JULY 23, 2012

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
1933 - Bert Convy, singer, Broadway and television actor, television game show host, and a Capitol Records artist as part of the group The Cheers (best know for the track "Black Leather Jacket and Motorcycle Boots"), is born Bernard Whalen Convy in St. Louis, Missouri

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1955 - Frank Sinatra (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s single "Learnin' The Blues", with "If I Had Three Wishes" on the flip side, peaks at #2 on Billboard's singles chart. It's kept out of the #1 spot by Bill Haley and The Comets single "Rock Around The Clock"
1963 - Johnny Burnette has his first session as a Capitol Records artist when he records the tracks "It Isn’t There", "Wish It Were Saturday Night", "I’ll Give You Three Guesses", "All Week Long", and "Congratulations You’ve Hurt Me Again" with producers Jim Economides and Jimmie Haskell at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California
1963 - Judy Garland records a live version of the song "Maybe I'll Come Back" for her CBS television series that is later included on her Capitol Records album "Just For Openers"
1973 - Helen Reddy is awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame just outside The Capitol Tower
25 Years Ago Today In 1986 - Capitol Records re-releases The Beatles' single "Twist And Shout", with "There's A Place" on the flip side, after the song is used in the motion pictture "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" when Matthew Broderick lip syncs to John Lennon's vocals during the parade sequence
25 Years Ago Today In 1987 - Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley proclaims it "Capitol Tower Day", characterizing the building as "one of Los Angeles' most distinguishable landmarks" which has become "almost as recognizable as the Hollywood sign itself". Ella Mae Morse, whose 1942 recording of "Cow Cow Boogie" was Capitol Records' first hit single, is presented with a plaque commemorating the accomplishment during an evening celebration marking the the renovation of the Capitol Records Tower. The 31-year-old building was recently repainted and the beacon on top of the 13-story structure has been wired so it once again will blink out the the word Hollywood in Morse Code. Joe Smith, vice chairman and chief executive of Capitol, will host the reception that will also honor such other past and present Capitol artists as Peggy Lee, Yma Sumac, Martha Davis of the Motels and members of the band Duran Duran.
1996 - Capitol Records releases "Organs In Orbit", volume 11 of its compilation Ultra Lounge series
1996 - Capitol Records Nashville releases Suzy Bogguss' first single for the label (after its named had been changed from Liberty Records) "Give Me Some Wheels" with "Far And Away" on the flip side

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1898 - Fred Gaisberg, a young recording engineer and talent scout, who previously worked for Emile Berliner, leaves New York for London to join The Gramophone Company (which would later become EMI, Capitol Record's owner) as its first recording engineer
1951 - Pianist Thelonius Monk (with Art Blakey on drums, Milt Jackson on vibraphone, Sahib Shihab on alto saxophone, and Al McKibbon on bass) records the track "Criss Cross" with producer Alfred Lion, recording engineer Doug Hawkins, and master engineer Rudy Van Gelder at WOR Studios in New York City, New York. The track would be released on the Blue Note Records album "Thelonius Monk: Genius Of Modern Music: Volume 2 (The Rudy Van Gelder Edition). Blue Note Records' catalog is currently owned by Capitol Records.
1965 - United Artists premieres The Beatles' second movie "Help!". Capitol Records will release the soundtrack album for the movie in the United States.
1989 - Capitol Records artist Anne Murray helps christen the new Anne Murray Center, which displays memorabilia of her career, in her home town of Springhill, Nova Scotia, Canada

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1999 - The 30th anniversary Woodstock concert begins the first of 3 days of concerts at Griffiss Air Base, in Rome, New York