AUGUST 16, 2017

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1940 - T.S. Bonniwell (aka Sean Bonniwell), singer, guitarist, songwriter, founding member of the group The Music Machine, and a Capitol Records solo recording artist (the 1969 album "Close"), is born Thomas Harvey Bonniwell in San Jose, California
1949 - Bill "Sputnik" Spooner, songwriter, guitarist, vocalist, and founder of the Capitol Records recording group The Tubes, is born William Spooner in Phoenix, Arizona. Thanks Mel for the update on which city in Arizona is Bill's birthplace.

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1946 - Johnny Mercer, with Freddie Slack and His Orchestra (Slack on piano; Ray Linn, Jack Mootz, and Ernie Figueroa on trumpets; Kenny Wygal and Roger Ingram on trombone (an email from Kenny Wygal's daughter Tricia reads that her father played trumpet for Freddie Slack not trombone); Jack Ordean and Jimmie Rudge on alto saxophone; Don Brassfield and Everett McLaughlin on tenor saxophone; Sam Sachelle on baritone saxophone; Al Hendirckson on electric guitar; Hilmer "Tiny" Timbrell on guitar; Harry Babason on bass; and Dave Coleman on drums) record the tracks "The H.C. Potter's Ball" with Mercer and Don Raye on vocals, and "The Necessary Evil Blues" with just Mercer on vocals. After recording Mercer's tracks, Freddie Slack and His Orchestra (same lineup as above), record the tracks "Half After" "Cocktail Repartee", and "What Is This Thing Called Rebop? All the tracks were recorded in Los Angeles, California and remained unissued until 2005 when they appeared on Mosaic Records' 3 CD compilation "Mosaic Select: Freddie Slack".
70 Years Ago Today In 1947 - Tex Williams' Capitol Records single "Smoke, Smoke, Smoke (That Cigarette)" is still #1 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart and Red Ingle and The Natural Seven (with vocals by Cinderella G. Stump aka Jo Stafford)'s Capitol Records single "Tim-Tay-Shun" peaks at #2 up from #3
70 Years Ago Today In 1947 - It's a Saturday and The King Cole Trio (Nat "King" Cole on piano and vocals, Oscar Moore on guitar, and Johnny Miller on bass) record the titles "Straighten Up And Fly Right", "Midnight Masquerade", "I Miss You", "He's A Real Gone Guy with Nellie Lutcher replacing Cole on piano and vocals, then Cole returns as they record "I'm In The Mood For Love" and "Naughty Angeline" as an electronic transcription for The Armed Forces Radio Service at The Bocage in Hollywood, California. The AFRS will issue all the tracks on the transcription disc "King Cole Trio 22".

1950 - Nat "King" Cole (on vocal and piano), with Irving Ashby on guitar, Joe Comfort on bass, Jack Costanzo on bongos, and The Stan Kenton Orchestra (including Maynard Ferguson, Jim Salko, Buddy Childers, Chico Alvarez, and Shorty Rogers on trumpet; Milt Bernhart, Harry Betts, Bob Fitzpatrick, Johnny Halliburton, and Herbie Harper on trombone; Bud Shank and Art Pepper on alto saxophone; Bob Cooper and Bert Calderal on tenor saxophone; and Bob Gioga on baritone saxophone), records the tracks "Orange Colored Sky" (arranged by Pete Rugalo) and "Jam-Bo" (arranged by Shorty Rogers) with producer Lee Gillette at Capitol Records' Melrose Avenue studios in Hollywood, California

65 Years Ago Today In 1952 - Nat "King" Cole (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Somewhere Along The Way" (with Billy May and His Orchestra) is #12 up from #13 and its flipside "Walkin' My Baby Back Home" with Billy May and His Orchestra is #14 up from #19on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart. "Walkin' My Baby Back Home" is tied with Johnnie Ray's Columbia Records version of the song at #6 and "Somewhere Along The Way" is #17 on Cash Box magazine's Best Selling Singles chart.
1956 - Louis Armstrong, with Buddy Rich on drums and the Oscar Peterson Trio, records the track "April in Paris" for Verve Records album "Ella and Louis" in The Capitol Tower Studios, in Hollywood California
60 Years Ago Today In 1957 - Freddy Martin conducts His Orchestra (lineup unlisted) as they record the titles "Ca C'est L'Amour" with vocals by Johnny Cochran, "Donna Diane", "Cuernavaca" with vocals by Johnny Cochran and The Martin Men (unlisted male vocalists), and "Sweet Affection" with vocals by Ralph Anthony and ensemble (lineup unlisted) in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue "Ca C'est L'Amour" and "Sweet Affection" together as a single (Capitol F3795) and have yet to issue "Donna Diane" which was later re-recorded and "Cuernavaca".
60 Years Ago Today In 1957 - Leopold Stokowski conducts His Symphony Orchestra (lineup unlisted) as they record Bach's "Preludio From Violin Partita N°3 in E Minor, S. 1006", Paganini's "Moto Perpetuo, Opus 11", and Gluck's "Musette From 'Armide' (Reigen Seliger Geister)" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue all the titles on Stokowski and the orchestra's album "Music For Strings" (PAO/SPAO-8415).
1958 - The Kingston Trio records the tracks "New York Girls", "They Call The Wind Maria", and "Shady Grove/Lonesome Traveler" for their Capitol Records album "...From The Hungry i"
1961 - The Kingston Trio records the track "Oh Sail Away" for their Capitol Records album "Close-Up"
55 Years Ago Today In 1962 - During two sessions held this day in EMI's Abbey Road Studios in London England, Roger Wagner conducts The Roger Wagner Chorale and The Sinfonia Of London (lineups unlisted) as they record the titles "Jingle Bells", "We Three Kings", "We Wish You A Merry Christmas", "Good King Wenceslas", and "O Tannenbaum" at the first session and the titles "Gesu Bambino", "What Child Is This?", "The Virgin's Slumber Song", and "Silent Night" at the second session. Capitol Records will issue all the titles on the album "The Roger Wagner Chorale & The Sinfonia Of London - It Came Upon A Midnight Clear" (W/SW 1760).
50 Years Ago Today In 1967 - Guitarist Laurindo Almeida, with Lex De Azevedo conducting an orchestra (lineup unlisted but includes woodwinds, rhythm and strings sections) using arrangements by Claire Fischer, Lex De Azevedo, and Dick Grove, records the titles "Simplicidad", "My Own True Love", "Windy", and "Don't Sleep In The Subway" in Los Angeles, California. After an overdub for "Windy" is recorded on August 29, 1967, Capitol Records will issue all the titles on Almeida's album "The Look Of Love And The Sounds Of Laurindo Almeida" (T/ST 2866).
1968 - Apple Records releases Mary Hopkin's single "Those Were The Days", which is produced by Paul McCartney, with "Turn, Turn, Turn" on the flip side. The record becomes Apple's first big hit, selling 4 million copies worldwide, and is distributed by Capitol Records in the United States.
45 Years Ago Today In 1972 - Vocalist and guitarist Glen Campbell, with unlisted others, records the titles "Just For What I Am", "Someone To Give My Love To", and "My Cricket" in Los Angeles, California. After overdubs are recorded for all the titles on August 28 and 29, 1972, for "Someone To Give My Love To" on August 31, 1972, "My Cricket" on September 7, 1972, and for "Just For What I Am" on September 14, 1972, Capitol Records will issue all the titles on Campbell's album "Glen Travis Campbell" (SW-11117).
40 Years Ago Today In 1977 - Vocalist Al Martino, with an orchestra (lineup unlisted but includes celeste, piano, synthesizer, reeds, guitar, and drums players) using arrangements by Harold Wheeler, records the titles "After The Lovin'", "Can't Get Over You", "Only A Dream Away", and "The Leaving Game" at Media Sound Studios in New York City, New York with producer Joel Diamond for Silver Blue Productions and engineer Bob Clearmountain. After vocal overdubs by a chorus (lineup unlisted) are recorded for all titles and vocals by Kathy Keates are added on "Only A Dream Away" on September 7, 1977 and additional overdubs for all titles are recorded on September 16 and 17, 1977, Capitol Records will issue "After The Lovin'" as a single (Capitol 4508) with "The Next Hundred Years" (recorded September 13, 1977) on the flipside, "Only A Dream Away" as a single (Capitol 4798) with "I Think About You" (recorded September 20, 1979), and all the titles on Martino's album "The Next Hundred Years" (ST-11741).
40 Years Ago Today In 1977 - At two sessions held this day in (listed as possibly) Los Angeles, California, The Sylvers (lineup unlisted) records the title "Charisma" at the first session and "This One's For Us" at the second session. Capitol Records will issue "Charisma" as a single (Capitol 4532) and on the group's album "New Horizons" (ST-11705). No issuing information is listed for "This One's For Us".
35 Years Ago Today In 1982 - Rene & Angela (vocalists Rene Moore and Angela Winbush), with unlisted others, record the title "Going For The Throat" in Los Angeles, California for Capitol Records which has yet to issue the title.
1996 - The Figgs' Capitol Records debut album "Banda Macho" hits #10 on CMJ's Radio Top 200 records chart
2005 - Capitol Records releases Bob Seger's album "Back In '72" on CD for the first time
2005 - Capitol Records Nashville releases Chris LeDoux's compilation album "Anthology Volume 1"

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1929 - Bill Evans, pianist and Blue Note Records recording artist, is born William John Evans in Plainfield, New Jersey. Capitol Records currently owns Blue Note Records catalog.
65 Years Ago Today In 1952 - Al Martino (with orchestra conducted by Monty Kelly)'s  BBS Records single "Here In My Heart" is #7 down from #5 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records
65 Years Ago Today In 1952 - The Gerry Mulligan Quartet (Mulligan on baritone saxophone, Chet Baker on trumpet, Bob Whitlock on bass and Chico Hamilton on drums) records for the first together in the afternoon at the Laurel Canyon bungalow of recording engineer Phil Turetsky. Using Turetsky's early model Ampex tape recorder, they record the tracks "Bernie's Tune" and "Lullaby Of The Leaves which are released as a single by Pacific Jazz. The single will become the label's first big success. Pacific Jazz's catalog is currently owned by Capitol Records.
55 Years Ago Today In 1962 - Brian Epstein fires The Beatles' drummer Pete Best and hires Ringo Starr to replace him
1968 - Arranger Gerald Wilson (with Ollie Mitchell, Dalton Smith, Alex Rodrigues, Tony Rusch on trumpet; Frank Strong, Lester Robertson, and Thurman Green on trombone; Mike Wimberly on bass trombone; Jim McGee and George Hyde on french horn; Anthony Ortega on alto saxophone, flute, and piccolo; Ramon Borjorquez on alto saxophone; Hadley Caliman and Harold Land on tenor saxophone; Richard Aplanalp on baritone saxophone; Henry DeVega, Pete Terry, and Bill Perkins on reeds; Bobby Hutcherson on vibraphones; Mike Wofford and Jimmy Rowles on piano, organ, and electric harpsichord; Mike Anthony on guitar; Wilton Felder on electric bass guitar; Carl Lott on drums; and Hugh Anderson and Joe Porcaro on percussion) records the tracks "California Soul", "Yesterlove", and "Lullaby From Rosemary's Baby" with producer Richard Bock and recording engineer Lanky Linstrot at Liberty Records' studios on Third Street in Los Angeles (near Robertson Boulevard in Beverly Hills), California for his World Pacific Records album "California Soul".
40 Years Ago Today In 1977 - Elvis Presley, father of Capitol Records artist Lisa Marie Presley, is pronounced dead of heart failure at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee at age 42
1996 - Thorn EMI shareholders voted in favour of demerger proposals. The resulting media company is now known as EMI Group PLC
20 Years Ago Today In 2007 - It is announced that EMI has hired Saatchi & Saatchi to handle marketing of its back catalog

BTW - It's my daughter Alys' 18th birthday! She was born at 1:37 AM PDT at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica, California.