Saturday, July 10, 2010

JULY 10, 2010

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1941 - Ian Whitcomb, singer, songwriter, ukulele player, bandleader, motion picture and television scorer, record producer, radio disc jockey and Tower Records (a subsidiary of Capitol Records) artist, is born Ian Timothy Whitcomb in Woking, Surrey, England
1949 - Dave Smalley, guitarist and vocalist with the band The Mods (1964-1966) and The Choir (1966-1969), and bass guitarist (1970-1973) with the Capitol Records group The Raspberries, is born David Bruce Smalley in Oil City, Pennsylvania

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1948 - Capitol Records has five of the top 20 songs on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart with The Pied Piper's Capitol Records single "My Happiness" at #4 up from #7, Nat "King" Cole's Capitol Records single "Nature Boy" is #7 down from #3, Mel Blanc and The Sportsmen Quartet's Capitol Records single "The Woody Woodpecker Song" (with The Sportsmen Quartet's track "I’d Love To Live In Loveland With A Girl Like You" on the flip side) enters the top 20 at #8, Pee Wee Hunt and His Orchestra's Capitol Records single "Twelfth Street Rag" is #15 down from #11, and Margaret Whiting (with Frank DeVol and His Orchestra)'s single "A Tree In The Meadow" (with "I'm Sorry, But I'm Glad" on the flip side), enters the chart at #17
1951 - Peggy Lee and Mel Tormé, with arranger Sid Feller conducting his orchestra (Buck Clayton and Bernie Privin on trumpet; Warren Covington, Lou McGarity, and Buddy Morrow on trombone; Barry Galbraith on guitar; Joe Shulman on bass; John Lewis on piano; and William Exiner on drums), record the tracks "Don't Fan The Flames" and "Telling Me Yes And Telling Me No" which Capitol Records will release together as a single (5-1738)
1952 - Tennessee Ernie Ford, with Cliffie Stone's Orchestra, records the tracks "The Tennessee Local" and "Blackberry Boogie" which will be released by Capitol Records on the Capitol Americana label (#2170) at Capitol Records' Melrose studios in Hollywood, California. "Blackberry Boogie" will peak at #6 on Billboard's Country singles chart.
1954 - Frank Sinatra (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Three Coins In A Fountain" is #8 down from #7 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart and Kay Starr (with orchestra conducted by Harold Mooney)'s Capitol Records single "The Man Upstairs" is #17 down from #14
1956 - Trumpeter Harry James (with Nick Buono also on trumpet; Juan Tizol on valve trombone; Willie Smith and Herb Lorden on alto saxophone; Francis Polifroni on tenor saxophone; Larry Kinnamon on piano; Joe Comfort on bass; and Buddy Rich on drums) records the track "What Am I Here For" at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California. The label will reject this version and James will re-record it on May 2, 1957.
1957 - Frank Sinatra, with The Ralph Brewster Singers (Sue Allen, Betty Allen, Ralph Brewster, Peggy Clark, Barbara Ford, Lee Gotch, Beverly Jenkins, Jimmy Joyce, Gene Lanham, Bill Lee, Ray Linn, Jr., John Mann, Thora Mathiason, Dorothy McCarty, Loulie Jean Norman, Betty Noves, Thurl Ravenscroft, Ginny Roos, Max Smith, Bob Stevens, Bill Thompson, Bob Wacker, Betty Wand, Gloria Wood, and Norma Zimmer) and arranger Gordon Jenkins conducting the studio orchestra (Victor Arno, Harry Bluestone, Walter Edelstein, Sol Kindler, Joseph Livoti, Nick Pisani, Joseph Quadri, Lou Raderman, Mischa Russell, and Marshall Sosson on violins; William Baffa, Louis Kievman, Paul Robyn, and David Sterkin on violas; Cy Bernard and Armand Kaproff on cellos; Bill Miller on piano; Nathan Gangursky and John Ryan on bass; Allen Reuss on guitar; and Kathryn Thompson on harp), records the tracks "Adeste Fideles", "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing", "It Came Upon A Midnight Clear", and "O Little Town Of Bethlehem" in Studio A with producer Voyle Gilmore at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California for Sinatra's Capitol Records album "A Jolly Christmas"
1961 - Faron Young's Capitol Records single "Hello Walls" is #39 down from #27 on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart
45 Years Ago Today In 1965 - The Beatles' Capitol Records album "Beatles VI" is #1 on Billboard's Top 200 albums chart
1967 - Singers Merle Haggard and Bonnie Owens (with Roy Nichols on lead guitar; Glen Campbell, Lewis Talley, and Billy Mize on guitar; Norman Hamlett on steel guitar; Jerry Ward on bass; Eddie Burris on drums; and George French on piano) record the track "Look Over Me" with producer Ken Nelson at The Capitol Tower Studios, in Hollywood, California for Haggard's 1968 Capitol Records album "Sing Me Back Home"
1967 - Bobbie Gentry records "Ode to Billie Joe" for Capitol Records at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California. I wonder if she listened in to Haggard and Owens' session next door? The track will be rush released as a single by Capitol Records
1968 - Capitol Records releases The Band's debut album "Music From Big Pink"
1972 - Capitol Records releases Pink Floyd's single "Free Four" with "Stay" on the flip side
1989 - Mel Blanc, radio, motion picture and television actor, cartoon voice artist ("man of a thousand voices"), and Capitol Records artist, dies in Los Angeles, California at age 81 and is later interred in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Hollywood, California with the epitaph "That's All Folks" on his tombstone
5 Years Ago Today In 2005 - Dr. Cora Martin-Moore, head of the Capitol Records gospel group The Echoes of Eden Choir of St. Paul's Baptist Church, dies in Los Angeles, California at age 74

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1894 - Jimmy McHugh, pianist, song plugger, composer of pop songs (including "Let's Get Lost", "I Can't Give You Anything but Love", "On the Sunny Side of the Street" and "I'm in the Mood for Love" and many others) as well as Broadway and motion picture scores, is born James Francis McHugh in Boston, Massachusetts. McHugh collaborated with many lyricsts including Capitol Records co-founder Johnny Mercer as well as Ted Koehler, Ned Washington, Harold Adamson, Frank Loesser, and Dorothy Fields. Many Capitol Records artists have covered McHugh's songs and Capitol released a compliation of them as #17 of its "Capitol Sings" series of CDs "Jimmy McHugh - I Feel A Song Coming On".
110 Years Ago Today In 1900 - After getting permission from British company The Gramaphone Company (later to become EMI) and commissioning the original artist to make a copy, Emile Berliner registers the image of ‘His Master’s Voice’ with the U.S. Patent Office. In the United States it will become the logo of the Victor Talking Machine Company (later RCA Victor). The image will remain the official logo for EMI in the United Kingdom.
1954 - Neil Tennant, singer, songwriter, and part of the EMI America Records duo Pet Shop Boys, is born Neil Francis Tennant in North Shields, Northumberland, United Kingdom
1961 - Ricky Nelson's Imperial Records single "Travelin' Man" is #12 down from #7 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart, it's flip side "Hello Mary Lou" is #21 down from #15, and Fats Domino's Imperial Records single "It Keeps Rainin'" is #23 up from #24. Imperial Records' catalog is currently owned by Capitol Music Group's parent company, EMI Music Group.
1963 - It's a busy day at the BBC's studios in London as The Beatles record the tracks "A Taste Of Honey", "Memphis, Tennessee", "Sweet Little Sixteen", "Lonesome Tears In My Eyes", "Nothin' Shakin'", "The Hippy Hippy Shake", "So How Come (No-one Loves Me)", "Matchbox", and "Love Me Do" for the sixth episode of the radio show "Pop Go The Beatles" which Auntie Beeb will broadcast on July 23, 1963
1968 - The Jazz Crusaders (Wayne Henderson on trombone, Wilton Felder on tenor saxophone, Joe Sample on piano and electric piano, Buster Williams on bass, and Stix Hooper on drums) record the tracks "Hey Jude", "Firewater", and (with Arthur Adams on guitar) "Love & Peace" at the Pacific Jazz Studios in Los Angeles, California with producer Richard Bock and recording engineer Thorne Nogar for their Pacific Jazz album "Powerhouse". Pacific Jazz's catalog is currently owned by EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company.
1972 - Capitol Records group Heads, Hands & Feet perform live with The James Gang at Knob Hill in Clarkston, Michigan

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1954 - D.J. Dewey Phillips plays Elvis Presley's single "That's All Right" for its first time on radio, on WHBQ in Memphis, Tennessee
1994 - Steven Seagal leaves his footprints in cement at ceremony #163 at Mann's Chinese Theater in Hollywood, California
2006 - The Cartoon Network starts showing episodes of "Pee-Wee's Playhouse" as part of its "Adult Swim" late night block of shows

Friday, July 09, 2010

JULY 9, 2010

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1917 - Bob Howe, long time Capitol Records employee (retires in 1978), is born Robert Howe in Humbolt, Nebraska
1921 - Irv Kluger, drummer, vibraphonist, studio musician, and member of the Capitol Records group Stan Kenton and His Orchestra (1947-1948) as well as the bands of Dizzy Gillespie, Tex Beneke, and Artie Shaw, is born in Brooklyn, New York
1924 - Leonard Pennario, pianist, composer, and Capitol and Angel Records artis is born in Buffalo, New York. Mary Kunz Goldman, Pennario's official biographer, has a daily blog about how she's progressing on writing her book.
1929 - Jesse McReynolds, vocalist, fiddle and mandolin player, and guitarist for the Capitol Records (1952) duo Jim and Jesse McReynolds, is born Jesse Lester McReynolds in Carfax (near Coeburn), Virginia

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1947 - Johnny Mercer, with The Pied Pipers (June Hutton, Clarke Yocum, Hal Hopper, Chuck Lowry) and Paul Weston and his Orchestra (Ray Linn, Charlie Griffard, and Zeke Zarchy on trumpet; Allan Thompson, Bill Schaefer, and Elmer Smithers on trombone; Herbie Haymer on tenor saxophone; Fred Stulce, Matty Matlock, Hap Lawson, and Lenny Hartman on reeds; Milt Raskin on piano; George Van Eps on guitar; Jack Ryan on bass; and Nick Fatool on drums), records the track "Why Should I Cry Over You?" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will release the track on a single (#448) with "Sugar Blue" on the flip side.
1949 - Margaret Whiting and Johnny Mercer (with Paul Weston and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Baby, It's Cold Outside" is still #4 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Mel Tormé (with orchestra conducted by Pete Rugalo)'s Capitol Records single "Again" is #11 down from #10, and Margaret Whiting (with Frank DeVol and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "A Wonderful Guy" is #17 up from #20
1952 - Tennessee Ernie Ford and Ella Mae Morse record the tracks "I'm Hog Tied Over You" and "False Hearted Girl" which Capitol Records will release together as a single (#2215)
55 Years Ago Today In 1955 - Nat "King" Cole's double sided Capitol Records hit "A Blossom Fell" (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra) and "If I May" (with The Four Knights on backing vocals and Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra) is still #3 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Les Baxter and His Orchestra and Chorus' Capitol Records single "Unchained Melody" is #4 down from #3, Frank Sinatra (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Learnin' The Blues" with "If I Had Three Wishes" on the flip side, is still #5, and Tennessee Ernie Ford (with Cliffie Stone's Band)'s Capitol Records single "The Ballad Of Davy Crocket" is #25 down from #21
45 Years Ago Today In 1965 - Peggy Lee, with Sid Feller conducting his orchestra, records the tracks "Happy Holidays", Winter Wonderland", and "Little Drummer Boy" at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California with producer Dave Cavanaugh for her 1965 Capitol Records album "Happy Holidays"
1969 - Pink Floyd record the track "Biding My Time" with producer Norman Smith at EMI's Abbey Road Studios in London, England. The track, written by Roger Waters, will eventually be released on the band's "Relics" album in May 1971
1972 - Buck Owens' Capitol Records single "Made In Japan", with "Black Texas Dirt" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
1973 - Capitol Records releases Tennessee Ernie Ford's album "Country Morning"
1982 - Wingy Manone, trumpet player and Capitol Records artist, dies at age 82 in Las Vegas, Nevada
1988 - Poison's Enigma Records single (distributed by Capitol Records) "Nothin' But A Good Time" with "Look But You Can't Touch" on the flip side, peaks at #6 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1996 - Capitol Records releases two more volumes from its Ultra Lounge Series of compilation albums, "Volume 8: Cocktail Capers" and "Volume 9: Cha-Cha De Amor"
2001 - The Country Music Association announces the inclusion of Capitol Records producer Ken Nelson and Capitol Records recording artists The Jordanaires into the Country Music Hall of Fame that will happen at a special ceremony in Nashville, Tennessee on October 4, 2001 and they will also be recognized during the Annual CMA Awards November 7, 2001 on CBS-TV
2002 - Rod Steiger (born Rodney Stephen Steiger), television and motion picture actor and a Capitol Records artist (on the original motion picture soundtrack for "Oklahoma!"), dies of pneumonia and kidney failure at age 77 and is later interred in the Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills Cemetery

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1916 - Joe Liggins, arranger, pianist, founder of Joe Liggins and His Honeydrippers, Exclusive, Speacialty, Mercury, and Aladdin Records artist, is born in Guthrie, Oklahoma
1952 - The Gerry Mulligan Quartet (Mulligan on baritone saxophone, Chet Baker on trumpet, Jimmy Rowles on piano, and Joe Mondragon on bass) record the tracks "Hagi and Haig" and "She Didn't Say Yes, She Didn't Say No" at Phil Turetsky’s House in Los Angeles, Calfornia for Pacific Jazz Records, whose catalog is now owned by Capitol Records
1952 - Les Paul applies for his first patent, "Combined Bridge and Tailpiece for Stringed Instruments", on July 9, 1952, a one pickup design which was granted on March 13, 1956, #2,737,842
1956 - Trumpetist Thad Jones (with Billy Mitchell on tenor saxophone, Kenny Burrell on guitar, Tommy Flanagan on piano, Eddie Jones on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums), records the tracks "Billie Doo", "Let's", "In A Mellow Tone", and "Thedia" (all of which are rejected) and (with just Thad Jones on trumptet and Burrell on guitar) "Something To Remember You By" (which will be released by Blue Note Records [Japan] on the compilation album by various artists "The Other Side Of The 1500 Series") with producer Alfred Lion and recording engineer Rudy Van Gelder at The Van Gelder Studio in Hackensack, New Jersey. Blue Note's catalog is currently owned by EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company.
1957 - The Mingus Three (Charles Mingus on bass, Hampton Hawes on piano, and Danny Richmond on drums) records the track "Summertime" in New York city with producer Lee Kraft for their self-titled album for Roulette Records. Roulette's catalog is currenly owned by EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company.
1968 - The Jazz Crusaders (Wayne Henderson on trombone, Wilton Felder on tenor saxophone, Joe Sample on piano, Buster Williams on bass, and Stix Hooper on drums) record the tracks "Love Is Blue", "Promises, Promises", and "Cookie Man" at the Pacific Jazz Studios in Los Angeles, California with producer Richard Bock and recording engineer Thorne Nogar for their Pacific Jazz album "Powerhouse". EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company, now owns the Pacific Jazz catalog
1972 - Wings, at their first public appearance, opens at Chateauvillon, in the south of France, and marks the first time Paul McCartney has appeared on stage since 1966
1989 - Future Capitol Records artist Eddy Raven's Universal Records single "In A Letter To You" is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts. The track will later be leased to Capitol Records for use on "Greatest Hits" compilations.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
55 Years Ago Today In 1955 - One year to the day from when it was released by Decca Records, Bill Haley and His Comets single "Rock Around The Clock", with "Thirteen Women" on the flip side, becomes the first Rock 'n' Roll song to hit #1 on Billboard's singles chart thanks to it's use in the MGM movie "The Blackboard Jungle"

Thursday, July 08, 2010

JULY 8, 2010

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
1904 - Bill Challis, arranger (most notably Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra's Capitol Records recording of "San") is born in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1944 - Jo Stafford (with Paul Weston and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Long Ago (And Far Way)" is #9 up from #10 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart and Andy Russell (with orchestra conducted by Al Sack)'s Capitol Records single "Amor" is #10 down from #6
60 Years Ago Today In 1950 - Nat "King" Cole's Capitol Records single "Mona Lisa", with "The Greatest Inventor Of Them All" (I still haven't been able to get my hands on a copy of this song on CD yet) now on the flip side, is #1 up from #2 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart. The song was written by Ray Evans and Jay Livingston for the Paramount Pictures movie "Captain Carey USA" (which I also haven't been able to find on DVD), starring Alan Ladd. Also charting on this date are Kay Starr (with Lou Busch and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Bonaparte's Retreat" at #16 up from #17 and Les Paul's Capitol Records single "Nola" at #20 down from #19
1957 - Composer and arranger Johnny Richards (with with Burt Collins, Jerry Kail, Paul Cohen, and Doug Mettome, on trumpets; Jimmy Cleveland, Jim Dahl, and Frank Rehak, on trombones; Al Antonucci on french horn; Jay McAllister on tuba; Gene Quill on alto saxophone; Frank Socolow on tenor saxophone; Billy Slapin on baritone saxophone and piccolo; Shelly Gold on bass saxophone; Hank Jones on piano; Chet Amsterdam on bass; Maurice Marks on drums; and Willie Rodriguez on tympani) continues recording tracks in New York City for his Capitol Records album "Wide Range"
1957 - Nat "King" Cole's Capitol Records single "Send For Me" returns to the top 40 of Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart tied for #24 up from #45 with Rusty Draper's single "Freight Train", Ferlin Husky's Capitol Records single "Gone" is #36 down from #25, and Tommy Sands' Capitol Records single "Goin' Steady" is tied for #36 down from #29 with Rick Nelson's Imperial Records single "I'm Walkin'"
1958 - The Capitol Records original motion picture soundtrack for "Oklahoma!" is the first album certified Gold by the R.I.A.A. At this time, the R.I.A.A. awards a Gold album for $1 million in sales based on the manufacturer's wholesale price and one million copies sold. In 1975 the requirement for number of copies sold is reduced to 500,000 with $1 million in sales.
1964 - Buck Owens records the tracks "Dont Let Her Know" and "I Don't Care (Just As Long As You Love Me)" (which Capitol Records will release together as a single) as well as "Buck's Polka". All the tracks will appear on Owens' Capitol Records album "I Don't Care".
1966 - The Beatles' Capitol Records album "Yesterday And Today" is certified Gold by the R.I.A.A.
1968 - Capitol Records releases Buck Owens' single "Let The World Keep On A Turning"
20 Years Ago Today In 1990 - Garth Brooks' Liberty Records (later renamed Capitol Records Nashville) single "The Dance", with "Friends In Low Places" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
1991 - Capitol Records releases Tennessee Ernie Ford's compilation CD "Capitol Collectors Series: Tennessee Ernie Ford"
2002 - The Vines' first Capitol Records album "Highly Evolved" is released. The video for the album's first single, "Get Free", is directed by Roman Coppola.
2003 - Capitol Records releases the original motion picture soundtrack for "How To Deal" which includes tracks from Capitol Records artists Syke Sweetnam and Liz Phair

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
75 Years Ago Today In 1935 - EMI (Ireland) is formed
75 Years Ago Today In 1935 - Steve Lawrence, singer, television and motion picture actor, and United Artists Records artist, is born Sidney Leibowitz
1957 - Rick Nelson's Imperial Records single "Teenager's Romance" is tied for #12 down from #9 with The Diamonds' single "Little Darlin'" on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Fats Domino's Imperial Records single "Valley Of Tears" is #17 down from #13, and Rick Nelson's Imperial Records single "I'm Walkin'" is tied at #36 down from #24 with Tommy Sands' Capitol Records single "Goin' Steady". Imperial Records' catalog is currently owned by Capitol Music Group's parent company, EMI Music Group.
1966 - Arranger Gerald Wilson (on maracas) and His Orchestra (Al Porcino, Jules Chaikin, Freddie Hill, Mel Moore, and Nat Meeks on trumpet; Mike Barone, John Ewing, and Lester Robertson on trombone; Ernie Tack on bass trombone; Anthony Ortega on alto saxophone and flute; Jimmy Woods on soprano and alto saxophone; Harold Land and Teddy Edwards on tenor saxophone; Jack Nimitz on baritone saxophone; William Green on flute and piccolo; Roy Ayers on vibraphone; Jack Wilson on piano; Buddy Woodson on bass; Mel Lee on drums; and Max Garduno on conga) record the tracks "Chanson Du Feu Follet (Song Of The Mad Fire)", "Blues Latinese" and "The Golden Sword" for their Pacific Jazz album "The Golden Sword" with producer Richard Bock and recording engineer Lanky Linstrot at TTG Studios, in Los Angeles, California. EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company, currently owns Pacific Jazz's catalog.
1978 - Gerry Rafferty's United Artists Records album "City to City" is #1 on Billboard's Top 200 albums chart
1992 - Taylor Mayne Pearl Brooks, daughter of Liberty Records (later renamed Capitol Records Nashville) artist Garth Brooks and his wife Sandy Mahl Brooks, is born

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1907 - Florenz Ziegfeld stages the first Ziegfeld Follies at the roof garden of the New York Theatre in New York City, New York
1946 - Irene Dunne and Rex Harrison leave their footprints in cement at ceremony #75 at Graumann's Chinese Theater in Hollywood, California
1997 - Robert Zemeckis leaves his footprints in cement at ceremony #166 at Mann's Chinese Theater in Hollywood, California

Wednesday, July 07, 2010

JULY 7, 2010

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1917 - John Sullivan, comedian, singer, radio performer, and the second "Lonzo" (after Lloyd George left the team in 1950) in the Capitol Records duo Lonzo & Oscar, is born in Edmonton, Kentucky
1924 - Mary Ford, singer, guitarist, and a Capitol Records artist as part of a duo with her husband Les Paul, is born Iris Colleen Summers in Pasadena, California
1927 - Charlie Louvin, guitarist, singer and a Capitol Records artist both solo and as part of the duo The Louvin Brothers with his brother Ira, is born Charlie Elzer Loudermilk in either Section or Henegar, Alabama. If anyone has a definitive birth place, please leave a comment.
70 Years Ago Today In 1940 - Ringo Starr, singer, drummer, motion picture actor, animated feature voice actor, member of the groups Rory Storm and The Hurricanes, the Parlophone, Capitol, and Apple Records group The Beatles, and a solo artist on Apple Records is born Richard Parken in Liverpool, England. He later becomes Richard Starkey, Jr. after his divorced mother marries Richard Starkey. If any one knows Richard's middle name, please leave a comment.

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
65 Years Ago Today In 1945 - Johnny Mercer's Capitol Records single "On The Atchison, Topeka and The Santa Fe" enters Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records charts at #4. The track will eventually peak at #1 and be on the charts for sixteen weeks
1951 - Nat "King" Cole (with orchestra conducted by Les Baxter using an arrangement by Nelson Riddle)'s Capitol Records single "Too Young" is still #1 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Les Paul and Mary Ford's Capitol Records single "How High The Moon" is still #3, and Les Paul's Capitol Records single "Josephine" is #16 up from #20
1956 - Gene Vincent and The Blue Cap's Capitol Records single "Be Bop A Lula" is still #23 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, The Four Freshman's Capitol Records single "Graduation Day" is #27 up from #48, Dean Martin (with Dick Stabile and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Standing On The Corner" is #29 up from #40, Frank Sinatra (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "How Little We Know" is #35 down from #33, Tex Ritter's Capitol Records single "The Wayward Wind" is #37 up from #47, and Joe "Fingers" Carr's Capitol Records single "Portuguese Washerwoman" is tied for #40 up from #55 with Tommy Leonetti's single "Free"
1958 - Capitol Records releases Jean Shepard's single "He's My Baby" with "Secret Of Life" on the flip side
1958 - Dean Martin (with Dick Stabile and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Return To Me" is tied for #8 down from #6 with Jimmie Rodgers' single "Secretly" on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart, Nat "King' Cole's Capitol Records single "Looking Back" is #13 up from #18, The Four Prep's Capitol Records single "Big Man" is #15 down from #10, The Johnny Otis Show's Capitol Records single "Willie And The Hand Jive" is #27 up from #33, and Ed Townsend's Capitol Records single "For Your Love" is tied for #31 down from #29 with Link Wray and His Ray Men's single "Rumble"
50 Years Ago Today In 1960 - Nat "King" Cole records the tracks "I Saw Three Ships" and "A Cradle In Bethlehem", with Ralph Carmichael and His Orchestra
1963 - Buck Owens' Capitol Records single "Act Naturally" returns to #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
1964 - Arranger and pianist Onzy Matthews (with Harry "Sweets" Edison, Ollie Mitchell,Melvin Moore, John Anderson, and Bob Rolfe on trumpets; Dave Wells on bass trumpet and trombone; Lou Blackburn, Pete Myers, and Dick Leith on trombone; Gabe Baltazar on alto saxophone; Clifford Scott on alto saxophone and tenor saxophone; Curtis Amy and Alex Nelson on tenor saxophone; Jay Migliori on baritone saxophone; Ray Crawford on guitar; Jim Crutcher on bass; and Chiz Harris on drums) records the tracks "Moon River", "Down In My Soul" (which will be rejected), and "You'll Know The First Time" for his Capitol Records album "Sounds For The '60s!" with producer Lee Gillette and recording engineer Hugh Davies at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California
45 Years Ago Today In 1965 - Peggy Lee, with Sid Feller and His Orchestra, records the tracks "Free Spirits", "Seventh Son", and "I Go To Sleep" with producer Dave Cavanaugh at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California for her Capitol Records album "Then Was Then And Now Is Now!"
1969 - Apple Records releases Plastic Ono Band's single "Give Peace A Chance", with "Remember Love" on the flip side, with Capitol Records handling manufacturing and distribution in the United States
1973 - Apple Records releases Wings' single "Live And Let Die" (title song for the motion picture) with "I Lie Around" on the flip side. Capitol Records will handle distribution in the United States.
35 Years Ago Today In 1975 - Capitol Records releases Natalie Cole's album "Inseparable"
25 Years Ago Today In 1985 - Duran Duran's Capitol Records single "A View To A Kill" (title song for the motion picture), with "A View To A Kill (That Fatal Kiss)" on the flip side, is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart
2001 - Fred Neil, songwriter ("Candy Man", "Everybody's Talkin'"), singer and Capitol Records recording artist (1966-1971), dies of cancer at age 65 at his home in Summerland Key, in Monoroe County, Key West, Florida
2006 - Syd Barrett, (born Roger Keith Barrett), singer, songwriter, guitarist, founder of the Tower, Harvest, Columbia and Capitol Records group The Pink Floyd, and a solo artist, dies in his home in Cambridge, England at age 60 due to complications from diabetes

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
80 Years Ago Today In 1930 - Hank Mobley, composer, tenor saxophonist, member of the Blue Note Records group The Jazz Messengers and a solo Blue Note Records artist, is born Henry Mobley in Eastman, Georgia
1944 - A flying bomb hit's EMI's Hayes factory in England near a surface shelter, killing 37 employees and injuring an additional 56 employees who were either in the shelter or caught in the open
1954 - The Bob Brookmeyer Quartet (Brookmeyer on valve trombone, John Williams on piano, Red Mitchell on bass, and Frank Isola on drums) record the tracks "Isn’t It Romantic", "Doe Eyes", "Red Devil", "Body And Soul", and "Last Chance" with Brookmeyer producing with recording engineer Rudy Van Gelder at the Van Gelder Studio in Hackensack, New Jersey for their self-titled Pacific Jazz album whose catalog is currently owned by Capitol Records
1956 - Fats Domino's Imperial Records single "I'm In Love Again" is still #6 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart and Domino's Imperial Records single "My Blue Heaven" is in a 3 way tie for #31 down from #33 with Otis Williams' single "Ivory Tower" and Eddie Fisher (with Hugo Winterhalter and His Orchestra)'s single "On The Street Where You Live"
1958 - David Saville's Liberty Records single "Witch Doctor" is #10 down from #4 on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart, Rick Nelson's Imperial Records single "Pool Little Fool" enters the chart at #18 in a tie with The Kalin Twins' single "When?", and Dion and The Belmonts' Laurie Records single "I Wonder Why" is tied for #25 down from #22 with Johnny Cash's single "Guess Things Happen That Way". EMI Music Group, parent company of Capitol Music Group, currently owns the Liberty, Imperial and Laurie Records catalogs.
1962 - Dinah Washington, with arranger Don Costa leading the studio orchestra, records the tracks "Fly Me To The Moon" (which will appear on her Roulette Records album "In Love"), "Wouldn't Know What To Do" (which Roulette will release as a single), "No Hard Feelings" (which will appear on her Roulette Records album "Back To The Blues"), and "1 Me And The One I Love" ( (which will also appear on her Roulette Records album "In Love") with producer Henry Glover and recording engineer Eddie Smith at Bell Sound in New York City. EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company, currently owns Roulette Records catalog.
1962 - Bobby Vee's Liberty Records single "Sharing You" is #15 up from #16 on Billboard's Hot 100 single chart and Dinah Washington's Roulette Records single "Where Are You" is still #40. EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company, currently owns the Liberty and Roulette Records catalogs.
2002 - Dorle Jarmel Soria, record producer, opera supporter, author, journalist, reviewer, as well as co-founder of Cetra-Soria Records and founding co-director (1953-1957) of Angel Records in the U.S. with her husband Dario Soria, dies at age 101 at her home in Manhattan, New York

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1971 - Ub Iwerks (born Ubbe Ert Iwwerks), artist, cartoon animator (hand drew the first Mickey Mouse cartoon "Plane Crazy" for Walt Disney by himself in two weeks), director and studio owner, dies of a heart attack at age 70 in Burbank, California

Tuesday, July 06, 2010

JULY 6, 2010

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
95 Years Ago Today In 1915 - LaVerne Andrews, singer, Capitol Records solo artist (1956-1959) and with the Capitol Records group The Andrews Sisters, is born Laverne Sophie Andrews in Minneapolis, Minnesota

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1947 - Johnny Mercer, Luana Patten and Bobby Driscoll, with arranger Billy May conducting the studio orchestra, start the first of two days of sessions for the record "Mickey Mouse And The Beanstalk" which will be released as a children's album by Capitol Records. The next session is held on July 7, 1947.
1956 - The Four Freshmen (Bob Flanigan on vocals, trombone and base; Don Barbour on vocals and guitar; Ross Barbour on vocals and drums; and Ken Albers on vocals, trumpet, mellophone and bass), with arranger Dick Reynolds conducting the studio orchestra (Uan Rasey, Ray Triscari, Joe Triscari, Buddy Childers, and Mannie Klein on trumpet; Jack Marshall on guitar; Milt Raskin on piano; Don Simpson on bass: and Frank Carlson on drums), during two sessions held the same day for their Capitol Records album "The Four Freshman And Five Trumpets", record the tracks "The Night We Called It A Day", "Something In The Wind" and the first rejected take of "There Will Never Be Another You" at the first session and, with Pete Condoli on trumpet joining the orchestra for the second session, record "After You've Gone" and the final and accepted take of "There Will Never Be Another You". Both sessions were held in Los Angeles, Calfornia.
1959 - The Kingston Trio's Capitol Records single "M.T.A." is #18 up from #28 on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart and Franck Pourcel and His French Fiddler's Capitol Records single "Only You (Loin De Vous)" is #35 down from #23
1963 - Kyu Sakamoto's Capitol Records single "Sukiyaki" is #2 down from #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart, Nat "King" Cole's Capitol Records single "Those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days Of Summer" is #12 down from #6, Bobby Darin's Capitol Records single "Yellow Roses" is #26 down from #16, Al Martino's Capitol Records single "I Love You Because" is #30 down from #19, The Beach Boy's Capitol Records single "Shut Down" is #31 down from #29 and its flip side, "Surfin' U.S.A.", is #36 down from #17
1964 - Peggy Lee, with arranger Lalo Schifrin conducting the studio orchestra (Justin Gordon and Paul Horn on reeds; Robert Bain, John Pisano, and Howard Roberts on guitar; Chuck Berghofer on bass; Lou Levy on piano; Stan Levey on drums; and Francisco Aguabella on bongos and congas) and producer Dave Cavanaugh, records the tracks, "There'll Be Some Changes Made", "Just Call Me Love Bird (Theme From 'Joy House')", and "Senza Fine" at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California. All the tracks will be released on Lee's Capitol Records album "In The Name Of Love"
40 Years Ago Today In 1970 - Capitol Records releases Buck Owens' album "The Kansas City Song"
1971 - Louis Armstrong, trumpet player, singer, band leader, motion picture actor, and Capitol Records artist (on the original soundtrack albums for "A Song Is Born" and "High Society"), dies of a heart attack in Corona, Queens, New York at age 69
1974 - Anne Murray's Capitol Records single "He Thinks I Still Care", with a cover version of The Beatles' "You Won't See Me" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
35 Years Ago Today In 1975 - Merle Haggard's Capitol Records single "Movin' On", with "Here In 'Frisco" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
1976 - Grand Funk Railroad's Capitol Records album "Grand Funk" is certified Gold by the R.I.A.A.
1997 - Greg Scott Eklund, songwriter and drummer for the Capitol Records group Everclear, marries his girlfriend Ellina, whom he met in 1990 at the University of Oregon and who convinced him to take up the drums again after a two year hiatus
1998 - Roy Rogers, singer, actor and Capitol Records recording artist, dies in his Apple Valley home in Victorville, California of congestive heart failure at age 86
5 Years Ago Today In 2005 - Carrie V. Arnold (born Carrie Virginia Morgan), who worked for AES of Winchester and Capitol Records for 15 years, dies at her home in Winchester, Virginia at age 72

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1957 - In between sets at a show that 16 year old John Lennon was doing with his band, The Quarry Men, at the St. Peter's Church Fete in Woolton Parish, Liverpool, England, a mutual friend, Ivan Vaughan, introduces him to 15 year old Paul McCartney. After showing John how he tunes his guitar along with a few new guitar chords, and singing all the lyrics of Eddie Cochran's "Twenty Flight Rock", Lennon invites McCartney to join his band.
1959 - Martin Denny's Liberty Records single "Quiet Village" is #14 down from #8 on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart, Dion and The Belmonts' Laurie Records single "A Teenager In Love" is #19 down from #10, and Fats Domino's Imperial Records single "I'm Ready" is #39 down from #29. EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company, currently owns the Liberty, Laurie and Imperial Records catalogs.
1961 - The first issue of "Mersey Beat" magazine is released and features The Beatles on its cover
1963 - The Essex's Roulette Records single "Easier Said Than Done" is #1 up from #5 on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart, The Chiffons' Laurie Records single "One Fine Day" is #6 up from #7, and Jan and Dean's Liberty Records single "Surf City" is #7 up from #10. EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company, currently owns the Roulette, Laurie, and Liberty Records catalogs.
1964 - Trombonist Grachan Moncur III, with Wayne Shorter on tenor saxophone, Herbie Hancock on piano, Cecil McBee on bass and Tony Williams on drums, records the tracks "Gnostic", "Thandiwa", "The Twins", and "Nomadic" for his Blue Note album "Some Other Stuff" with producer Alfred Lion and recording engineer Rudy Van Gelder at the Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey
1964 - United Artists releases The Beatles' first movie "A Hard Day's Night" worldwide and it premieres at 9.00 p.m. at the London Pavilion Theatre
1964 - ATCO Records releases The Beatles' single "My Bonnie" with "Nobody's Child" on the flip side
45 Years Ago Today In 1965 - Future Virgin Records group The Rolling Stones' London Records single "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction", with "Under Assistant West Coast Promotion Man" on the flip side, becomes their first #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart
1973 - Otto Klemperer, conductor, father of actor Werner Klemperer (Colonel Klink in "Hogan's Heroes"), and EMI Classics artist, dies in Zürich, Switzerland at age 88 and is buried in the Israelitischer Friedhof — Oberer Friesenberg, also in Zürich
1979 - Capitol Records artist (1976-1979) Minnie Ripperton makes her last televised appearance on an episode of "The Merv Griffin Show" that airs on this date. She performs the song "Memory Lane", featuring her enunciating the phrase "Oh Why", high in the seventh octave. She will die six days later on July 12, 1969 of breast cancer at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles.
1986 - Pink Floyd's compilation album "A Collection Of Great Dance Songs", originally released by Columbia in the U.S., but re-released by Capitol Records in 2000 (I replaced the legal lines and stock numbers and reformated the artwork to fit into Capitol's packaging templates), is certified Platinum by the R.I.A.A.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
155 Years Ago Today In 1854 - John Phillip Sousa, composer and leader of the Marine Corps. band, is born in Washington, DC, USA
1925 - Bill Haley, singer, guitarist, and bandleader, is born William John Clifton Haley in Highland Park, Michigan
1925 Merv Griffin, singer, composer, talk show host, television game show producer, and real estate magnate, is born Mervyn Edward Griffin, Jr. in San Mateo, California
1976 - 50 Cent, rapper, is born Curtis James Jackson III in South Jamaica, Queens, New York

Monday, July 05, 2010

JULY 5, 2010

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
75 Years Ago Today In 1935 - Richard Levitt, countertenor soloist with the Capitol Records group The Roger Wagner Chorale (1964) is born in Los Angeles, California
1943 - Robbie Robertson, guitarist, singer, songwriter, member of the Capitol Records group The Band, and a solo artist, is born Jaime Robert Robertson in Toronto, Canada

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1946 - Cootie Williams and His Orchestra (Williams and Bob Merrill on trumpet and vocals; E. V. Perry, Otis Gamble, and Billy Ford on trumpet' Clarence "Gene" Redd on trumpet and vibraphone' Ed Burke, Edward Johnson, and Julius "Hawkshaw" Watson on trombone; Rupert Cole and Daniel Williams on alto saxophone; Chuck Clarke and Edwin Johnson on tenor saxophone; Bob Ashton on baritone saxophone; Arnold Jarvis on piano; Pee Wee Tinney on guitar; Norman Keenan on bass; and Butch Ballard on drums) record the tracks "Wrong Neighborhood", "Piney Brown's Gone", "I May Be Easy But I'm No Fool" (all with vocals by just Bob Merrill), the instrumental "Vibraphobia", and "Let's Do The Whole Thing Or Nothing At All" (with vocals by just Cootie Williams) at WMCA Studios in New York City. Capitol Records will release "Wrong Neighborhood" as a single (#289) with "Let's Do The Whole Thing Or Nothing At All" on the flip side, and "I May Be Easy But I'm No Fool" as a single (#314) with "Ain't Got No Blues Today" (recorded September 11, 1946) on the flip side. The remaining tracks will finally be released in 1997 on Mosaic Records box set "Classic Capitol Jazz Session".
1947 - Red Ingle and The Natural Seven (with vocals by Cinderella G. Stump aka Jo Stafford)'s Capitol Records single "Tim-Tay-Shun" (aka "Temptation) enters the top 5 of Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart at #5
1949 - Capitol Records artist Yogi Yorgesson (aka Harry Stewart) sings "Object Of My Affection" on "Command Performance" with Shirley Ross, Errol Garner, Arthur and Mark Stevens
1952 - Al Martino (with orchestra conducted by Monty Kelly)'s Capitol Records single "Here In My Heart" is #3 down from #2 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Jane Froman (with orchestra conducted by Sid Feller)'s Capitol Records single "I'll Walk Alone" is still #14, Nat "King" Cole (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Somewhere Along The Way" (with "What Does It Take" on the flip side) debuts on the top 20 at #16, Al Martino (with orchestra conducted by Monty Kelly)'s Capitol Records single "Take My Heart" (with "I Never Cared" on the flip side) debuts at #17, and Les Paul and Mary Ford's Capitol Records single "Smoke Rings" (with "In The Good Old Summertime" on the flip side) debuts at #20
1956 - The Four Freshmen (Bob Flanigan on vocals, trombone and base; Don Barbour on vocals and guitar; Ross Barbour on vocals and drums; and Ken Albers on vocals, trumpet, mellophone and bass), with arranger Dick Reynolds conducting the studio orchestra (Uan Rasey, Ray Triscari, Joe Triscari, Buddy Childers, and Mannie Klein on trumpet; Jack Marshall on guitar; Milt Raskin on piano; Don Simpson on bass: and Frank Carlson on drums), during two sessions held the same day for their Capitol Records album "The Four Freshman And Five Trumpets", record the tracks "Everytime We Say Goodbye", "Someone Like You" and the first rejected take of "For Sentimental Reasons" at the first session, and a second take of "For Sentimental Reasons" (which will remain unissued until it appears on Mosaic Records' 2000 box set "The Complete Capitol Four Freshmen Sessions April, 1950-July, 1960"), "Got A Date With An Angel", "Goodnight Sweetheart" and "Laughing On The Outside (Crying On The Inside)" at the second session. Both sessions were held in Los Angeles, Calfornia.
50 Years Ago Today In 1960 - Nat "King" Cole records the tracks "The Happiest Christmas Tree" with Dave Cavanaugh and His Orchestra, along with "Away In A Manger" and "Silent Night" with Ralph Carmichael and His Orchestra for Capitol Records
50 Years Ago Today In 1960 - Capitol Records releases the original motion picture soundtrack of "Bells Are Ringing" which stars Judy Holliday and Capitol Records artist Dean Martin
1963 - Pianist George Shearing (along with Gary Burton on vibraphone, Ron Anthony on guitar, Gene Cherico on bass, Vernel Fournier on drums, and Armando Peraza on congas), begins the first of two straight days of live sets at The Blackhawk, in San Francisco, California which will be recorded and released by Capitol Records on the album "Rare Form"
1965 - Capitol Records releases Buck Owens' single "Only You (Can Break My Heart)" with "Gonna Have Love" on the flip side and The Beach Boys' album "Summer Days (And Summer Nights)"
1966 - Capitol Records releases The Beach Boys' compilation album "Best Of The Beach Boys" as well as Peter & Gordon's compilation album "The Best Of Peter & Gordon" on it's The Star Line subsidiary
1969 - Merle Haggard's Capitol Records single "Working Man Blues" enters the U.S. Country singles charts
1983 - Harry James, trumpeter, band leader, actor and Capitol Records artist (1955-1958), dies of lymphatic cancer in Las Vegas, Nevada at age 67 just nine days after his last concert appearance held in Los Angeles, California
1987 - Heart's Capitol Record single "Alone" is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart
1992 - A bus carrying band and crew members of the Capitol Records act Helix goes off the road near Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada, and plunges down a 40 foot precipice. Two crew members were seriously injured and bassist Gray escaped with minor injuries, but guitarist and co-founding member Paul Hackman was killed at age 39
2006 - Eight days after it's scheduled release, the 30th anniversary edition of The Steve Miller Band's album "Fly Like An Eagle" still isn't in stores.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1952 - Gerry Mulligan (with Chet Baker on trumpet, Jimmy Rowles on piano, and Joe Mondragon on bass) records two sides for Pacific Jazz. EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company, currently owns Pacific Jazz's catalog.
1954 - The Bob Brookmeyer Quartet (Brookmeyer on valve trombone, John Williams on piano, Bill Anthony on bass, and Frank Isola on drums) record the tracks "Liberty Belle", "Have You Met Miss Jones", and "Traditional Blues" with Brookmeyer producing and recording engineer Rudy Van Gelder at the Van Gelder Studio in Hackensack, New Jersey for their self titled album released by Pacific Jazz Records, whose catalog is now owned by Capitol Records
1962 - Dinah Washington, with arranger Don Costa, records the tracks "Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me", "My Devotion", " If It's The Last Thing I Do", and "Our Love" (which Roulette Records will release on the album "In Love"), "It's A Mean Old Man's World" (which will appear on the Roulette Records album "Back to the Blues", and "Was It Like That?" (which will also be on the album "In Love") at Bell Sound, in New York City, New York. EMI Music Group currently owns Roulette's catalog and re-releases the albums on the Capitol Jazz label, a division of Blue Note Records, which is a division of Capitol Music Group.
35 Years Ago Today In 1975 - Pink Floyd, The Steve Miller Band, and Captain Beefheart perform at a live concert at the Knebworth Festival in Hertfordshire, England
1978 - The City of Los Angeles declares The Pantages Theatre a historic landmark. Capitol Records would store items in space below the theatre and, in one instance, used one of its staircases leading up from the basement, which had a great view of The Capitol Tower, for a publicity photo shoot for The Beach Boys
1981 - Capitol Records group America joins Three Dog Night, former Liberty Records duo Jan and Dean, and John Sebastian in commemorating The Beach Boys' twentieth anniversary with a concert on a barge next to The Queen Mary in Long Beach Harbor, California. The concert is hosted by Wolfman Jack and broadcast via satellite worldwide.
2001 - Ernie K-Doe (aka Ernest Kador, Jr.), who scored a #1 in 1961 with the Minit Records single "Mother-In-Law", written by Allen Toussaint and with "Wanted" on the flip side, dies at age 65 and, after a traditional jazz funeral, was interred in the 200-year-old Duval tomb in Saint Louis Cemetery #2, in New Orleans, Louisiana. Minit Records' catalog is currently owned by EMi Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1954 - 19 year old Elvis Presley records the track "That's All Right (Mama)" at his first session at Sam Phillips' Sun Studios in Memphis, Tennessee. The track would released as a single two weeks later on July 19, 1954 with "Blue Moon Of Kentucky" (also recorded during this two day session, along with the tracks "I Love You Because" and "Harbor Lights") on the flip side.

Sunday, July 04, 2010

JULY 4, 2010

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
1937 - Ray Pillow, singer, songwriter, member of The Grand Ole Opry and Capitol Records artist, is born in Lynchburg, Virginia

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS
1953 - Les Baxter and His Orchestra's Capitol Records single "April In Portugal is still #3 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Les Paul and Mary Ford's Capitol Records single "Vaya Con Dios" is #6 up from #7, Les Baxter and His Orchestra's Capitol Records single "Ruby" is #15 down from #11, Kay Starr (with orchestra conducted by Harold Mooney)'s Capitol Records single "Half A Photograph" is #17 down from #13 and its flip side "Allez-Vous-En" is #18 down from #15, and Pee Wee Hunt and His Orchestra's Capitol Records single "Oh!" is still #20
1964 - The Beach Boys' Capitol Records single "I Get Around", with "Don't Worry Baby" on the flip side, is the groups' first #1 hit on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart. "Don't Worry Baby" will later peak at #24.
1995 - Capitol Records releases Foo Fighters' self titled debut album

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
70 Years Ago Today In 1940 - Future Capitol Records artsts The Louvin Brothers make their debut in Flatrock, Alabama
1943 - Alan "Blind Owl" Wilson, co-founder, singer and composer with the Liberty Records band Canned Heat is born Alan C. Wilson in Boston, Massachusetts. EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Groups' parent company currently owns Liberty's catalog. If anyone knows Alan's middle name please leave a comment.
1952 - John Waite, singer, member of the Chrysalis Records band The Babys, and an EMI America Records solo artist, is born in Lancaster, Lancashire, England. EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Groups' parent company currently owns the Chrysalis and EMI America Recorsd catalogs.
55 Years Ago Today In 1955 - Future Capitol Records artist Gene Vincent, while on his Triumph motorcycle in Franklin, Virginia, is hit by a woman in a Chrysler, crushing his left leg.
50 Years Ago Today In 1960 - The Fleetwood's Dolton Records single "Runaround" is #25 up from #29 on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart, Rick Nelson's Imperial Records single "Young Emotion" is #26 down from #18, Don Costa and His Orchestra's United Artists Records single "Theme From 'The Unforgiven'" is #27 up from at #37, and Fats Domino's Imperial Records single "Walking To New Orleans" re-enters the top 40 at #31 up from #46. EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company, currently owns Imperial, Dolton and United Artist Records' catalogues.
35 Years Ago Today In 1975 - Future Capitol Records group Dolenz, Jones, Boyce and Hart debut their act at Six Flags Over Mid-America in St. Louis in front of an audience of 12,500 people. Capitol Records will later sign the group and release two singles and, in May 1976, the band's self-titled album.
30 Years Ago Today In 1980 - The Beach Boys give a free outdoor performance to an estimated 500,000 people in Washington, D.C.
1981 - Kim Carnes' EMI America Records single "Bette Davis Eyes", with "Miss You Tonight" on the flip side, is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1826 - Songwriter Stephen Foster is born Stephen Foster Collins in Lawrenceville, Pennsylvania
40 Years Ago Today In 1970 - Casey Kasem hosts the radio show "American Top 40" for the first time this day.

Saturday, July 03, 2010

JULY 3, 2010

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
1934 - Donfeld, graphic designer (starting in 1953 at age 19 after graduating from Chouinard Art Institute) for Capitol Records and Emmy nominated television and Academy Award nominated motion picture costume designer, is born Donald Lee Feld in Los Angeles, California
1943 - Judith Duram, lead singer with the Capitol Records recording group The Seekers, is born Judith Mavis Cock in Melbourne, Australia

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1947 - Peggy Lee, with Dave Barbour and His Orchestra and Ray Linn on trumpet, record the tracks "Why Should I Cry Over You" (which Capitol Records will finally release on Lee's 2000 compilation CD "Rare Gems And Hidden Treasures"), as well as "It Takes A Long, Long Train With A Red Caboose" and "Just An Old Love Of Mine" (which Capitol will release together as single #445) in Los Angeles, California with producer Lee Gillette
1948 - The King Cole Trio's Capitol Records single "Nature Boy" is still #3 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, The Pied Pipers' Capitol Records single "My Happiness" is #7 up from #8, Pee Wee Hunt's Capitol Records single "Twelfth Street Rag" is #11 up from #14, and The Sportsmen's a cappella Capitol Records single "You Can't Be True Dear" is #15 down from #11
1954 - Kay Starr (with orchestra conducted by Harold Mooney)'s Capitol Records single "If You Love Me (Really Love Me) is #5 up from #6 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Frank Sinatra (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Three Coins In A Fountain" is still #7, Kay Starr (with orchestra conducted by Harold Mooney)'s Capitol Records single "The Man Upstairs" is #14 down from #9, and Frank Sinatra (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Young At Heart" is #17 down from #11
1961 - Faron Young's Capitol Records single "Hello Walls" is #27 down from #21 on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart
1966 - The Beatles' Capitol Records single "Paperback Writer", with "Rain" on the flip side, returns to #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1967 - The Beatles' Capitol Records album "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" is #1 on Billboard's Top 200 albums chart where it will stay for fifteen weeks
40 Years Ago Today In 1970 - Buck Owens and Susan Raye record the track "The Great White Horse" with producer Ken Nelson that will be the title track of their Capitol Records album that is released on September 8, 1970
1972 - Mississippi Fred McDowell, blues guitarist, singer, and a Capitol Records recording artist (a one-off 1969 album, "I Do Not Play No Rock'n' Roll"), dies of cancer at age 68 in Memphis, Tennessee. CradLemoon.net has a good overview of his life and many links to discographies.
1976 - A memorial service for Johnny Mercer, Broadway, radio, and motion picture singer, actor and songwriter, and co-founder of Capitol Records, is held in his hometown, Savannah, Georgia.

25 Years Ago Today In 1985 - John Aquilino, lead singer for the Capitol Records band (1984-1985) Icon, leaves the group and Capitol drops the band
1986 - Rudy Vallee, singer, saxophonist, bandleader and radio, television and movie actor, and Capitol Records recording artist (1954), dies at age 84 in North Hollywood, California and is interred in St. Hyacinth's Cemetery, Westbrook, Maine where his headstone was later stolen
10 Years Ago Today In 2000 - At 11pm EDT Turner Classic Movies shows "The Wizard Of Oz" with Pink Floyd's "Dark Side Of The Moon" on the Second Audio Program (SAP) channel to see if the two really do sync' up.
2001 - Roy Nichols, guitarist and 22-year member of Merle Haggard and The Strangers, dies in a hospital in Bakersfield, CA of a heart attack at age 68
2001 - Capitol Records and Chrysalis Records release the Jethro Tull compilation album "The Very Best Of Jethro Tull" which features 20 tracks that have been digitally remastered at 24-bit at Abbey Road Studios in London, England
2001 - Capitol Records releases a digitally remastered and enhanced version of Duran Duran's 1982 album "Rio" in a standard jewel case and in a 7,500 unit limited edition mini-sleeve
2008 - Larry Harmon, entrepreneur, television show producer and licensor, and owner of the rights to Bozo The Clown and Laurel and Hardy, dies of heart disease at age 83 at his home in Los Angeles, California.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1919 - Fred Maddox, singer, guitarist, member of the band The Maddox Brothers and Rose, and brother of Capitol Records artist Rose Maddox, is born Fred Roscoe Maddox
75 Years Ago Today In 1935 - Webley Edwards' radio show spotlighting authentic island performances, "Hawaii Calls", begins broadcasting from Waikiki's Moana Hotel, and will run for 37 years. Webley would compile and produce a series of albums of Hawaiian music for Capitol Records
1961 - Ricky Nelson's Imperial Records single "Travelin' Man" is #7 down from #5 on Billboard's Hot 100 single chart, its flip side "Hello Mary Lou" is #15 up from #16, and Fats Domino's Imperial Records single "It Keeps Rainin'" is #24 up from #28. Imperial Records' catalog is currently owned by EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company.
1962 - Dinah Washington, with arranger Don Costa conducting an unknown studio orchestra, records the tracks "Someone Else Is Taking My Place" and "He's Gone Again" (which will both appear on the Roulette Records album "Dinah Washington"), as well as "I Didn't Know About You" (released on the Roulette Records album "Three Of Us", which also featured tracks by Sarah Vaughan and Joe Williams), "There I Go" (finally released on Mosaic Records' 2004 box set "The Complete Roulette Dinah Washington Recordings"), "You're A Sweetheart", and "I'll Close My Eyes" (both also released on the Roulette Records album "Three Of Us") with producer Henry Glover and recording engineer Eddie Smith at Bell Sound in New York City, New York. Roulette Records' catalog is currently owned by EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company.
1963 - Tenor saxophonist Harold Land, with Carmell Jones on trumpet, John Houston on piano, Jimmy Bond on bass and Mel Lee on drums, records the tracks "Tom Dooley", "Scarlet Ribbons" and "Kisses Sweeter Than Wine" for his Imperial Recors album "Jazz Impressions Of Folk Music" with engineer Bones Howe at Radio Recorders, in Los Angeles, California. Imperial Records' catalog is currently owned by EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company.
1968 - John Maddox, guitarist with the group The Maddox Brothers & Rose and brother of Capitol Records artist Rose Maddox, dies at age 52
1969 - Capitol Records artist Gordon MacRae performs "America The Beautiful" live on "The Ed Sullivan Show"
1976 - Brian Wilson performs onstage as a member of The Beach Boys, for the first time in twelve years, at concert given before 74,000 fans at Angels Stadium in Anaheim, California

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1878 - George M. Cohan, vaudeville and Broadway performer, singer, dancer, songwriter, playwright, director and producer, and a motion picture actor, is born George Michael Cohan in Providence, Rhode Island. The motion picture "Yankee Doodle Dandy" is loosely based on events from Cohan's life.
1965 - Trigger, motion picture actor and Capitol Records artist Roy Rogers' horse, dies at age 33 and is latter stuffed and put on display at the Roy Rogers and Dale Evans museum in Victorville, California
1971 - Jim Morrison, poet, songwriter and lead singer of the band The Doors, is found dead (really) at age 27 by his girlfriend, Pamela Susan Courson, at 5:00 AM in a bathtub in Paris, France from a heart attack and was buried at at Pere-Lachaise cemetery, also in Paris
1989 - Jim Backus, writer as well as a motion picture, television, radio and cartoon voice actor, dies at age 76 at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica, California from complications of pneumonia after suffering from Parkinson's disease for many years and is later buried in Westwood Memorial Park, Westwood, California

Friday, July 02, 2010

JULY 2, 2010

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1949 - Margaret Whiting and Johnny Mercer (with Paul Weston and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Baby, It's Cold Outside" is still #4 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Mel Tormé (with orchestra conducted by Pete Rugalo)'s Capitol Records single "Again" is #10 down from #8, and Margaret Whiting (with Frank DeVol and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "A Wonderful Guy" re-enters the top 20 at #20.
55 Years Ago Today In 1955 - Nat "King" Cole's double sided Capitol Records hit "A Blossom Fell" (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra) and "If I May" (with The Four Knights on backing vocals and Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra) is #3 up from #4 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Les Baxter and His Orchestra and Chorus' Capitol Records single "Unchained Melody" is #4 down from #2, Frank Sinatra (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Learnin' The Blues" is still #5, and Tennessee Ernie Ford (with Cliffie Stone's Band)'s Capitol Records single "The Ballad Of Davy Crocket" is #21 down from #19
1962 - Capitol Records releases Tennessee Ernie Ford's single "Work Song" with "Rags And Old Irons" on the flip side
1963 - Bobby Darin records his own composition, the track "Treat My Baby Good", arranged and conducted by Jimmy Haskell for a Capitol Records single with "Down So Long" on the flip side, with producer Nik Venet. The single peaked at #43 on the Pop Charts and #11 on the Adult charts.
1963 - The Beatles record the tracks "That's All Right (Mama)", "Carol", "Soldier Of Love" and "Clarabella" for broadcast on the BBC. The tracks will later be released by Apple Records on the album "Live At The B.B.C" with Capitol Records handling distribution in the United States
1964 - Peggy Lee (with studio orchestra of Justin Gordon, Paul Horn, and Jules Jacobs on reeds; Milt Bernhardt and Ed Kusby on trombone; James Decker on french horn; John Pisano on guitar; Chuck Berghofer on bass; Lou Levy on piano; Stan Levey on drums; and Francisco Aguabella on bongo and conga) records the tracks "Shangri-La" (arranged by Dave Grusin), "Again" (arranger unknown), and The Right To Love (Reflections)" (arranged by Lalo Schifrin) with producer Dave Cavanaugh at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California for her Capitol Records album "In The Name Of Love" although "Again" didn't make it on to the album and was finally released by Capitol Records on the 1998 CD "Miss Peggy Lee"
1966 - The Beach Boys' Capitol Records album "Pet Sounds" peaks at #10 on Billboard's album charts
20 Years Ago Today In 1990 - Capitol Records releases Poison's album "Flesh & Blood", which will peak at #2 on the album charts on August 18, 1990, and be certified triple platinum by the R.I.A.A. on February 14, 1991
1991 - Capitol Records releases Arcadia's album "So Red The Rose" and Crowded House's album "Woodface"

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1919 - Fred Maddox, brother of Capitol Records artist Rose Maddox and member of the group The Maddox Brothers and Rose, is born in Boaz, Alabama
1941 - Charlie Watts, drummer with the Virgin Records group The Rolling Stones and bandleader of the group Charlie Watts and His Big Band, is born in Islington, London, England
1944 - Nat "King" Cole and Lee Young of the Capitol Records group The King Cole Trio , with future Capitol Records artist Les Paul sitting in as a last-minute replacement for Oscar Moore, perform at the first "Jazz At The Philharmonic" concert in Los Angeles, California. Paul, who was in the army at the time and not allowed to make civilian recordings, used the pseudonym Paul Leslie and Cole, under contract to Capitol, used the pseudonym Slim Nadine when a track they performed with Illinois Jacquet, Jack McVea, J. J. Johnson, Johnny Miller, and Young, "Blues, Part 2", was released as a single (which some have sited as the first Rock 'N' Roll record)
1948 - Vibraphonist Milt Jackson, with pianist Thelonius Monk, John Simmons on bass and Shadow Wilson on drums, records the tracks "Evidence", "Misterioso" and "Epistrophy" at Apex Studios in New York City with producer Alfred Lion and engineer Rudy Van Gelder for the Blue Note Records album "Milt Jackson: Wizard Of The Vibes"
1966 - The Beatles perform the last of five concerts performed over three days at the Nippon Budokan Hall in Tokyo, Japan
1969 - Brian Jones, founder and lead guitarist of future Virgin Records group The Rolling Stones, dies in his swimming pool after 11PM at his home, Cotchford Farm, in Sussex, England at age 27. He will be found the next morning and many site July 3, 1969 as the day of his death. A visibly shaken band will perform 3 days later with replacement guitarist Mick Jones for a filmed outdoor benefit concert in Hyde Park.
1973 - Betty Grable, actress, dancer, singer, pin-up girl, and one-time wife (1943-1965) of Capitol Records artist Harry James, dies of lung cancer in Santa Monica, California at age 56 and is interred at Inglewood Park Cemetery in Inglewood, California

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL HISTORY
55 Years Ago Today In 1955 - The Lawrence Welk Show debuts on ABC-TV
1956 - Elvis Presley records the tracks "Hound Dog" and "Don't Be Cruel" in New York City for an RCA single that would be the first single to go gold on both sides
1967 - Jimmy Hendrix makes his only concert appearance at The Whisky on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles, California
1997 - Jimmy Stewart, motion picture actor, singer and poet, dies at his home in Beverly Hills California as the result a pulmonary embolus at age 89. He was buried on July 7, 1997 next to his wife Gloria at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, in Glendale, California
2003 - Former Capitol Records artist Kenny Rogers makes his debut appearance at The Hollywood Bowl

Thursday, July 01, 2010

JULY 1, 2010

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1899 - Charles Laughton, motion picture actor and director, acting teacher, husband of motion picture actress Elsa Lanchester, and a Capitol Records artist, is born in Scarborough, Yorkshire, England
1908 - Alvino Rey, inventor of the amplified guitar at age 15, steel pedal guitarist, popularized the use of the Sonovox to make his steel guitar "talk", bandleader, husband of Louise King of the Capitol Records recording group The King Sisters, and Capitol Records artist (1946-1959) is born Alvin McBurney in Oakland, California
65 Years Ago Today In 1945 - Debbie Harry, singer, songwriter, Playboy Club bunny, motion picture actress, singer with the Capitol Records band The Wind In The Willows, and a Chrysalis Records artist (both with the band Blondie and as a solo artist), is born in Miami, Florida and named Deborah Ann Harry three months later when she is adopted

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1942 - Capitol Records releases to the public it's first nine 78rpm shellac singles:
101. A Side “I Found A New Baby” - Paul Whiteman and his Orchestra (with Buddy Weed on piano) with “The General Jumped At Dawn” - Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra on the B Side
102. A Side “Cow-Cow Boogie” - Freddie Slack and His Orchestra with vocal by Ella Mae Morse with “Here You Are” - Freddie Slack and his Orchestra on the B Side
103. A Side “Strip-Polka” - vocal by Johnny Mercer with “The Air-Minded Executive” - vocal Johnny Mercer on the B Side
104. A Side “Johnny Doughboy Found A Rose In Ireland” - vocal Dennis Day with “Phil, The Fluters Ball” - vocal Dennis Day on the B Side
105. A Side “The Angels Cried” - vocal Martha Tilton and The Mellowaires with “I’ll Remember April” - vocal Martha Tilton with Gordon Jenkins and his Orchestra on the B Side
106. A Side “He Wears A Pair Of Silver Wings” - vocal Connie Haines with “I'm Always Chasing Rainbows” - Gordon Jenkins and his Orchestra on the B Side
107. A Side “Elk’s Parade” - Bobby Sherwood and his Orchestra with “I Don’t Know Why” - Bobby Sherwood and his Orchestra on the B Side
108. A Side “Serenade In Blue” - vocal Martha Tilton with Paul Whiteman and his Orchestra with “I’ve Got A Gal In Kalamazoo” - Paul Whiteman and his Orchestra - vocal The Mellowaires on the B Side
109. A Side “Windmill Under The Stars” - Johnnie Johnston with “Conchita Lopez” - Johnnie Johnston on the B Side
All nine releases are listed in a July 11, 1942 Billboard Magazine ad placed by Modern Music Sales Company.
65 Years Ago Today In 1944 - Andy Russell (with orchestra conducted by Al Sack)'s Capitol Records single "Amor" is #6 up from #7 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart and Jo Stafford (with Paul Weston and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Long Ago (And Far Away)" is #10 down from #6
1947 - Johnny Mercer, with The Pied Pipers (June Hutton, Clarke Yocum, Hal Hopper, Chuck Lowry), and Paul Weston and His Orchestra (Ray Linn, Ray Woods, Zeke Zarchy, and Don Anderson on trumpet; Allan Thompson, Bill Schaefer, Carl Loeffler, and Abe Lincoln on trombone; Herbie Haymer on tenor saxophone; Fred Stulce, Matty Matlock, Hap Lawson, and Lenny Hartman on reeds; Milt Raskin on piano; George Van Eps on guitar; Jack Ryan on bass; and Nick Fatool on drums), record the tracks "Don't Take Your Meanness Out On Me" (released by Capitol Records as part of the album "Willard Robinson's Deep River Music") and "School Days" (released by Capitol on the album "Campus Classics") in Los Angeles, California
60 Years Ago Today In 1950 - Nat "King" Cole's Capitol Records single "Mona Lisa" is #2 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Kay Starr (with Lou Busch and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "Bonaparte's Retreat" enters the chart at #17 and Les Paul's Capitol Records single "Nola" re-enters the charts at #19
1954 - Capitol Records terminates its relationship with Lockwood Miller (who owns all the shares of Capitol Records of Canada Ltd. as well as the rights to the name since 1949) and forms Capitol Records Distributors of Canada Limited with head office in Toronto, a branch office in Montreal, and three independent distributors in the west part of the country
1957 - Ferlin Husky's Capitol Records single "I'm Gone" is #25 down from #24 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart and Tommy Sands' Capitol Records single "Goin' Steady" is #29 down from #19
1957 - Nat "King" Cole (with additional vocals by The McCoy Boys and the orchestra conducted and arranged by Billy May)'s single "Send For Me", with "My Personal Possession" (with additional vocals by The Four Knights and arranged by Nelson Riddle) on the flip side, enters Billboard's R&B singles chart which it will top for two weeks.
1958 - Harry James and His Orchestra (with James, Nick Buono, Bob Rolfe, and Ollie Mitchell on trumpet; Bob Edmondson and Ray Sims on trombone; Ernie Tack on bass trombone; Willie Smith and Herb Lorden on alto saxophone; Bob Poland and Sam Firmature on tenor saxophone; Ernie Small on baritone saxophone; Jack Perciful on piano; Dennis Budimir on guitar; Russ Phillips on bass; and Jackie Mills on drums) record the tracks "Willow Weep for Me" and "Moten Swing" (both arranged by Ernie Wilkens), "Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans" and "You're My Thrill" (both arranged by James 'Jay' Hill, "I Want A Little Girl" (also arranged by Ernie Wilkens), and "The New Two O'Clock Jump" (arranged by Neal Hefti) with producer Bill Miller in Los Angeles, California for their Capitol Records album "Harry's Choice"
1963 - The Beatles record the tracks "She Loves You" and "I'll Get You" at EMI's Abbey Road Studios in London, England with producer George Martin
1964 - Peggy Lee, with Billy May conducting his orchestra (Justin Gordon, Paul Horn, Theodore Nash, and Maury Stein on reed; Conrad Gozzo, Manny Klein, and Ray Triscari on trumpet; Milt Bernhardt, Ed Kusby, and Kenny Shroyer on trombone; James Decker on french horn; John Pisano on guitar; Chuck Berghofer on bass; Lou Levy on piano; Stan Levey on drums; and Francisco Aguabella on bongos and conga), records the tracks "Talk To Me Baby" (arranged by Dave Grusin), "Make Believe" (arranger unknown), "When In Rome" (arranged by Dave Grusin), and "The Girl From Impanema" (arranged by Billy May) with producer Dave Cavanaugh at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California for her Captiol Records album "In The Name Of Love". I wonder if she heard any of Onzy Matthews sessions being held next door, or if Onzy listened in to Lee's session?
1964 - Arranger, pianist and singer Onzy Matthews (with Bud Brisbois, Bobby Bryant, Melvin Moore, John Anderson, and Bob Rolfe on trumpet; Dave Wells on bass trumpet and trombone; Lou Blackburn, Pete Myers, and Dick Leith on trombones; Gabe Baltazar on alto saxophone; Clifford Scott on alto and tenor saxophone; Curtis Amy and Alex Nelson on tenor saxophone; Jay Migliori, baritone saxophone; Ray Crawford on guitar; Jim Crutcher on bass; and Chiz Harris on drums) records the tracks "Make Someone Happy", "I Thought About You", (all with Matthews on lead vocal with an overdubbed female chorus and unreleased until they appear on Mosaic Records 2007 3 CD set "Mosaic Select: Onzy Matthews") and "Ray-on Blues" (which will appear on Matthews' Capitol Records album "Sounds For The '60s") at The Capitol Tower Studios, in Hollywood, California
1966 - Dick Curless and Kay Adams record their album "A Devil Like Me Needs An Angel Like You" with produced by Buck Owens at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California
1967 - The Beatles' Capitol Records album "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" is #1 on Billboard's Top 200 albums chart
1968 - Capitol Records releases Buck Owens' album "Sweet Rosie Jones"
1968 - Tower Records, a subsidiary of Capitol Records, releases The Main Attraction's album "And Now The Main Attraction"
1969 - Capitol Records releases The Band's debut album "Music From Big Pink"
1969 - Capitol Records of Canada releases "Franck Pourcel's album "The Way It Used To Be"
1976 - Natalie Cole's Capitol Records album "Natalie" is certified Gold by the R.I.A.A.
1978 - Bhaskar Menon becomes Chief Executive of EMI Music Europe and International, based in London, England, and Capitol Industries, based in the United States
1987 - Capitol Records releases The Beatles' album "Magical Mystery Tour" on CD
20 Years Ago Today In 1990 - M.C. Hammer's Capitol Records album "Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em" is #1 on Billboard's Top 200 albums' chart
1997 - Capitol Records releases John Hiatt's last album for the label, "Little Head"
1997 - Capitol Records releases Radiohead's debut album, "OK Computer", in the United States

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1957 - Rick Nelson's Imperial Records single "Teenager's Romance" is #9 down from #8 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Fats Domino's Imperial Records single "Valley Of Tears" is #13 up from #16, and Rick Nelson's Imperial Records single "I'm Walkin'" is #24 up from #37,
1959 - Trombonist and vocalist Jack Teagarden (with Don Goldie on trumpet and vocals; Henry Cuesta on clarinet; Don Ewell on piano; Stan Puls on bass; Ronnie Greb on drums) performs six (yes, six!) sets at The Roundtable in New York City, New York Set One: "I Gotta Right To Sing The Blues" (incomplete and rejected), "That's A Plenty" (unissued), "Tin Roof Blues" (unissued), "Baby, Won't You Please Come Home" (unissued), "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You/I Can't Get Started" (unissued)"South Rampart Street Parade" (released by Roulette Records on Teagarden's album "At The Roundhouse), "Mixed Emotions" (unissued), and "Jazz Me Blues" (rejected)
Set Two: "Fidgety Feet" (rejected), "Basin Street Blues" (unissued), "Big Noise From Winnetka" (released by Roulette Records on Teagarden's album "At The Roundhouse), "When" (released by Roulette Records on Teagarden's album "At The Roundhouse)
Set Three: "South Rampart Street Parade" (rejected), "Stars Fell on Alabama/When A Woman Loves A Man" (unissued), "Honeysuckle Rose" (released by Roulette Records on Teagarden's album "At The Roundhouse"), "Sweet Georgia Brown" (unissued), "Junk Man" (unissued), "Lover" (with Sol Yaged on clarinet, unissued)
Set Four: "Original Dixieland One-Step" (unissued), "St. James Infirmary (instrumental version)" (unissued), "Royal Garden Blues" (unissued), "Stardust" (released by Roulette Records on Teagarden's albums "At The Roundhouse and "The World of Jack Teagarden"), "Jada" (unissued), "When The Saints Go Marching In" (vocal by Teagarden and Goldie, rejected), "Atlanta Blues" (unissued), "(Back Home Again In) Indiana" (unissued)
Set Five: "St. James Infirmary" (vocal by Teagarden and released by Roulette Records on Teagarden's albums "At The Roundhouse and "The World of Jack Teagarden"), A Hundred Years From Today" (vocal by Teagarden, unissued), "14200 St. Louis Blues (vocal by Teagarden and released by Roulette Records on Teagarden's album "At The Roundhouse"), "Lulu's Back In Town" (rejected), and "Tap Room Blues" (rejected)
Set Six (no audience): "Ol' Man River" (with Teagardeon on baritone horn, unissued), "Lulu's Back In Town" (rejected take one), "Lulu's Back In Town" (take two, unissued), "When The Saints Go Marching In" (with vocals by Teagarden and Goldie and released by Roulette Records on Teagarden's albums "At The Roundhouse and "The World of Jack Teagarden"), "Tap Room Blues" (rejected), "Big Noise From Winnetka" (rejected), "Riverboat Blues" (with vocals by Teagarden, unissued), and "I Gotta Right To Sing The Blues" (unissued). All the sessions are recorded by Roulette Records and will finally be released by Mosaic Records on the 2003 box set "The Complete Roulette Jack Teagarden Sessions".
1964 - United Artist Records announces that The Beatles' soundtrack to "A Hard Days Night" has sold 1 million copies in just 4 days
1966 - The Beatles play three performances at Budokan Hall in Tokyo, Japan which are subsequently released on the bootleg album "Three Nights in Tokyo"
1968 - There are two conflicting reports about John Lennon and Yoko Ono for this date. The first reads that John Lennon publicly declares his love for Yoko Ono at the opening of his first art exhibition in London, England. The other states that John Lennon and Yoko Ono are hospitalized after an auto accident in Scotland. If anyone knows for sure what happened, please leave a comment.
1975 - Ringo Starr divorces his wife Maureen Cox

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1897 - Three years after the first issue of Billboard Advertising was published, the monthly publication is renamed to The Billboard

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

JUNE 30, 2010

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1939 - Janet H. Shifflett, machinist for fifteen years at Capitol Records and for Audiopak for seven years, is born Janet Henry in Warren County, Virginia
1944 - Glenn Shorrock, singer with the Capitol Records group The Little River Band, is born in Rochester, England
1949 - Andy Scott, guitarist with the Capitol Records group The Sweet, is born Andrew Scott in Wrexham, Wales, United Kingdom

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1944 - It's a busy day for drummer Zutty Singleton as he and his Creole Band (Norman Bowden on trumpet, Shorty Haughton on trombone, Barney Bigard on clarinet, Fred Washington on piano, Bud Scott on guitar, and Ed Garland on bass) record the tracks "Oh, Didn't He Ramble" and "Crawfish Blues", and at the same session, with his trio (Singleton on drums, Bigard on clarinet, and Washington on piano), record a couple of takes of "Barney's Bounce" and "Lulu's Mood". All the tracks will be released by Capitol Records.
1947 - Freddie Slack (on piano and celeste, with Gene Englund on bass, and Dave Coleman on drums), records the tracks "Humoresquire" (with Hilmer "Tiny" Timbrell on guitar) and "Celeste Boogie" in Los Angeles, California for Capitol Records, but the tracks would remain unreleased until included in the 2005 Mosaic Records 3 CD set "Mosaic Select: Freddie Slack".
1951 - Nat "King" Cole's Capitol Records single "Too Young" (with "That's My Girl" on the flip side) is still #1 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Les Paul and Mary Ford's Capitol Records single "How High The Moon" is #3 down from #2, and Les Paul and Mary Ford's Capitol Records single "Mockin' Bird Hill" is #17 down from #9, and Les Paul's Capitol Records single "Josephine" entes the top 20 at #20
1955 - Frank Sinatra, with arranger Nelson Riddle leading an unknown studio orchestra, records the track "I Thought About You" written by Jimmy Van Husen with lyrics by Capitol Records co-founder Johnny Mercer at Capitol Records' Melrose Avenue studios in Hollywood, California for his Capitol Records album "songs for swingin' lovers!"
1956 - Gene Vincent and The Blue Caps' Capitol Records single "Be Bop A Lula" enters the top 40 of Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart at #23 up from #43, Frank Sinatra (with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra)'s Capitol Records single "How Little We Know" enters the top 40 tied at #33 (up from #53) with Little Richard's single "Slippin' And A Sliddin'", Les Baxter and His Orchestra's Capitol Records single "Poor People Of Paris" is #37 down from #31, and Dean Martin's Capitol Records single "Standing On The Corner" is in a three way tie at #40 (down from #34) with Kay Starr's single "Second Fiddle" and Eddie Fisher (with Hugo Winterhalterr and His Orchestra)'s single "On The Street Where You Live"
50 Years Ago Today In 1960 - Arranger and tenor saxophonist Bill Holman (with Al Porcino, Ray Triscari, Conte Candoli, Lee Katzman on trumpet; Frank Rosolino and Lew McCreary on trombone; Ken Shroyer on bass trombone; Vince DeRosa and John Cave on french horn; Joe Maini and Charlie Kennedy on alto saxophone; Richie Kamuca and Bill Perkins on tenor saxophone; Jack Nimitz on baritone saxophone; Jimmy Rowles on piano; Joe Mondragon on bass; and Mel Lewis on drums) records the tracks "Speak Low", "Lush Life", "Shadrack", and "In A Sentimental Mood" at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California for his Capitol Records album "Bill Holman - Great Big Band"
1972 - Merle Haggard's Capitol Records single "Everybody's Had the Blues Sometimes" hits #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
1973 - George Harrison's Apple Records single "Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth)", with "Miss O'Dell" on the flip side, hits #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart, knocking Paul McCartney and Wings' Apple Records single "My Love", with "The Mess" on the flip side, out of the top spot after a 4 week stay, and will itself be knocked out of the following week by Billy Preston's A&M single "Will It Go Round In Circles" with Preston's version of Lennon and McCartney's "Blackbird" on the flip side.
1974 - Anne Murray's Capitol Records single "He Thinks I Still Care" is #1 on the U.S. Country singles chart
1984 - Tina Turner's Capitol Records album Private Dancer enters Billboard's Top 200 albums chart
15 Years Ago Today In 1995 - Capitol Records Nashville artist Garth Brooks buries the glass master of his LP "The Hits" beneath his star on the legendary Hollywood Walk of Fame. It was the first time something like this had been done.
2003 - An article in the Los Angeles Times states that Capitol Records pays a dime per square foot in property taxes for The Capitol Tower with an annual tax payment of $11,000. Doing the math, it works out that the total "official" square footage of The Capitol Tower is 110,000 square feet.
2009 - Harve Presnell, singer, Broadway, Television and Motion Picture actor, and Capitol Records artist (as part of the Roger Wagner Chorale and on the original Broadway cast album "The Unsinkable Molly Brown") has died of pancreatic cancer at age 74 at St. John's Health Center in Santa Monica, California.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1917 - Lena Horne, singer, motion picture and television actress, and United Artists Records artist (1965-1966) is born Lena Mary Calhoun Horne in Brooklyn, New York
1931 - Andrew Hill, pianist and Blue Note Records artist, is born in Chicago, Illinois
1953 - Pianist and vocalist Amos Milburn (with Noble Watts on tenor saxophone, Paul Williams on alto and baritone saxophone, Mickey Baker on guitar and an unknown bass player and drummer) records the tracks "Let's Have A Party", "Without Someone To Call Your Own", "One Scotch, One Bourbon, One Beer" (without Watts on saxophone), and "Sorrowful Heart" at Audio Video Studios, in New York City, New York for his Aladdin Records album "Let's Have A Party"
1956 - Fats Domino's Imperial Records single "I'm In Love Again" is still #6 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart and its flip side, "My Blue Heaven", is #22 down from #21. Imperial Records' catalogue is currently owned by Capitol Music Group's parent company, EMI Music Group.
1962 - Bobby Vee's Liberty Records single "Sharing You" is #16 up from #18 on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart, Dion's Laurie Records single "Lovers Who Wander" is #30 down from #14, and Dinah Washington's single "Where Are You" is # 40 down from #36 up from #46. EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company, currently owns the Laurie, Liberty, and Roulette Records catalogs.
1963 - Arranger Onzy Matthews (with Dupree Bolton on trumpet; Earl Anderza on alto saxophone; Hadley Caliman on tenor saxophone; Roosevelt Wardell on piano; Clarence Jones on bass; and Chuck Carter on drums) records the tracks "Joe And I" and "Midnite Lament" at Pacific Jazz Studios, in Los Angeles, California. The tracks will remain unreleased until they became part of the 2007 Mosaic Records 3 cd set "Mosaic Select: Onzy Matthews"
1984 - Rupert Perry's last day as president of EMI America Records. The next day he will become executive assistant to the chairman of EMI Music Worldwide, based in Los Angeles, California

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1939 - Future Capitol Records artist Frank Sinatra makes his first appearance with future Capitol Records artist Harry James’ band at a show held at the Hippodrome Theatre in Baltimore, Maryland
1956 - The Goons' Parlophone Records single "I'm Walking Backwards for Christmas" enters the UK singles charts
1963 - Brian Epstein signs The Foremost
2006 - "The Beatles LOVE", the latest Cirque du Soleil production which celebrates the musical legacy of The Beatles, holds it's Gala Premiere at The Mirage in Las Vegas and Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Yoko Ono and Olivia Harrison are expected to attend. This joint artistic venture marks the first time that The Beatles' company, Apple Corps Ltd., has agreed to a major theatrical partnership. Sir George Martin, The Beatles' original producer, and his son Giles Martin have been working with the entire archive of Beatles recordings to create the musical component for "LOVE". Apple Corps Ltd. will later release the show's soundtrack album through EMI Music. For more info go to issue 60 of Beatlefan online.

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

JUNE 29, 2010

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
60 Years Ago Today In 1950 - Mel Blanc records the tracks "Yosemite Sam" and "I Taut I Taw A Puddy Tat" for the double disc Capitol Records children's record "Bugs Bunny Sings". The two tracks will also be released as a single with a picture sleeve in 1951 and "I Taut I Taw A Puddy Tat" would peak at #9 on Billboard's singles chart and be one of the top 20 songs of the year. The song was produced by Alan Livingston. Livingston, with Billy May and Warren Foster, would also write the lyrics and May would write, arrange and conduct the music.
1951 - The Four Freshmen (Bob Flanigan on vocal, trombone, and bass; Don Barbour on vocal and guitar; Ross Barbour on vocal and drums; and Hal Kratzsch on vocal, tumpet, mellophone, and bass) record the tracks "It's A Blue World" and "Tuxedo Junction" (which will be released by Capitol Records as Capitol single #2152) as well as "Intermission Riff" (which will finally be released when it appears on 2000 Mosaic Records box set "The Complete Capitol Four Freshmen Sessions April, 1950-July, 1960") with producer Voyle Gilmour at Capitol's Melrose Avenue studios in Hollywood, California
1959 - Franck Pourcell and His French Fiddlers' Capitol Records single "Only You (Loin De Vous)" is #23 down from #12 on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart and The Kingston Trio's Capitol Records single "M.T.A." enters the top 40 at #28 up from #49
50 Years Ago Today In 1960 - Arranger and tenor saxophonist Bill Holman (with Al Porcino, Conte Candoli, Lee Katzman, and Ray Triscari on trumpet; Bill Perkins and Richie Kamuca on tenor saxophone; Charlie Kennedy, Joe Maini, and Richie Kamuca on alto saxophone; Frank Rosolino, Lew McGreery, and Vern Friley on trombone; Jack Nimitz on baritone saxophone; Jimmy Rowles on piano; Joe Mondragon on bass; Kenny Shroyer on bass trombone; and Mel Lewis on drums) record the tracks "Quickstep", "The Moon Is Blue", and "June Is Busting Out All Over" for his Capitol Records album "Bill Holman's Great Big Band" at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California
1963 - Kyu Sakamoto's Capitol Records single "Sukiyaki" (with "Anoko No Namaewa Nantenkana" on the flip side) is still #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart, Nat "King" Cole's single "Those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days Of Summer" is #6 up from #7, Bobby Darin's Capitol Records single "Yellow Roses" is #16 down from #11, The Beach Boys' Capitol Records single "Surfin' U.S.A." is #17 down from #16, Al Martino's Capitol Records single "I Love You Because" is #19 down from #9, and The Beach Boys' single "Shut Down" (the flip side of "Surfin' U.S.A." is #29 down from #23
1964 - Capitol Records releases Nat "King" Cole's single "Marnie" based on music from the soundtrack of the Alfred Hitchcock movie, with "More And More Of Your Amour" on the flip side
1967 - Wanda Jackson records the track "No Place To Go But Home" with producers Ken Nelson and Kelso Herston for her Capitol Records album "Cream Of The Crop" and "You Created Me" with Nelson, Herston and George Richy producing for her Capitol Records album "Wanda Jackson Country!" at Columbia Studios in Nashville, Tennessee
1968 - Capitol Records subsidiary Tower Records releases Pink Floyd's second album "A Saucerful Of Secrets"
1989 - Capitol Records releases Paul McCartney's "Flowers In The Dirt" album
1999 - Capitol Records releases Grand Funk Railroad's anthology album "Thirty Years Of Funk"
2002 - Rosemary Clooney, singer, motion picture and television actress, wife of Capitol Records artist (original Broadway cast album for "Cyrano de Bergerac") Jose Ferrer, lover of arranger and Capitol Records artist Nelson Riddle, and a Capitol Records artist (on a duet album with Bing Crosby), dies at age 74 of lung cancer at her home in Beverly Hills, California. Her home, formerly the home of lyricist Ira Gershwin, has been demolished by a new owner.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1916 - Porky Freeman, guitarist and Western Swing bandleader who gave future Capitol Records artist Merle Travis his first job after Travis moved to California, is born Quilla Hugh Freeman, in Vera Cruz, Missouri
1943 - Little Eva, singer (best known for "The Loco-Motion", which was later covered by Capitol Records group Grand Funk Railroad and future Capitol Records artist Kyle Minogue), is born Eva Narcissus Boyd in Belhaven, North Carolina
1959 - Martin Denny's Liberty Records single "Quiet Village" is #8 down from #6 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart, Dion and The Belmonts' Dolton Records single "A Teenager In Love" is #10 down from #8, Fats Domino's Imperial Records single "I'm Ready" is #29 down from #18. EMI Music Group, Capitol Records' parent company, currently owns the Liberty, Dolton, and Imperial Records catalogues.
1963 - The Essex's Roulette Records single "Easier Said Than Done" is #5 up from #15 on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart, The Chiffon's Laurie Records single "One Fine Day" is #7 up from #10, Jan And Dean's Liberty Records single "Surf City is #10 up from #20, and Lou Christie's Roulette Records single "Two Faces Have I" is #26 down from #14. Roulette, Laurie, and Liberty Records' catalogs are currently owned by Capitol Music Group's parent company, EMI Music Group.
1963 - Del Shannon's cover of The Beatles' tune "From Me To You" enters Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart, becoming the first Lennon/McCartney song to appear on the U.S. charts
1986 - Dan Seal's EMI America Records single "Everything That Glitters (Is Not Gold)", with "So Easy To Need" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts. EMI America's Country catalog is currently being distributed by Capitol Records Nashville.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1919 - Slim Pickens, motion picture actor ("Blazing Saddles", "Dr. Strangelove...", "1941", etc.), is born Louis Bert Lindley Jr., in Kingsburg, California. Let the whoopin' and a hollerin' commence! :)
70 Years Ago Today In 1940 - Victor Records releases Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra's single "I'll Never Smile Again", It will be the band's first big hit with future Capitol Records artists Frank Sinatra and The Pied Pipers as vocalists. The track had been recorded on May 23, 1940 in New York City and will become the first #1 on Billboard's first top 10 selling chart on July 20, 1940, and would be both Sinatra and The Pied Piper's first #1 on any charts. The instrumental "Marcheta" is on the flip side.
1963 - Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine, at ceremony #123, leave their footprints in cement at Graumann's Chinese Theater in Hollywood, California
1967 - Jayne Mansfield, singer and actress on Broadway and in motion pictures, is killed at age 34 in an auto accident on U.S. Highway 90 on her way from an engagement at a supper club in Biloxi, Misssissippi to a TV interview in New Orleans, Louisiana. Also killed is Mansfield's driver and her divorce lawyer, and suffering minor injuries are three of Manfield's children including future "Law & Order S.V.U." actress Mariska Hargitay.
1983 - Sylvester Stallone, at ceremony #148, leaves his footprints in cement at Graumann's Chinese Theater in Hollywood, California

Monday, June 28, 2010

JUNE 28, 2010

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1907 - Jimmy Mundy, tenor saxophonist, arranger (for both sides of Capitol Records' first released single, Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra's "I Found A New Baby" and "The General Jumped At Dawn"), and songwriter (including "Travlin' Light" with lyricst and Capitol Records co-founder Johnny Mercer), is born in Cincinnati, Ohio
1923 - Pete Candoli, Capitol Records session trumpet player (with arrangers Billy May, Nelson Riddle, Don Costa, Gordon Jenkins, and Axel Stordahl; on albums by Frank Sinatra, Peggy Lee, Stan Kenton, and more) and husband (1960-1971) of one time Capitol Records artist Betty Hutton, is born Walter Joseph Candoli in Mishawaka, Indiana. There's a great biographic article about Candoli on the Jazz Professional website.
1926 - Mel Brooks, drummer, comedian, Broadway playright and producer, television and motion picture screenwriter, director, producer and actor, and a Capitol Records artist (with Carl Reiner on the "2000 Year Old Man" series of comedy albums), is born Melvin Kaminsky in Brooklyn, New York.
1936 - Tom Drake (aka Steven Yates), guitarist, singer, songwriter and founder of the Capitol Records group The Good Time Singers, is born Thomas Y. Drake in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
60 Years Ago Today In 1950 - Jess Stacy and His Trio (Jess Stacy on piano, George Van Eps on guitar, Morty Corb on bass, and Nick Fatool on drums) records the tracks "Careless" (which went unissued until it appeared on the 1997 Mosaic box set "Classic Capitol Jazz Sessions"), "I'll Be Seeing You" (which will be released by Capitol on the album "Classics In Jazz - Piano Stylists"), as well as "Can't We Be Friends" and "Imagination" (which Capitol Records will release together as a single)
1952 - Al Martino (with orchestra conducted by Mondy Kelly)'s Capitol Records single "Here In My Heart" is #2 down from #1 on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Records chart, Jane Froman (with orchestra conducted by Sid Feller)'s Capitol Records single "I'll Walk Alone" is #14 up from #19, and Les Paul's Capitol Records single "Carioca" is still #18
1957 - The Andrews Sisters finish recording tracks for their Capitol Records album "Fresh And Fancy Free" with arranger Billy May conducting the studio orchestra at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California
1964 - The Beach Boys' Capitol Records single "I Get Around", with "Don't Worry Baby" on the flip side, is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart
45 Years Ago Today In 1965 - Red Nichols, cornet player, band leader and Capitol Records artist (1956-1960), dies after a sudden heart attack in his suite at the Mint Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, where he and his band were performing. His ashes are later interred in the Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills cemetery. There's a nice biographic article by "Dr. Progresso" on the Hole In The Web site.
45 Years Ago Today In 1965 - Capitol Records releases The Beach Boys' album "Summer Days (And Summer Nights), produced by Brian Wilson. The album will enter Billboard's Hot 200 album charts on July 24, 1965, my fifth birthday, and contains the hits "Help Me, Rhonda" and "California Girls".
45 Years Ago Today In 1965 - Capitol Records recording artists Bonnie Owens and Merle Haggard are married in Tijuana, Mexico
1966 - Merle Haggard records the tracks "Longer You Wait", "I Can't Stand Me", and "Bottle Let Me Down" at the Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California with producers Ken Nelson and Fuzzy Owen and The Strangers (Roy Nichols, Glen Campbell, Lewis Talley, and Jack Collier on guitar, James Burton on guitar/dobro, Ralph Mooney on steel guitar, Bob Morris, Bert Dodson, Jerry Ward on bass, Helen Price and James Gordon on drums, George French, Glenn D. Hardin on piano, Bonnie Owens and Billy Mize on additional vocals) for Haggard's Capitol Records album "Swinging Doors And The Bottle Let Me Down"
1966 - Jackie Gleason conducts the orchestra as they record the track "A Taste Of Honey" for Gleason's Capitol Records album "A Taste Of Brass - For Lovers Only"
1967 - Wanda Jackson records the track "Girl Don't Have To Drink To Have Fun" at Columbia Studios in Nashville, Tennessee with producers Ken Nelson & Kelso Herston for Jackson's Capitol Records album "Cream Of The Crop"
25 Years Ago Today In 1985 - Mischa Spoliansky (born Dec 28, 1898 in Russia), British composer who wrote the scores for several British films including "Saint Joan" (1957) whose soundtrack was released by Capitol Records, dies of natural causes in London, England at age 86 .
1988 - Poison's Capitol Records album "Open Up And Say Ahh!" is certified Gold and Platinum by the R.I.A.A.
1992 - Howard Roberts, guitarist and Capitol Records artist (1963-1969), dies in Seattle, Washington at age 62
1993 - The first recording session for Frank Sinatra's "Duets" album is held at The Capitol Tower Studios, but slight case of laryngitis and anxiety about being isolated in a sound booth causes Sinatra not to be able to perform. But four days later, after a special platform is built amongst the musicians and a hand mike is used for his vocals, Sinatra feels at ease and records nine tracks in five hours.
1997 - Mrs. Miller (born Elva Ruby Connes), Capitol Records artist, dies at age 89 in Vista, California
5 Years Ago Today In 2005 - Capitol Records releases Megadeth's greatest hits album "Back To The Start"
2006 - Capitol Records artist Corinne Bailey Rae appears on "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno."

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1942 - Roger Gambill, singer, member of The Kingston Trio (1973-1985) after they group left Capitol Records, is born
1967 - The motion picture "The Family Way", with musical score composed by Paul McCartney, premieres in the United States
1991 - "Paul McCartney's Liverpool Oratorio" debuts at Liverpool's Anglican Cathedral. McCartney co-wrote the 90-minute work with American-born composer Carl Davis to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Liverpool's Royal Philharmonic. The piece will later be released by Capitol Recorsd on an album.
2001 - The Country Radio Broadcasters awards former Capitol Records artist Buck Owens their Career Achievement Award with Brad Paisley making the presentation

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS
1902 - Richard Rodgers, Broadway and motion picture composer (first with lyricst Lorenz Hart, then with Oscar Hammerstein II, and then on his own) is born Richard Charles Rodgers in New York City, New York. Capitol Records released the original Broadway cast album for Rodgers' "No Strings". His works have also been covered by many Capitol Records artist and are the basis for two compilation CDs released by Capitol - "Isn't It Romantic: Capitol Sings Rodgers and Hart" and "Hello, Young Lovers: Capitol Sings Rogers and Hammerstein".
1937 - Sonja Henie leaves her skate prints in cement at Graumann's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California at ceremony #38
25 Years Ago Today In 1985 - Route 66, the 59 year-old highway of 2,200 miles of blacktop and inspiration for Bobby Troup's song "Route 66" and the television show of the same name, whose instrumental theme song was written and recorded by Capitol Records artist Nelson Riddle and released by Capitol, is decertified as a U.S. highway