JANUARY 5, 2008

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
1966- Kate Schellenbach, drummer with the Capitol Records group Luscious Jackson, is born in New York City, New York

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1949 - Jo Stafford and Gordon MacRae's Capitol Records single "My Darling, My Darling" is #2 on the U.S. Pop Singles chart
1950 - Nat "King" Cole, with Nellie Lutcher, Ernie Royal, Charlie Barnet, Irving Ashy, Joe Comfort and Earl Hyde, records the tracks "Can I Come In For A Second" and "For You My Love" in Hollywood, California for Capitol Records
1957 - Sonny James' Capitol Records single "Young Love" debuts on Billboard's Pop Singles chart
1959 - Capitol Records releases The Kingston Trio's second album "The Kingston Trio From The Hungry i"
1959 - Ella Fitzgerald begins to records tracks for her Verve album "The Gerswhin Songbook" at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California
1965 - The Beatles' Capitol Records single "I Feel Fine", with "She's A Woman" on the flip side, hold down the #1 and #2 spots on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1982 - Juice Newton's Capitol Records album "Juice" is certified Platinum by the R.I.A.A.
1973 - Helen Reddy's Capitol Records single "Leave Me Alone (Ruby Red Dress)", with "The Old Fashioned Way" on the flip side, hits #1 on Cashbox Magazine's top singles chart
1989 - Poison's Capitol Records single "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" is still #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart and their album "Open Up And Say...Ahh!" is certified as being Multi-Platinum x 4 by the R.I.A.A.
1992 - M.C. Hammer's Capitol records single "2 Legit 2 Quit" peaks at #5 on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart, and his Capitol Records single "Addams Grove" peaks at #7

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1945 - The Barney Bigard Sextet record the tracks "Sweet Marijuana Brown", "Blues For Art's Sake", "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man", and "Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone" for Black & White Records in Los Angeles, California. Black & White's catalog is currently owned by EMI Music, Capitol Records' parent company
1950 - Chris Stein, guitarist, songwriter, and member of the Chrysalis Records group Blondie, is born in Brooklyn, New York. Chrysalis' catalog is currently owned by Capitol Records' parent company EMI Music.
1959 - KTLA premieres the show "Bozo The Clown" starring Vance Colvig, Jr. as Bozo. Vance is the son of Bozo's original voice on Capitol Records, Vance "Pinto" Colvig. Capitol sold all rights to the Bozo character, except the Record Readers, to Larry Harmon in 1956 after Bozo's creator, Alan Livingston, had briefly left the company. Harmon created cartoons using his voice for Bozo and license them to local television stations and train the actore who would be Bozo in their market.
1962 - Polydor Records releases Tony Sheridan and The Beat Brothers' (aka The Beatles) single (66 833) "My Bonnie", with "The Saints" on the flip side, is released in the UK. Both tracks were recorded on June 22, 1961 in Germany.
1967 - The Beatles record a 13 min 48 sec experimental sound effects track for the 'underground' theatrical production "Carnival of Lights Rave"
1981 - John Lennon's Geffen/Lenono Music single "(Just Like) Starting Over" is still #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1986 - Kenny Rogers' RCA single "Morning Desire", with "Crazy" on the flip side, is #1 on Billboard's Country Singles chart. The track would later be included on Rogers' Capitol Records compilation album "Through The Years: A Retrospective".

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1914 - George Reeves, motion picture ("Gone With The Wind") and television ("Superman") actor, the story of whose death was turned into the movie "Hollywoodland", is born George Keefer Brewer in Woolstock, Iowa

JANUARY 4, 2008

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1896 - Everett Dirksen, U.S. Senator (Republican, from Illinois), Grammy winner for Best Documentary Recording, and Capitol Records artist (1966-1968), is born Everett McKinley Dirkesen in Pekin, Tazewell County, Illinois
1966 - Deana Carter, singer, songwriter, guitarist, and Capitol Records Nashville artist (1996-2002), is born Deana Kay Carter in Nashville, Tennessee

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1945 - Johnny Mercer, The Pied Pipers with June Hutton and Paul Weston and His Orchestra's Capitol Records single (180) "Ac-cent-tchu-ate The Positive" (recorded October 4, 1944), with their track "There's A Fellow Waiting in P'Keepsie" on the flip side, enters Billboard's Pop singles chart where it will stay for 13 weeks and eventually peak at #2
1956 - Dean Martin's Capitol Records single "Memories Are Made Of This", with "Change Of Heart" on the flip side, is #1 on Billboard's Pop singles chart
1967 - The Beatles record the track "Penny Lane"
1970 - The Beatles record the track "Let It Be"
1989 - Capitol Records releases Buck Owens' single "A-11" with "Sweethearts In Heaven" on the flip side
1991 - Capitol Records artist Merle Haggard wins the American Music Awards' "Award of Merit"
2001 - Les Brown, bandleader and Capitol Records artist, dies at age 88 in Pacific Palisades, California and is later interred in the Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles, California.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1918 - Norman "Buddy" Baker, composer, musical director (for over 200 Walt Disney TV shows and movies), trombone and euphonium player, and arranger (Capitol Records artist Stan Kenton and His Orchestra's "And Her Tears Flowed Like Wine" as well as for the Eddie Cantor, Bob Hope and Jack Benny radio shows) is born
1935 - Future Capitol Records artist Bob Hope is heard for the first time on national radio as part of "The Intimate Review", sponsored by Bromo Seltzer, which also features future Capitol Records artist Jane Froman as wil as James Melton and The Al Goodman Orchestra. The show will last for 14 weeks
1955 - Capitol Records artist Tennessee Ernie Ford's first daytime TV variety show airs
1957 - Fats Dominio records "I'm Walkin'" for Imperial Records in New Orleans. Imperial's catalog is currently owned by Capitol Records' parent company, EMI Music.
1976 - Mal Evans, longtime roadie and bodyguard for the Parlophone, Apple and Capitol Records group The Beatles, is shot and killed by police in Los Angeles, who apparently mistake his air gun for a real gun
1979 - The Star Club in Hamburg, Germany, reopens to the public due to renewed interest in The Beatles. Working at the club had been an important part of the band's early history, but none of its former members attend the reopening.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1905 - Sterling Holloway, Broadway musical singer and performer (The 1925 "Garrick Gaieties" where he introduced Rodgers and Harts "I'll Take Manhattan" and the 1926 "Garrick Gaieties" were he introduced their "Mountain Greenery"), motion picture actor (Thunder and Lightning, Super Seal, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, A Walk in the Sun, Death Valley, Twilight on the Rio Grande, The Merry Widow, International House, Willy, The Life of Riley, The Baileys of Balboa, and more); character voice actor for Walt Disney (Winnie the Pooh in the "Winnie The Pooh" shorts, The Cheshire Cat in "Alice In Wonderland", The Stork in "Dumbo", Kaa in "The Jungle Book", and more) is born in Cedartown, Georgia
1936 - Billboard Magazine publishes its first pop music chart based on national sales. At #1 is big band violinist Joe Venuti and His Orchestra's Columbia single (3104D) "Stop! Look! And Listen!" with "Yankee Doodle Never Went To Town" on the flip side, both of which were recorded October 28, 1935.

JANUARY 3, 2008

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1918 - Maxene Andrews, singer with the Capitol Records group (1956-1959) The Andrews Sisters, is born Maxene Angelyn Andrews in Minneapolis, Minnesota
1926 - Sir George Martin CBE, pianist, music arranger and scorer, head of A&R and record producer for EMI subsidiary Parlophone Records (most assoicatied with The Goons and The Beatles), is born George Martin in Highbury, London, England. If anyone knows Sir George's middle name, or if he has or hasn't one, please leave a comment.
1941 - Van Dyke Parks, pianist, arranger, record producer, lyricist, worked with Brian Wilson on The Beach Boys' unreleased "Smile" album and other projects, is born in Hattiesburg, Michigan

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1946 - Jo Stafford's Capitol Records single "Symphony", with "Day By Day" on the flip side, debuts on the U.S. Pop singles charts
1964 - A portion of a concert by The Beatles at The Winters Garden in Bournemouth, England is broadcast as part of NBC-TV's The Jack Paar Show, marking their first appearance on a U.S. network television show
1966 - Capitol Records releases Buck Owen's single "Waitin' In Your Welfare Line" with "In The Palm Of Your Hand" on the flip side
1967 - Carl Wilson, singer and guitarist with the Capitol Records group The Beach Boys, refuses to be sworn in after receiving an induction notice from the US Army declaring himself a conscientious objector
1968 - 30,000 copies of John Lennon and Yoko Ono's "Two Virgins" album are confiscated at New Jersey's Newark Airport because the full-frontal nude photo of the duo on the cover violates the state's obscenity laws
1970 - George Harrison, Paul McCartney, and Ringo Starr (John Lennon is on vacation)record the track "I Me Mine" at EMI's Abbey Road Studios in London, England. This will be the last time more than one of The Beatles would record together under the group name until 1995.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1909 - Victor Borge, pianist, comedian, radio and television performer (co-hosted a radio show from 1946-1947 with Capitol Records artist Benny Goodman) is born Borge Rosenbaum in Copenhagen, Denmark
1940 - Charlie Barnett and His Orchestra, featuring young trumpet player (and future Capitol Records arranger, conductor, and artist) Billy May, record the track "Southland Shuffle" for Bluebird Records
1972 - Don McLean's United Artists single "American Pie" is certified Gold by the R.I.A.A.
1945 - Ray Stokes Trio records the tracks "Little Goose" and "Blues For Clarence Profit" for Black & White Records in Los Angeles, California. Black & White's catalog is currently owned by Capitol Records' parent company, EMI Music.
1961 - Liberty Records releases Johnny Burnette's fifth single "Little Boy Sad" with "(I Go) Down To The River" on the flip side. Liberty Records' catalog is currently owned by Capitol Records' parent company EMI Music
1981 - John Lennon’s Geffen/Lenono Music single "(Just Like) Starting Over" is still #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart and his and Yoko Ono's Geffen/Lenono Music album "Double Fantasy" is #1 on Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart. Lennon's Geffen catalog is currently distributed by Capitol Records in the United States and "Double Fantasy" has been reissued on the Capitol Records label.

JANUARY 2, 2008

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS
1947 - Stan Kenton and His Orchestra (Buddy Childers, Ray Wetzel, Chico Alvarez, John Anderson, and Ken Hanna on trumpet; Kai Winding, Skip Layton, Milt Bernhart, and Harry Forbes on trombone; Bart Varsalona on bass trombone; Eddie Meyers and Boots Mussulli on alto saxophone; Red Dorris and Bob Cooper on tenor saxophone; Bob Gioga on baritone saxophone; Kenton on piano; Bob Ahern on guitar; Eddie Safranski on bass; Shelly Manne on drums; June Christy on vocals and The Pastels [Margaret Dale, Dave Lambert, Wayne Howard, Jerry Packer, and Jerry Duane] on group vocals) record the tracks "His Feet Too Big For De Bed" (with the addition of José Mangual on bongos and Pedro Allendo on maracas, with vocals by Christy and The Pastels and solos by Childers and Winding) and "After You" (with vocals by The Pastels and solos by Kenton and Safranski) at RKO/Pathe Studios in New York City, New York. Both tracks will be released on the same single (361) by Capitol Records.
1954 - Andy Griffith's Capitol Records single "What It Was, Was Football" enters the top 40 of Billboards Pop singles chart
1957 - Capitol Records, at the request of its new parent company EMI Music, takes over control of Angel Records, which has over 500 classical releases
1961 - Capitol Records releases Buck Owens' single "Foolin' Around", with "High As The Mountains" on the flip side, which would become Owens' first # 1 record on Cashbox's Country chart
1962 - Capitol Records releases Buck Owens' single "Nobody's Fool But Yours" with
Mirror Mirror On The Wall" on the flip side
1963 - Peggy Lee (with Justin Gordon on flute, Manny Klein on trumpet, Al Hendrickson and John Pisano on guitar, Max Bennett on bass, Mike Melvoin piano, and Stan Levey on drums) records the tracks "Mama's Gone, Goodbye", "You're Nobody 'Til Somebody Loves You", and "One Note Somba" with conductor Dick Hazzard and producer Dave Cavanaugh at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California for her Capitol Records album "I'm A Woman"
1965 - Capitol Records' double album "The Beatles' Story" peaks at #7 on Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart where it will stay for 4 weeks
1966 - The Beatles' Capitol Records single "We Can Work It Out", with "Day Tripper" on the flip side, is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1968 - Capitol Records released Buck Owens' album "It Takes People Like You To Make People Like Me" and Merle Haggard's album "Sing me Back Home"
1969 - The Beatles begin filming and recording "Let It Be" at Twickenham Film Studios and will end on January 31, 1969, the day after their rooftop concert was given
1971 - George Harrison's Apple Records album "All Things Must Pass", distributed in the United States by Capitol Records, hits #1 on Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart, the first album by one one of the former members of The Beatles to do so.
1974 - Tex Ritter (born Woodward Maurice Ritter), singer, motion picture actor, television variety show host, Member of the Grand Ole Opry and The Cowboy Hall of Fame, 1964 inductee into the Country Music Hall Of Fame, 1971 inductee into the Nashville Songwriters Hall Of Fame, 1998 inductee into the Texas Country Music Hall Of Fame, and Capitol Records artist, dies of a heart attack at age 68 while visiting a jail in Nashville, Tennessee where he was arranging bail for one of his band members
1995 - Writing begins for tracks for I Mother Earth's Capitol Records album "Scenery And Fish" which will start being recorded in July 1995
1998 - Nik Venet (born Nikolas Kostantinos Venetoulis), songwriter; worked with Lord Buckley at World Pacific Records; talent scout, VP of A&R and record producer at Capitol Records (for The Beach Boys, Glen Campbell, Bobby Darin, Lou Rawls, and others) and United Artists Records (for Don McLean, Frank Zappa, and others); and founder of Evening Star Records, dies of complications from the treatment for Burkitt's lymphoma in Los Angeles, California at age 61 and had been in the hospital since since September 9, 1997
2000 - Nat Adderley, trumpet player, bandleader, younger brother of saxophonist and Capitol Records artist Julian Adderley and gave him the nickname "Cannonball" and played in his brother's Blue Note and Capitol Records bands, and solo artist with Blue Note Records, dies at age 68

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1971 - The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's Liberty Records single "Mr. Bojangles" (which is on both sides of the single) enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart. Liberty's catalog is currently owned by Capitol Records parent company EMI Music.
1983 - Dick Emery, British comedian, actor, and the voice of the Lord Mayor and Nowhere Man (Jeremy Hillary Boob Phd) in United Artists animated motion picture "The Yellow Submarine", dies at age 63

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1963 - Dick Powell, singer; dancer; motion picture, radio, and television actor; and husband of actress June Allison, dies of cancer at age 58
1990 - Alan Hale, Jr. (born Alan Hale Mackahan), son of actor Alan Hale, motion picture and television actor (best known for the role of Jonas Grumby (aka "Skipper") on "Gilligan's Island"), and owner of Skipper's restaurant on La Cienega Boulevard in Los Angeles, California, dies at age 69 at St. Vincent's Medical Center in Los Angeles from respiratory failure due to cancer of the thymus

JANUARY 1, 2008

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1916 - Ramblin' Jimmie Dolan, singer, guitarist, and Capitol Records artist (1949-1955), is born Lee Roy Petit in Gardenia, California
1958 - Lisa Germano, singer, songwriter, violinst and Capitol Records artist (1994), is born in Mishawaka, Indiana

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1948 - Sol "Tex" Williams signs with Capitol Records
1948 - The American Federation of Musicians Union, in a dispute with the recording industry, starts its second recording ban in four years
1966 - The Beach Boys' Capitol Records single "Barbara Ann", with "Girl Don't Tell Me" on the flip side, enters Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1970 - Jimi Hendrix and Band of Gypsies, play for the first time in public, finish two days of gigs at the Fillmore East in New York City, New York. The last two shows will be recorded for a live album that will be released by Capitol Records to honor a 1965 contract that Hendrix had signed with the label.
1973 - Future Capitol Records band Klaatu (John Woloschuk, Dee Long, and Terry Draper) begins when they step into a studio in Toronto, Ontario, Canada for the first time together to record their first album
1981 - Capitol Records band Klaatu disbands

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1956 - Future Capitol Records group The Four Preps (Bruce Belland, Ed Cobb, Marv Ingraham [aka Marv Ingram and born Marvin Inabnett], and Glen Larson - all Hollywood High students) is formed in Hollywood, California
1959 - Johnny Cash gives a concert at San Quentin Prison. Future Capitol Records artist Merle Haggard is one of the inmates present at the show.
1962 - The Beatles audition (unsuccessfully) for Decca Records in London.
1963 - Future Capitol Records artist Dick Dale & The Del-Tone's Deltone Records singles "Miserlou" (with "Eight Till Midnight" on the flip side) was #1 on both radio stations KRLA and KFWB in Los Angeles, Californai and his single "Peppermint Man" is #5 on both charts and it's flip side "Surf Beat" is also on KRLA's chart
1971 - Capitol Record's parent company, Electric & Musical Industries, changes its name to EMI Ltd.
1997 - Townes Van Zandt, singer, guitarist, and Poppy Records artist dies of a heart attack at age 52. United Artists Records acquired Poppy's masters, then EMI Music, Capitol Records' parent company, acquired United Artists' catalog

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1916 - Marvin Camras, electrical engineer who perfected Magnetic Tape, is born in Chicago, Illinois. Capitol Records is the first major label to record masters to tape.

DECEMBER 31, 2007

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1908 or 1909 - Jonah Jones, trumpet player, singer, band leader, and Capitol Records artist, is born Robert Elliott Jones in Louisville, Kentucky. If anyone knows for sure which year, please leave a comment.
1928 - Ross Barbour, vocalist with the Capitol Records group The Four Freshmen, is born in Columbus, Indiana
1951 - George Thorogood, singer, guitarist, EMI America Records and Capitol Records artist, is born in Wilmington, Delaware

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1944 - Tex Ritter's Capitol Records single "I’m Wastin’ My Tears on You", with "There's A New Moon Over My Shoulder" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
1947 - Roy Rogers marries Dale Evans. Both would become Capitol Records solo artists as well as a Capitol Records duo.
1952 - Skeets McDonald's Capitol Records single "Don’t Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes", with "Big Family Trouble" on the flip side, is still #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
1955 - Nelson Riddle's Capitol Records single "Lisbon Antiqua" enters the top 40 of Billboard's Pop singles chart
1960 - Ferlin Husky's Capitol Records single "Wings of a Dove" is still #1 on Billboard's Country Singles chart
1965 - The Beatles' Capitol Records single, "I Feel Fine" (with "She's A Woman" on the flip side), and Capitol Records album, "Beatles '65", are both certified Gold by the R.I.A.A.
1966 - The Seekers' Capitol Records single "Georgy Girl" enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1968 - Glen Campbell's Capitol Records single "Wichita Lineman" is still #1 on Billboard's Country Singles chart
1969 - Jimi Hendrix and Band of Gypsies play for the first time in public at the first of two consecutive days of gigs at the Fillmore East in New York City, New York. The last two shows performed the next day on January 1, 1970 will be recorded for a live album that will be released by Capitol Records to honor a 1965 contract that Hendrix had signed with the label.
1970 - Paul McCartney files a writ in London High Court against "The Beatles and Co.", seeking the legal dissolution of the partnership, which will finally take place December 30, 1974
1981 - Dave Cavanaugh (aka "Big Dave" Cavanaugh), tenor saxophonist, bass player, and A&R producer for Capitol Records, dies in Tarzana, California at age 62
1984 - Duran Duran's Capitol Records single "The Wild Boys" is #2 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1985 - Rick Nelson (radio, telelvision, and motion picture actor, singer, songwriter, Imperial Records and Capitol Records artist), his fiancée Helen Blair, and five members of Nelson's Stone Canyon Band die after their plane crashes a mile southeast of DeKalb, Texas after a Fire in the pasenger cabin forces the pilots of Nelson’s DC-3 to attempt an emergency landing in a field. The crew escaped through the cockpit windows, but none of the pasengers survived.
1994 - Capitol Records Nashville releases Garth Brooks' album "The Hits" which will go on to sell over 10 million copies and be certified Diamond by the R.I.A.A.
2001 - Charlie Louvin, former Capitol Records artist and member of The Grand Ole Opry, suffers broken ribs, a concussion, and a cracked breastbone in a car wreck

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1929 - Future Capitol Records artist Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians' first annual New Year's Eve broadcast from the Roosevelt Grill in New York City is heard over the CBS Radio network
1931 - Gil Melle, saxophonist, synthesizer and drum machine player, painter, graphic artist (designed album covers for Miles Davis, Thelonius Monk, and Sonny Rollins), film score writer ("The Andromeda Strain", one of the first electronic music film scores), who at age 19 became Blue Note Records first white artist, is born Gilbert John Melle in Riverside, California
1947 - Future Capitol Records artists (both as a duo and as solo artists) Roy Rogers and Dale Evans are married.
1960 - Ferrante & Teicher's United Artists Records single "Exodus" is #3 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart. The United Artists catalog is currently owned by Capitol Records' parent company EMI Music
1961 - Future Capitol Records band The Beach Boys (previously performing under the names The Pendletones, Kenny and The Cadets, and Carl and The Passions) play for the first time using that name when the appear at a Ritchie Valens' Memorial Concert in Long Beach, California and earn $300
2002 - Kevin Macmichael, guitarist and co-founder (with vocalist Nick Van Eede) of the Virgin Records America band Cutting Crew, dies of lung cancer at age 51. Their 1987 hit "(I Just) Died in Your Arms" is the label's first U.S. release and its first #1 single. Virgin Records America's catalog is now owned by Capitol's parent company, EMI Music.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1905 - Jule Styne, pop, motion picture and Broadway composer (wrote, with lyricists that included Sammy Cahn and Frederick Loewe, the music for the songs "I've Heard That Song Before", "I'll Walk Alone", "It's Been a Long, Long Time","Let It Snow, Let It Snow", "The Things We Did Last Summer", "Saturday Night Is the Loneliest Night in the Week", "[Kiss Me Once and Kiss Me Twice] It's Been A Long, Long Time", "Five Minutes More", "Three Coins in the Fountain" [an Academy Award Winning tune] and others, and the scores for the Broadway shows "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" [1949, lyrics by Leo Robin, which includes the songs "Diamond's Are a Girl's Best Friend" and "The Party's Over"], "Bells Are Ringing" [1956, with lyrics by Comden and Green which was turned into the 1960 movie whose soundtrack was released by Capitol Records and included Capitol Records artist Dean Martin singing "Just in Time"] as well as "Funny Girl" [1964, with lyrics by Bob Merrill] whose original Broadway cast album was also released by Capitol Records] and others) is born Julius Kerwin Stein in London, England

DECEMBER 30, 2007

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1917 - Wesley Tuttle, singer, yodeler, songwriter, guitarist, bandleader, motion picture actor and voice actor, radio and television host, Western Music Association Hall of Fame inductee, and Capitol Records artist (1944-1957), is born Wesley LeRoy Tuttle in Lamar, Colorado
1939 - Del Shannon, singer, songwriter (wrote "I Go To Pieces" for Capitol Records duo Peter & Gordon), and 1999 Rock 'N' Roll Hall Of Fame inductee, is born Charles Westover in Coppersville, Michigan
1945 - Davy Jones, singer, jockey, television and motion picture actor, with the band The Monkees and the Capitol Records group, Dolens, Jones, Boyce and Hart, is born David Jones in Manchester, England
1947 - Jeff Lynne, vocalist, guitarist, songwriter, founding member of the groups Electic Light Orchestra and The Traveling Wilburys, and record producer (The Beatles' last single "Free As A Bird") is born in Birmingham, England
1956 - Suzy Bogguss, singer and Capitol Records artist (1991-1999), is born Susan Kay Bogguss in Aledo, Illinois

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1967 - The Beatles' Capitol Records single "Hello Goodbye", with "I Am The Walrus" on the flip side, is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1968 - Capitol Records releases Buck Owens' album "I've Got You On My Mind Again"
1972 - Paul McCartney's Apple Records single "Hi Hi Hi", with "C Moon" on the flip side, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1974 - The Beatles are legally dissolved as a group
1996 - It is announced that Capitol Records artist Paul McCartney will be honoured with knighthood and henceforth be known as Sir Paul McCartney.
1999 - George Harrison is stabbed four times in the chest during an attempted robbery early in the morning at his home at Henley-Upon-Thames, near London. Harrison and his wife Olivia struggle with the intruder, subdue him until the authorities arrive, and are then transported to a nearby hospital.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1948 - Cole Porter's Broadway musical "Kiss Me, Kate" opens at The New Century Theatre in New York City. In 1949 Capitol will release an album of songs from the show recorded by Jo Stafford and Gordon MacRae and in 1959 will release a new stereo recording of the soundtrack that features Alfred Drake, Patricia Morison, Lisa Kirk, and Harold Lang, all members of the original Broadway cast.
1957 - Ricky Nelson's Imperial Records single "Stood Up", with "Waitin' In School" on the flip side, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Pop singles chart
1981 - The J.Geils Band's EMI America Records album "Freeze-Frame" is certified Gold by the R.I.A.A. and will be certified Platinum on January 11, 1982. EMI America's catalog is currently distributed by Capitol Records and owned by EMI Music.
1989 - Paula Abdul (with Wild Pair)'s Virgin Records America single "Opposites Attract" enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1989 - Roxette's EMI America Records single "Dangerous", the last single released from their album "Look Sharp" and with live versions of "Surrender and "Neverending Love" also on the single, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart where it will peak at #2

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1928 - Bo Diddley (aka Ellas McDaniel), guitarist, singer, songwriter, motion picture actor, and 1987 Rock 'N' Roll Hall Of Fame inductee, is born Otha Ellas Bates in McComb, Mississippi
1942 - Mike Nesmith, singer, guitarist, songwriter, television and motion picture actor and producer, music video producer, winner of first Grammy for best video, and member of The Monkees, is born in Houston, Texas
1979 - Richard Rodgers, Broadway and motion picture score composer (first with lyricist Lorenz Hart and then with lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II) and Broadway producer, dies in New York City at age 77.

DECEMBER 29, 2007

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1943 - Rick Danko, rhythm guitar player with the group The Hawks and electric bass player and singer with the Capitol Records group The Band, is born in Green's Corners, outside of Simcoe, Ontario, Canada
1944 - Patti Drew, singer with the Capitol Records group (1964) The Drew-vels (which includes her sisters Lorraine and Erma and bass vocalist Carlton Black) and a Capitol Records solo artist (1967-1971), is born in Charleston, North Carolina. Her mother, a domestic worker for Capitol Records regional promoter Maury Lathower in Evanston, Illinois, invited him to hear her daughters sing at a church function and he got the group signed to Capitol.

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1947 - The Dinning Sisters record the track "Buttons And Bows" for Capitol Records which will release it as a single with "San Antonio Rose" on the flip side. The single will enter Billboard's Pop singles charts on October 22, 1948 were it will stay for 16 weeks, eventually peaking at #7.
1952 - Fletcher Henderson, band leader, pianist, arranger, and member of the Capitol Records band Benny Goodman and His Orchestra, dies in New York City, New York at age 55
1962 - The Green River Boys (a "one-off" group, one of whose members is future Capitol Records solo artist Glen Campbell)' Capitol Records single "Kentucky Means Paradise", with "Truck Drivin' Man" on the flip side, enters Billboard's Country singles chart where it will peak at #20
1963 - The "Good Guys", on 5,000-watt radio station WMCA, become the first New York disc jockeys to play The Beatles’ Capitol Records single "I Want to Hold Your Hand"
1964 - Buck Owens records the track "Gonna Have Love" for Capitol Records
1966 - The Beatles' record the track "Penny Lane" at EMI's Abbey Road Studios in London, England which will be released as a single by Capitol Records in the United States with "Strawberry Fields Forever" on the flip side
1967 - Paul Whiteman (aka "The King of Jazz"), who commissioned George Gershwin's "Rhapsody In Blue" and premiered the piece with Gershwin at the piano, bandleader (whose members included future Capitol Records artists Jack Teagarden and Red Nichols as well as vocalist and future Capitol Records co-founder Johnny Mercer), radio and television show host, motion picture actor, and a Capitol Records artist (whose first single, "I Found A New Baby" [with "The General Jumped At Dawn" on the flip side] is the label's first release), dies in Doylestown, Pennsylvania at age 77
1969 - Capitol Records releases Grand Funk Railroad's album "Grand Funk" (aka "The Red Album")
1973 - Ringo Starr's Apple Records single "You're Sixteen", a cover of Johnny Burnette's Imperial Records track, with "Devil Woman" on the flip side and distributed by Capitol Records in the United States, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart at # 27 and will peak at #1 on January 26, 1974
1974 - Helen Reddy's Capitol Records single "Angie Baby" is still #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1990 - Wilson Phillips' SBK Records single "Impulsive", distributed by Capitol Records, is still #3 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1944 - Etta Jones, with Barney Bigard, record the tracks "Blow Top Blues", "Salty Papa Blues", "Evil Gal Blues" and "Long Long Journey" in Los Angeles, California for Black and White Records. Black and White's catalog is currently owned by Capitol Records.
1958 - The Chipmunks with David Saville's Liberty Records single "The Chipmunk Song" is still #1 on Billboard's Pop singles chart and Ricky Nelson's Imperial Records single "Lonesome Town" is #3. Liberty and Imperial's catalog is currently owned by Capitol Records parent company EMI Music.
1962 - Ricky Nelson's Imperial Records single "It's Up To You", with "I Need You" on the flip side, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart and will peak at #6 on February 2, 1963
1963 - The Beach Boys' Candix Records single "Surfin'" (their first single) debuts at #33 on Los Angeles radio station KFWB's "Fabulous Forty Survey" for this week

DECEMBER 28, 2007

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1898 - Mischa Spoliansky, composer (scores for several British films, including the soundtrack for 1957's "Saint Joan" which was released on Capitol), is born in Bialystok, Russia
1921 - Johnny Otis, bandleader, singer, drummer, vibraphonist, record producer, radio disc jockey, and Capitol Records artist, is born John Veliotes in Vallejo, California
1932 - Dorsey Burnette, singer, songwriter, bassist, electrician, part of the Coral Records group The Rock And Roll Trio, part of the Imperial Records group The Burnette Brothers (with his brother Johnny Burnette), and solo artist for many labels including Imperial Records and Capitol Records (1972-1973), is born in Memphis, Tennessee

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1946 - The King Cole Trio's Capitol Records single "(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons", with "The Best Man" on the flip side, is #1 on Billboard's Pop singles chart, and ist the group's first #1 Pop hit
1955 - Jean Shepard records the track "I Learned It All From You" at Capitol Records Melrose Avenue studios in Hollywood, California
1956 - Nat "King" Cole records the track "When I Fall In Love" for his Capitol Records album "Love Is The Thing"
1956 - Jean Shepard records the track "Other Woman" at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California. The track will be released by Capitol Records as a single with "Under Suspicion" on the flip side. I wonder if she or Nat listened to each other's sessions.
1964 - Capitol Records releases Buck Owens' single "I've Got A Tiger By The Tail" with "Cryin' Time" on the flip side
1965 - Buck Owens and The Buckaroos' Capitol Records single "Buckaroo", with "If You Want A Love" on the flip side, is #1 on Billboard's Country Singles chart
1968 - The Beatles' self-titled Apple Records album (aka "The White Album", and their first on the Apple label), distributed by Capitol Records in the United States, is #1 on Billboard's album chart where it will stay for nine weeks
1973 - Capitol Records artist Tex Ritter make his final appearance on the Grand Ole Opry
1973 - Merle Haggard's Capitol Records single "If We Make It Through December", with "It's Not Love (But It's Not Bad)" on the flip side, is #1 on Billboard's Country Singles chart
1975 - Helen Reddy's Capitol Records single "Angie Baby", with "I'll Think I'll Write A Song" on the flip side, is still #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1983 - Dennis Wilson, singer, songwriter, and drummer in the Capitol Records group The Beach Boys and Capitol Records solo artist, drowns at age 39 while diving to bring up personal items that he had thrown overboard near his boat, "Harmony", in the harbor at Marina del Ray, California

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1922 - Stan Lee (aka Stan "The Man" Lee), writer, founding editor (currently Chairman Emeritus) of Marvel Comics, and co-creator of many of its early best-sellers, is born Stanley Martin Lieber in New York City, New York

DECEMBER 27, 2007

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
1901 - Marlene Dietrich, motion picture actress, singer, and Capitol Records artist (1961-1965), is born Maria Magdelene Dietrich in Berlin-Schöneberg, Germany. In his autobiography, Dave Dexter, Jr. remembers her calling him to get hundreds of promotional copies of her albums to give out while she was touring.
1950 - Terry Bozzio, drummer with Captain Beefheart, Frank Zappa and The Mothers Of Invention, and the Capitol Records group Missing Persons as well as one-time husband of Missing Persons' lead singer Dale Bozzio, is born

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1945 - Andy Russell's Capitol Records single "I Can't Begin To Tell You", with "Love Me" on the flip side, is released by Capitol Records and will peak at #7 on the U.S. Pop singles charts in 1946
1948 - Jo Stafford and Gordon MacRae's Capitol Records single "My Darlin, My Darling", with "Girls Were Made To Take Care Of Boys" on the flip side, is #3 on the U.S. Pop singles charts
1964 - The Beatles' Capitol Records single "I Feel Fine" is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart and its flip side, "She's A Woman", is #2
1966 - Capitol Records releases Buck Owens' album "Open Up Your Heart"
1988 - Poison's Capitol Records single "Every Rose Has Its Thorn", with "Back To The Rocking Horse" on the flip side, is still #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart and is, so far, the group's only #1 single

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1963 - Merle Haggard's Tally Records single "Sing A Sad Song", with "You Don't Even Try" on the flip side, enters Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart where it will peak at #19. Haggard's Tally masters are currently owned and distributed by Capitol Records.
1980 - John Lennon's Geffen Records/Lenono Music single "(Just Like) Starting Over" is still #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles Chart and Lennon and Yoko Ono's Geffen Records/Lenono Music album "Double Fantasy" is #1 on Billboard's Pop album chart. Capitol Records currently distributes all of Lennon's catalog and has reissued "Double Fantasy" as a remastered CD on the Capitol label.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1879 - Sydney Greenstreet, motion picture and radio actor, is born
1906 - Oscar Levant, pianist, singer, motion picture actor, and television quiz show panelist, is born
1927 - The Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II musical "Show Boat" premieres at the Ziegfeld Theatre in New York City.
1932 - Radio City Music Hall opens in New York City. It is the largest indoor theatre in the world at the time, with a nearly 10,000-square-foot stage and seating more than 6,200 people. The gala grand opening show is a six-hour extravaganza that will lose half a million dollars within three weeks.
1947 - Buffalo Bob (Smith), Clarabelle the Clown (Bob Keeshan, the future Captain Kangaroo), Judy Canova, and a host of others join puppet Howdy Doody for the premiere of his self-titled television show on NBC-TV. The show will stay on the air for 13 years and be revived in the 1970s.
1981 - Hoagie Carmichael, songwriter (one-time partner with Capitol Records co-founder Johnny Mercer) and motion picture actor, dies of a heart attack at age 82 in Rancho Mirage, California

DECEMBER 26, 2007

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1921 - Steve Allen, television variety show host, motion picture actor, songwriter, pianist, and Capitol Records artist (1958 on the LP "Ray Anthony Plays Steve Allen"), is born in New York City, New York
1940 - Phil Spector, director of A&R for Liberty (1962) and Apple Records (1971), record producer (who has worked with Capitol Records artists The Beatles, John Lennon, George Harrison, Starsailor, and The Vines), is born Harvey Phillip Spector in the Bronx, New York

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1945 - Stan Kenton and His Orchestra (Buddy Childers, Ray Wetzel, John Anderson, Russ Burgher, and Bob Lymperis on trumpet; Freddie Zito, Ray Klein, Milt Kabak on trombone; Bart Varsalona on bass trombone; Al Anthony and Boots Mussulli on alto saxophone; Vido Musso and Bob Cooper on tenor saxophone; Bob Gioga on baritone saxophone; Kenton on piano; Bob Ahern on guitar; Eddie Safranski on bass; Ralph Collier on drums; and June Christy and Gene Howard on vocals) record the tracks "Shoo Fly Pie And Apple Pan Dowdy" (with Christy on vocals and solos by Wetzel and Musso) and "I Been Down In Texas" (with vocals by Christy, Howard, Wetzel, and Kenton), which will be released together as a single (235) for Capitol Records, at Radio Recorders in Hollywood, California
1955 - Dean Martin's Capitol Records single "Memories Are Made Of This", with "Change Of Heart" on the flip side, is #2 on Billboard's Pop singles chart
1955 - Tennessee Ernie Ford's Capitol Records single "Sixteen Tons", with " You Don't Have To Be A Baby To Cry" on the flip side, is still #1 on Billboard's Country singles chart
1963 - Capitol Records rush releases it's first single by The Beatles, "I Want To Hold Your Hand", with "I Saw Her Standing There" on the flip side. The single will be #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 in 5 weeks on February 1, 1964
1963 - Buck Owen's Capitol Records single "Love’s Gonna Live Here", with "Getting Used To Losing You" on the flip side, is still #1 on Billboard's Country singles chart
1964 - The Beatles' Capitol Records single "I Feel Fine", with "She's A Woman" on the flip side, is still #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1966 - Capitol Records releases Buck Owen's single "Where Does The Good Times Go" with "The Way That I Love You" on the flip side
1970 - George Harrison's Apple Records "My Sweet Lord", with "Isn't It A Pity" on the flip side and distributed in the United States by Capitol Records, is still #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1974 - Helen Reddy's Capitol Records single "Angie Baby" with "I Think I'll Write A Song" on the flip side, is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart. It is Reddy's third and last # 1 song to date.
1981 - The Little River Band's Capitol Records single "Take It Easy On Me", with "Orbit Zero" on the flip side, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles and Cashbox's Top 100 Singles charts

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1967 - BBC-TV in the U.K. airs The Beatles' "Magical Mystery Tour" for the first time
1987 - The Pet Shop Boys with Dusty Springfield's EMI America Records single "What Have I Done To Deserve This?", with "A New Life" on the flip side, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart. EMI America's catalog is currently owned by Capitol Records' parent company EMI Music.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1931 - George Gershwin’s musical "Of Thee I Sing" opens at the Music Box Theatre in New York City. The show will become the first American musical to be awarded a Pulitzer Prize.

DECEMBER 25, 2007

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1915 - Pete Rugolo, bandleader, songwriter, arranger (for Capitol Records artists Stan Kenton, Frank Sinatra, June Christy, Nat "King" Cole, Harry Belafonte, and many others), music director of Capitol Records from 1949-1957, and motion picture and television score composer, is born in San Piero, Sicily
1918 - Eddie Safranski, bandleader and bass player with Capitol Records group Stan Kenton and His Orchestra, is born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
1948 - Barbara Mandrell, singer and Capitol Records artist (1986), is born Barbara Ann Mandrell in Houston, Texas
1954 - Steve Wariner, singer, songwriter, guitarist, member of The Grand Ole Opry, and Capitol Records Nashville artist (1998), is born in Noblesville, Indiana

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1946 - The King Cole Trio's Capitol Records single "The Christmas Song", with "In The Cool Of The Evening" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Pop singles charts and Merle Travis' Capitol Records single "Divorce Me C.O.D.", with "Missouri" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts.
1965 - The Beatles' Capitol Records single "Day Tripper" enters the top 40 of Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart at #28 and will peak at #5 on January 22, 1966. It's flip side, "We Can Work It Out" is #11 and will peak at #1 on January 8, 1966.
1970 - George Harrison's Apple Records single "My Sweet Lord", with "Isn't It A Pity" on the flip side and distributed by Capitol Records in the United States, is #2 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1982 - Capitol Records releases Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band's album "The Distance" on cassette
1986 - Duran Duran's Capitol Records single "Notorious", with "Winter Marches On" on the flip side, is #3 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1995 - Dean Martin, singer, motion picture actor, televsion variety show host, and Capitol Records solo artist and part of the the group The Rat Pack, dies at 3:00 AM of acute respiratory failure at age 78 in Beverly Hills, California

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1944 - Henry Vestine (aka "The Sunflower"), guitarist with The Beans, The Mothers Of Invention and the Liberty Records group Canned Heat (1965-early 1969, 1971), is born in Tacoma Park, Maryland. Liberty's catalog is currently owned by Capitol Records' parent company EMI Music.
1978 - Kenny Rogers' United Artists Records single "The Gambler", with "Momma's Waiting" on the flip side, is #1 on Billboard's Country Singles chart. United Artists' catalog is currently owned by Capitol Records' parent company EMI Music.

DECEMBER 24, 2007

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1916 - Sid Feller, trumpet player, pianist, arranger, songwriter, record producer, conductor, head in-house arranger for Capitol Records (1951-1955 with artists Peggy Lee, Jackie Gleason, Nancy Wilson, Dean Martin, Matt Monro, Jane Froman, and others), ABC Records (1955-1965 most notably with Ray Charles, whose band he would conduct on the road even after leaving ABC), music director for "The Flip Wilson Show" and other TV series, is born Sidney Harold Feller in New York City, New York
1929 - Stoney Edwards, singer, songwriter ("Two Dollar Toy", "The Cute Little Waitress", "Blackbird (Hold Your Head High)", and more), guitarist, and Capitol Records artist (1971-1976), is born Frenchey Edwards in Seminole, Oklahoma. According to an article on Hillbilly-Music.com, Edwards was once refused entrance to a party in the early '70s at the Capitol Records offices in Los Angeles because of his race (African-American, American Indian, and Irish) which may have had some influence on his writing the song "Blackbird" (not to be confused with The Beatles' song of the same name).
1944 - Mike Curb, musician, Lieutenant Governor of California, race car owner, president MGM Records, founder of the singing group The Mike Curb Congregation, record producer (most notably the Academy Award winner "You Light Up My Life") and founder of Curb Records, some of whose releases are distributed by Capitol Records and which also releases compilation albums using tracks from Capitol Records and EMI Music's catalog, is born in Savannah, Georgia

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1953 - Dean Martin, with Dick Stabile conducting the studio orchestra, re-records the track "I'd Cry Like A Baby" with new arrangement by Gus Levine after not getting a successful take on August 13, 1953 using an arrangement by Nelson Riddle. The Capitol Records single, with "Hey Brother, Pour The Wine" on the flip side, will peak at #21 after it is released in March 1954.
1965 - The Beatles' Capitol Records album "Rubber Soul" is certified Gold by the R.I.A.A. just two and a half weeks after its release
1967 - The Beatles' Capitol Records single "Hello Goodbye", with "I Am The Walrus" on the flip side, is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1979 - Capitol Records releases Weird Al Yankovic's single "My Bologna" with "School Cafeteria" on the flip side.
1988 - Poison's Capitol Records single "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1893 - Harry Warren, composer ("I Found A Million Dollar Baby In A Five-And-Ten Cent Store", "Shuffle Off To Buffalo", "Forty-Second Street", "Lullaby of Broadway" [his first Academy Award winner], "She's A Latin From Manhattan", "Jeepers Creepers", "You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby", "Chattanooga Choo Choo", "I've Got a Gal in Kalamazoo", "On the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe" [with lyrics by Capitol Records co-founder Johnny Mercer], "Serenade in Blue", "I Had the Craziest Dream", "Highland Fling" [lyrics by Ira Gershwin], Dean Martin's Capitol Records hit "That's Amore", and many more), is born Salvatore Guaragna in Brooklyn, New York
1922 - Ava Gardner, actress and one time wife of Capitol Records artist Frank Sinatra (as well as Mickey Rooney and Artie Shaw), is born Ava Lavinia Garnder in Brogden, Johnston County, North Carolina
1965 - Trumpeter Don Cherry records the tracks for his Blue Note album "Complete Communion" which will be released in 1966 on vinyl and in 2000 on CD. Blue Note's catalog is currently owned by EMI Music and Blue Note Records is currently a division of Capitol Records, Incorporated.
1984 - Peter Lawford (born born Peter Sidney Lawford), motion picture actor, one time husband of Patricia Kennedy and brother-in-law of John and Robert Kennedy, and member of The Rat Pack (which included Capitol Records artists Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis, Jr.), dies of cardiac arrest complicated by kidney and liver failure at age 61.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1886 - Michael Curtiz, circus performer, actor, and motion picture director ("The Adventures of Robin Hood", "Casablanca", "White Christmas", and many others), is born Manó Kertész Kaminer in Budapest, Hungary
1906 - Reginald A. Fessenden, Canadian-born radio inventor (and discoverer of the superheterodyne principle which is the basis for all modern radio receivers), becomes the first person to broadcast a music program over radio when he speaks a little verse then, on violin with a female singer, plays "O Holy Night", and concludes with a speech, live via a transmitter in Brant Rock, Massachusetts
1997 - Tishiro Mufuni, actor, dies at 77

DECEMBER 23, 2007

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1929 - Chet Baker, trumpetist, flugelhorn player, singer, and Pacific Jazz and Capitol Records artist as a solo artist and as a member of the Gerry Mulligan Quartet and Quintet and with the Miles Davis nonet, is born Chesney Henry Baker in Yale, Oklahoma
1955 - Dave Murray, songwriter and guitarist with the EMI/Harvest/Capitol Records band Iron Maiden, is born David Michael Murray in Edmonton, London, England

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1944 - Tex Ritter's Capitol Records single "I’m Wastin’ My Tears on You", with "There's A New Moon Over My Shoulder" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
1952 - Skeets McDonald's Capitol Records single "Don’t Let the Stars Get In Your Eyes", with "Big Family Trouble" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
1959 - Buck Owens records the tracks "Excuse Me I Think I've Got A Heartache" and
"Above And Beyond" for Capitol Records
1960 - Ferlin Husky's Capitol Records single "Wings of a Dove", with "Next To Jimmy" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
1964 - The Beatles' Capitol Records single "I Feel Fine", with "She's A Woman" on the flip side, hits #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart. This is the 30th song by the group to hit Billboard's Hot 100 in 1964, the most songs in one year by any group.
1964 - Brian Wilson, singer, songwriter, producer and member of the Capitol Records group The Beach Boys, suffers a nervous breakdown on flight from Los Angeles to Houston and decides to retire from live performances
1968 - Glen Campbell's Capitol Records single "Wichita Lineman", with Campbell's self-penned "Fate Of Man" on the flip side, is #1 on Billboard's Country Singles charts.
1969 - Merle Haggard records the track "The Fightin' Side of Me" for Capitol Records
1971 - Capitol Records co-founder Glenn Everett Wallichs dies
1972 - John Lennon's film "Imagine" premieres on national TV
1972 - Hurricane Smith (aka Norman Smith, EMI recording engineer at Abbey Road who worked with The Beatles and producer of Pink Floyd's second single "See Emily Play")'s Capitol Records single "Oh Babe, What Would You Say?" with "Getting To Know You (Is Like A New Dance)" on the flip side, debuts in the top 40 of both Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart and Cashbox's Top 100 Singles chart. On a personal note, this is my favorite song. When if first came out I was 12 and it sounded so different from anything else on the radio at that time. Also, it was a song my whole family liked and would sing along to while driving around Buffalo that winter (having a song that the kids singing wouldn't sound worse than Smith's vocals was a real plus for my parents). With it's lush string arrangment, smoking sax solo, and romantic (but down to earth and easy to understand) lyrics, this was also the song that started my interest in "earlier" music. Many thanks Norman!

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1938 - The "Spirituals to Swing" concert is presented at Carnegie Hall in New York City by music impresario John Hammond. Pianists Meade Lux Lewis, Albert Ammons, and Pete Johnson, vocalist Joe Turner, clarintetist Sidney Bechet, the Count Basie Orchestra, blue singer Big Bill Broonzy, and gospel singer Sister Rosetta Tharpe all appear on stage. The show is credited with starting the "Boogie Woogie" craze. Also, twenty nine year old Alfred Lion is in the audience and is so enthused by Lewis and Ammon's piano playing that he arranges a recording session, funded with start-up capitol by writer Max Margulis, exactly two weeks later on January 6, 1939 at 2:00 PM (listed as probably being at WMGM Studios) in New York City where he records 4 solos by each and 2 duets with both men playing on the same piano. Thus is Blue Notes Records born. Blue Note's catalog is currently owned by EMI Music, Capitol's parent company, and Blue Note Records is currently a division of Capitol Records, Incorporated. If anyone knows for sure which studio was used, please leave a comment.

DECEMBER 22, 2007

HAPPY BIRTHDAY
1915 - Felix Slatkin, violinist, conductor, concertmaster at 20th Century Fox Studios, session musician and concert master for many of Frank Sinatra's Capitol Records recordings, member and musical director of the Capitol Records group The Hollywood String Quartet (with his wife, cellist Eleanor Aller Slatkin, violinist Joachim Chassman [later replaced by Paul C. Shure], and violist Paul Robyn) which produced 21 albums for Capitol and with whom Sinatra also recorded, as well as The Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra, founder of The Concert Arts Orchestra, solo artist for Liberty Records (the "Fantastic" series), father of conductor and music director Leonard Slatkin and cellist Frederick Zlotkin (the original Russian spelling of Slatkin), is born in Saint Louis, Missouri

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1944 - Eddie Miller and His Orchestra (including Miller on tenor saxophone, Matty Matlock on clarinet) record the track "Everything I Have Is Yours" (arranged by Matlock with a vocal by Martha Tilton), which will go unreleased until it is included on the 1997 Mosaic Records box set "Classic Capitol Jazz Sessions", and "Who, Me?" (written and arranged by Matlock), that will be released on a promotional single (7-1223) by Capitol Records on the flip side of "The Hour Of Parting", in Los Angeles, California
1947 - Stan Kenton and His Orchestra (Buddy Childers, Ray Wetzel, Al Porcino, Chico Alvarez, and Ken Hanna on trumpet; Milt Bernhart, Eddie Bert, Harry Betts, and Harry Forbes on trombone; Bart Varsalona on bass trombone; George Weidler and Art Pepper on alto saxophone; Bob Cooper, and Warner Weidler on tenor saxophone; Bob Gioga on baritone saxophone; Kenton on piano; Laurindo Almeida on guitar; Eddie Safranski on bass; Shelly Manne on drums; Jack Costanzo on bongos; and June Christy on vocals) record the tracks "Harlem Holiday (A Message To Harlem)" (solos by Costanzo, Alvarez, Cooper, Bert, Pepper, Porcino, Kenton, Safranski and Manne), "This Is My Theme" (vocals by Christy), "Bongo Riff" (solo by Costanzo), "Somnambulism" (solos by Safranski, G. Weidler, Bernhart, and Cooper), and "Interlude" (trombones and rhythm only, solo by Kenton) for Capitol Records at RKO-Pathe Studios in New York City, New York
1950 - Les Paul and Mary Ford's first Capitol Records single together, "Tennessee Waltz" with Paul's "Little Rock Getaway" on the flip side, enters Billboard's Pop singles chart
1958 - Frank Sinatra, with conductor Billy May, records the tracks "Day In - Day Out", "Baubles, Bangles And Beads", "Dancing In The Dark", "Saturday Night" and "Cheek To Cheek" at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California. May arranged all the tracks except "Saturday Night" which was arranged by Heine Beau. All the tracks will be included on Sinatra's Capitol Records album "Come Dance With Me"
1966 - By changing the speeds on two takes, producer George Martin is able to edit them together creating the finished version of The Beatles' "Strawberry Fields Forever"
1974 - Helen Reddy's Capitol Records single "Angie Baby", with "I Think I'll Write A Song" on the flip side, is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1976 - Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band's Capitol Records album "Live Bullet" is certified Gold by the R.I.A.A.
2001 - Johnny Wakley, singer, songwriter, and son of Capitol Records artist Jimmy Wakely, dies from liver disease at age 57

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1900 - The "His Master's Voice" picture is registered as a trademark of The Gramophone & Typewriter Ltd. (later to become Capitol's parent company EMI) in Britain. Francis Barraud's painting "His Master's Voice" was purchased by The Gramophone Company Ltd. on September 15, 1899 and was first used the following year on the company's Record Supplement for January 1900. The company later hired Barraud to paint copies which hang in EMI's corporate offices around the world, including (at least as of 2001) one on the "E" (13th) floor of The Capitol Tower in Hollywood, California.
1958 - The Chipmunks with David Seville's Liberty Records single "The Chipmunk Song", with The Chipmunks' "Alvin's Harmonica" on the flip side, is #1 on Billboard's Pop singles chart. Liberty's catalog is currently owned by Capitol Records' parent company EMI Music.

DECEMBER 21, 2007

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
1926 - Freddie Hart, singer, guitarist, songwriter and Capitol Records artist (1953-1956 and 1970) is born Frederick Segrest in Lockapoke, Alabama
1926 - Edward W. Ray, executive assistant to the president at Imperial Records (1955-1964) and vice president for artist and repertoire at Capitol Records (1964-1969), is born in Franklin, North Carolina
1946 - Carl Wilson, guitarist, singer, songwriter, record producer, youngest of the three Wilson brothers, husband to Capitol Records artist Dean Martin's daughter Gina, solo artist, and with the Capitol Records group The Beach Boys, is born in Hawthorne, California

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1944 - Andy Russell's Capitol Records single "I Dream Of You (More Than You Dream I Do)", with "Magic Is The Moonlight" on the flip side, enters Billboard's Pop singles chart where it will stay for 3 weeks and peak at #5
1947 - Stan Kenton and His Orchestra (Buddy Childers, Ray Wetzel, Al Porcino, Chico Alvarez, and Ken Hanna on trumpet; Milt Bernhart, Eddie Bert, Harry Betts, and Harry Forbes on trombone; Bart Varsalona on bass trombone; George Weidler and Art Pepper on alto saxophone; Bob Cooper, and Warner Weidler on tenor saxophone; Bob Gioga on baritone saxophone; Kenton on piano; Laurindo Almeida on guitar; Eddie Safranski on bass; Shelly Manne on drums; Jack Costanzo on bongos; and June Christy on vocals) record the tracks "Metronome Riff (Pete's Riff)" (with the Metronome All Stars: Dizzy Gillespie on trumpet, Bill Harris on trombone, Flip Phillips on tenor saxophone, Buddy DeFranco on clarinet, Nat Cole on piano, Billy Bauer on guitar, and Buddy Rich on drums, solos by Cole, Bauer, DeFranco, Harris, Phillips Gillespie, Safranski, and Rich), "Introduction To A Latin Rhythm (Prologue Suite - First Movement)" (with Carlos Vidal on congas and Machito on maracas, solos by Kenton, Cooper, and Bert), "Journey To Brazil (Prologue Suite - Finale)" (with Carlos Vidal on congas and Machito on maracas, solos by Almeida, Bernhart, Bert, Cooper, Pepper, Porcino, Childers, and Costanzo), and "How High The Moon" (vocal by Christy, solos by Bert, Alvarez, and Pepper) at RKO-Pathe Studios, in New York City, New York
1962 - Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra record the tracks "Bonanza Theme", "New Naked City Theme", "Ballad Of Paladin", and "Dick Van Dyke Theme" for his Capitol Records album "More Hit TV Themes"
1963 - The Beach Boy's Capitol Records single "Be True To Your School", with "In My Room" on the flip side, peaks at #6 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1965 - The Beatles' Capitol Records single "We Can Work It Out" enters Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1966 - The Beatles record the tracks for their songs "When I'm Sixty-Four" and "Strawberry Fields Forever"
1966 - The Beach Boys' Capitol Records single "Good Vibrations", with "Let's Go Away for Awhile" on the flip side, and their Capitol Records albums "Little Deuce Coupe" and "Shut Down, Vol. 2." are certified Gold by the R.I.A.A. "Good Vibrations" is the only single by The Beach Boys to be certified Gold during the 1960s.
1974 - Grand Funk Railroad records the track "Some Kind Of Wonderful" for Capitol Records
1974 - Helen Reddy's Capitol Records single "Angie Baby" is #2 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1985 - Heart's self-titled Capitol Records album hits #1 on Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart
1990 - Wilson Phillips' SBK Records single "Impulsive", distributed by Capitol Records, peaks at #3 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1992 - Nathan Milstein, violinist and Capitol Records artist (1958 with pianist Artur Balsam "Beethoven: Sonata Number 9 in A Major, Opus 47 "Kreutzer" and Sonota Number 8 in G Major, Opus 30 Number 3", released as part of the FDS series), dies at age 88, ten days before his 89th birthday on December 31, in London, England

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1951 - Nick Gilder, singer with the band Sweeney Todd and a solo artist with Chrysalis Records (1977-1979), is born in London, England
1963 - Jan and Dean record the track "Drag City" which will be released as Liberty Records single with "Schlock Rod Part 1" on the flip side and peak at #10 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart.
1980 - John Lennon's Geffen/Lenono Music single "(Just Like) Starting Over" hits #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart 13 days after his death

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1905 - Harry Revel, composer ("Did You Ever See A Dream Walking", "Stay As Sweet As You Are", "Love Thy Neighbor", "Paris in the Spring" and many more) and winner (with songwriting partner Mack Gordon) of nine Academy Awards for nine different songs, is born in London, England
1914 - "Tillie’s Punctured Romance", the first six-reel feature-length comedy motion picture, is released. The film stars Marie Dressler, Charlie Chaplin, Mabel Normand and Mack Swain and is directed by Mack Sennett.
1937 - Walt Disney presents the first full-length animated feature, "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs", at the Carthay Circle Theatre in Hollywood, California
1940 - Frank Zappa, singer, songwriter, guitarist, band leader, and conductor, is born in Baltimore, Maryland

DECEMBER 20, 2007

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
1949 - Alan Parsons, singer, keyboardist, flutist, music engineer (on The Beatles’ album "Abbey Road", Pink Floyd's album "Dark Side Of The Moon", early Wings albums, and many others), record producer, and founder of the band The Alan Parsons Project, is born in London, England

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1945 - Stan Kenton and His Orchestra (Buddy Childers, Ray Wetzel, John Anderson, Russ Burgher, and Bob Lymperis on trumpet; Freddie Zito, Jimmy Simms, Milt Kabak, and Ray Kline on trombone; Bart Varsalona on baritione trombone; Al Anthony and Boots Mussulli on alto saxophone; Vido Musso and Bob Cooper on tenor saxophone; Bob Gioga on baritone saxophone; Kenton on piano; Bob Ahern on guitar; Eddie Safranski on bass; Ralph Collier on drums; June Christy and Gene Howard on vocals) record the tracks "Solitude" (solo by Simms), "No Baby, Nobody But You" (vocal by Christy, solos by Kenton, Safranski, Wetzel, Musso, and Simms), "Never Too Late To Pray" (vocal by Howard), "Tea For Two" (solos by Kenton, Safranksi, and Mussulli), "One Twenty" (solos by Mussulli, Kenton, and Childers), "Dont Blame Me" (vocal by Howard), "Intermission Riff" (solos by Musso, Wetzel, and Mussulli) "It Ain't Necessarily So" (vocal by Christy), "I Never Thought I'd Sing The Blues" (vocal by Christy, solos by Safranski, Kenton and Wetzel), "Artistry In Rhythm - Opening Theme" (with solo by Kenton), and "Artistry In Rhythm - Closing Theme" (solos by Kenton and Collier) for Capitol Records at Radio Recorders in Hollywood, California
1949 - Tennessee Ernie Ford's Capitol Records single "Mule Train" is still #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
1949 - Harry Belafonte records the tracks "Whispering", "Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child", "I Still Get A Thrill" and "Farewell To Arms" at his second (and last) recording session for Capitol Records. If anyone knows where the session was held, please leave a comment.
1957 - Peggy Lee, with arranger Nelson Riddle conducting The Nelson Riddle Orchestra, records the tracks "I Hear Music", "Old Devil Moon", and "What A Little Moonlight Can Do" for her Capitol Records album "Jump For Joy" at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California
1964 - The Beatles' Capitol Records single "I Feeel Fine" is still #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1966 - The Beatles record the track "When I'm Sixty-Four"
1970 - George Harrison's "My Sweet Lord" is still #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1973 - Bobby Darin (born Walden Robert Cassoto), singer, motion picture actor, and Capitol Records artist, dies of heart failure after open-heart surgery at age 37. In accordance with his wishes, his body was donated to the UCLA Medical Center for research purposes.
1997 - Garth Brook's Capitol Nashville single "Longneck Bottle", with "Rollin'" on the flip side, is #1 on Billboard's Country Singles chart

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1907 - Paul Francis Webster, lyricist ("Masquerade", "Two Cigarettes In The Dark", Betty Hutton's Capitol Records release "Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Chief", "Secret Love", The Lettermen's Capitol Records release "Love Is A Many-Splendored Thing", and many more), is born in New York City, New York
1918 - John Hardee, tenor saxophonist, band leader, and Blue Note Records artist (1946-1948), is born in Corsicana, Texas
1920 - Future Capitol Records artist Bob Hope (born Leslie Townes Hope in Eltham, London, England) becomes an American citizen. Blue Note's catalog is currently owned by Capitol's parent company, EMI Music, and Blue Note Records is currently a division of Capitol Records, Inc.
1967 - Chrysalis band Jethro Tull is formed when Ian Anderson and Glenn Cornick name the band after an eighteenth-century inventor of farming implements. Chrysalis' catalog is currently owned by Capitol Records' parent company, EMI Music.

DECEMBER 19, 2007

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
1915 - Edith Piaf, singer and Capitol Records artist, is born Edith Giovanna Gassion near Paris in Ménilmontant, France
1945 - John McEuen (aka "The String Wizard"), singer; songwriter; as well as banjo, fiddle, guitar, accordian, mandolin, dulcimar, piano and lap steel guitar player with the Capitol Records group The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, is born in Garden Grove, California

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1948 - Jimmy Wakely's Capitol Records single "One Has My Name (The Other Has My Heart)", with "You’re The Sweetest Rose In Texas" on the flip side, is still #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
1949 - Capitol Records artists Les Paul and Mary Ford are married and future Capitol Records artist Steve Miller's father is their best man
1964 - The Beatles' Capitol Records single "I Feel Fine", with "She's A Woman" on the flip side, is #2 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1969 - The Scott Richard Case (aka SRC) finishes recording tracks for their Capitol Records album "Traveler's Tale"
1988 - Poison's Capitol Records single "Every Rose Has Its Thorn", with "Look But You Can't Touch" on the flip side is now #2 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
2001 - Capitol and Nettwerk Records artist Tara MacLean gives birth to her daughter Sophia Madrien Soleil Bell at 4:24 PM in Oakville, Ontario, Canada

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1955 - An article called "Angel At Two" in Time Magazine with today's street date talks with the label's managers about the company
1957 - Meredith Willson’s "The Music Man" opens at the Majestic Theatre in New York City starring Robert Preston, and will run for 1,375 shows. Capitol Records will later release the originial Broadway cast album for the show.
1961 - "Judgment At Nuremberg" opens in New York City with a cast that includes Capitol Records artists Judy Garland and Marlene Dietrich, as well as Spencer Tracy, Burt Lancaster, Richard Widmark, Montgomery Clift, and Maximillian Schell
1980 - Kenny Rogers' Liberty Records single "Lady" is still #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1980 - John Lennon's Geffen/Lenono Records single "(Just Like) Starting Over" is #3 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1960 - Frank Sinatra records the tracks "Ring-A-Ding-Ding", "Let’s Fall in Love", "In The Still Of The Night", and "A Foggy Day (In London Town)" for his very own record company, Reprise Records, during his first of three straight days of sessions with arranger Johnny Mandel conducting the studio orchestra
2000 - Milt Hinton (aka "The Judge"), bass player and photographer of almost every well known Jazz artist, dies at age 90

DECEMBER 18, 2007

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
1919 - Anita O'Day, singer with Gene Krupa and His Orchestra, Woody Herman and His Orchestra, and Capitol Records band Stan Kenton and His Orchestra, as well as a solo artist for Verve Records, is born Anita Belle Colton in Chicago, Illinois

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1947 - Red Norvo with Orchestra (Norvo on xylophone; Don Bonnie, Lloyd Rathburn, and Al Gershoff on reeds; Jimmy Rowles on piano; Red Callender on bass; and Irv Cottler on drums) record the tracks "Summer Night" (released by Capitol Records as the flip side of the single "Take The Red Car"), "El Rojo" (released by Capitol as the flip side of the single "I Don't Stand A Ghost Of A Chance With You", and "Band In Boston" (released by Capitol as the flip side of the single "Twelfth Street Rag", all arranged by Johnny Thompson, in Los Angeles, California
1947 - Stan Hasselgard and His All Star Six (Hasselgard on clarinet; Red Norvo on vibraphones; Arnold Ross on piano; Barney Kessel on guitar; Rollo Garberg on bass; and Frank Bode on drums) record the tracks "Swedish Pastry" (which will be released by Capitol Records as the flip side of the single "Who Sleeps"), two takes of "Sweet And Hot Mop" (the final take will be released by Capitol as the flip side of the final take of the single "I'll Never Be The Same"), "Who Sleeps", and two takes of "I'll Never Be The Same" in Los Angeles, California
1955 - Frank Sinatra's Capitol Records single "Love and Marriage", with "The Impatient Years" on the flip side, is #2 on Billboard's Pop singles chart and Tennessee Ernie Ford's Capitol Records single "Sixteen Tons" is still #1 on the Country singles chart
1963 - Buck Owen's Capitol Records single "Love’s Gonna Live Here", with "Getting Used To Losing You" on the flip side, is still #1 on Billboard's Country Singles chart
1965 - Both sides of The Beatles' Capitol Records single "Day Tripper" with "We Can Work It Out" on the flip side, enter Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1971 - Badfinger's Capitol Records single "Day After Day", with "Money" on the flip side, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1972 - Helen Reddy's Capitol Records single "I Am Woman", with "More Than You Could Take" on the flip side, is certified Gold by the R.I.A.A.
1982 - Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band's Capitol Records single "Shame On The Moon", with "House Behind A House" on the flip side, debuts on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1988 - Poison's Capitol Records single "Every Rose Has Its Thorn", with "Back To The Rocking Horse" on the flip side, is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1897 - Fletcher Henderson, one of the founders of the modern swing sound, pianist, band leader, composer, arranger, accompanist, and member of Capitol Records band Benny Goodman and His Orchestra, is born Fletcher Hamilton Henderson, Jr. in Cuthbert, Georgia
1916 - Betty Grable, motion picture actress, singer, dancer, and one-time wife of Capitol Records artist Harry James, is born Ruth Elizabeth Grable in Saint Louis, Missouri
1931 - Allen Klein, businessman, artist manager (The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and others) and record label owner (Cameo, Parkway, ABKC0), is born. If anyone knows where he was born and/or his middle name, please leave a comment.
1943 - Keith Richards, guitarist, singer, songwriter, founding member of the Virgin Records band The Rolling Stones, and a solo Virgin Records artist, is born in Dartford, Kent, England
1958 - MGM releases the motion picture "Some Came Running" starring Capitol Records artists Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin
1966 - The motion picture "The Family Way", with a musical score composed by Paul McCartney, premieres in London

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1949 - "Home Town Jamboree", a three hour Country, Rockabilly, and early Rock 'n' Roll show broadcast live from Compton (yes, Compton), California, in front of a very large and enthusiastic studio audience, debuts on Southern California TV and will last until September 12, 1959. Many Capitol, Liberty, and Imperial Records artists will appear on the show. There are clips of Liberty Records artist Eddie Cochran on YouTube from the show and, they may not be Capitol Records artists but, I really recommend checking out the clips of Columbia Records artists The Collins Kids if you're a fan of Rockabilly and early Rock 'n' Roll.
2000 - British music magazine Melody Maker, which began publishing weekly in 1926, publishes its last issue

DECEMBER 17, 2007

HAPPY BIRTHDAY
1935 - George Lindsey, comedian, actor and Capitol Records artist (1968 album "Goober Sings") is born in Fairfield, Alabama
1948 - Jim Bonfanti, drummer with the Capitol Records group The Raspberries as well as the groups Dynamite and Boxer, is born James Alexander Bonfanti in Windber, Pennsylvania

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1948 - Margaret Whiting's Capitol Records single "Far Away Places", with "My Own True Places" enters the top 40 of the U.S. Pop Singles chart
1952 - Capitol Records releases Ray Anthony's single "Mr. Anthony's Boogie" with "I Wonder What's Become Of Sally" on the flip side
1953 - Jean Sheppard records the track "Two Whoops and a Holler" which will be released by Capitol Records as the flip side of the single "Why Did You Wait" (Capitol F2791)
1955 - Frank Sinatra's Capitol Records single "(Love Is) The Tender Trap", with "Weep They Will" on the flip side, enters the top 40 of the U.S. Pop Singles chart
1957 - The final episode of "The Nat 'King' Cole Show" airs on NBC-TV due to lack of a national sponsor to cover its costs.
1963 - James Carroll, a DJ at WWDC (in Washington, DC), starts playing a copy of The Beatles' Parlophone single "I Want To Hold Your Hand", which Carroll's stewardess girlfriend brought back for him from England. Due to listener demand, the station will play the song once an hour for days. Capitol intially considered court action, since the label hasn't released the single in the United States yet, but will instead release the single on January 13, 1964, earlier than planned.
1965 - Capitol Records artist Judy Garland and other artists perform at the grand opening of the new Houston Astrodome
1966 - Capitol Records releases Merle Haggard's single "The Fugitive", written by Liz Anderson and with "Down Every Road" on the flip side. The single will become Haggard's first #1 on the Country singles charts.
1993 - Blind Melon's self-titled Capitol Records album is certified double platinum by the R.I.A.A.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1903 - Ray Noble, band leader, arranger, radio and motion picture actor and composer ("Goodnight Sweetheart", "Cherokee", "Love is the Sweetest Thing", "The Very Thought of You", and many more) is born Raymond Stanley Noble in Brighton, England
1968 - Columbia Records in the U.K. releases Pink Floyd's single "Point Me At The Sky" with "Careful With That Axe, Eugene" on the flip side which will be the group's last single for eleven years