King" Cole for his single "Too Young", which at the time had sold 1.2 million copies, as part of his appearance on tonight's episode of The Jackie Gleason Show.

1953 - Les Baxter and His Orchestra's Capitol Records single "April in Portugal" is #3 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart and its flipside "Ruby" is 9, Nat "King" Cole (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Pretend" is #10, Jane Froman (with Sid Feller and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "I Believe" is #11, Les Paul and Mary Ford's Capitol Records single "Vaya Con Dios (May God Be With You)" (with "Johnny (Is The Boy For Me)" on the flipside) enters the top 20 at #14 and will go on to top the chart and stay there for 11 weeks, and Kay Starr (with orchestra conducted by Harold Mooney)'s Capitol Records single "Half A Photograph" (with "Allez-Vous-En" from the musical "Can Can" on the flipside) is #19. Also, Nat "King" Cole's Capitol Records single "Pretend" is #9 on The Billboard magazine's Most Played In Juke Boxes chart and on Cash Box magazine's Best Selling Singles chart and Cole's single "My Flaming Heart" is #23, its flipside, "I Am In Love", is #34, and Cole's single "Can't I" is #36 on Cash Box Best Selling Singles chart.

1955 - Arranger Bob Cooper, on tenor saxophone, oboe, and english horn, (with Bud Shank on flute alto saxophone and tenor saxophone; Jimmy Giuffre on clarinet, tenor saxophone, and baritone saxophone; Bob Enevoldsen on tenor saxophone, bass clarinet, and valve trombone; John Graas on french horn; Claude Williamson on piano; Joe Mondragon on bass; and Shelly Manne on drums) records the tracks "Hallelujah" (which will be released by Capitol Records on the album "Kenton Presents Bob Cooper - Shifting Winds"), "Deep In A Dream", "It's De-lovely", and "Drawing Lines" (which will finally be released by Mosaic Records as part of its 1999 box set "Kenton Presents Cooper, Holman & Rosolino") with producer Stan Kenton at Capitol Records' Melrose Avenue studios in Hollywood, California.

1964 - The Beatles' United Artists soundtrack album "A Hard Day's Night" is released. Capitol Records will eventually buy the United Artists Records catalog and has since re-released the album on the Capitol label.

1968 - Vocalist Letta Mbulu, with H.B. Barnum conducting his own arrangements to Tony Terran and Freddie Hill on trumpets and flugelhorns, Lew McCreary on trombone and tenor trombone, Jackie Kelso on tenor saxophone, clarinet and flute, Dick Houlgate on saxophone and clarinet, Jim Horn on saxophone, clarinet, flute and recorder, Don Randi on piano, electric piano and harpsichord, Mike Melvoin on organ, Les Buie, Louis Morell, and Carol Kaye on guitars, Bob West on bass, Earl Palmer on drums, tympani, and bells, John Guerin on drums, vibraphone and tympani, Joe Clayton on congas, and Gene Estes and Ken Watson on percussion, records the titles "Olu Ati Ayo", "Welele", and "Gumba Gumba" with producer David Axelrod in The Capitol Tower Studios at 1750 North Vine Street in Hollywood, California. Copyists for the arrangements were Allen DeRienzo, Leonard Gordon, and Kenneth Mitchell. Capitol Records will issue "Olu Ati Ayo" and "Welele" on Mbulu's album "Free Soul" and has yet to issue the take of "Gumba Gumba" recorded at this session but will issue a new take of the title that was recorded the next day as a single (Capitol 4-2152) with "Ade" on the flipside.

1970 - The Beatles' Apple Records single "The Long And Winding Road", distributed by Capitol Records in the United States, hits #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart and The Beatles' Apple Records album "Let It Be" is #1 on Billboard's Top 200 albums chart.

1970 - Glyn Johns completes a mix of The Band's Capitol Records album "Stage Fright". Many of the tracks will be remixed by Todd Rundgren for the final album release. Dave Hopkins has written reviews of all The Band's 2000 CD reissues.

40 Years Ago Today In 1986 - Benny Goodman, clarinetist, singer, bandleader, motion picture actor, and Capitol Records artist, dies of cardiac arrest in his Manhattan apartment at age 77 and is later buried in Long Ridge Union Cemetery, Stamford Connecticut.

40 Years Ago Today In 1986 - Dean Reed, Capitol Records and Imperial Records artist (1958), best known for his recordings of "Our Summer Romance" and "Whirly Twirly", singer, songwriter, director, actor, and socialist activist dies after disappearing the day before and will be found in two days in a lake near his home in East Berlin, Germany. Tom Hanks is said to be working on a project about Reed's life. The University of Colorado sponsors the Dean Reed Peace Prize, an annual essay contest held in Reed's memory, as part of its Conference on World Affairs.

1997 - Capitol Records band Megadeth starts their "Cryptic Writings" tour with a concert in Mesa, Arizona that is broadcast live on the internet.

2003 - The film contest for a video for Capitol Records artist Fischerspooner, sponsored by iFilm and Capitol, ends and the winner's entry is placed on iFilm.com.

2004 - Capitol Records Nashville artists The Jenkins perform on the Riverfront stage of the CMA Music Festival in Nashville, Tennessee.

2005 - Zane Williams, guitarist, singer and songwriter, auditions for Larry Willoughby, Vice President of A&R for Capitol Records Nashville at the label's top floor offices in Nashville, Tennessee. Zane has a good description of the event in the June 13, 2005 entry on his blog "The Music Row Diaries".

20 Years Ago Today In 2006 - Capitol Records band Radiohead perform live in concert at The Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City. According to a Capitol Records press release, the set list "will draw heavily on the newer material the band has been working on over the past months", and "will feature appropriately scaled downstaging and lighting design, creating a suitably intimate environment for the first ever airings of several new songs".

20 Years Ago Today In 2006 - The surviving original members of The Beach Boys reunite in public after 10 years apart when Brian Wilson, Mike Love and Al Jardine gather on the roof of The Capitol Tower in Hollywood, California to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the album "Pet Sounds" and their 2003 Capitol Records album "Sounds Of Summer: The Very Best Of The Beach Boys" being certified Platinum by the R.I.A.A.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY

1960 - Rick Nelson's Imperial Records single "Young Emotions" is #14 on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart.

1963 - Vocalist Sarah Vaughn, with Benny Carter conducting his own arrangements to the orchestra (Shorty Sherock, Carmell Jones, Conrad Gozzo, and Bobby Bryant on trumpets, Ed Kusby and Dick Nash on trombones, Buddy Coillete, Bill Green, Plas Johnson, Wilbur Schwartz, and Bill Hood on reeds, Jimmy Rowles on piano, Barney Kessel and Tommy Tedesco on guitars, Red Callender on bass, and Alvin Stoller on drums), records the titles "Solitude", "I'll Never Be The Same", "So Long, My Love", and "Lonely Hours" at United Recorders' studios on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, California for her Roulette Records album "The Lonely Hours".

1972 - CBS-TV broadcasts the final episode of Capitol Records artist Glen Campbell's variety show "The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour".

45 Years Ago Today In 1981 - Dottie West and Kenny Roger's Liberty Records single "What Are We Doin' In Love", with "Choosin' Means Losin'" on the flipside is #1 on the U.S. Country singles chart. Universal Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company, currently owns the Liberty Records catalog.


ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY

1870 - Edward J. "Major" Bowes, producer and host of radio show "Major Bowes' Original Amateur Hour" is born in San Francisco, California.

80 Yeats Ago Today In 1946 - Edward J. "Major" Bowes dies on his 72nd birthday at his home in Rumson, New Jersey. Cardinal Spellman will perform the last rites at Bowes' home. Those among the show's most famous winners were Frank Sinatra and Bob Hope. A year after Bowes' death, Ted Mack will revive the Amateur Hour and bring it to television.

JUNE 12, 2026


HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!

1928 - Vic Damone, singer, motion picture and television actor, and Capitol Records artist (1961-1965) is born Vito Rocco Farinola in Brooklyn, New York.

1938 - Jim Conner, songwriter ("Grandma's Feather Bed"), guitarist, banjoist, harmonica player and vocalist with Capitol Records duo Richard and Jim (1962-1965) and member of The New Kingston Trio (1968-1974) is born in Gadsen, Alabama.

1958 - Meredith Brooks, singer, songwriter, guitarist, and Capitol Records artist, is born Meredith Ann Brooks in Oregon City, Oregon.

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY

1942 - At Capitol Records' eighth recording session, conductor Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra (Monty Kelly, Larry Neil, and Don Waddilove on trumpets, Skip Layton and Murray McEachern on trombones, Alvy West, Danny d'Andrea, Lenny Hartman, King Guion, and Tommy Mace on saxophones, Harry Azen, Sol Blumenthal, and David Newman on strings, Buddy Weed on piano, Mike Pingitore on guitar, Art Shapiro on bass, and Willie  Rodriguez on drums) record the titles "Trav'lin' Light" (lyrics by Johnny Mercer, music by Jimmy Mundy and Trummy Young and arranged by Mundy) with vocals by Lady Day (Billie Holiday, who was under contract to Columbia, thus the alias), "The Old Music Master" (lyrics by Mercer, music by Hoagy Carmichael, which will be included in Paramount Picture's motion picture "True To Life", released December 24, 1943, and sung by Dick Powell) with vocals by Johnny Mercer and Jack Teagarden, "I'm Old Fashioned" (lyrics by Mercer, music by Jerome Kern, which will be used in the 1942 Columbia Pictures motion picture "You Were Never Lovelier", released November 19, 1942, where it is sung by Nan Wynn who dubbed for Rita Hayworth) with vocals by Martha Tilton, and "You Were Never Lovelier" (also by Mercer and Kern for the motion picture of the same name where it will be sung by Fred Astaire) with vocals by trumpeter Larry Neil, at Radio Recorders' studios at 932 North Western Avenue in Hollywood, California with Mercer producing all the titles. Capitol Records will issue "Trav'lin' Light" and "You Were Never Lovelier" together as a single (Capitol 116), "The Old Music Master" as a single (Capitol 137) with "Waitin' For The Evenin' Mail" (recorded July 31, 1942) on the flipside, and "I'm Old Fashioned" on the CD "Paul Whiteman - The Complete Capitol Recordings" (8-30103-2).

1944 - "Hi, ever'body, hope you feel tip-top; welcome to the Chesterfield Music Shop". Johnny Mercer's "Chesterfield Music Shop" airs it's first 15-minute episode live at 5PM for the east coast and again live at 8PM for the west coast. The series will broadcast from NBC's studio at Sunset and Vine in Hollywood twice daily, Mondays through Thursdays and on Fridays from various military camps and hospitals around Southern California until December 8, 1944, with many of its episodes recorded for the Armed Forces Radio Services. The show features Mercer, Jo Stafford, Paul Weston and His Orchestra, The Pied Pipers, whose version of Mercer's "Dream" is the show's closing theme song. The show would help the careers of all including songwriters Ray Evans and Jay Livingston as well as one of the show's arrangers, Gil Evans.

1947 - It's a Thursday, and Sonny Terry (on vocals and harmonica), with Walter "Brownie" McGhee on guitar and Melvin "Daddy" Merritt on piano, records the titles "Harmonica Rag", "Screamin' And Cryin' Blues", "Beer Garden Blues", and "Worried Man Blues" with producer David Edwin Dexter, Jr. in New York City, New York. Capitol Records will issue "Harmonica Rag" as a single (Capitol 15237) with "Early Morning Blues" (recorded on November 13, 1947) on the flipside, "Screamin' And Cryin' Blues" a single (Capitol Americana 40061) with "Riff And Harmonica Jump" (recorded March 4, 1947) on the flipside, "Beer Garden Blues" as a single (Capitol Americana 40097) with "Crow Jane Blues" (recorded on November 13, 1947) on the flipside, and "Worried Man Blues" as a single (Capitol Americana 40043) with "Leavin' Blues" (recorded March 4, 1947) on the flipside,

1948 - The King Cole Trio's Capitol Records single "Nature Boy" is still #1 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, The Pied Pipers' Capitol Records single "My Happiness" is #8, The Sportsmen's a capella Capitol Records single "You Can't Be True, Dear" is #17, Peggy Lee's Capitol Records single "Mañana" is #19, and The Sportsmen's Capitol Records single "Toolie Oolie Doolie (The Yodel Polka)" enters the top 20 at #20.

1954 - Kay Starr (with orchestra conducted by Harold Mooney)'s Capitol Records single "If You Love Me (Really Love Me) is # 6 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records charts, Frank Sinatra (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Young At Heart" is #7, Kay Starr's Capitol Records single "The Man Upstairs (the flip side of "If You Love Me" and also with orchestra conducted by Harold Mooney) is #8, Frank Sinatra (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Three Coins In A Fountain" is #9, The Four Knights' Capitol Records single "I Get So Lonely (When I Dream About You)" (with "I Couln't Stay Away From You" on the flip side) is #10, and Nat "King" Cole (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Answer Me, My Love" is #11.

1958 - Ann Richards (aka Mrs. Stan Kenton, on vocals), with Brian Farnon conducting the orchestra (lineup unlisted) and using arrangements by Warren Barker, records a new take of the title "Nightingale" and the titles "Will You Still Be Mine?", "Lullaby Of Broadway", and "Deep Night", with producer Lee Gillette in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue all the titles on Richards' Capitol Records debut solo album "I'm Shooting High" (T 1087).

65 Years Ago Today 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 Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days Of Summer" is #13 on WMCA's Top Twenty-Five chart in New York City, New York.

1963 - The Beach Boys (lineup unlisted) record the title "Surfer Girl" at Western Studios in Los Angeles, California. This is the first recording where Brian Wilson gets official credit as producer.

60 Years Ago Today In 1966 - Sonny James' Capitol Records single "Take Good Care Of Her", with "On The Fingers Of One Hand" on the flipside, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts.

1972 - Apple Records releases John & Yoko / Plastic Ono Band with Elephant's Memory's album "Sometime In New York City", produced by Phil Spector, with Capitol Records distributing the album in the United States.

50 Years Ago Today In 1976 - Ringo Starr is in the Cherokee Studios in Hollywood, California recording the titles "A Dose Of Rock 'N' Roll" and "Cookin' (In The Kitchen Of Love)" for his Capitol Records album "Ringo's Rotogravure". John Lennon (who wrote "Cookin'...") plays piano on the two tracks and will stay out of recording studios for the next 4 years until he begins work on his and Yoko's album "Double Fantasy" in 1980.

1995 - Capitol Records/Nettwerk band Skinny Puppy split up.

2003 - Billboard Magazine reports that Grammy winner Shelby Lynne has signed with Capitol Records.


ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY

1953 - Rocky Burnette, singer, songwriter, guitarist, and son of Liberty Records artist Johnny Burnette is born Jonathan Burnette in Memphis, Tennessee.

1957 - Jimmy Dorsey (born James Dorsey), clarinetist, alto saxophonist, motion picture actor, television variety show host with his brother Tommy Dorsey, and big band leader (one of his girl singers included 14 year old future Capitol Records artist Ella Mae Morse, whom he let go when he found out her true age, and his band included future Capitol Records artist and pianist Freddie Slack, who would remember Morse and suggest her as the vocalist for his Capitol Records single "Cow Cow Boogie"), dies of cancer at age 53 in New York City, New York.

65 Years Ago Today In 1961 - Ricky Nelson's Imperial Records single "Travelin' Man" is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart and it's flip side "Hello Mary Lou" is #15, Gene McDaniels' Liberty Records single "A Hundred Pounds Of Clay" is #19, The Fleetwood's Dolton Records (distributed by Liberty Records) single "Tragedy" is #20, Ernie K-Doe's Minit Records single "Mother-In-Law" is #22, and Don Costa and His Orchestra and Chorus' United Artists Records single "Never On A Sunday" is #37. Universal Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company, currently owns the Imperial, Liberty, Dolton, Minit and United Artists Records catalogs.

1963 - Vocalist Sarah Vaughan begins sessions for her Roulette Records album "The Lonely Hours" when she records, with arranger Benny Carter conducting the studio orchestra (Vince De Rosa, Dick Perissi, Jack Cave, and Bill Hinshaw on french horn; Red Callender on tuba; Jimmy Rowles on piano; Barney Kessel on guitar; Joe Comfort on bass; and Alvin Stoller on drums), the titles "If I Had You", "What'll I Do", "You're Driving Me  Crazy", and "Always On My Mind" at United Recorders' studios on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, California 

1964 - The Beatles fly from Sydney, Australia to perform two sets at Centennial Hall, in Adelaide, Australia with Sounds Incorporated, Johnny Devlin, Johnny Chester and The Phantoms, and have a private party in their hotel suite after the show.

1965 - George Harrison, John Lennon, Paul McCartney and Richard Starkey (aka Ringo Starr) are appointed Members of the British Empire (MBE) by Queen Elizabeth II.

1965 - Capitol Records artist Tex Ritter joins The Grand Ole Opry.

50 Years Ago Today In 1976 - The King Biscuit Flour Hour broadcasts Capitol Records group The Steve Miller Band in concert at The Beacon Theater in New York City for broadcast. The performance is at the beginning of the "Fly Like An Eagle" tour and will later show up on the CD "The King Biscuit Flour Hour Presents The Steve Miller Band", released in 2003.

1987 - Dan Seals' EMI America single "I Will Be There", with "It's Gonna Be Easy Now" on the flipside, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts.


ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL HISTORY

1909 - Archie Bleyer, arranger, bandleader (1934 - whose vocalists would include Johnny Mercer), musical director for Arthur Godfrey, record producer, and founder of Cadence Records (1952 - whose roster included Julias LaRosa, The Chordettes, Andy Williams and the Everly brothers), is born in the Corona section of Queens, New York.

90 Years Ago Today In 1936 - At her first commercial recording session, fourteen year-old future Capitol Records artist Judy Garland, with Bob Crosby and His Orchestra (who would also later record for Capitol Records), records the titles "Stompin' At The Savoy" and "Swing Mr. Charlie" for Decca Records in New York City.

1953 - Trumpet player Chet Baker and tenor saxophonist Stan Getz perform together, with Carson Smith on bass and Larry Bunker on drums, live at The Haig in Los Angeles, California. This is one of the few times the two would perform together. The show was recorded by engineer Dick Bock and released by Pacific Jazz Records on the album "West Coast Live". Blue Note Records currently re-releases albums from Pacific Jazz's catalog.

1962 - Frank Sinatra begins the first of a three day (actually night) series of recording sessions arranged and conducted by Robert Farnon at CTS Bayswater studios in London, England for the album "Great Songs From Great Britain" by recording the track "If I Had You". According to Mark Blackburn's review of the track when it appeared on the later album "Everything Happens To Me", the first take was ruined when there was a problem with Bill Miller's piano so that the second take had to be done with Miller playing a celeste.

25 Years Ago Today In 2001 - The final episode of Bozo The Clown is taped in Chicago, Illinois and will be aired on WGN-TV on July 14, 2001

JUNE 11, 2026

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

1952 - Donnie Van Zant, vocalist, guitarist and founder of the Capitol Records (single "Teacher Teacher" and on the soundtrack album for the motion picture "Teacher") and Charisma Records (a subsidiary of Virgin Records) group 38 Special and with his brother Johnny Van Zant in the group The Van Zants, is born Donald Newton Van Zant in Jacksonville, Florida.

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY

1942 - At Capitol Records' seventh session, it is the first session for vocalist Tex Ritter and His Texans (Charles Linville on fiddle, Paul Sells on accordion, Johnny Bond on guitar, Frankie Marvin on steel guitar, Clifford Snyder aka "Cliffie Stone" on bass) as they record the titles "Jingle, Jangle, Jingle" with additional vocals by Johnny Bond, "Someone" featuring Frankie Marvin on steel guitar, "Goodbye, My Little Cherokee", and "I've Done The Best I Could" once again featuring, Frankie Marvin on steel guitar in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue "Jingle, Jangle, Jingle" and "Goodbye, My Little Cherokee" together as a single (Capitol 110) and "Someone" and "I've Done The Best I Could" together as a single (Capitol 132).

80 Years Ago Today In 1946 - Peggy Lee is back at Radio Recorders' studios at 932 North Western Avenue in Hollywood, California with The Four Of A Kind (Dave Barbour on guitar, Buddy Cole on piano, organ and celeste, Phil Stephens on bass, and Tom Romersa on drums) to record for radio transcription the titles "The Best Man", "If You Were The Only Boy", "Love Doesn't Grow On Trees", "I Guess I'll Get The Papers And Go Home" and "My Sugar Is So Refined".

1947 - Vocalist Johnny Mercer, Luanna Patten, Bobby Discroll, Walt Disney as Mickey Mouse, Clarence Nash as Donald Duck, Pinto Colvig as Goofy, Martha Tilton as The Singing Harp, and Billy Gilbert as Willie The Giant, using as script adapted by Alan Livingston and with Billy May directing his own arrangements to his orchestra (Origene LaFreniere, John Best,and Uan Rasey on trumpets, Hoyt Bohannon and Homer Menge on trombones, Nicholas Dann, Haskell Issenhuth, Gordon Green, Arthur Fleming, and Joseph Krechter on saxophones, Edwin "Buddy" Cole on piano, Artie Shapiro on bass, John Cyr on drums, Irma Louise Clow on harp, and a string section with Harry Bluestone, Peter Ellis, Nick Pisani, Mischa Russell, Felix Slatkin, and Marshall Sosson on violin, David Sterkin and Maurice Pearlmutter on viola, and Cy Bernard on cello), record parts 4, 5, and 6 of "Mickey and The Beanstalk" at Radio Recorders' studios at 932 North Western Avenue in Hollywood, California between 2:00 PM and 6:00 PM. Capitol Records will issue all the parts on the children's album "Mickey And The Beanstalk" (Capitol CCX-67). The entire album is available in two parts. Here's part 1. Here's part 2.

1947 - Julia Lee (on piano and vocals) and Her Boy Friends (Ernie Royal on trumpet, Dave Cavanaugh on tenor saxophone, Jack Marshall on guitar, Harry Babasin on bass, and Sam "Baby" Lovett on drums) record the titles "There Goes My Heart", "Snatch And Grab It", and "If You Hadn't Gone Away (I Wouldn't Be Where I Am)" and then Julia (alone on vocals and piano) records the title "Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out" with producer Dave Dexter, Jr. at Radio Recorders' studios at 932 North Western Avenue in Hollywood, California between 8:30 PM and 11:30 PM. Capitol Records will issue the first and last titles together as a single (Capitol 1009), the second title as a single (Capitol Americana 40028) with "I Was Wrong" (recorded June 18, 1947) on the flipside, and the third title as a single (Capitol 1798) with "Scream In The Night" (recorded on July 22, 1950) on the flipside.

1948 - The King Cole Trio's Capitol Records single "Nature Boy" is still #1 on Billboard's Best Selling Popular Retail Records and Records Most Played By Disk Jockeys charts, hits #1 on the magazine's Canada's Top Tunes chart, is #2 on the magazine's Most-Played Juke Box Records chart, is #4 on the magazine's Most-Played Juke Box Race Records chart, and is #5 on the magazine's Best Selling Retail Race Records chart . Also, The King Cole Trio's Capitol Records single "Put 'Em In A Box" is #3 on The Billboard magazine's Record Possibilities - The Disk Jockeys Pick chart and #8 on the magazine's Record Possibilities - The Operators Pick chart.

1948 - Final mastering is done for Les Paul's title "Caravan" whose master was purchased on December 21, 1947. Capitol Records will issue the title on Paul's album "The New Sound" (CCN-226 in 10" shellac LP, EBF-226 in 7" vinyl EP, H-226 in 10" vinyl LP, and T-266 on 12" vinyl LP).

1949 - Margaret Whiting and Johnny Mercer (with Paul Whiting and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Baby, It's Cold Outside" is #6 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Mel Tormé (with orchestra conducted by Pete Rugolo)'s Capitol Records single "Again" is #9, and Jo Stafford and Gordon MacRae (with Paul Weston and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "'A' You're Adorable" is #16.

1952 - At a split session held in Los Angeles, California first Les Baxter conducts his own arrangements to His Orchestra (lineup unlisted) as they record the titles "Auf Wiederseh'n, Sweetheart" and "Padam...Padam" (with an uncredited chorus) then Helen O'Connell, with The Les Baxter Orchestra and Chorus, records the titles "One, For The Wonder (Of Your Kisses)" and "Long Ago Last Night". Capitol Records will issue the first two titles together as a single (Capitol 2143) and the last two titles as a single (Capitol 2149).

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's double sided Capitol Records hit "A Blossom Fell" (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra) and "If I May" (with The Four Knights on backing vocals and Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra) is #4, Frank Sinatra (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Learnin' The Blues" is #9, 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 Capitol Records single "Darling, Je Vous Aime Beaucoup" is #22.

70 Years Ago Today In 1956 - Bing Crosby, with Buddy Bregman's Orchestra, records the album "Bing Sings Whilst Bregman Swings" in The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California.

1958 - The Jack Marshall Sextette (Harry Klee on flute, bass flute, and recorder, Milt Raskin on piano and cymbals, Edgar Lustgarten on cello, (cello) Jack Marshall on guitar and lute, Red Mitchell on bass, and Shelly Manne on drums), using arrangements by Jack Marshall, record the titles "Invitation", "Star Eyes", "S'posin'", and "It Might As Well Be Spring" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue all the titles on the group's album "18th Century Jazz" (T 1108).

1958 - Pianist Leonard Pennario records Schumann's "Sonata In F Sharp Minor, Opus 11, First Movement" in Los Angles, California. Capitol Records will issue the title in Pennario's two-LP set "The Young SCHUMANN" (PBR-SPBR-8480).

1963 - Nat "King" Cole's Capitol Records single "Those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days Of Summer" is #14 on WABC's Silver Dollar Sound Survey in New York City, New York.

1963 - Vocalist Tex Ritter with Ralph Carmichael conducting the orchestra (lineup unlisted) records the titles "The Gods Were Angry With Me", "La Cucaracha", and "The Will" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue "The Gods Were Angry With Me" and "The Will" together as a single (Capitol 5004) and has yet to issue "La Cucaracha".

1963 - Male vocal group The Legends (lineup unlisted) record the titles "Run To The Movies", "Summertime Blues", "Memphis", "Lucille", "Peggy Sue", and "Fancy Nancy" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue "Run To The Movies" and "Summertime Blues" together as a single (Capitol 5014) and has yet to issue any of the other titles.

1963 - Guela Gill, with unlisted others, records the titles "Bon Soir Dame", "Tamoura", "Love That Wants", and "They Call The Wind Maria" in New York City, New York for Capitol Records which has yet to issue any of the titles.

1963 - Vocalist Nancy Wilson, with Jimmy Jones conducting his own arrangements to the orchestra (lineup unlisted), records the titles "Moon River", "When Did You Leave Heaven?", "My Shining Hour", and " Wild Is The Wind" in New York City, New York. Capitol Records will issue all the titles on Miss Wilson's album "Hollywood My Way" (T/ST 1934).

60 Years Ago Today In 1966 - Capitol Records releases The Beatles' single "Paperback Writer" with "Rain" on the flipside. Rain would be the first popular single to use tape run backwards as part of the song. "Paperback Writer will peak at #1 and "Rain" at #23 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart 

1968 - Cliffie Stone, with unlisted others, records the titles "Little Girl", "(My Friends Are Gonna Be) Strangers", "The Unicorn", and "Hello California" in "Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue "Little Girl" as a single (Capitol 2270) with a version of the title recorded by Cliffie Stone's Square Dance Orchestra featuring caller Don Stewart on June 19, 1968 on the flipside, "The Unicorn" as a single (Capitol 2243) also with a version of the title recorded by Cliffie Stone's Square Dance Orchestra featuring caller Don Stewart on June 19, 1968 on the flipside, and has yet to issue (My Friends Are Gonna Be) Strangers" and "Hello California".

1968 - Dallas Frazier, with unlisted others, records the titles "I Hope I Like Mexico Blues", "Sittin' On A River Bank", and "Even The Loser Likes To Dream" in Nashville, Tennessee. Capitol Records will issue "I Hope I Like Mexico Blues" as a single (Capitol 2257) with "I Just Thought I Loved Her (Till I Lost You)" (recorded February 1, 1968) on the flipside and has yet to issue the other titles.

1973 - Vocalist Al Martino, with unlisted others, records the titles "Where Forever Begins", "The Greatest Song I Ever Heard", and "Daddy Loves You Honey" in Los Angeles, California. After overdubs are recorded for all the titles on June 12 and 13, 1973, for "Where Forever Begins" also on June 14 and July 6, 1973, and for "The Greatest Song I Ever Heard" and "Daddy Loves You Honey" also on June 29, 1973, Capitol Records will issue the final mixes of all the titles on Martino's album "I Won't Last A Day Without You" (ST-11302) and "Daddy Loves You Honey" also as a single (Capitol 3918) with "More Than Ever Now" (recorded November 22, 1971) on the flipside.

1973 - Billy May and The Time-Life Orchestra (lineup unlisted) record the titles "A Beautiful Friendship" featuring Ray Sherman on piano, "The Good Life", and "Voce E Eu (You And I)" in The Capitol Tower Studios at 1750 North Vine Street in Hollywood, California. After overdubs are recorded on the same date for "A Beautiful Friendship" and "The Good Life", Time-Life Records will issue all the titles in the three-LP set "Volume 8 - Billy May" (STL 248) as part of its "As You Remember Them" series.

1980 – Paul McCartney & Wings' Apple Records single "Silly Love Songs", distributed by Capitol Records in the United States, certified Gold by the R.I.A.A.

1985 - Anne Murray's Capitol Records album "Heart Over Mind" is certified Gold by the R.I.A.A.

1985 - Neil Finn, with Nick Seymour, drummer Paul Hester, and Craig Hooper of The Reels, give their first performance as The Mullanes (Mullane is Neil's middle name) in Melbourne, Australia. When the group, minus Seymour, relocate to Los Angeles, they change the name of the band to Crowded House (named after their living conditions in L.A.).

30 Years Ago Today In 1996 - Capitol Records released the two-CD compilation album "Dean Martin - The Capitol Years" with 40 tracks including previously unreleased material and studio chatter.

20 Years Ago Today In 2006 - According to a news item on their website, Capitol Records group Queensryche is arrested at the Amsterdam airport for smuggling illegal firearms.


ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY

1940 - Joey Dee, actor and lead singer of the Roulette Records group Joey Dee and The Starlighters (best known for the single "Peppermint Twist" and not to be confused with The Starlighters who recorded for Capitol in the 1940's), is born Joseph DiNicola in Passaic, New Jersey. Nick & Renee DiNicola have put together a great site for Joey who still tours as Joey Dee and The Starlighters. Roulette Records' catalog is currently owned by Universal Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company.

1958 - Liberty Records releases Eddie Cochran's single "Summertime Blues" (F55144) with "Love Again" on the flipside. Liberty Records' catalog is currently owned by Universal Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company.

1963 - Alto saxophonist Sonny Stitt, with Thad Jones on trumpet, Chick Corea on piano, Larry Gales on bass, Willie Bobo on timbales, Carlos "Patato" Valdes on congas, and Osvaldo "Chihuahua" Martinez on percussion, records the title "Ritmo Bobo" in New York, City, New York for Roost Records. Roost Records will be bought by Roulette Records which will be bought by E.M.I., then Blue Note Records will issue the title on the multi-artist compilation CD "Latino Blue" (5-21688-2).

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY

85 Years Ago Today In 1941 - At ceremony #57, Barbara Stanwick and Robert Taylor leave their hand and footprints at Graumann's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California.

JUNE 10, 2026

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!

1922 - Judy Garland, motion picture actress, television variety show host, Capitol Records artist and mother of Capitol Records artist Liza Minnelli, whose on and off long-term affair with Capitol Records co-founder Johnny Mercer was the inspiration for Mercer writing the song "I'll Remember You", is born Francis Ethel Gumm in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. Scott Brogan's website, The Judy Room, is where you need to go to find out more about the life and works of Miss Garland.

1973 - Faith Evans, singer and Capitol Records artist (2003 to present), is born Faith Rene Evans in Lakeland, Florida.

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY

1938 - Max Thurn conducts the choir and orchestra (lineups unlisted) of The Hamburg State Opera as they record Bruckner's "Mass In E Minor, Second Movement: Gloria" in two parts, "Mass In E Minor, Third Movement: Credo" in three parts, "Mass In E Minor, First Movement: Kyrie" in two parts, "Mass In E Minor, Sixth Movement: Agnus" in two parts, "Mass In E Minor, Fourth Movement: Sanctus", and "Mass In E Minor, Fifth Movement: Benedictus" in two parts in Hamburg, Germany for Telefunken Records. After Capitol Records licenses Telefunken's catalog for release in the United States, it will issue the entire piece on the album "BRUCKNER - Mass In E Minor" (EEL-2504 on five 10" shellac discs, KEM-8004 on five 7" vinyl discs, and P-8004 on 12" vinyl).

1944 - Jo Stafford (with Paul Weston and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Long Ago (And Far Away) enters the top 10 of Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart at #7, Andy Russell (with orchestra conducted by Al Sack)'s Capitol Records single "Amor" enters at #8, and Ella Mae Morse (with orchestra conducted by Dick Walters)'s Capitol Records single "Milkman, Keep Those Bottles Quiet" enters at #10.

80 Years Ago Today In 1946 - Peggy Lee (with the Four Of A Kind [Dave Barbour on guitar; Buddy Cole on piano; Phil Stephens on bass; and Tom Romerosa on drums] records the titles "Wherever There's Me There's You", "All The Cats Join In", "A Nightingale Can Sing The Blues" and "Come Rain Or Come Shine" for transcription for radio with arranger Frank DeVol conducting his orchestra (Uan Rasey, Abe Benike, and Irv Shulkin on trumpet; Si Zentner and George Faye on trombone; Dick Perissi on french horn; Skeets Herfurt, Julius Kinsler, Ron Perry, Ted Romersa, and Jerry Kasper on reeds; Henry Sugar, Joe Livoti, Victor Arno, Joe Quadri on violin; Jacob Kaz and Paul Lowenkron on viola; Julius Tannenbaum, Joe Saxton, and Fred Goerner on cello; June Weiland on harp), at Radio Recorders in Los Angeles, California with engineer John Palladino.

1948 - The Pomona College Glee Club (lineup unlisted) records the title "Torchbearers (Our Fair Pomona)" in Los Angeles, California for Capitol Records which has yet to issue the title.

1948 - John Beal records vocals at the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California over band tracks recorded by Billy May and His Orchestra at Radio Recorders' studios at 932 North Western Avenue in Hollywood, California on December 30, 1947 for the four parts of the title "So Dear To My Heart". Capitol Records will issue the final mixes of all the titles on the children's album "So Dear To My Heart" (DD-109 on four 10" shellac discs, BD-124 also on four 10" shellac discs, CDF-3000 on four 7" vinyl discs) and the compilation album "Rusty In Orchestraville/So Dear To My Heart" ( P-3068 on 12" vinyl).

1950 - Nat King Cole's Capitol Records single "Mona Lisa", initially the flipside of "The Greatest Inventor Of Them All" (which is unavailable on any current Capitol Records CD release, but can be found on the French company Classic Jazz's CD "Nat "King" Cole 1949-1950"), is #14 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Kay Starr (with orchestra conducted by Frank DeVol)'s Capitol Records single "Hoop-De-Doo" enters the chart at #16, and Joe "Fingers" Carr and His Orchestra (with vocals by The Carr-Hops)'s Capitol Records single "Sam's Song" enters the chart at #20.

1953 - Trumpet player and bandleader Ray Anthony and His Orchestra (Pat Roberts, Jack Laubach, Ray Triscari, and Dale Turner on trumpet, Sy Berger, Vince Forrest, and Ken Schrudder and Dick Reynolds on trombones, Earl Bergman and Jim Schneider on clarinets and alto saxophones, Bill Usselton and Bill Slapin on tenor saxophones, Leo Anthony on baritone and alto saxophones, Eddie Ryan on piano, Danny Perri on guitar, Don Simpson on bass, Archie Freeman on drums) record the titles "Jersey Bounce" using an arrangement by Dick Reynolds and, with vocals by Marcie Miller, "I Guess It Was You All The Time" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue both titles together as a single (Capitol 2532 on 10" shellac and F2532 on 7" vinyl).

1953 - Violist Sascha Gorodnitzki finishes three straight days of sessions to record Brahms' "Variations And Fugue On A Theme Of Handel" and "Variations On A Theme Of Paganini, Opus 35" at Capitol Records' studios in New York City, New York. Capitol Records will issue the complete pieces on the album "BRAHMS - Variations On A Theme Of Paganini, Opus 35/Variations And Fugue On A Theme Of Handel" (P-8227).

1955 - Lee Gillette produces a session at Capitol Records's Melrose Avenue studios in Hollywood, California that lays down an instrumental track of "But Not For Me" for Nat "King" Cole to use on his television show, but Cole does not record vocals for a commercial release. Nat can be seen performing the song on video recordings of the show.

70 Years Ago Today In 1955 - Jimmy Giuffre (with Jack Sheldon on trumpet, Ralph Pena on bass, and Artie Anton on drums), records the tracks ""Scintilla III" and "The Leprechaun" with Giuffre on clarinet, "Rhetoric" with Guiffre on tenor saxophone, and "Finger Snapper" with Giuffre on baritone saxophone at Capitol Records' Melrose Avenue Studios in Hollywood, California. Capitol Records will release "Scintilla III" on Giuffre's album "Jimmy Giuffre: Tangents In Jazz" and the rest will be released by Mosaic Records on the 1997 box set "The Complete Capitol & Atlantic Recordings of Jimmy Giuffre".

1957 - Ferlin Husky's Capitol Records single "Gone" is tied for #10 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart with The Del Vikings single "Come Go With Me", Tommy Sand's Capitol Records single "Goin' Steady" is #26, and The Four Lad's Capitol Records single "I Just Don't Know" is #28.

1958 - Vocalist Marion Colby, with Billy May conducting his own arrangements to His Orchestra (Conrad Gozzo, John Best, and Mannie Klein on trumpets, Si Zentner, Tommy Pederson, and George Roberts on trombones, Ted Nash, Wilbur Schwartz, Babe Russin, Fred Falensby, and Chuck Gentry on saxophones, Paul Smith on piano, Al Hendrickson on guitar, Ralph Pena on bass, Alvin Stoller on drums, and Larry Bunker on marimbas) and The Jud Conlon Rhythmaires (vocal chorus - lineup unlisted), records the titles "A Man Could Be A Wonderful Thing", "Living With The Blues", "He Likes It, She Likes It", and "I'm No Angel" in The Capitol Tower Studios at 1750 North Vine Street in Hollywood, California between 1:00 PM and 4:00 PM. Capitol Records will issue "A Man Could Be A Wonderful Thing" and "He Likes It, She Likes It" together as a single (Capitol F4083) and "Living With The Blues" and "I'm No Angel" together as a single (Capitol F4022).

1958 - Billy May conducts His Orchestra (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, Ralph Pena on bass, Alvin Stoller on drums, and Lou Singer and Ralph Hansell on percussionc) as they record the title "Return Of The Zombie" using an arrangment by Earle Hagen, and, using arrangements by May, the titles "Invitation", "Avenue Of Dreams" (later retitled "Brassmen's Holiday", and "Solving The Riddle" at an extended session in The Capitol Tower Studios at 1750 North Vine Street in Hollywood, California between 8:00 PM and 11:30 PM. Capitol Records will issue all the titles on the album "Billy May's Big Fat Brass" (T/ST 1043).

1958 - Pianist Leonard Pennario records Schumann's "Scenes From Childhood (Kinderscenen, Opus 15)" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue the title on Pennario's two-LP set "The Young SCHUMANN" (PBR/SPBR-8480).

65 Years Ago Today In 1961 - Faron Young's Capitol Records single "Hello Walls" is #1 on the Country singles charts.

1963 - Trumpet player Joe Graves and The Diggers (Plas Johnson on tenor saxophone and unlisted others), using arrangements by Van Alexander, record the titles "Lollipop And Roses", "A Taste Of Honey", "Snake Charmer's Blues", and "Eternally" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue "Lollipop And Roses" and "A Taste Of Honey" on the group's album "The Great New Swingers" (T/ST 1977) and has yet to issue "Snake Charmer's Blues" and "Eternally".

1963 - During two sessions held this day in (listed as possibly) E.M.I.'s studios on Abbey Road in London, England, violinist Nathan Milstein, with Anatole Fistoulari conducting The Philharmonia Orchestra (lineup unlisted), records the first movement and part of the second movement of Mozart's "Concerto N° 5 In A Major ('Turkish')" at the first session and the rest of the second movement and the entire third movement at the second session. Angel Records, at the time a subsidiary of Capitol Records, will issue the entire piece on Milstein's album "MOZART - Violin Concerto N° 4 In D Major/Violin Concerto N° 5 In A Major ('Turkish')" (S-36007).

1965 - The Beatles' Capitol Records album "Beatles VI" is #1 on Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart.

1965 - Carl Kress, banjoist, guitarist, bandleader, and Capitol Records artist, dies in Reno, Nevada at age 57 of a heart attack.

1967 - Peggy Lee (with Toots Thielemans on guitar, and an unknown reed, bass, string and drum section) records the tracks "I Can Hear The Music", "It Might As Well Be Spring", and "Sing A Rainbow" with producer Dave Cavanaugh for her Capitol Records album "Somethin' Groovy".

1968 - Brother Makes Two (lineup unlisted) records the titles "Silly Ole Me" and "Don't Abuse Me" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue both titles together as a single (Capitol 2262).

1968 - During two sessions held this day in Los Angeles, California, The Lettermen (vocalists Jim Pike, Tony Butala, and Bob Engemann), with unlisted others, record the titles "Caney Creek Reunion" and "Sally Leroy" at the first session then unlisted musicians record band tracks for the title "Tour D'Fourths" and overdubs for "Caney Creek Reunion" and "Sally Leroy" at the second session. After vocals are recorded for "Tour D'Fourths on June 13, 1968, and further overdubs are recorded for "Caney Creek Reunion" and "Sally Leroy" on June 14, 1968, Capitol Records will issue the final mix of "Sally Leroy" as a single (Capitol 2254) with "Playing The Piano" (recorded June 8, 1968 with overdubs recorded on June 13, 1968) on the flipside as by The Lettermen Present Tony Butala and has yet to issue either "Caney Creek Reunion" or "Tour D'Fourths".

1968 - Capitol Records registers the master it acquired from Apple Records for Billy Preston's titles "Let The Music Play" and "Through All Times" and has yet to issue "Let The Music Play" and will issue "Through All The Times" as a bonus track on the CD release of Preston's "That's The Way God Planned It" (Apple 7-97580-2).

1968 - The Beach Boys (lineup unlisted) record the title "Ol' Man River" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue the title as a bonus track on the two album compilation CD "Friends/20-20" (7-93697-2).

50 Years Ago Today In 1976 - Capitol Records group Paul McCartney and Wings set a new world's record for attendance when 67,100 fans gather for an indoor concert at the Kingdome in Seattle, Washington.

1977 - The Steve Miller Band's album "Book Of Dreams" is certified Platinum by the R.I.A.A.

1988 - Capitol Records registers the master it acquired from E.M.I. for S-Express' title "Super Fly Guy" which it will issue as a single (Capitol 44224) with "Funky Killer" (registration date not listed) on the flipside.

35 Years Ago Today In 1991 - Capitol Records releases Skip Ewing's album "Naturally".

2003 - Capitol Records release Radiohead's album "Hail To The Thief" and The Beach Boys' compilation album "Sounds Of Summer: The Very Best Of The Beach Boys".

2003 - EMI/Capitol Records releases albums in their "Classic Masters" series by Crowded House, J Geils Band, Gordon Lightfoot, Najee, and The O'Jays.

2009 - Jack Nimitz, baritone saxophonist who played in the Woody Herman and Stan Kenton big bands and in the Capitol Records group Supersax as well as being a popular Hollywood studio musician, died at age 79 of complications from emphysema at his home in Studio City, California.

2009 - Barry Beckett, keyboardist with the Fame Studio house band and record producer of sessions with various artists including Capitol Records artist Bob Seger, died at age 66 of complications from a stroke at his home in Henderson, Tennessee according to his son Matthew.


ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY

1925 - Don Costa, composer, arranger, A & R director, and ABC, United Artists, and Columbia Records artist is born in Boston, Massachusetts.

1952 - Saxophonist Gerry Mulligan records the tracks "Get Happy", "'S Wonderful" and "Godchild" with Red Mitchell on bass on and Chico Hamilton on drums at his first session for the Pacific Jazz label, held at Phil Turetsky's home studio, in Los Angeles, California. Jimmy Bowles was supposed to be on the piano but he didn't show up for the session, so Mulligan is playing the piano during the bass solos. Universal Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company, currently owns the Pacific Jazz catalog and distributes it through the Blue Note label.

1957 - Rick Nelson's Imperial Records single "Teenager's Romance" is #13 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart and his Imperial Records single "I'm Walkin'" is #17, and Fats Domino's Imperial Records single "Valley Of Tears" is #22. Imperial Records' catalog is currently owned by Universal Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company.

65 Years Ago Today In 1961 - Maxi Priest, Virgin Records America artist, is born Max Alfred Elliott in Lewisham, London, England. I designed and did the production for the cover of the U.S. version of his self-titled debut album with Jeff Ayeroff art directing.

1963 - Sarah Vaughn (with arranger Gerald Wilson conducting Vocalist Sarah Vaughan, with Gerald Wilson conducting his own arrangements to Carmell Jones on piano, Teddy Edwards on tenor saxophone, Jack Wilson on organ, John Collins on guitar, Al McKibbon on bass, and Earl Palmer on drums, records the titles"Sermonette", "Gravy Waltz", and "Baby, Won't You Please Come Home" with producer Teddy Reig at United Recorders studios in Los Angeles, California for her Roulette Records album "Sarah Sings Soulfully" (SR 52116). Universal Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company, currently owns the Roulette catalog.

1964 - Jimmy Chamberlin, drummer with the Virgin Records America group Smashing Pumpkins is born.

1978 - United Artists Records group The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band celebrates its 20th anniversary at a performance in Rocks, Colorado.

JUNE 9, 2026

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!

135 Years Ago Today In 1891 - Cole Porter, lyricist and composer, is born Cole Albert Porter in Peru, Indiana. Capitol Records will release the original Broadway cast album to Porter's musical "Can-Can" as well as the  soundtrack when it was turned into a movie. Capitol also released the soundtrack to Porter's "High Society" and the single from that album, "True Love", would earn Bing Crosby and Grace Kelly a gold record (Crosby's last).

1900 - Fred Waring, bandleader, choir master, motion picture and radio performer, television variety show host, inventor (the Waring blender), and leader of the Capitol Records group Fred Waring and The Pennsylvanians, is born Fredrick Malcolm Waring in Tyrone, Pennsylvania.

1915 - Les Paul, Capitol Records recording legend, guitarist, producer, early innovator of multi-track recording and the modern electric guitar as well as the designer of the echo chambers under the Capitol Records Tower is born Lester William Polsfuss in Waukesha, Wisconsin.

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY

1945 - Johnnie Johnston (with orchestra conducted by Paul Baron)'s Capitol Records single "Laura" is #5 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart and The Pied Pipers (with Paul Weston and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Dream" is #6.

1948 - The King Cole Trio appear on the bill for "Show For Sydenham (Hospital)" at Central Needle Trades High School at 225 West 24th Street, New York City, New York. Also appearing are Symphony Sid's and Ray Carroll's Be-Bop Concert From The Royal Roost which included Thelonius Monk, Charlie Parker, Rose Murphy, Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, Joey Adams, Timmie Rogers, Thelma Carpenter, Garland Wilson, The Jimmie Lunceford Band, Tadd Dameron, Allan Eager, Miles Davis, Kai Winding, Billy Banks, Max Roach, Curley Russell, Milt Jackson, Leonard Gasking, Denzil Best, Kenny Hagood, The Nicholas Brothers, and The Three Palmers. Tickets were only available on the night of the performance.

1950 - Capitol Records releases Joe "Fingers" Carr's single "Sam's Song" and Kay Starr's single "Bonaparte's Retreat".

75 Years Ago Today In 1951 - Les Paul and Mary Ford's Capitol Records single "How High The Moon" is still #1 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Nat "King" Cole (with orchestra conducted by Les Baxter to a Nelson Riddle arrangement)'s Capitol Records single "Too Young" is #2, and Les Paul and Mary Ford's Capitol Records single "Mockin'bird Hill" is #10.

1952 - Hank Thompson's Capitol Records single "The Wild Side Of Life", with "Crying In The Deep Blue Sea" on the flipside, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles chart.

1953 - Vocalist Skeets McDonald, with Joe Maphis on fiddle, Billy Liebert on piano, Douglas Briley, Jimmy Bryant, and Billy Strange on guitars, Joyce "Red" Murrell on bass, and Roy Harte on drums, records the titles "Walking On Teardrops", "It's Your Life", "Baby I'm Countin'", and "Look Who's Crying Now" in Capitol Records' studios at 5515 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood, California between 2:15 PM and 5:15 PM. Capitol Records will issue "Walking On Teardrops" and "Look Who's Crying Now" together as a single (Capitol 2696 on 10" shellac and F2696 on 7" vinyl) and "It's Your Life" and "Baby I'm Countin'" together as a single (Capitol 2523 on 10" shellac and F2523 on 7" vinyl).

1953 - Violinist Sascha Gordonitzki records parts of Brahms' "Variations And Fugue On A Theme Of Handel" and "Variations On A Theme Of Paganini, Opus 35" at Capitol Records' studios in New York City, New York. Capitol Records will issue the complete pieces on the album "BRAHMS - Variations On A Theme Of Paganini, Opus 35/Variations And Fugue On A Theme Of Handel" (P-8227).

70 Years Ago Today In 1956 - Les Baxter and His Orchestra's Capitol Records single "Poor People Of Paris" is #13 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Dean Martin's Capitol Records single "Standing On The Corner" is #30, Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra's Capitol Records single "Lisbon Antigua" is #35, and The Four Freshmen's Capitol Records single "Graduation Day" enters the top 40 at #38.

1958 - Dean Martin's Capitol Records single "Return To Me" is #4 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart, The Four Prep's Capitol Records single "Big Man" is #7, Nat "King" Cole's Capitol Records single "Looking Back" is #9, Laurie London's Capitol Records single "He's Got The Whole World In His Hands" is #14, and Ed Townsend's Capitol Records single "For Your Love" is #20. Also, Nat "King" Cole's Capitol Records single "Looking Back" is #22 on WMGM's Top 40 Survey in New York City, New York.

1958 - Tenor saxophonist and vocalist Sam Butera and The Witnesses (Lou Sineaux on trombone, William "Willie" McCumber on piano, Bobby Roberts on guitar, Tony Liuzza on bass, and Paul Ferrara on drums) record the titles "Bim-Bam", "Handle With Care", "Dig That Crazy Chick", and "A Twinkle In Your Eye" in The Capitol Tower Studios at 1750 North Vine Street in Hollywood, California between 6:00 PM and 9:00 PM. Capitol Records will issue "Bim-Bam" and "A Twinkle In Your Eye" together as a single (Capitol F4014) and "Handle With Care" as a single (Capitol F4119) with "French Poodle" (recorded as part of a Keely Smith and Louis Prima session with Butera on vocals on October 6, 1958) on the flipside. Bear Family Records will issue all the titles in Germany in the eight-CD box set "Louis Prima, Sam Butera & Keely Smith - Their Capitol Recordings" (BCD 15776).

1958 - The Jack Marshall Sextette (Harry Klee on flute, bass flute, and recorder, Milt Raskin on piano and cymbals, Edgar Lustgarten on cello, Jack Marshall on guitar and lute, Red Mitchell on bass, and Shelly Manne on drums), using arrangements by Jack Marshall, record a new take of the title "I Didn't Know What Time It Was" and the titles "Jeepers Creepers" and "My Heart Belongs To Daddy" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue all the titles on the sextette's album "18th Century Jazz" (T 1108).

1958 - Vocalist Nat "King" Cole, with Dave Cavanaugh directing the orchestra (Mannie Klein, Rudy Loera, Henry Miranda, and Al Rojo on trumpets, Rene Touzet on piano, John Collins, Lorenzo Felix, Charles Gonzales, Fred Hernandez, and Joe Nieto on guitars, Joe Comfort on bass, Lee Young on drums, and Chico Guerrero, Joe Guerrero, Armando Mesa, and Carlos Vidal on percussion), records the titles "El Bodeguero", "Chachito", and "Noce De Ronda" in The Capitol Tower Studios at 1750 North Vine Street in Hollywood, California between 2:30 PM and 5:30 PM. "El Bodeguero" and "Noce De Ronda" were made using band tracks by Armando Romeu, Jr. Orchestra recorded in late 1957 at Panart Studio in Havana, Cuba. Capitol Records will issue the "Chachito" and "Noce De Ronda" on Cole's album "Cole Español" (EAP-1-1031 and EAP-3-1031 respectively on 7" EPs and both titles on W/DW/ST/SM 1031 on 12" vinyl) and "El Bodeguero" for streaming as part of the album on Spotify. 

1958 - Cliffie Stone (listed as possibly on vocals), with Billy Liebert and His Orchestra (lineup unlisted), records the titles "Beer Barrel Polka", "Mexican Shuffle", "Billy Boy Schottische", and "Charleston" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue all the titles on Stone's album "Party's On Me" (T 1080).

1958 - Trumpet player and bandleader Harry James and His Orchestra (Nick Buono, Bob Rolfe, and Ollie Mitchell also on trumpets, Bob Edmondson and Ray Sims on trombones, Ernie Tack on bass trombone, Willie Smith and Herb Lorden on alto saxophones, Bob Poland and Sam Firmature on tenor saxophones, Ernie Small on baritone saxophone, Jack Perciful on piano, Dennis Budimir on guitar, Russ Phillips on bass, and Jackie Mills on drums), record the titles "Blues For Sale" and "Just For Fun" using arrangements by Ernie Wilkins in The Capitol Tower Studios at 1750 North Vine Street in Hollywood, California with producer Bill Miller. Capitol Records will issue both titles on James and the orchestra's album "Harry's Choice" (EAP-2-1093 on 7" EP and T/ST 1093 on 12" LP). Mosaic Records will also issue both titles in the 1999 seven-CD box set "The Complete Capitol Recordings Of The Gene Krupa And Harry James Orchestras" (MD7-192).

1960 - Judy Garland, with an orchestra conducted by Jack Marshall, records the tracks "Down With Love",  "Puttin' On The Ritz" and "Who Cares (As Long As You Care For Me)" for her album "Judy/That's Entertainment".

1963 - Buck Owen's Capitol Records single "Act Naturally", with "Over And Over Again" on the flipside, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts and Nat "King" Cole's Capitol Records single "Those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days Of Summer" is #34 on KRLA's Tune-Dex chart in Los Angeles.

1963 - Capitol Records purchases the masters to Wayne Newton's titles "Volare (Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu)", "But Not For Me", "You Made Me Love You", "I've Got The World On A String", "Bye Bye Blackbird", "Toot, Toot, Tootsie! (Good-bye)", "They Can't Take That Away From Me", "I Cried For You", "Ol' Man Mose", "Days Of Wine And Roses", and "I'll Remember April" and will issue all the titles on Newton's album "Danke Schoen" (T/ST 1973).

1965 - The Beach Boys' Capitol Records single "Help Me Rhonda" is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart.

1967 - Peggy Lee, with Ralph Charmichael directing the orchestra (Toots Thielemans on guitar and whistling, and unlisted reeds, bass, string and drum players) and producer Dave Cavanugh, records the titles "Something Stupid", "Two For The Road", "Makin' Whoopee" with Thielemans also on harmonica, and "(Our) Love Is Here To Stay" at The Capitol Tower Studios at 1750 North Vine Street in Hollywood, California. After overdubs are recorded on June 28 and 29, 1967, Capitol Records will issue all the titles on Lee's album "Somethin' Groovy" (T/ST 2781).

1973 - Brush Arbor (lineup unlisted) record the titles "Song To Mary Anne", "What's Your Mama's Name", "Home Again", and "I'm Not The Same Anymore" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue "Song To Mary Anne", "What's Your Mama's Name", and "Home Again" on the group's album "N° 2" (ST-11209), "Song To Mary Anne" also as a single (Capitol 3733) with "Now That It's All Over" (recorded April 28, 1973) on the flipside, and has yet to issue "I'm Not The Same Anymore".

1975 - Capitol Records Canada releases Sylvia Tyson's album "Woman's World".

1980 - Capitol Records releases The Motel's second album, "Careful".

1980 - Capitol Records recording artists Klaatu, whose members' identities had been kept from the public since their 1976 debut album, are finally announced to be John Woloschuk (vocals, keyboards, rhythm and bass guitar), Dee Long (vocals, lead guitarist, synthesizers), and Terry Draper (vocals, drums, percussion, keyboards, rhythm guitar). All three are natives of Toronto, Canada, Earth (not 4 lads from Liverpool, as a few had hoped, or anywhere else in the universe).

1983 - Vocalist Ellen Shipley, with unlisted others, records the title "Fugitive Kind" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue the title on Shipley's album "Call Of The Wild" (ST-12289).

1990 - Wilson Phillips' SBK Records (at the time a division of Capitol Records) single "Hold On" is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY

1953 - The Lou Donaldson-Clifford Brown Quintet (Clifford Brown on trumpet, Lou Donaldson on alto saxophone, Elmo Hope on piano, Percy Heath on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums) record the titles "Bellarosa", two takes of "Carvin' The Rock", two takes of "Cookin'", "Brownie Speaks", "De-Dah", "You Go To My Head", and another take of "Carving The Rock" in radio station WOR's studios in New York City, New York. Blue Note Records will issue "Bellarosa", the second take of "Carvin' The Rock", "the second take of "Cookin', "Brownie Speaks", "De-Dah", and "You Go To My Head" on the Donaldson and Brown's album "New Faces – New Sounds" (BLP5030), the first and third takes of "Carvin' The Rock", and the first take of "Cookin'" on Brown's compilation album "Alternate Takes" (BST84428), "Bellarosa" and the second take of "Cookin'" also as a single (Blue Note 1623), the second take of "Carvin' The Rock" and "De-Dah" also as a single (Blue Note 1624), "Brownie Speaks" and "You Go To My Head" also together as a single (Blue Note 16220), and all the titles and takes on the CD release of Brown's compilation album "Memorial Album" (7-81526-2).

70 Years Ago Today In 1956 - Fats Domino's Imperial Records single "I'm In Love Again" is #12 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart and Domino's Imperial Records single "My Blue Heaven" is #31. Universal Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company, currently owns Imperial Records' catalog.

1957 - Capitol Records artist Frank Sinatra, with Nelson Riddle's Orchestra, gives a concert in Seattle, Washington that is recorded and finally released in 1999 on the album "Sinatra '57" by the Artanis (spell it backwards) Entertainment Group.

1958 - David Seville's Liberty Records single "Witch Doctor" is #3 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart, Dion and The Belmont's Laurie Records single "I Wonder Why" is #33, and Fats Domino's Imperial Records single "Sick And Tired" is tied for #40 with Kathy Linden's single "Billy". Liberty, Laurie and Imperial Records' catalogs are currently owned by Universal Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company.

1962 - Dion's Laurie Records single "Lovers Who Wander" is #3 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart, Jay and The American's United Artists Records single "She Cried" is #16, Walter Brennan's Liberty Records single "She Cried" is #17, Bobby Vee's Liberty Records single "Sharing You" is #31, and Dick and DeeDee's Liberty Records single "Tell Me" is #40. Laurie, United Artists, and Liberty Record's catalogs are currently owned by Universal Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company.

1968 - Bobby Goldsboro's United Artists Records single "Honey" is #1 on the U.S. Country singles chart. United Artists' catalog is currently owned by Universal Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company.

35 Years Ago Today In 1991 - Paula Abdul's Virgin Records America single "Rush Rush" is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart. Virgin Records is a division of Capitol Music Group.

2004 - Barbara Whiting Smith, radio, movie and television actress, daughter of composer Richard Whiting, and sister of Capitol Records artist Margaret Whiting dies of cancer at age 73 in Pontiac, Michigan and is buried at Greenwood Cemetery, Birmingham, Michigan.


ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY

1934 - Donald Duck makes his debut in the Silly Symphonies cartoon "The Wise Little Hen".

1957 - Alto saxophonist Lou Donaldson (with Herman Foster on piano, Peck Morrison on bass, Dave Bailey on drums, and Ray Barretto on congas) records the tracks "Herman's Mambo", "Peck Time" a mono and a stereo version of ""There'll Never Be Another You", "Groove Junction", "Dorothy", "Grits And Gravy" and ""I Won't Cry Anymore" for his Blue Note Records album "Swing And Soul". The session was produced by Alfred Lion with recording engineer Rudy Van Gelder at Van Gleder's studio at his home in Hackensack, New Jersey. Blue Note's catalog is currently owned by Universal Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company.

JUNE 8, 2026


HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!

1918 - Robert Preston, Broadway and motion picture actor, and Capitol Records artist (original Broadway cast album "The Music Man") is born Robert Preston Meservey in Newton, Massachusetts.

90 Years Ago Today In 1936 - Odessa Harris who, with producers Earl Wainwright and Bill Wyler, recorded the tracks "You're What I Need" and "Since I Fell For You", "The Color Of His Love Is Blue" and "Driving Wheels", which were released in 1967 as two singles for the Uptown Records label (a subsidiary of Tower Records, itself a subsidiary of Capitol Records), is born in West Helena, Arkansas.

90 Years Ago Today In 1936 - James Darrin, motion picture and television actor and singer, who would record his first album, "Album No. 1", for ColPix Records in Studio A of The Capitol Tower Studios in 1959 and return 42 years later in 2001 to record his album "Because Of You" for Concord Jazz Records, is born James William Ercolani in Philadelphia Pennsylvania.

1953 - Jeff Rich, drummer with the Capitol Records group Status Quo is born.

1962 - Nick Rhodes, the keyboardist for the Capitol Records bands Duran Duran and Arcadia as well as The Devils, is born Nicholas James Bates in Moseley, West Midlands, England.

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL HISTORY

95 Years Ago Today In 1931 - Future Capitol Records co-founder Johnny Mercer marries Ginger Meehan (born Elizabeth Meltzer), in New York City. Ginger would suggest the name Capitol Records over dinner at Chasen's restaurant in Beverly Hills after the company couldn't retain the rights to the name Liberty Records.

80 Years Ago Today In 1946 - The King Cole Trio’s recording of “(Get Your Kicks On) Route 66” enters the U.S. R&B charts, where it will peak at #3 

80 Years Ago Today In 1946 - Andy Russell's Capitol Records single "Laughing On The Outside (Crying On The Inside)" is #5 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart and Alvino Ray and His Orchestra (with vocals by Rocky Coluccio)'s Capitol Records single "Cement Mixer (Put-Ti Put-Ti) is #9.

1953 - Nat "King" Cole's Capitol Records single "Pretend" is #4 on Britain's Top 5 Singles chart.

1953 - Vocalist Betty Hutton, with Nelson Riddle conducting his own arrangments to the orchestra (lineup unlisted), records the titles "Goin' Steady" and "Wanderin' Eyes" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue "Goin' Steady" as a single (Capitol 2522) with "No Matter How You Say Goodbye" (recorded June 5, 1953) on the flipside and has yet to issue "Wanderin' Eyes".

1953 - Vocalist and guitarist Hank Thompson and His Brazos Valley Boys (Amos Lee Hedrick and Robert "Bob" White on fiddles, Gilbert "Gil" Baca on piano, Billy Gray and Merle Travis also on guitars, Wayma "Pee Wee" Whitewing on steel guitar, Billy Briggs Stewart on bass, and Paul McGhee on drums) record the titles "Go Cry Your Heart Out", "Wake Up Irene", "A Fooler And A Faker", and "Breakin' The Rules" in Capitol Records' studios at 5515 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood, California between 3:30 PM and 6:30 PM, with producer Ken Nelson. Capitol Records will issue "Go Cry Your Heart Out" and "Wake Up Irene" together as a single (Capitol 2646 on 10" shellac and F2646 on 7" vinyl) and "A Fooler And A Faker" and "Breakin' The Rules" together as a single (Capitol 2758 on 10" shellac and F2758 on 7" vinyl).

1953 - Guitarist and vocalist Freddie Segrest (as Freddie Hart"), with Amos Lee Hedrick on fiddle, Gil Baca on piano, Billy Gray also on guitar, Wayma "Pee Wee" Whitewing on steel guitar, and Billy Briggs Stewart on bass, records the titles "Butterfly Love", "My Heart Is A Playground", "Whole Hog Or None", and "Secret Kisses" in Capitol Records' studios at 5515 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood, California from 10:30 PM to 1:30 AM on June 9, 1953, with producer Ken Nelson. Capitol Records will issue "Butterfly Love" and "My Heart Is A Playground" together as a single (Capitol 2524 on 10" shellac and F2524 on 7" vinyl) and "Whole Hog Or None" and "Secret Kisses" together a single (Capitol 2588 on 10" shellac and F2588 on 7" vinyl.

1953 - Violinist Sascha Gorodnitzki begins three straight days of sessions at Capitol Records' studios in New York City, New York to record Brahms' "Variations And Fugue On A them Of Handel" and "Variations On A Theme Of Paganini, Opus 35". Capitol Records will issue both titles on Gorodnitzki's album "BRAHMS - Variations On A Theme Of Paganini, Opus 35/Variations And Fugue On A Theme Of Handel" (P-8227).

1955 - Faron Young's Capitol Records single "Live Fast Love Hard Die Young", with "Forgive Me Dear" on the flipside, becomes Young's first #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts.

1959 - Franck Pourcell and His French Fiddlers' Capitol Records single "Only You (Loin De Vous)" is # 9 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart.

1960 - John Stewart, member of the Capitol Records group The Kingston Trio marries Julie Koehler, whom he met in high school.

1963 - Kyu Sakamoto's Capitol Records single "Sukiyaki" is #2 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart, Al Martino's Capitol Records single "I Love You Because" is #4, Nat "King" Cole's Capitol Records single "Those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days Of Summer" is #9, The Beach Boys' Capitol Records single "Surfin' U.S.A." is #10, Bobby Darin's Capitol Records single "Yellow Roses" is #11, The Kingston Trio's Capitol Records single "Reverend Mr. Black" is #26, and The Beach Boys' Capitol Records single "Shut Down' (the flip side of "Surfin' U.S.A.") is #32.
Also, Nat "King" Cole's Capitol Records single "Those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days Of Summer" is #4 on Billboard magazine's Middle-Road Singles chart, #24 on KFWB's Fabulous Forty Survey in Los Angeles, California, and #35 on C-Fun's C-Funtastic Fifty chart in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Also, Nat "King" Cole's Capitol Records album "Ramblin' Rose" is #43 on Billboard magazine's Top LPs - 150 Best Sellers - Monaural chart.

1967 - Wynn Stewart's Capitol Records single "It's Such A Pretty World Today", with "Ol' What's Her Name" on the flipside, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts.

1967 - Vocalist Al Martino, with Peter De Angelis conducting his own arrangement to unlisted musicians, records the titles "Making Memories", "Red Is Red", "Can't Take My Eyes Off  You", "Now (Before Another Day Goes By)", and "Release Me" in New York City, New York with producers Tom Morgan and Marvin Holtzman. Capitol Records will issue all the titles on Martino's album "Mary In The Morning" (T/ST 2780).

1968 - During two sessions held this day in Los Angeles, California, The Lettermen (vocalists Jim Pike, Tony Butala, and Bob Engemann), with unlisted others, record the titles "Leavin' Again" and "Playin' Piano" at the first session and the titles "Under The Sea" and "Here To Stay" at the second session. After overdubs are recorded for "Leavin' Again", "Under The Sea", and Here To Stay" also on June 8, 1968 and for all the titles on June 13, 1968, Capitol Records will issue the final mix of "Playing The Piano" as a single (Capitol 2254) with "Sally Leroy" (recorded June 10, 1968) on the flipside as by The Lettermen Present Tony Butala and has yet to issue any of the other titles which were listed as by Tony butala in the Capitol file on unissued masters.

1969 - Sonny James' Capitol Records single "Running Bear", with "Midnight Mood" on the flipside, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts.

1973 - Overdubs are recorded in Los Angeles, California for Glen Campbell's titles "A Beautiful Love Song" and "Bring Back My Yesterday", then Campbell, on vocals with unlisted others, records the titles "Wedding Bells", "Cold, Cold Heart", and "Take These Chains From My Heart". Capitol Records will issue the final mixes of "A Beautiful Love Song" and "Bring Back My Yesterday" together as a single (Capitol 3669), "A Beautiful Love Song" also on Campbell's album "Houston (I'm Comin' To See You)" (SW-11293) and "Wedding Bells", "Cold, Cold Heart", and "Take These Chains From My Heart" on Campbell's album "I Remember Hank Williams" (SW=11253).

1974 - Paul McCartney & Wings' album "Band On The Run" hits #1 on Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart.

1975 - Linda Ronstadt's Capitol Records single "When Will I Be Loved", with "It Doesn't Matter Anymore" on the flipside, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts.

1983 - Vocalist Juice Newton, with an orchestra (lineup unlisted) using arrangements by Charles Calello, records the title "Keeping Me On My Toes" at the Conway Recording Studio in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue the title on Newton's album "Dirty Looks" (ST-12294).

1988 - Vocalist Anne Murray, with unlisted others, records the titles "Slow All Night" and "I'm Losing Your Love" at the Nightingale Studio in Nashville, Tennessee. Capitol Records will issue "Slow All Night" as a single (Capitol 44219) with "Flying On Your Own" (recorded January 29, 1988) on the flipside. No issuing information is listed for "I'm Losing Your Love".

1999 - Capitol Records releases the album "Mrs. Miller: Wild, Cool & Swingin'" as part of their UltraLounge Series.

2005 - Capitol Records group The Shout Out Louds make their late night television debut on "The Late Show with David Letterman".

2005 - Nick Ulleseit, Jonathan Gelber, Jayinee Basu, Dan Kent and Taylor Baxley, Los Gatos, California students, flew to Los Angeles for the day to visit Capitol Records, getting tips about how to make themselves more marketable and successful, and a got a chance to promote their own music.

2007 - Nellie Lutcher, arranger, songwriter, pianist, singer, bandleader (Nellie Lutcher and Her Rhythm), sister of Capitol Records artist Joe Lutcher, and a Capitol Records artist who was signed to the label in 1947 by Dave Dexter, Jr. after hearing her on a live benefit show (which she was booked to play by deejay Frank Bull) on Los Angeles radio station KFWB, dies at age 94 of complications of old age in a nursing home in Los Angeles, California. There will be a memorial service on Tuesday, June 19, at 11:00 AM at Founder's Church of Religious Science, 3281 W. 6th Street, in Los Angeles, California. I attended and it turned out to be an open casket service. Her family and friends filled the lower chapel and listened to remembrances and recordings of her music. She was laid to rest in an ivory white coffin with golden brass fittings.


ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY

1940 - Nancy Sinatra, singer, motion picture actress, and daughter of future Capitol Records artist Frank Sinatra, is born Nancy Sandra Sinatra, Jr. in Jersey City, New Jersey.

1959 - Martin Denny's Liberty Records single "Quiet Village" is #5 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart, Dion and The Belmont's Laurie Records single "A Teenager In Love" is #6, and Fats Domino's Imperial Records single "I'm Ready" is #16. Universal Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company, currently owns Liberty, Laurie, and Imperial Records' catalogs.

1963 - Lou Christie's Roulette Records single "Two Faces Have I" is #6 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart and The Chiffons' Laurie Records single "One Fine Day" is #36. Universal Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company, currently owns Roulette and Laurie Records' catalogs.

1968 - Paul McCartney was the best man at his brother Michael's wedding to hair stylist Angela Fishwick, held at St. Bridget's Parish Church in Carrog, Merioneth, North Wales (the same church where Paul and Mike's father Jim married his second wife in 1966). The other Beatles sent congratulatory telegrams (George and Ringo visited folksinger Joan Baez at her home in Carmel, California). The reception was held at Jim McCartney's home in Gayton, Cheshire, and featured a family sing-song, led by Paul at the piano.

1969 - Brian Jones, a founding member and a guitarist in the future Virgin Records group The Rolling Stones, is fired from the band by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards.

1977 - Kanye West is born Kanye Omari West in Atlanta, Georgia and, in 2002, was this close to being signed to Capitol Records.

40 Years Ago Today In 1981 - Duran Duran's self-titled first album is released by Parlophone Records in the UK.

1993 - Jim Tunnell, with Bob Belden, record the title "Kiss" at an unlisted studio. Blue Note Records will issue the title in Europe on the multi-artist compilation CD "Blue Note Plays Prince" (8-63827-2).

1998 - Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr appear together in public for the first time since 1969 at a memorial service for Linda McCartney, which is also attended by, among others, Sting, Pete Townshend and Sir Elton John, at a private service at St. Martins-in-the-Fields church in London, England.

2004 - Publisher Bill Lowery, who started Lowery Music Company (eventually becoming Lowery Music Group) because of a suggestion by Capitol A&R VP Ken Nelson and who's first million seller was "Be-Bop-A-Lula", dies of cancer at age 79 in Atlanta, Georgia.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY

1867 - Frank Lloyd Wright, architect and founder of the Taliesin School of Architecture, is born in Richland Center, Wisconsin.

1912 - Carl Laemmle incorporates Universal Pictures.

85 Years Ago aToday In 1941 - Clarence "Fuzzy" Haskins, a vocalist for the bands The Parliaments and Funkadelic, is born in Elkhorn, West Virginia.