AUGUST 17, 2017

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
1893 - Mae West, Broadway, radio, and motion picture actor, playwright, screenwriter, singer, and Tower Records (a subsidiary of Capitol Records) artist is born in Mary Jane West in Bushwick, Brooklyn, New York.
1954 - Eric Johnson, guitarist, songwriter, and Capitol Records artist (1987 -1996), is born in Austin, Texas. If anyone knows his middle name, please leave a comment.

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
75 Years Ago Today In 1942 - Capitol Records' fourth ever release contains Jack McLean and His Orchestra's "Take Me" with vocals by Wayne Gregg and chorus with "St-St-St-Stella" with vocals by Ted Tubb and a male vocal trio on the flipside (Capitol 112), Freddie Slack and His Orchestra's "He's My Guy" with vocals by Ella Mae Morse with the instrumental "Doll Dance" on the flipside (Capitol 113) and Gordon Jenkins and His Orchestra's "At Last" with "Be Careful, It's My Heart" on the flipside (Capitol 114) with vocals on both by Connie Haines.
1951 - At their first session together, Nat "King" Cole records the titles "Unforgettable", "My First And My Last Love", and "Lovelight", with arranger Nelson Riddle conducting his own arrangements to the orchestra (lineup unlisted), at Capitol's studios at 5515 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood, California. Capitol Records will issue "Unforgettable" and "My First And My Last Love" together as a single (Capitol 1808) and "Lovelight" on Cole's album "10th Anniversary" (W 514). Cole would re-record the "Unforgettable" in stereo on March 30, 1961. That take would later be used for the duet recording with his daughter Natalie..
60 Years Ago Today In 1957 - Vocalist and guitarist Johnny Duncan, with The Blue Grass Boys (Danny Levan on fiddle, Denny Wright on lead guitar, Jack Fallon on bass, and Lennie Hastings on drums), records the title "Jig Along Home" at the IBC Studio in London, England for Columbia Records UK which was distributed by EMI in England. Capitol Records will issue "Jig Along Home" in the United States as a single (Capitol 3814) with "Last Train To San Fernando" (recorded May 20, 1957) on the flipside.
60 Years Ago Today In 1957 - Leopold Stokowski conducts His Symphony Orchestra (lineup unlisted) as they record Bach's "Mein Jesu, Was Für Seelenweh Befällt Dich In Gethsemane, S. 487" and Gluck's "Suite (Lento, from Iphigenie In Auslis)" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue both titles on the album "Leopold Stokowki & His Symphony Orchestra - Music For Strings" (PAO/SPAO-8415).
1961 - The Kingston Trio record the track "Take Her Out Of Pity" for their Capitol Records album "Close Up" with John Stewart, who had recently replaced Dave Guard, on lead vocal
55 Yeasr Ago Today In 1962 - Roger Wagner conducts The Roger Wagner Chorale and The Sinfonia Of London (lineups unlisted) as they record the titles "Little Drummer Boy", "Sweet Little Jesus" featuring tenor vocals by Richard Levitt, "Wassail Song" using an arrangement by Ralph Vaughan Williams, and "It Came Upon A Midnight Clear" at EMI's Abbey Road Studios in London, England. 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).
55 Years Ago Today In 1962 - Vocalist and guitarist Mitchell Torok, with unlisted others, records the titles "The Rio Grande" and "A Fool's Disguise" at the Bradley Film and Recording Studio in Nashville, Tennessee. Capitol Records will issue both titles together as a single (Capitol 4846).
1964 - Capitol Records releases The Beach Boys' single "When I Grow Up (To Be A Man)" with "She Knows Me Too Well" on the flipside.
50 Years Ago Today In 1967 - Vocalist and guitarist Glen Campbell, with Al De Lory conducting his own arrangements to the orchestra (lineup unlisted), records the titles "Hey Little One" and "By The Time I Get To Phoenix" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue "Hey Little One", after overdubs are recorded on August 29, 1967, and "By The Time I Get To Phoenix", after overdubs are recorded August 29 and 31, 1967, on Campbell's album "By The Time I Get To Phoenix (T/ST 2851) and together as a single (Capitol 6113).
1970 - Capitol Records releases The Band's album "Stage Fright"
45 Years Ago Today In 1972 - Vocalist and guitarist Glen Campbell, with unlisted others, records the titles "All My Tomorrows" and "The Last Thing On My Mind" in Los Angeles, California. After overdubs are recorded for both titles on August 28 and 29, 1972, for "The Last Thing On My Mind" on August 31, 1972, and for "All My Tomorrows" on September 14, 1972, Capitol Records will issue both titles on Campbell's album "Glen Travis Campbell" (ST-11117).
40 Years Ago In 1977 - The Sylvers (lineup unlisted) record the title "You Make Me Wanna Rock" in (listed as possibly) Los Angeles, California for Capitol Records which has yet to issue the title.
1981 - Capitol Records releases The Beatles' soundtrack album to "A Hard Day's Night" on the Capitol Records label for the first time after parent company EMI buys the United Artists catalog
35 Years Ago Today In 1982 - Gary O'Connor, with unlisted others, records the title "Pretty Boy" in a unlisted location for Capitol Records which has yet to issue the title.
35 Years Ago Today In 1982 - Mel McDaniel, with unlisted others, records the titles "The Gathering" and "Just Because It Feels Good" in Nashville, Tennessee. Capitol Records will issue both titles on McDaniel's album "Naturally Country" (ST-12265).
30 Years Ago Today In 1987 - Lorelei, with unlisted others, records the title "Hot Spot" in a unlisted location for Capitol Records. No issuing information is listed.
25 Years Ago Today In 1992 - Capitol Records releases the compilation CD "Puttin' on the Ritz: Capitol Sings Irving Berlin" as part of their "Capitol Sings" series

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1964 - Colin James, blues guitarist, actor, and Virgin Records recording artist, is born Colin James Munn in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. Capitol Records currently owns Virgin's catalog. I worked on the final design for his debut album on Virgin, talked with him at the office, and saw him open for Stevie Ray Vaughn at the Wiltern theater in Los Angeles, California.
40 Years Ago Today In 1977 - Future Capitol Records Nashville (1998-2000) artist Steve Wariner has his first recording session as a solo artist. It's at RCA's Studio B, in Nashville, Tennessee, with Chet Atkins (in whose band Wariner had played bass) producing.
35 Years Ago Today In 1982 - At two sessions held this day in a unlisted locatiion, Marty Balin, with unlisted others, records the title "What Love Is" at the first session and "Camilia" at the second session. EMI-America Records, distributed by Capitol Records, will issue "What Love Is" as a single (EMI-America 8153). No issuing information is listed for "Camilia".