APRIL 13, 2017

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
1951 - Peabo Bryson, singer, songwriter, music producer, and Capitol Records artist (1977-1983 and 1989), is born Robert Peapo Bryson in Greenville, South Carolina

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1944 - Andy Russell's Capitol Records single "Besame Mucho", with "You're The Dream, I'm The Dreamer" on the flipside, enters the top 40 of the U.S. Country singles charts
1956 - Vocalist Dick Haymes, with Ian Bernard and his orchestra (lineup unlisted), records the titles "I Like The Likes Of You", "Isn't It A Lovely Day (To Be Caught In The Rain)", and "Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue all the titles on Haymes' album "Moondreams" (T 787).
1956 - Vocalist Meg Myles, with unlisted others, records the yet to be issued titles "13 Men" and "Abracadabra" and the titles "Past The Age Of Innocence" and "My Melancholy Baby" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue the last two titles together as a single (Capitol 3437).
1956 - Ray Heindorf conducted The Warner Bros. Orchestra (lineup unlisted) and Chorus (vocalists Betty Allan, Burton Dole, William Lee, Elizabeth Mulliner, Ernest Newton, Betty Noyes, Thurl Ravenscroft, Virginia Rees, William Reeve, Max Smith, Robert Stevens, Betty Wand, and Gloria Wood) as they record the title "Fight Scene (The Yellow Rose Of Texas)" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue the title on the original motion picture soundtrack album for the film "GIANT" (W 773).
1956 - Vocalist John Raitt, with unlisted others, records the titles "Amapola", "Lamento Gitano (Gypsy Lament)", "Granada", and "Malaguena" in New York City, New York. Capitol Records will issue all the titles on Raitt's album "Mediterranean Magic" (T 714).
1961 - Vocalist and pianist Ivory Joe Hunter, with Stan Applebaum directing the studio orchestra (lineup unlisted but includes trumpet, saxophone, guitar, bass, and drum players) and a chorus, (lineup unlisted), records the titles "Because I Love You", and "I'm Hooked" in New York City, New York. Capitol Records will issue both titles together as a single (Capitol 4587).
1963 - Buck Owens' Capitol Records single "Act Naturally", with "Over And Over Again" on the flipside, enters the U.S. Country singles charts where it will eventually become Owens' first #1
1963 - The Beach Boys' Capitol Records single "Surfin' U.S.A.", with "Shut Down" on the flipside, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1965 - The Beatles win the Grammy award for Best New Artist of the Year
1966 - The Beatles record the title "Paperback Writer" in Abbey Road Studios in London, England. Capitol Records will issue the title as a single (Capitol 6296) in the United States with "Rain" (recorded April 14, 1966) on the flipside.
1966 - Vocalist and guitarist Roy Clark, with unlisted others, records a yet to be issued take of the titles "Steppin' Out", the title "(I'd Be) A Legend In My Time", and yet to be issued takes of the titles "A Good Woman's Love", and "Oh How I Miss You" in Nashville, Tennessee. Tower Records, a subsidiary of Capitol Records, will issue "(I'd Be) A Legend In My Time" as a single (DT 5118) with "Rose Colored Glasses" (recorded October 14, 1965) on the flipside.
1966 - Vocalists Jean Shepard and Ray Pillow, with unlisted others, records the titles "Nobody's Business", "We Could", and "Willingly" in Nashville, Tennessee. Capitol Records will issue all the titles on Shepard and Pillow's album "I'll Take The Dog" (T 2537).
1969 - Glen Campbell's Capitol Records single "Galveston", with "How Come Every Time I Itch I Wind Up Scratchin' You" on the flipside, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
1971 - During two sessions held today in Los Angeles, California with producer Earl Ball, vocalist Merle Haggard and The Strangers (Roy Nichols on electric guitar, Norman Hamlet on steel guitar, Bobby Wayne on guitar, Dennis Hromek on bass, and Clair "Biff" Adam on drums) record the titles "The Conversion Of Ronnie Jones" and "Caroline" at the first session then just The Strangers record the titles "Honky Tonk", "Raunchy", and "Song From 'Sleep Walk'" at the second session. Capitol Records will issue "The Conversion Of Ronnie Jones" on Haggard's album "It's Not Love (But It's Not Bad)" (ST-11127), after a overdub session is held on April 30, 1971 for "Carolyn" it will release that title as a single (Capitol 3222) with "When The Feelin' Goes Away" (recorded November 9, 1970) on the flipside and on Haggard and The Strangers' album "Someday We'll Look Back" (ST-835) and all three titles from the second sessions on Merle Haggard's Strangers' album "Honky Tonkin'" (ST-796) and "Song From 'Sleep Walk'" as a single (Capitol 3144) with "Slow 'N' Easy" (recorded April 14, 1971) on the flipside.
1974 - Wings' Apple Records album "Band on the Run", distributed by Capitol Records in the United States, is #1 on Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart
1975 - Merle Haggard's Capitol Records single "Always Wanting You", with "I've Got A Yearning" on the flipside, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
1976 - Asleep At The Wheel (lineup unlisted) records the title "Miles And Miles Of Texas" in Nashville, Tennessee. Capitol Records will issue the title as a single (Capitol 4357) with "Blues For Dixie" (recorded April 1, 1966) on the flipside and on the group's album "Wheelin' And Dealin'" (ST-11546).
40 Years Ago Today In 1977 - Natalie Cole's Capitol Records single "I've Got Love On My Mind", with "Unpredictable You" on the flipside, is certified Gold by the R.I.A.A.
25 Years Ago Today In 1992 - Liberty Records (later renamed Capitol Records Nashville) releases Linda Davis' album "Linda Davis"

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1923 - Don Adams, comedian, television and motion picture actor, animated cartoon voice artist, and Roulette and United Artists Records artist, is born Donald James Yarmy in New York City, New York
1980 - Blondie's Chrysalis Records single "Call Me", with an instrumental version of the song by Georgio Moroder on the flipside, is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart. Chrysalis' catalog was owned by EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's one time parent company but was sold by Universal Music Group to Warner Music Group when UMG bought EMI Music Group.
1983 - Sheena Easton and Kenny Rogers' duet Liberty Records single "We've Got Tonight", with Rogers' "You Are So Beautiful" on the flipside, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts. Liberty Records catalog is currently owned by EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company.
1991 - Queensryche's EMI America Records single "Silent Lucidity", with "The Mission (Live)" on the flipside, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart. EMI America's catalog is currently owned by EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company.

APRIL 12, 2017

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1908, 1913, or 1914 - Some sources give this as the birthdate of Lionel Hampton, drummer, band leader, vibraphone player, percussionist, solo artist and with Capitol Records artist Benny Goodman and His Orchestra, but the majority say that Lionel Leo Hampton was born April 20, 1908 in Louisville, Kentucky. If anyone knows for sure, please leave a comment.
1918 - Helen Forrest, singer with the bands of Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman, Harry James, Lionel Hampton, and a Capitol Records solo artist (1955, with the album "Voice Of The Name Bands"), is born Helen Fogel in Atlantic City, New Jersey
50 Years Ago Today In 1967 - Mellow Man Ace, rapper, songwriter, brother of Sen Dog of the group Cypress Hill, and a Capitol Records artist, is born Ulpiano Sergio Reyes in Pinar del Rio, Cuba

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1946 - Voice artist Pinto Colvig, with Billy May conducting his own arrangements to his orchestra (Emmanuel "Mannie" Klein, Uan Rasey, and Leonard Mach on trumpet, Elmer Smithers and James Skiles on trombones, J.A. Krechter, Harry Schuchman, Victor Garber, and Vincent Spolidoro on saxophones, Edwin "Buddy" Cole on piano, Phil Stephens on bass, John Cyr on drums, and a string section with Mischa Russell, Harry Bluestone, and Samuel Freed on violins, Paul Robyn on viola, Cy Bernard on cello) and using a script by Bozo's creator Alan Livingston, records the titles "Bozo At The Circus: Part 3" and "Bozo At The Circus: Part 4" at Radio Recorders' studios at 932 North Western Avenue in Hollywood, California. Capitol Records will issue both titles as part of the label's first Record Reader album (also created by Alan Livingston) "Bozo At The Circus" (BBX-34).
1956 - Pianist Lou Busch as Joe "Fingers" Carr and His Ragtime Band (lineup unlisted) records the titles "Entertainer's Rag", "Black And White Rag", and "Maple Leaf Rag" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue all the titles on Carr's album "Mister Ragtime" (T 760).
1963 - Dick Dale signs with Capitol Records
1971 - Capitol Records releases Buck Owens single "Ruby (Are You Mad)", which will peak at #3 on December 4, 1971, with "Heartbreak Mountain" on the flip side
1989 - Liberty Records (later renamed Capitol Records Nashville) releases Garth Brooks' album "Garth Brooks"
1998 - James B. Conkling, one time VP at Capitol Records, who went on to be president of Columbia Records, co-founder of the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, helped launch and was first president of Warner Bros. Records, married Donna King (member of the Capitol Records group The King Sisters), father of actress Xandra Conkling (aka Donna Alexandra Conkling) and actor and screenwriter Chris Conkling, dies at Sutter Oaks Alzheimer's Hospital in Sacramento, California at age 83

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1966 - Jan Berry, songwriter, record producer, singer and Liberty Records artist as part of the duo Jan & Dean, crashes his white Corvette into a parked truck on Whittier Drive in Los Angeles, California, very close to a legendary “Dead Man’s Curve” that Jan & Dean had immortalized in their hit single. The young genius, with a 180 I.Q., suffered extensive brain and physical damage, and never quite fully recovered but, to the astonishment of his doctors, learned to speak, sing, walk, and perform again.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1954 - Bill Haley And His Comets' have their first session for Decca Records at the Pythian Temple in New York City, New York, where they record the track "(We're Gonna) Rock Around the Clock"

APRIL 11, 2017

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
1921 - Dorothy Shay (aka "The Park Avenue Hillbilly"), singer, comedian, actress, and Capitol Records artist, is born Dorothy Nell Sims in Jacksonville, Florida
85 Years Ago Today In 1932 - Joel Grey, singer, dancer, Broadway, motion picture, and television performer, son of comedian and Capitol Records artist Mickey Katz, father of motion picture and television actress Jennifer Grey and chef James Grey, and Capitol Records artist, is born Joel David Katz in Cleveland, Ohio
1970 - Dylan Keefe, bass player and background vocalist in the the Capitol Records group Marcy Playground is born in Minneapolis, Minnesota

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1955 - Jean Shepard records the tracks "Satisfied Mind", which Capitol Records will release as a single with "Take Possession" on the flip side in May 1955, and "Beautiful Lies", which Capitol will release with "I Thought Of You" on the flip side in September 1955, at Capitol Records' Melrose studios in Hollywood, California with producer Ken Nelson

1956 - Keely Smith and Louis Prima sign with Capitol Records. I had the unexpected joy of meeting Keely late one night in at The Capitol Tower Studios. I was heading down the hall towards the parking lot on my way home and she was coming out of the hallway from the studios. I recognized her at once and was just blown away. I mean, who could imagine bumping into Keely Smith at the Tower in 1999? Overcoming my tongue-tied shyness when meeting legends, I introduced myself, told her what a pleasure it was to meet her, and asked what brought her back to Capitol. She said she was working on a new album which turned out to be "Swing, Swing, Swing" released by Concord in 2000. She was very gracious and seemed tickled that someone, besides those working in the studios, recognized her and appreciated the significance of her return.
1964 - The Beatles occupy a record-breaking fourteen positions on US Hot 100 chart - "Can't Buy Me Love" (1), "Twist and Shout" (2), "She Loves You" (4), "I Want To Hold Your Hand" (7), "Please Please Me" (9), "Do You Want To Know A Secret" (14), "I Saw Her Standing There" (38), "You Can't Do That" (48), "All My Loving" (50), "From Me To You" (52), "Thank You Girl (61), "There's A Place" (74), "Roll Over Beethoven" (78), and "Love Me Do" (81)
50 Years Ago Today In 1967 - Capitol Records artist Judy Garland divorces husband Mark Herron
1969 - Apple Records, with Capitol Records handling distribution in the United States, releases The Beatles single "Get Back", with "Don't Let Me Down" on the flip side
1970 - The Beatles' Apple Records single "Let it Be", with "You Know My Name (Look Up The Number)" on the flipside, is still #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1981 - A Taste Of Honey's Capitol Records single "Sukiyaki", with "Don't You Lead Me On" on the flipside, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
30 Years Ago Today In 1987 - Poison's Capitol Records single "Talk Dirty To Me", with "Look What The Cat Dragged In" on the flipside, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1998 - Capitol Records artist Merle Travis is named a charter inductee in the National Thumb Pickers Hall of Fame
2006 - Capitol Records releases The Beatles' compilation box set "The Beatles: The Capitol Albums Vol. 2"

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1945 - Future Capitol Records artist Dean Martin and his wife Elizabeth welcome their second daughter, Barbara Gail Martin, into the world
2001 - Sir Harry Secombe (born Harry Donald Secombe), singer, comedian, motion picture ("Down Among The Z-Men", "Oliver!"), television and radio performer (most notably as Neddy Seagoon on "The Goon Show") and Parlophone Records artist (whose "Goon Show" recordings were produced by George Martin), dies from prostate cancer at his home in Shamley Green, Guildford, Surrey, England at age 79

APRIL 10, 2017

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
70 Years Ago Today In 1947 - Margaret Whiting, with Frank De Vol and His Orchestra, records the titles "Ask Anyone Who Knows", "Old Devil Moon", "Thou Swell", and "This Can't Be Love" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue "Ask Anyone Who Knows" and "Old Devil Moon" together as a single (Capitol 410) and "Thou Swell" and "This Can't Be Love" on Whiting's self-titled album "Margaret Whiting" (BD-51).
Here's a version of "This Can't Be Love" with Margaret and Lou Busch
Here's a version of "This Can't Be Love" with Frank Sinatra
70 Years Ago Today In 1947 - Nellie Lutcher (on piano and vocals) and Her Rhythm (Ulysses Livingstone on guitar, Billy Hadnott on bass, and Lee Young on drums) records the titles "The One I Love (Belongs To Somebody Else)", "Hurry On Down", "The Lady's In Love With You", and "You Better Watch Yourself, Bub" at Radio Recorders' Studio B in Los Angeles, California between 2:00 PM and 4:45 PM. Capitol Records will issue "The One I Love (Belongs To Somebody Else)" on Lutcher's album "Nellie Lutcher & Her Rhythm" (CC-70), "Hurry On Down" and "The Lady's In Love With You" as a single (Capitol Americana 40002), and "You Better Watch Yourself, Bub" as a single (Capitol Americana 40042) with "My Mother's Eyes" (recorded April 30, 1947) on the flipside.
65 Years Ago Today In 1952 - Kay Starr's Capitol Records single "Wheel of Fortune", with "Angry" on the flipside, is still #1 on Billboard's Pop singles charts
1956 - Capitol Records artist Nat "King" Cole is badly beaten up on stage by a white supremacist group, in front of a white audience, in Birmingham, Alabama
55 Years Ago Today In 1957 - Frank Sinatra (on vocals) with Gordon Jenkins conducting his own arrangements to the orchestra (Vincent De Rosa, Arthur Frantz, and John Cave on French horns, Dent Eckles on flute, Wayne Songer on clarinet, Willie Schwartz on woodwinds, Jack Shaney on bassoon, Matty Matlock on baritone saxophone, Bill Miller on piano, Allan Reuss on guitar, Jack Ryan on bass, Nick Fatool on drums, Kathryn Julye on harp and a string section with Victor Arno, Harry Bluestone, Samuel Cytron, Kurt Dieterle, Walter Edelstein, Ben Gill, Murray Kellner, Sol Kindler, Dan Lube, Joseph Livoti, Erno Neufeld, Nicholas Pisani, Joseph Quadri, Mischa Russell, Felix Slatkin, and Marshall Sosson on violins, William Baffa, Ray Menhennick, Paul Robyn, and David Sterkin on viola, Cy Bernard and Armand Kaproff on cello), records the titles "Where Is The One?", "There's No You", "The Night We Called It A Day", "Autumn Leaves" and an alternate take of "Autumn Leaves" in The Capitol Tower Studios at 1750 North Vine Street in Hollywood, California between 4:00 PM and 7:00 PM. Capitol Records will issue "Where Is The One?", "There's No You", "The Night We Called It A Day", and "Autumn Leaves" on Sinatra's album "Where Are You?" (W 855) and "Where Is The One?", "There's No You", "The Night We Called It A Day", and the alternate take of "Autumn Leaves"on the stereo version of the album (SW 855).

1958 - Wanda Jackson records the tracks "(Every Time They Play) Our Song", which will be released by Capitol Records as the flipside of "Mean Mean Man", and "A Date With Jerry", which will be released as a single by Capitol with "You're The One For Me" on the flip side

1961 - Capitol Records releases Rose Maddox and Buck Owens' single "Mental Cruelty" with "Loose Talk" on the flipside
1965 - Freddie and The Dreamers' Tower Records (a subsidiary of Capitol Records) single "I'm Telling You Now", with "What Have I Done To You?" on the flipside, is still #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
50 Years Ago Today In 1967 - Merle Haggard records the track "Branded Man" which will be the title track for his 1967 Capitol Records album and released by Capitol as a single with "You Don't Have Very Far To Go (1967 version)" on the flipside
50 Years Ago Today In 1967 - Paul McCartney visits a Beach Boys' recording session, producing the track "Vegetables"
1970 - Paul McCartney announces that The Beatles have broken up
45 Years Ago Today In 1972 - Freddie Hart's Capitol Records single "My Hang-Up Is You", with "Big Bad Wolf" on the flipside, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
1998 - CEMA (the then catlog division of Capitol Records and EMI) releases Freddie Hart's compilation album "Best of Freddie Hart"
10 Years Ago Today In 2007 - Dakota Staton (aka Aliyah Rabia), singer, dancer, sister of saxophonist Fred Staton, and a Capitol Records and United Artists Records artist, dies in Manhattan, New York at age 74 after a few years of declining health.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1911 - Martin Denny, bandleader, composer, pianist, and Liberty Records artist, is born in New York City, New York. Some listings have him being born on April 5, 1911. If anyone knows for sure, please leave a comment.
60 Years Ago Today In 1957 - Future Imperial and Capitol Records artist Ricky Nelson starts his singing career on his parents' network television show "Ozzie and Harriet" when he sings the track "I'm Walkin'". That's Capitol Records artist and bandleader Ray Anthony as the bandleader in the background.
55 Years Ago Today In 1962 - Stuart Sutcliffe, artist and original bass player for The Beatles, who had quit the band to return to art school and stay with his girlfriend Astrid Kirchherr, dies from a brain hemorrhage following a series of violent headaches in Hamburg, West Germany at age 21, the day before The Beatles were to return to Hamburg from Liverpool to start their third tour in the city.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1956 - Leo Fender is granted the patent for The Stratocaster guitar

APRIL 9, 2017

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
1920 - Art Van Damme, accordionist, bandleader (Art Van Damme Quintet), Capitol Records artist (the Quintet accompanied The Dinning Sisters on their Capitol Records single "Buttons And Bows"), is born in Norway, Michigan

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY

75 Years Ago Today In 1942 - Papers signed on March 27, 1942 by George G. DeSylva, John Mercer, and Glenn E. Wallichs, before Los Angeles County and California state Notary Public Leta Niccum to acknowledge that they have executed articles of incorporation for Liberty Records, Inc., are stamped "FILED" with the state of California. The three will apply for a Certificate of Amendment on May 27, 1942, again before Ms. Niccum, to change the name of the corporation to Capitol Records, Inc. Those papers will be stamped "FILED" with the state of California on June 1, 1942.
1948 - Nat "King" Cole's Capitol Records single "Nature Boy" is #1 on The Billboard magazine's Record Possibilities - The Retailers Pick chart and debuts at #11 on the magazine's Records Most Played By Disk Jockeys chart. It's flipside, The King Cole Trio's "Lost April", is #3 on the magazine's Record Possibilities - The Disk Jockeys Pick chart

1955 - Les Baxter's Capitol Records single "Unchained Melody", with "Medic" on the flip side, enters the top 40 of the U.S. Pop singles charts

1956 - Local Disc Jockey Sherrif Tex Davis takes Gene Vincent and The Blue Caps to radio station WCMS' studios in Nashville, Tennessee to record the demo of "Be-Bop-A-Lula" as well as demos for "Race With The Devil" and "I Sure Miss You". Davis sends the demos to Capitol's A&R man and producer Ken Nelson who will set up a recording session at Owen Bradley's Nashville studio on May 4th, 1956 which will produce the released single version of "Be-Bop-A-Lula".
1964 - Capitol Records is granted an injunction restraining Vee Jay Records from further manufacturing, distributing or advertising recordings by The Beatles
1973 - Apple Records, with Capitol Records handling distribution in the United States, releases Paul McCartney And Wings' single "My Love" from their album "Red Rose Speedway" with "The Mess" on the flipside
1983 - The Tubes' Capitol Records single "She's A Beauty", with "When You're Ready To Come" on the flipside, enters Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1990 - Capitol Records releases Lacy J. Dalton's album "Lacy J."

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1951 - Future Capitol Records artist Judy Garland begins a four-week appearance at The London Palladium in London, England
1983 - Kenny Rogers and Sheena Easton's Liberty Records (later renamed Capitol Records Nashville) single "We've Got Tonight",  (Liberty 1492) with Rogers' "You Are So Beautiful" on the flipside, hits #1 on Billboard magazine's Hot Country Singles chart.

2004 - Nick and Mary Yankovic, the parents of former Capitol Records artist "Weird Al" Yankovic, die of carbon monoxide poisoning in their Fallbrook, California home. Their accidental deaths are caused by a fire burning without an open flue.

APRIL 8, 2017

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
110 Years Ago Today In 1907 - Wesley Prince, bass player with The King Cole Trio, is born in Pasadena, California

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1949 - Mel Torme's Capitol Records single "Again", with "Blue Moon" on the flipside, enters the top 40 of the U.S. Pop singles chart
1966 - Vocalist Liza Minnelli, with Ray Ellis conducting his own arrangements to the orchestra (lineup unlisted), records the titles "Marriage Is For Old Folks", "Say Liza (Liza With A 'Z')", and "Come On And Baby Me" in New York City, New York. 40 years later in 2006, DRG Records will issue all the titles on the 2 disc CD set "Liza Minnelli: The Complete Capitol Collection"  (DRG 19093).
1963 - Nat and Maria Cole attend the 35th Academy Awards ceremony at The Santa Monica Civic Auditorium in Santa Monica, California.
50 Years Ago Today In 1967 - Wanda Jackson records the title "I'd Like To Help You Get Out" for her Capitol Records album "You'll Always Have My Heart" that will be released in September 1967
1968 - The Beatles' Apple Records single "Lady Madonna", with "The Inner Light" on the flipside and distributed by Capitol Records in the United States, is certified Gold by the R.I.A.A.
1978 - Wing's Capitol Records single "With A Little Luck", with "Backwards Traveller/Cuff Link (Medley)" on the flipside, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
2003 - Capitol Records releases Lisa Marie Presley's album "To Whom It May Concern"
2003 - Chris Cagle's second Capitol Records album, "Chris Cagle," debuts at #1 on the Billboard's Top Country Albums chart

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
125 Year Ago Today In 1892 - Mary Pickford, actress and co-founder of United Artists Pictures, is born Gladys Louise Smith in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. United Artists Pictues would release The Beatles' movies "A Hard Day's Night", "Help!", and "The Yellow Submarine". The catalog for United Artists Records, a subsidiary which will also release the soundtrack to "A Hard Day's Night", is now owned by EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company.
1920 - Carmen McRae, singer and Blue Note Records artist is born in Harlem, New York City, New York
1963 - Julian Lennon, singer, songwriter, guitarist, and son of John and Cynthia Powell, is born John Charles Julian Lennon in Liverpool, England. Julian was the inspiration for the songs "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds", "Good Night", and "Hey Jude"
50 Years Ago Today In 1967 - The Spencer Davis Group's single "I'm A Man", with "Can't Get Enough" on the flipside, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
2001 - Janet Jackson's Virgin Records America single "All For You", with "Someone To Call My Lover" on the flipside, is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart

APRIL 7, 2017

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1915 - Billie Holiday, singer and Capitol Records artist (the track "Trav'lin' Light", with Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra, using the name Lady Day), is born Eleanora Fagan in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
1920 - Ravi Shankar, composer, sitar player, Capitol ("Concert For Bangladesh") and Angel Records artist, and father of Angel Records artist Anoushka Shankar and Blue Note Records artist Nora Jones, is born Bharat Ratna Ravi Shankar in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India
1951 - Janis Ian, singer, songwriter, and Capitol Records artist is born Janis Eddy Fink in New York City, New York
65 Years Ago Today In 1952 - Bruce Gary, percussionist and drummer with the Capitol Records group The Knack, is born in Burbank, California

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1954 - Kay Starr's Capitol Records single "The Man Upstairs", with Harold Mooney conducting the orchestra and "If You Love Me" on the flipside, enters the top 40 of the U.S. Pop singles chart
1958 - Capitol Records releases Buck Owens' single "Sweet Thing" with "I Only Know That I Love You" on the flipside
1958 - Dean Martin's Capitol Records single "Return To Me", with "Forgetting You" on the flipside, enters the top 40 of the U.S. Pop singles chart
1991 - Liberty Records (later renamed Capitol Records Nashville) artist Garth Brooks wins American Country Music awards for Entertainer of the Year, Male Vocalist, Album of the Year (for "No Fences,") Single "Friends in Low Places," Song, and Video of the Year "The Dance"
15 Years Ago Today In 2002 - Chris Cagle's Capitol Records Nashville single "I Breathe In I Breathe Out", with "Country By The Grace of God" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1938 - Freddie Hubbard, trumpet player, sideman, bandleader, and Blue Note Records artist, is born Frederick Dewayne Hubbard in Indianapolis, Indiana. Blue Note's catalog is currently owned by Capitol Music Group's parent company EMI Music Group
1943 - Mick Abrahams, guitarist, founder of the Chrysalis Records group Jethro Tull, and a solo artist, is born in Luton, Bedfordshire, England. Chrysalis' catalog is currently owned by Capitol Music Group's parent company EMI Music Group
1949 - The Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein musical "South Pacific" opens at the Majestic Theatre in New York City. Capitol Records will later release an album of cover versions of the hit songs from the musical featuring Gordon MacRae and Jo Stafford
1958 - Ricky Nelson's Imperial Records single "Believe What You Say", with "My Bucket's Got A Hole In It" on the flipside, enters the top 40 of the U.S. Pop singles chart. Imperial's catalog is currently owned by Capitol Music Group's parent company EMI Music Group
1959 - The Fleetwoods' Dolphin Records (later renamed Dolton Records) single "Come Softly To Me", with "I Care So Much" on the flipside, is #1 on the U.S. Pop singles chart. Dolton Records was distributed and later bought by Liberty Records. Liberty Records catalog is currently owned by EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company.
1968 - Bobby Goldsboro's United Artists Records single "Honey", with "Danny" on the flipside, is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart. United Artists' catalog is currently owned by EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company.
1975 - Victoria Adams (aka Victoria Beckham, aka Posh Spice), with the Virgin Records group Spice Girls, wife of European football player David Beckham, is born Victoria Caroline Adams in Hetfordshire, England
1990 - "Hold On", Wilson Phillips' SBK single "Hold On", distributed by Capitol Records with "Over And Over" on the flipside, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Single chart

APRIL 6, 2017

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1924 - Dorothy Donegan, pianist, leader of The Dorothy Donegan Trio, and Capitol Records artist, is born in Chicago, Illinois
90 Years Ago Today In 1927 - Gerry Mulligan, arranger, songwriter, pianist, clarinet and baritone saxophone player, bandleader, Capitol (solo and as part of Miles Davis' "Birth Of The Cool" band), Pacific Jazz, and Blue Note Records artist, is born Gerald Joseph Mulligan in New York City, New York
80 Years Ago Today In 1937 - Merle Haggard, singer, songwriter, guitarist, 1977 inductee into the Nashville Songwriter's Hall Of Fame, 1994 inductee into the The Country Music Hall Of Fame, and Capitol Records artist, is born in Kern General Hospital, in Bakersfield, California

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY

75 Years Ago Today In 1942 - The first session for Liberty Records (officially renamed Capitol Records on June 1, 1942) is held as a split session at C.P. MacGregor's studios at 729 S. Western Avenue in Los Angeles, California. First, vocalist Martha Tilton and the vocal group The Mellowaires (lineup unlisted), with Gordon Jenkins' Orchestra (Jenkins on piano and leading the rest of the unlisted musicians), record "Moondreams" (co-written by Johnny Mercer and J. C. "Chummy"  MacGregor) and "The Angels Cried" (written by Mercer alone), which features a solo by Hubert "Bumps" Myers on tenor saxophone, then Johnny Mercer, with Gordon Jenkins and his Orchestra (lineup still unlisted but including Jimmy Van Heusen on piano), records "Strip Polka" (words and music by Mercer, arranged by Paul Weston) with additional M.C. vocals by Phil Silvers and harmony vocals by The Mellowaires and "They Didn't Believe  Me" (music by Jerome Kern and lyrics by Herbert Reynolds). Capitol Records will issue "Moondreams" as a single (Capitol 138) with "Comin' Thru The Rye" (recorded June 25, 1942) on the flipside, "The Angels Cried" as a single (Capitol 105) with "I'll Remember April" (recorded June 4, 1942) on the flipside, "Strip Polka" as single (Capitol 103) with "The Air-Minded Executive" (recorded May 21, 1942) on the flipside, and "They Didn't Believe Me" as a single (Capitol 129) with "Riffette" (recorded July 20, 1942) on the flipside.
1951 - Nat "King" Cole's Capitol Records single "Too Young", with "That's My Girl" on the flip side, enters the top 40 of the U.S. Pop singles charts
1956 - The grand opening of The Capitol Tower at 1750 Vine Street, Hollywood, California takes place. Check out the April 6, 2006 posting in the April archives to find all the information and photos that I posted for the 50th anniversary of The Tower's opening.
1966 - Buck Owens records the track "Open Up Your Heart" which will be released by Capitol Records
1968 - Syd Barrett officially leaves Tower Records' (a subsidiary of Capitol Records) band Pink Floyd
1968 - After nearly four months of remodeling, The Beatles open their Apple Corporation office on the fourth floor of  95 Wigmore Street, London, England. The office workers find out that they can't play records during office hours so as not to disturb other tenants in the building. About three months later, the company will move to 3 Savile Road on July 15, 1968 after The Beatles buy the entire building.
1999 - Red Norvo, xylophonist, bandleader, Capitol Records session player and artist, dies at the age of 91

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1945 - Bob Marley, singer, songwriter, guitarist, husband of Rita Marley (member of member of I3), and literaly the father of EMI America and Virgin Records group Ziggy Marley and The Melody Makers, is born Robert Nesta Marley in Rhoden Hall, Saint Ann Parish, Jamaica
1971 - Donavan Freberg, photographer and son of Capitol Records artist Stan Freberg, is born.
1973 - Future Capitol Records band Queen sign their first recording contract
1981 - Bob Hite (aka "The Bear"), guitarist, harmonica player, and founding member of the Liberty Records group Canned Heat, dies of a heart attack brought on by a combination of drug use and extreme weight at age 38. The attack happened in a van that was taking him home from a gig at The Palimino. Though his bandmates tried to revive him, they had to call paramedics when they got to Hite's home in Mar Vista, California, where he was later pronounced dead. If anyone knows for sure where Bob is buried, please leave a comment.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
100 Years Ago Today In 1917 - The United States of America enters the first world war.

APRIL 5, 2017

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1945 - Betty Hutton's Capitol Records single "Stuff Like That There" enters the top 40 of the U.S. Pop singles charts
55 Years Ago Today In 1962 - Wesley "Speedy" West (on steel guitar), with Billy Liebert on piano, Roy Lanham and Billy Strange on guitar, Lawrence "Red" Wooten on bass, and Earl Palmer on drums, records the tracks "Speedy's Special", "Sunset At Waikiki", "Tulsa Twist" and "Slow And Easy" at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California. Capitol Records will issue all the tracks on West's album "The Incredible Steel Guitar Of Speedy West - Guitar Spectacular" (T 1835).
55 Years Ago Today In 1962 - The Pre Meds (lineup unlisted) record the as yet unissued tracks "Feel Good" and "Feel Better" for Capitol Records in Los Angeles, California.
55 Years Ago Today In 1962 - Eddie Beal records the tracks "So Love Me For All We Know", the as yet unissued track "When I Fall In Love", "April Showers", and the as yet unissued track "Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying" in Los Angeles, California.
1964 - General Douglas MacArthur, General of the US Army in the Pacific, whose farewell speeches were released by Capitol Records, dies at age 84
50 Years Ago Today In 1967 - Dale Evans (on vocals with unlisted musicians) records the medleys "Ezekiel Saw The Wheel/Walk In Jerusalem", "Nobody Knows The Trouble I've Seen/Steal Away", and "One More River To Cross/Gonna Lay Down My Heavy Load", the track "Old Time Religian", the medley "Standin' In The Need of Prayer/Do Lord", and the track "It's Real" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue all the tracks on Evans' album "It's Real" (T 2772).
50 Years Ago Today In 1967 - The Stone Poneys (Kenny Edwards on lead guitar ond vocals, Bob Kimmel on rhythm guitar and vocals, and Linda Ronstadt on vocals) record the tracks "Toys Of Time", "Evergreen, Part 1" and the instrumental "Evergreen Part 2" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue all the tracks on the band's album "Evergreen, Volume 2" (T 2763) and the last two tracks together as a single  (Capitol 5910).
50 Years Ago Today In 1967 - Al Martino (on vocals), with Peter DeAngeles conducting his own arrangements to the orchestra (lineup unlisted), records the tracks "A Woman In Love", "Mary In The Morning", "Once Upon A Time", the as yet unissued take of the track "I'll Return To You", and "I Love You And You Love Me" in New York City, New York. Capitol Records will issue all the tracks except "I'll Return To You" on Martino's album "Daddy's Little Girl" (T 2733).
1970 - The Beatles' Apple Records single "Let It Be", distributed by Capitol Records in the United States, is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1989 - Dave Edmunds signs with Capitol Records
2001 - OTEP has a party at the Viper Room after signing with Capitol Records

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS
1911 - Martin Denny, composer, arranger, pianist, and Liberty Records artist is born in New York City, New York. Some listings have him being born on April 10, 1911. If anyone knows for sure, please leave a comment.
1934 - Stan Turrentine, tenor saxophonist and Blue Note Records artist is born Stanley William Turrentine in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
2010 - Geoff Peterson, built by Grant Imahara, debuts on "The Late, Late Show With Craig Ferguson".

APRIL 4, 2017

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1885 - Arthur Murray, dancer, dance instructor, businessman and founder of the Arthur Murray Dance Studios franchise, television dance show host with his wife Kathryn Murray, inspiration for the song "Arthur Murray Taught Me To Dance In A Hurry" written by Capitol Records co-founder Johnny Mercer and Victor Schertzinger and introduced by Capitol Records artist in the Paramount movie "The Fleet's In", for whom the "Arthur Murray" series of dance albums were created by Capitol Records, is born Moses Teichman in New York, New York
1914 - Frances Langford, singer, radio performer, motion picture actress, part of Bob Hope's U.S.O. touring company, and a Capitol Records artist (album "Sings Old Songs For Old Friends") is born Frances Newbern in Lakeland, Florida

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY

75 Years Ago Today In 1942 - It's a Saturday, and Johnny Mercer signs a recording contract with Liberty Records (later renamed Capitol Records) two days before the label's first recording session.
1946 - Pinto Colvig, Billy Bletcher, and Sara Berner (on vocals), with Billy May conducting his own arrangements to his orchestra (Emanuel "Mannie" Klein, Uan Rasey, and Leonard Mach on trumpet, Elmer Smithers and James Skiles on trombone, J. A. Krechter, Harry Schuchman, Victor Garber, and Vincent Spolidoro on saxophones, Edwin "Buddy" Cole on piano, Phil Stephens on bass, John Cyr on drums and a string section with Mischa Russell, Harry Bluestone, and Samuel Freed on violin, Paul Robyn on viola, and Cy Bernard on cello), using a script by session producer Alan Livingston, record the tracks "Bozo At The Circus, Part 1" and "Bozo At The Circus, Part 2" at Radio Recorders' original studios at 932 N. Western Avenue in Los Angeles, California (which is now either the parking lot of the Taco Bell or the Thai Angel restaurant). After the last two parts of the album are recorded at the same location on April 12, 1956, Capitol Records will issue all the tracks on Bozo's debut children's album "Bozo At The Circus" (BBX-34).
1953 - Nat "King" Cole's Capitol Records single "Pretend" is #6, his single "Can't I" is #25 and its flipside "Blue Gardenia" is #36 on Cash Box magazine's Best Selling Singles chart. "Pretend" is also #4 on The Billboard magazine's Best Selling Singles and Most Played by Jockeys chart #5 on the magazine's Most Played In Juke Boxes chart. Also, at 9:00 PM EST, Nat "King Cole appears on this evening's episode of CBS-TV's "This Is Show Business".

1955 - Capitol Records releases Faron Young' single "Live Fast, Love Hard, Die Young" with "Forgive Me Dear" on the flipside

1956 - Vocalist Frank Sinatra, with Nelson Riddle conducting his own arrangements to the orchestra (Vincent De Rosa on French horn, Harry Klee on flute, Mitchell Lurie on clarinet, Champ Webb on oboe, Bill Miller on piano, Bob Bain on guitar, Mike Rubin on bass, Irving Cottler on drums, Kathryn Julye on harp) and The Hollywood String Quartet (Paul Shure and Felix Slatkin on violins, Alvin Dinkin on viola, and Eleanor Slatkin on cello), records the titles "I've Had My Moments", "Blame It On My Youth", "Everything Happens To Me", and "Wait Till You See Her" in the Capitol Tower Studios at 1750 Vine Street in Hollywood, California. Capitol Records will issue the first three titles on Sinatra's album "Close To You" (W 789), the last title on Sinatra's album "Frank Sinatra Sings The Select Rodgers & Hart" (W 1825), and all the titles on the CD "Close To You And More" (7-46572-2).
1958 - Nat "King" Cole's Capitol Records single "Looking Back" is #7 on WMCA's Wax To Watch chart in New York City, New York.

1964 - The Beatles' have 12 songs on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart with tracks at #1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 14, 44, 49, 69, 79, 84 and 88. The band also becomes the only act to date in Billboard history to have three consecutive # 1 songs ("Can't Buy Me Love" takes over the # 1 spot from "She Loves You", which succeeded "I Want to Hold Your Hand"). The Beatles' Capitol Records album "Meet The Beatles" is also #1 on Billboard's album chart

1964 - Buck Owens' Capitol Records single "Together Again", the flipside of "My Heart Skips A Beat", is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
1965 - Freddie and The Dreamers' Tower Records (a subsidiary of Capitol Records) single "I'm Telling You Now", with "What Have I Done To You" on the flip side, is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
50 Years Ago Today In 1967 - The Geezinslaw Brothers (vocalists Sam Allred and Raymond Dewayne Smith, with unlisted musicians) records the tracks "Change Of Wife", "If They Could See The Self Come Out Of Me", "I Wouldn't Do It", and "I'm A People" in Nashville, Tennessee. Capitol Records will issue the first, second and last track on the duo's album "My Dirty Lowdown, Rotten, Cotton Pickin' Little Darlin'" (ST 2771) and the third track their album "Chubby" (Capitol ST 2885).
1971 - Sonny James' Capitol Records single "Empty Arms", with "Everything Begins And Ends With You" on the flipside, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
65 Years Ago Today In 1952 - Gary Moore, a guitarist, singer, founding member of Thin Lizzy and a 10 Records and Virgin Records America solo artist, is born in Belfast, Northern Ireland
1988 - After a break from recording of seven years, Buck Owens duets with Dwight Yoakam to record the track "Streets Of Bakersfield" which will be released by Reprise Records as a single with Yoakam's "One More Name" on the flip side. Buck Owens will then begin recording again for Capitol Records later the same year.

APRIL 3, 2017

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1936 - Jimmy McGriff, organist and Sue, Veep, Solid State, Blue Note and Capitol Records artist, is born James Harrell McGriff in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
75 Years Ago Today In 1942- Wayne Newton, singer, television and motion picture actor, and Capitol Records artist, is born Carson Wayne Newton in Roanoke, Virginia
1945 - Richard Manuel, singer, composer, keyboard player for the band The Hawks and the Capitol Records group The Band, is born in Stratford, Ontario
1949 - Richard Thompson, singer, songwriter, guitarist, founding member of the group Fairport Convention, part of a duo with then wife Linda Thompson, and Capitol Records solo artist, is born in London, England
1951 - Mel Schacher, bassist with the Capitol Records band Grand Funk Railroad, is born in Owosso, Michigan

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1946 - Tenor saxophonist Sam Donahue and his orchestra (Mitch Paul, Bill Marshall, Frank Beach, and Earl Collier on trumpets, Dick Le Fave, Tak Takvorian, Kenny Miesel, and Sid Brantley on trombones, Harry Peterson, Bill Nichol, and Paul Petrillo on alto saxophones, Max Kriseman also on tenor saxophone, George Perry on baritone saxophone, Bob Durant on piano, Louis Popp on bass, and Harold Hahn on drums) record the titles "Dinah", "Gypsy Love Song", and "Moten Swing" in New York City, New York. Capitol Records will eventually issue all the titles on the album "Classics In Jazz - Sam Donahue" (T 626).
1949 - Capitol Records team Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis record the audition episode of their NBC Radio program, "The Martin And Lewis Show". Their first guest is Bob Hope. The show will run until 1952. Numerous references to Capitol Records appear on the show and one episode has them taking Burl Ives into Capitol Records' studios for a recording session.
1951 - Vocalist Tex Ritter, with Paul Sells on accordion, Alan "Spud" Goodale, Merle Travis, and Wesley Tuttle on guitar, and Gene Englund on bass, records the titles "Blue Tail, The Red Fox" and "The Noise Song" at Capitol Records studios at 5515 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, California between 10:00 AM and 1:30 PM. Capitol Records will issue both titles together as a children's record album (CAS-3100).
1956 - Cornet player Bobby Hackett, with Glenn Osser conducting the orchestra (lineup unlisted but included saxophone players who also were doubling on clarinet, bass clarinet, piccolo, flute, and alto flute, as well as piano, celeste, guitar, bass, and drum players), records the titles "When I'm With You", "You Are Too Beautiful", "Moonlight Becomes You", and "Two Cigarettes In The Dark" in New York City, New York. Capitol Records will issue all the titles on Hackett's album "Rendezvous With Bobby Hackett" (T 719).
1961 - Vocalist Nat "King" Cole, with Ralph Carmichael directing the orchestra (Curtis "King Curtis" Ousley on tenor saxophone, Ernie Hayes on piano, John Collins, Kenny Burrell, and Everett Barksdale on electric guitars, and possibly Lee Young on drums), records new stereo versions of the titles "Send For Me", "If I May" with a unidentified vocal quartet, and "Looking Back" with a unidentified vocal chorus at Capitol Records' studios in New York City, New York. Capitol Records will issue all the titles in three LP set "The Nat King Cole Story" (WCL 1613).
1969 - Billy Preston signs with Apple Records and his tracks will be released by Capitol Records in the United States
45 Years Ago Today In 1972 - Capitol Records releases Buck Owens and The Buckaroos' single "Made  In Japan", with "Black Texas Dirt" on the flipside, which will eventually peak at #1 on the U.S. Country singles chart.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1941 - Jan Berry, singer, songwriter, and member of the Liberty Records duo Jan and Dean, is born William Jan Berry in Los Angeles, California
1946 - Dee Murray, bass player for the United Artists Records band The Spencer Davis Group is born in Gillingham, Kent, England
1961 - Ernie K-Doe's Minit Records single "Mother-In-Law", with "Wanted, $10,000 Reward" on the flipside, enters the top 40 of the U.S. Pop singles charts. Some copies of the single have the A side mastered at 33rpm by mistake. Minit's catalog is currently owned by Capitol Music Group's parent company Universal Group.
1976 - United Artists Records releases Crystal Gayle's single "I'll Get Over You", with "High Time" on the flipside, which will eventually peak at #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts
1983 - Kenny Rogers and Sheena Easton's Liberty Records (later renamed Capitol Records Nashville) single "We've Got Tonight", with Rogers' "You Are So Beautiful" on the flipside, hits #1 on the U.S. Country singles chart
1990 - Sarah Vaughn, singer and Roulette Records artist, dies of lung cancer in California a week after her 66th birthday

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1985 - The famed Brown Derby restaurant in Hollywood on Vine Street closed on this day, after 57 years. Many early Capitol Records celebrations and business meetings happened in its booths. Also it was the site of the founding of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. All of the furnishings were kept, including famous Booth #5 where Clark Gable proposed to Carole Lombard, until the building was condemned and torn down after the January 1994 Northridge, California earthquake.

APRIL 2, 2017

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!

1921 - Boomie Richman, tenor saxophone and flute player, and member of Capitol Records artist Benny Goodman's orchestra (1953-1954), is born Abraham Samuel Richman in Brockton, Massachusetts
75 Years Ago Today In 1942 - Leon Russell, pianist, singer, songwriter, Capitol Records session musician and solo artist is born Claude Russell Bridges in Lawton, Oklahoma,

1948 - Kerry Minnear, keyboard (piano, Hammond organ, mellotron, mini-MOOG, the Regal) player, lead and backing vocalist, cello player, and member of the Capitol Records group Gentle Giant, is born in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England. There are also references to him being born on January 2, 1948. If anyone knows for sure which date is correct, please leave a comment.

55 Years Ago Today In 1962 - Billy Dean, singer, guitarist, songwriter, and EMI America and Capitol Records Nashville artist is born William Harold Dean, Jr. in Quincy, Florida

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1948 - Peggy Lee's Capitol Records single "Mañana (Is Soon Enough For Me", with "All Dressed Up With A Broken Heart" on the flipside is #1 on The Billboard magazine's Most Played By Disc Jockeys, Best-Selling Popular Retail, and Most-Played Juke Box Records charts for the week ending April 2, 1948.
65 Years Ago Today In 1952 - Billy May (conducting his own arrangements) and His Orchestra (Tony Facciuto, Conrad Gozzo, Bob McKenzie, and Stu Williamson on trumpet, Karl De Karske, Charles Etter, Bob Raesinger, and Bob Robinson on trombone, Willie Smith and Eddie Freeman on alto saxophone, Charlie Deremoe and Joe Spang on tenor saxophone, Bob Dawes on baritone saxophone, Cliff Fishbach on piano, Ray Pohlman on guitar, Ted Hammond on bass, and Remo Belli on drums), with the vocal group The Maytimers (Willie Smith, Charles Etter, Bob McKenzie, and Ray Pohlman), record the tracks "Honest And Truly", "Gin And Tonic", "Love Is Just Around The Corner", "Easy Street" and "When The Swallows Come Back To Capistrano" at Capitol Records' Melrose Avenue studios in Hollywood, California. Capitol Records will issue the first and last tracks together as a single (Capitol 2054), the second and third tracks together as a single (Capitol 2157), and the fourth track as a single (Capitol 2113) with "Mayhem" (recorded on February 8, 1952) on the flipside.

1953 - Frank Sinatra has his first recording session for Capitol Records, with Axel Stordahl  conducting the orchestra (Heine Beau, Leonard Hartman, Arthur "Skeets" Herfert, and Theodore Nash on reeds, Rubin "Zeke" Zarchy on trumpet, Vincent De Rosa on French horn, George Van Eps on guitar, Philip Stephens on bass, Bill Miller on piano, Ann Stockton on harp, Ray Hagan on drums, Harry Bluestone, Murray Kellner, Alex Murray, Paul Nero, Irving Prager, and Mischa Russell on violins, Paul Robyn and Dave Sterkin on violas, and Cy Bernard on cello), recording the titles "Lean Baby" with an arrangement by Heine Beau, and "I'm Walking Behind You", "Day In - Day Out", and "Don't Make A Beggar Of Me" using arrangments by Stordhal at radio station KHJ's studios (which is now the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science's Pickford Center for Motion Picture Study and The Academy Film Archive) at 1313 North Vine Street in Hollywood, California between 8:30 PM and 11:30 PM, although Hollywood's honorary mayor Johnny Grant was sure that Frank Sr. kept recording at Columbia's studios on Sunset Blvd. opposite what is now the Spaghetti Factory. If anyone knows for sure, please leave a comment. Capitol Records will issue "Lean Baby" and "I'm Walking Behind You" together as a single (Capitol 2450), "Don't Make A Beggar Of Me" on the compilation album "Forever Frank" (T 2602), and all the titles on the remastered 1999 CD release of Sinatra's album "Point Of No Return" (7-48334-2).
1953 - Capitol Records artist Stan Kenton and His Orchestra (Bob Burgess, Conte Candoli, Buddy Childers, Vinnie Dean, Don Dennis, Bill Holman, Richie Kamuca, Lee Konitz, Hank Levey, Stan Levey, Keith Moon, George Roberts, Glen Roberts, Frank Rosolino, Ernie Royal, Sal Salvador, Tom Shepard, Don Smith) perform live at Birdland where the track "Swinghouse" is recorded and later released on the album "23 Degrees North, 82 Degrees West".
1956 - Pianist Lou Busch, as Joe "Fingers" Carr", with a orchestra and chorus (lineups unlisted), records the titles "Fingers Medley: Hot Potatoes/Two Dollar Rag/Looney Louie", "Portuguese Washerwoman", and "Lucky Pierre" (originally titled "La Saint Amour") in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue the first title as a single (Capitol F3883) with "Dominque" (recorded August 9, 1957) on the flipside and the last two titles together as a single (Capitol 3418).
1956 - Trumpet player Ray Anthony and his orchestra (Ray Sims on trombone, Ronny Lang on alto saxophone, Med Flory on alto and tenor saxophone, Dave Pell on tenor saxophone, Marty Berman on baritone saxophone, Geoff Clarkson on piano, Tony Rizzi on guitar, Don Simpson on bass, Roy Harte on drums, and Lou Singer on percussion), using arrangements by Don Simpson, record the titles "The Sleepwalker" with a vocal group (lineup unlisted) and the as yet to be issued takes of the titles "Cornet Capers" and "Let's Make A Scene" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue "The Sleepwalker" as a single (Capitol 3416) with "Chubasco" (recorded March 26, 1956) on the flipside.
60 Years Ago Today In 1957 - Peggy Lee, with producer Frank Sinatra conducting the orchestra (Buddy Collette and Harry Klee on alto saxophone; Stanley "Champ" Webb and James Williamson on tenor saxophone; Tommy Pederson on trombone; James Decker and Sinclair Lott on french horn; Juan Tizol on valve trombone; George Roberts on bass trombone; Nick Bonney on guitar; Max Bennett on stand up bass; Lou Levy on piano; Stella Castellucci on harp; Lou Singer on drums; Victor Arno, Victor Bay, Alex Beller, Harold Dicterow, David Frisina, Henry Hill, Alex Murray, Erno Neufeld, Eudice Shapiro, and Marshall Sosson on violin; Alvin Dinkin, Maxine Johnson, and Barbara Simons on viola; and Ennio Bologinni, Victor Gottlieb, Edgar Lustgarten, and Kurt Reher on cello), records the tracks "He's My Guy", "Something Wonderful", "Please Be Kind", and "The Man I Love" for her Capitol Records album "The Man I Love" using arrangements by Nelson Riddle at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California

1958 - The motion picture "The Young Lions", starring Capitol Records artist Dean Martin, as well as Marlon Brando and Montgomery Clift, opens and makes Martin a dramatic movie star on his own right without Jerry Lewis
1961 - Comedians Carl Reiner and Mel Brooks, in front of a live audience, record the titles "2000 Year Old Man", "Fabiola", "The Astronaught", "In A Coffee House: The Depressed One/The Actor/The Painter/The Folk Singer", "The Peruvian", and "The Psychiatrist" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue all the titles on the album "2000 Years With Carl Reiner & Mel Brooks" (W 1529).
1963 - "Best Foot Forward", an off Broadway show starring Capitol Records artist Liza Minnelli, opens. Her mother, Judy Garland, will attend the show the next night so as not to draw attention away from Liza on opening night.

1966 - The Beach Boys' Capitol Records single "Sloop John B", with "You're So Good To Me" enters Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart where it will stay for 11 weeks and peak at #3 on May 7, 1966

50 Years Ago Today In  1967 - The Beatles finish recording tracks at EMI's Abbey Road Studios for their Capitol Records album "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band"

1973 - Apple Records releases The Beatles compilation albums "The Beatles '62-66" (aka The Red Album) and "The Beatles '67-70" (aka The Blue Album) which will be distributed by Capitol Records in the United States
1986 - Vocalist Tina Turner, with unlisted others, records the title "Don't Turn Around" in a unlisted studio. Capitol Records will issue the title as a single (Capitol 5615) with "Typical Male" (recorded March 5, 1986) on the flipside.
1996 - Capitol Records releases Rosanne Cash's album "10 Song Demo"

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY

145 Years Ago Today In 1872 - Samuel Morse, inventor of Morse code and grandfather of Leila Morse (who first lit the beacon that spells out "H-O-L-L-Y-W-O-O-D" on the top of The Capitol Tower), dies at age age 80 at his home at 5 West 22nd Street, New York, New York and is later buried in the Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York

1920 - Jack Webb, radio, motion picture (Capitol released the soundtrack to his movie "Pete Kelly's Blues") and television actor, director, producer, singer, and one-time husband of Liberty Records artist Julie London, is born John Randolph Webb in Los Angeles, California

1941 - Dr. Demento, radio disk jockey, syndicated radio show host, pop/novelty tune music historian, who gave Capitol Records artist Weird Al Yankovic his first on air appearance, is born Barret Eugene Hansen in Minneapolis, Minnesota

1988 - Johnny Hates Jazz's Virgin Records America single "Shattered Dreams", with "My Secret Garden" on the flipside, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart. I did the final design production on the U.S. packaging for the single, it's promotional material, and trade advertising.

1989 - Roxette's EMI America single "The Look", with "Silver Blue" on the flipside, is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart

11 Years Ago Today On Sunday, April 2, 2006 - I started my blog on the history of Capitol Records..
It's been a decade of learning and having fun communicating with those with questions or comments about the label. It's led me to making some great new friends and being able to contribute to a number of Capitol related projects. The Capitol Records Tower's official 60th anniversary of opening is this Wednesday, April 6 and the label's 75th anniversary of incorporation as Capitol Records will be next year on April 9, 2017 (the label did start out as Liberty Records on February 7, 1942 but had to change its name due to a conflict with Liberty Music in New York City that couldn't be resolved). Here's a link to my first post. From there, you can follow the links to the posts from the first week or so when I posted a lot of information about the company and the tower.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY

115 Years Ago Today In 1902 - The Electric Theatre, the first theater constructed for the purpose of showing projected motion pictures in Los Angeles, is opened by owner and manager Thomas L. Talley (later a co-founder of First National Exhibitors Circuit) on the second floor of 262 South Main Street at Third and charges a dime to see an hour’s worth of movies, including the films "The Capture Of The Biddle Brothers" and "New York In A Blizzard".

25 Years Ago Today In 1992 - Milton Rackmil, co-founder of Decca Records, dies in Manhattan, New York at age 86

APRIL 1, 2017

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!

1910 - Harry Carney, pianist, clarinet, alto and baritone saxophone player and member of Capitol Records artist Duke Ellington and His Orchestra, is born in Boston, Massachusetts

1928 - Jane Powell, singer, motion picture actress (including "Seven Brides For Seven Brothers" with lyrics by Capitol Records co-founder Johnny Mercer), and Capitol Records artist (soundtrack to the motion picture "3 Sailors And A Girl"), is born Suzanne Lorraine Burce in Portland, Oregon

1951 - Henry Gross, singer, songwriter, founding member of Sha Na Na, solo Capitol Records artist, is born in Brooklyn, New York

45 Years Ago Today In 1972 - Allen and Albert Hughes, music video directors, filmmakers, and founders of Underworld Records (distributed by Capitol Records in 1993), are born in Detroit, Michigan

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY

70 Years Ago Today In 1947 - Stan Kenton and His Orchestra have their last session for the Capitol Records Transcription Service

1953 - Capitol Records acquires Cetra-Soria's 1947-1953 library of complete Opera recordings from the label's founder, Dario Sorta, who had licensed the recording in the U.S. from Italian label Cetra. Sorta and his wife, Dorle Jarmel Soria, will then become co-founders and co-managing directors of Angel Records in the United States, distributing classical recordings from Capitol Records' future parent company, EMI. In 1958, after EMI bought Capitol Records, the Soria's will sell Angel Records to Capitol.

1953 - Frank Sinatra is signed to Capitol Records by Alan Livingston with a 1 year contract with no advance and has to cover his own recording costs. Sinatra angrily turns down initial offering of A&R management by Dave Dexter, Jr., who had years earlier written some bad reviews of Sinatra for Down Beat Magazine, and instead is assigned to Voyle Gilmore who will eventually make Nelson Riddle Sinatra’s new arranger, ousting long-time Sinatra arranger Axel Stordahl.

1969 - The Beach Boys sue Capitol Records for $2,041,446.64 in royalties and producer's fees for Brian Wilson. The band also announces it's starting its own label, Brothers Records.

1973 - Freddie Hart's Capitol Records single "Super Kind Of Woman", with "Mother Nature Made A Believer Out Of Me" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles chart

1973 - John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr announce that they have split with manager Al Klein, whose contract with them and Apple Records had ended the day before, March 31, 1973

1998 - Capitol Records gets many calls after an April Fool's prank takes place on L.A. station KROQ-FM's "Kevin & Bean" morning show. What seemed like a fistfight takes place between the hosts and Radiohead's Thom Yorke after jibes about Yorke's lazy eye. In fact, Yorke is not even in the Los Angeles studio. He was played by "'Kevin And Bean"'s voice guy Ralph Garman, along with edits from a couple of acoustic numbers Radiohead had recorded in the KROQ studio on a previous visit. Many thanks to Bean for the accurate information about this prank.

2004 - Paul Atkinson, veteran record executive, VP of A&R Catalog at Capitol Records, and guitarist for The Zombies, dies in his sleep after a long battle with cancer and kidney disease at age 58.

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY

1961 - Guitarist Grant Green, with Ben Tucker on bass and Dave Bailey on drums, records the titles "No. 1 Green Street", "'Round About Midnight", "Grant's Dimensions", "Green With Envy", and "Alone Together" for his second Blue Note Records album "Green Street"

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY

1883 - Lon Chaney, Sr., motion picture actor who would regularly give rides to extras waiting at the corner of Hollywood and Vine (with a few reports of it happening even after his death), is born Leonidas Frank Chaney in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

MARCH 31, 2017

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!

1908 - "Red" Norvo, bandleader, xylophone and vibraphone player, session player and Capitol Records artist, is born Kenneth Norville in Beardstown, Illinois

1934 - Shirley Jones, singer, motion picture and television actress and Capitol Records artist (soundtracks to the motion pictures "Oklahoma!", "Carousel", and "The Music Man") is born Shirley Mae Jones in Charleroi, Pennsylvania

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY

1945 - Johnny Mercer and Jo Stafford's Capitol Records single "Candy", the flipside of Mercer's "I'm Gonna See My Baby", is still #1 on the U.S. Pop singles charts

60 Years Ago Today In 1957 - Ferlin Husky's Capitol Records single "Gone", with "Missing Persons" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles chart

1964 - The Beatles become the first musical act to hold the top 5 positions ("Can't Buy Me Love" at #1, "Twist and Shout" at #2, "She Loves You" at #3, "I Want To Hold Your Hand" at #4, and "Please Please Me" at #5) on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart.

1968 - Skeets McDonald (born Enos William McDonald), singer, songwriter, guitarist, and Capitol Records artist, dies in California at age 52 after suffering a massive heart attack

1968 - Buck Owens' Capitol Records single "How Long Will My Baby Be Gone", with "Everybody Needs Somebody" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts

1974 - Blue Swede's Capitol Records single "Hooked On A Feeling", with "Gotta Have Your Love" on the flipside, is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart

1991 - Garth Brooks' Liberty Records (later renamed Capitol Records Nashville) single "Two Of A Kind Workin' On A Full House", with "Unanswered Prayers" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY

1943 - "Oklahoma!" (originally titled "Away We Go") opens on Broadway at the St. James Theatre in New York City, New York with stars Alfred Drake, Joan Roberts, Celeste Holm, and Howard DeSilva. Later made into a motion picture, Capitol Records will release it's soundtrack which will become the first album to be certified Gold by the R.I.A.A.

55 Years Ago Today In 1962 - EMI withdraws all 78 rpm records in their catalogue

1980 - EMI Records, Capitol Records parent company, reports a twelve months trading loss of £2,800,000

1995 - Selena (born Selena Quintanilla Perez), singer and EMI Latin artist, is shot by the president of her fan club and dies at age 24.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY

1949 - To compete with Columbia's new 33 rpm LP, RCA Victor debuts it 45 rpm (78-33=45) system when it releases 76 albums (3 or 4 discs in a boxed set) and 104 singles on 7-inch large-hole 45-rpm records. The first 45 rpm disc,"Texarkana Baby" by Eddy Arnold, was issued by RCA in the US on March 31, 1949. It was made of green vinyl, as part of an early attempt to color-code singles according to the genre of music they featured. Others included red for classical music and yellow for children's songs. Capitol Records will be the first label to release its product in all three formats.

MARCH 30, 2017

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!

1913 - Frankie Laine, singer, songwriter, actor, Capitol and Tower Records (along with many other labels) artist, is born Francesco Paolo LoVecchio in Chicago, Illinois

1945 - Eric Clapton CBE, (aka Slowhand, aka God), guitarist, singer, songwriter, motion picture actor, and member of the Apple Records group Plastic Ono Band, is born Eric Patrick Clapp in The Green, Ripley, Surrey, England

1963 - M.C. Hammer (aka Hammer), singer, songwriter, motion picture actor, and Capitol Records artist, is born Stanley Kirk Burrell in Oakland, California

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY

1944 - The Pied Piper's Capitol Records single "Mairzy Doats", with "A Journey To A Star" on the flipside, enters the top 40 of the U.S. Pop singles charts
1946 - "St. Louis Woman", a musical with music by Harold Arlen and lyrics by Capitol Records' co-founder and president Johnny Mercer, opens at the Martin Beck Theatre (now the Al Hirschfeld Theatre) at 302 West 45 Street in midtown Manhattan, New York and will run for 113 performances. The cast includes Robert Pope as Badfoot, Harold Nicholas as Little Augie, Fayard Nicholas as Barney, June Hawkins as Lilli, Pearl Bailey as Butterfly, Ruby Hill as Della Green, Rex Ingram as Biglow Brown, and Milton J. Williams as Mississippi. After sessions are held on April 7, 8, and 9, 1946, Capitol Records will issue the original cast album which will be the label's first (CE-28).
1951 - Vocalist Smiley Burnette, with unlisted others, recorded the titles "Do The Pines Grow Green In The Valley?", "I Ain't Done Nothin' To You", "Can't Go On", and "I Can't Be Honest With You" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue the first and last titles together as a single (Capitol 1520) and the second and third titles together as a single (Capitol 1746).
65 Years Ago Today In 1952 - During three sessions held this day in Los Angeles, California, the original Broadway cast of "Three Wishes For Jamie" (Anne Jeffreys, John Raitt, Bert Wheeler, Robert Halliday, Charlotte Rae, and Peter Conlow), with an uncredited chorus and Joseph Littaw directing the orchestra (lineup unlisted) using music and lyrics by Ralph Blane, record the titles "Prologue/The Wake (with vocals by the ensemble)/The Girl That I Court In My Mind (vocals by John Riatt)", "My Home's A Highway (vocals by Anne Jeffreys)/We're For Love (vocals by Bert Wheeler and Chorus)", and "My Heart's Darlin' (vocals by Anne Jeffreys and John Raitt)/Love Has Nothing To Do With It (vocals by Bert Wheeler, Robert Halliday, Charlotte Rae, and Chorus)" at the first session, "Goin' On A Hayride" (vocals by Anne Jeffreys, John Raitt, Petter Conlow, and Chorus)/I'll Sing You A Song (vocals by Bert Wheeler, Robert Halliday, Peter Conlow, and Chorus), "It Must Be Spring (vocals by Anne Jeffreys and Chorus)/Wedding March (vocals by the Ensemble)/The Army Mule Song (vocals by John Raitt, Bert Wheeler, Peter Conlow, and The Chorus)", "What Do I Know? (vocals by Anne Jeffreys)/Love Has Nothing To Do With Looks (Reprise) (vocals by Anne Jeffreys)" at the second session, and "It's A Wishing World (vocals by Anne Jeffreys and John Raitt)/Trottin' To The Fair (vocals by John Raitt, Robert Halliday, and Chorus)" and "April Face (vocals by Anne Jeffreys, John Raitt, and Bert Wheeler)/Kevin's Prayer (vocals by Bert Wheeler)/Finale (vocals by The Ensemble)" at the third session. Capitol Records will issue all the titles on the original Broadway cast album "Three Wishes For Jaime" (S-317).

1953 - Nat "King" Cole's Capitol Records single "Pretend", with orchestra conducted by Nelson Riddle and "Don't Let Your Eyes Go Shopping (For Your Heart)" by Nat King Cole and the Trio, on the flipside, is #4 on the U.S. Pop singles chart
1961 - Nat "King" Cole, with Ralph Carmichael conducting his own arrangements to the orchestra (lineup unlisted but possibly including Hank Jones on piano, John Collins on guitar, Charlie Harris on bass, and Lee Young on drums), records new versions of the titles "Unforgettable", "Mona Lisa", and "The Christmas Song" in stereo at Capitol Records' studios at 151 W. 46th Street in New York City, New York. Capitol Records will issue all the titles on the 3 LP set "The Nat 'King' Cole Story" (SWCL 1613). It's the tracks from this version of "Unforgettable" that will be used to make the electronically created duet of the song with Cole's daughter Natalie in 1991.

55 Years Ago Today In 1962 - Lou Rawls (on vocals, with unlisted musicians) records the track "Save Your Love For Me" and a as yet unissued take of the track "What Makes The Ending So Sad?" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue the first track as a single (Capitol 4761) with "Please Let Me Be The First To Know" (recorded February 23, 1962) on the flipside.

50 Years Ago Today In 1967 - The cover of The Beatles' Capitol Records album "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" album is staged by Peter Blake and photographed by Michael Cooper at 4 Chelsea Manor Studios, 1-11 Flood Street, just off King's Road in Chelsea in the late afternoon. The album cover was designed by Peter Blake and Jann Haworth from an ink drawing by Paul McCartney. It was art-directed by Robert Fraser.

1969 - Buck Owens' Capitol Records single "Who’s Gonna Mow Your Grass", with "There's Gonna Be Some Changes Made" on the flip side, is still #1 on the U.S. Country singles charts

1974 - Grand Funk Railroad's Capitol Records single "The Loco-Motion", with "Destitute And Losin'" on the flip side, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart

40 Years Ago Today In 1977 - Glen Campbell's Capitol Records single "Southern Nights", with "William Tell Overture" on the flipside is still #1 on the U.S. Country singles chart

1985 - Power Station's Capitol Records single "Some Like It Hot", with "The Heat Is On" on the flip side, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart

20 Years Ago Today In 1997 - Trace Adkin's Capitol Records Nashville single "(This Ain't) No Thinkin' Thing" with "634-5789" on the flip side, is #1 on the U.S. Country singles chart

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY

1955 - The Best Music/Song Oscar went to Jule Styne (music) and Sammy Cahn (lyrics) for the title track to the motion picture "Three Coins in the Fountain" which was sung by Capitol Records artist Frank Sinatra and released as a single by Capitol Records

1969 - Classics IV featuring Dennis Yost's Imperial Records single "Traces", with "Mary Mary Row Your Boat" on the flipside, is #2 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart

1974 - Mike Oldfield's Virgin Records single "Tubular Bells", with a shorter version on the flipside, enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart. Virgin Records catalog is currently owned by EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Group's parent company.

1975 - Future Capitol Records artist Minnie Ripperton's Epic Records single "Lovin' You", with "Edge Of A Dream" on the flip side, is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart. Capitol Records currently distributes Ripperton's complete catalog and the track has appeared on various Capitol Records compilation albums.

1979 - Norah Jones, singer, songwriter, pianist, daughter of sitarist Ravi Shankar, and Blue Note Records artist, is born in New York City, New York

2004 - Timi Yuro (born Rosemary Timotea Yuro), singer and Liberty Records artist, dies in Las Vegas of throat cancer at age 63

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY

1986 - James Cagney, actor, dancer, singer and president of the Screen Actors Guild from 1942-1944, dies at his Dutchess County farm in Stanfordville, New York of a heart attack at age 86. He is later interred in the Cemetery of the Gate of Heaven in Hawthorne, New York.

MARCH 29, 2017

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!

1918 - Pearl Bailey, singer, Broadway, motion picture (co-starred with Capitol Records artist Nat "King" Cole in "St. Louis Blues") and television actress, and Capitol Records artist (in Capitol Records' first original Broadway cast album "St. Louis Woman", is born Pearl Mae Bailey in Newport News, Virginia

1959 - Perry Farrell, singer, songwriter, member of the Capitol Records group Jane's Addiction is born Perry Bernstein in New York City, New York

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
70 Years Ago Today In 1947 - Vocalist Jack Smith and The Clark Sisters (vocal group, lineup unlisted), with Earl Sheldon and his Orchestra (lineup also unlisted), record the title "Oh, My Achin' Heart", "Cu Tu Ru Gu" (Jack, Jack, Jack), and a rejected take of "Old Devil Moon" in New York City, New York. Capitol Records will issue the first two titles together as a single (Capitol 403).
60 Years Ago Today In 1957 - Tommy Sands (on vocals with an unlisted tenor saxophone player, Bob Bain lead guitar, Buck Owens rhythm guitar, and unlisted bass player, drummer, and vocal chorus) records the tracks "Too Young To Go Steady", "I Don't Know Why", "Gonna Get A Girl", and "I Don't Care Who Knows It" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue all the tracks on Sands' album "Steady Date With Tommy Sands" (T 848).
60 Years Ago Today In 1957 - Ray Bauduc & Nappy Lamare & Their Riverboat Dandies (Martin Peppie on trumpet, Rolly Furnas on trombone, Gene Bolen on clarinet, Don Owens on piano, Nappy Lamare on guitar and banjo, Ray Leatherwood on bass, and Ray Bauduc on drums) record the tracks "Riverboat Shuffle", "Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans", "South Rampart Street Parade" and "Walking With The King" with vocals by Nappy Lamare and Rolly Furnas. Capitol Records will issue all the tracks on the group's self-titled album "Ray Bauduc & Nappy Lamare & Their Riverboat Dandies" (T 877).

1964 - The Beatles' Capitol Records single "Can't Buy Me Love", with "You Can't Do That" on the flipside, is #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
50 Years Ago Today In 1967 - The Beatles record the title "With A Little Help From My Friends" at Abbey Road Studios in London, England. Capitol Records will issue the title on the band's album "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" (MAS/SMAS 2653).
50 Years Ago Today In 1967 - During two sessions held this day in Los Angeles, California, Mrs. Elva Miller records the tracks "This Ole House", "May The Bird Of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose", "Oh, Lonesome Me", and "Shutters & Boards" at the first session and "A Little Bitty Tear", "There Goes My Everything", "I've Got A Tiger By The Tail", and "Memphis, Tennessee" at the second session. Capitol Records will issue all the tracks on Miller's album "The Country Soul Of Mrs. Miller" (T 2734).

1974 - Grand Funk Railroad's Capitol Records album "Shinin' On" is certified Gold by the R.I.A.A.

1990 - Bonnie Raitt's Capitol Records album "Nick Of Time" is #1 on Billboard's Top 200 Album chart

1993 - Liberty Records (which will later be renamed Capitol Records Nashville) releases Lacy J. Dalton's compilation album "The Best of Lacy J. Dalton"

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY

1943 - Eric Idle, screenwriter, playright, songwriter, televison and motion picture actor, and member of the Virgin Records America group Monty Python's Flying Circus, is born in South Shields, Tyne & Wear, England

1951 - The Academy Award for Best Music/Song is given to Ray Evans and Jay Livingston for "Mona Lisa", which is from the Paramount Pictures motion picture "Captain Carey, U.S.A." and was later recorded by Capitol Records artist Nat "King" Cole

1999 - Joe Williams, singer and Roulette Records artist with Count Basie and His Orchestra, dies in Las Vegas, Nevada at age 80 after he walks out of the hospital where he is being treated for a respiratory ailment, walks nearly three miles on foot, and collapses on the street a few blocks from his home.

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY

85 Years Ago Today In 1932 - Jack Benny appears on what he later said was his radio debut when he was a guest on Ed Sullivan's interview show on WABC at 8:45 PM. According to this article, Jack actually debuted on radio on September 4, 1931 on "RKO Theater On The Air " at 10:30 PM over WEAF, the flagship station of the Red Network of NBC.

MARCH 28, 2017

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!
1890 - Paul Whiteman, (aka "The King of Jazz") violinist, bandleader (who's members included future Capitol Records co-founder Johnny Mercer as a vocalist and future Capitol Records artists Bing Crosby [also as a vocalist] and Jack Teagarden on trombone), who commissioned George Gershwin's "Rhapsody In Blue" and premiered it in 1924 with Gershwin on piano, motion picture actor, radio show host, music director for the ABC Radio Network, and Capitol Records artist whose first single for the label, "I Found A New Baby" with "The General Jumped At Dawn" on the flipside, was also Capitol Records' first released single, is born in Denver, Colorado.
1930 - Bill Hughes, trombonist who worked in sessions with Capitol Records artists Frank Sinatra and Nat "King" Cole, as well as Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, Carmen McRae, Tony Bennett, Billy Eckstein, Sammy Davis, Jr., Lena Horne, Rosemary Clooney, is born in Dallas, Texas

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1946 - Jo Stafford, with Nat "King" Cole on piano, records the tracks "Ridin' On The Gravy Train", "I'll Be With You In Apple Blossom Time" (which will be released as the flip side of Cole's Capitol Records single "This Is Always"), "Baby, Won't You Please Come Home?", and "Cindy" (which she co-wrote with Johnny Mercer and her future husband Paul Weston and will be released as a single by Capitol Records with "I've Never Forgotten", also with Cole on piano, on the flip side)
70 Years Ago Today In 1947 - The Benny Goodman Sextet (Benny Goodman on clarinet, Ernie Felice on accordion, Tommy Todd on piano, Dave Barbour on guitar, Harry Babasin on bass, and Tom Romersa on drums) records the tracks "The Bannister Slide", "Eight, Nine and Ten" (with vocals by Peggy Lee), and "I Never Knew" (without guitar and accordion) at Radio Recorders in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue the second track on Peggy Lee's CD "Rare Gems And Hidden Treasures" (5-27564-2) and the last track on the CD "The Best Of Benny Goodman" (8-21145-2). Mosaic Records will issue all three tracks in Goodman's box set "The Complete Capitol Small Group Recordings of Benny Goodman" (MQ6-148).
1948 - Capitol Records artist Nat "King" Cole marries future Capitol Records artist Maria Ellington, who will also be the mother of future Capitol Records artist Natalie Cole.
1950 - Dean Martin records the tracks "Choo'n Gum" and "I Don't Care If The Sun Don't Shine" which will be released together as a single by Capitol Records
1953 - Les Baxter and His Orchestra's Capitol Records single "April In Portugal" enters the top 40 of the U.S. Pop singles charts
55 Years Ago Today In 1962 - Peggy Lee (on vocals), with Benny Carter conducting the orchestra (Conrad Gozzo, Ray Triscari, Al Porcino, and Shorty Sherock on trumpets, Tommy Shepard, Milt Bernhart, Ken Shroyer, and George Roberts on trombones, Justin Gordon on reeds, Lou Levy on piano, Al Hendrickson on guitar, Max Bennett on bass, Mel Lewis on drums, Emil Richards on vibraphones and percussion, and Francisco "Chino" Pozo on percussion) using arrangements by Carter and Billy Byers, records the tracks "Ain't That Love", "See See Rider", "Loads Of Love", and "I Believe In You" at The Capitol Tower Studios In Hollywood, California. Capitol Records will issue the first, second, and last tracks on Lee's album "Sugar 'N' Spice" (T 1772) and "Loads Of Love" as a single (Capitol F4750) with "The Sweetest Sounds" (recorded April 4, 1962) on the flipside.
55 Years Ago Today In 1962 - Billy May and His Orchestra (Uan Rasey, Conrad Gozzo, John Best, and Emanuel "Mannie" Klein on trumpets, Ed Kusby, Tommy Pederson, Murray McEachern, and William Schaefer on trombones, Harry Klee, Arthur "Skeets" Herfurt, Plas Johnson, Fred Falensby, and Chuck Gentry on saxophones, Jimmy Rowleson on piano, Al Hendrickson on guitar, Max Bennett on bass, Irving Cottler and Frank Flynn on drums) record the tracks "Loads Of Love", "No Strings", "Love Makes The World Go Round", "The Sweetest Sounds", and "Be My Host" at The Capitol Tower Studios in Hollywood, California between 8:00 PM and 11:00 PM. Capitol Records will issue all the tracks on May's album "The Sweetest Swingin' Sounds Of "No Strings" (T 1709).
55 Years Ago Today In 1962 - Cindy Malone (on vocals), with Jimmie Haskell directing an uncredited orchestra, records the tracks "The Fool I Used To Be" and "Things That Mean The Most To Me" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue the first track as a single (Capitol 5115) with "Watch What You Do With My Baby" on the flipside. No issuing information is listed for the second track.
55 Years Ago Today In 1962 - Nathan Milstein (on violin), with an uncredited chamber orchestra conducted by Robert Irving, records Rimsky-Korsakov's "Fantasia On Russian Themes, Opus 33" (arranged by Kreisler) aka "Russian Fantasy" in New York City, New York. Angel Records, a subsidiary of Capitol Records, will issue the track on Milstein's album "Music Of Old Russia" (S-36002).
1964 - The Beatles' Capitol Records single "Can't Buy Me Love" enters the top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
50 Years Ago Today In 1967 - The Beach Boys cancelled a planned session in Los Angeles, California. If anyone knows the reason, please leave a comment.
45 Years Ago Today In 1972 - The Stewardesses (lineup unlisted) record the tracks "Fly Me" and "Lovin' Ain't Easy" in Los Angeles, California. Capitol Records will issue both tracks together as a single (Capitol 3326).
45 Years Ago Today In 1972 - Capitol Records registers the masters it purchased for Buddy Alan's tracks "I'm In Love" and "The Happiness Song" which were recorded earlier that year at Buck Owens Studios in Bakersfield, California and produced by Buck Owens Enterprises. Capitol will issue the two tracks together as a single (Capitol 3346).
1974 - The Capitol Records group The Raspberries break up
2000 - Capitol Nashville releases John Berry's compilation album "Greatest Hits"

ON THIS DAY NOT QUITE IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1915 - Jay Livingston, pianist, Academy Award winning composer (with partner Ray B. Evans) of such songs as "Buttons and Bows", "Mona Lisa", "Silver Bells", "Silver Bells", "Tammy" and the theme song for the television show "Bonanza" and many others), motion picture actor, one-time brother-in-law of Capitol Records artist Betty Hutton, and brother of former Capitol Records Vice-President, President, and Chairman Of The Board Alan Livingston, is born in McDonald, Pennsylvania. If anyone knows Jay's middle name, please leave a comment.
1920 - Actors Douglas Fairbanks, Sr. and Mary Pickford, two of the four founders of United Artists Pictures (the others being Charlie Chaplin and director D.W. Griffith), get married. United Artists would later start a record label, United Artists Records, whose catalog is currently owned by EMI Music Group, Capitol Music Groups parent company.
75 Years Ago Today In 1942 - Neil Kinnock, politician and vice president of the U.K. Gene Vincent Fan Club, is born in Tredegar, South Wales
1948 - John Evan, keyboard player with the Chrysalis Records group Jethro Tull, is born John Spencer Evans, in Blackpool, Lancashire, England
1958 - W.C. Handy (born William Christopher Handy), composer, guitarist, cornet player, a founder of Black Swan Records (the first black-owned record company), whose life was the basis of the motion picture "St. Louis Blues" which stars Capitol Records artist Nat "King" Cole as Handy, dies of acute bronchial pneumonia at age 84 before the movie is released later the same year, and is later buried in the Woodlawn Cemetery in Bronx, New York
55 Years Ago Today In 1962 - Jimmy Smith (with unlisted musicians) records the track "Walk On The Wild Side" for Verve Records. Blue Note Records will license the track and release it on Smith's album "The Definitive Jimmy Smith" (5-40038-2).
55 Years Ago Today In 1962 - Ged Grimes, percussionist, bassist, keyboard player and vocalist with the Virgin Records America group Meet Danny Wilson, is born Gerard Grimes. If anyone knows for sure where, please leave a comment.
1964 - Jan & Dean's Liberty Records single "Dead Man's Curve", with "The New Girl In School" on the flipside, enters the top 40 Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart where it will peak at #7. Liberty Records catalog is currently owned by EMI Music Group, the parent company of Capitol Music Group.
1966 - Gary Lewis and The Playboys record the track "Green Grass" which will be released as a single by Liberty Records with "I Can Read Between The Lines" on the flip side
1969 - Frank Loesser, composer, dies in New York City, New York at age 58
40 Years Ago Today In 1977 - Vera Lynn (on vocals with unlisted musicians on guitar, steel guitar, bass, drums, and strings) and the vocal group The Jordanaires record the tracks "My Mother's Eyes", "Make The World Go Away", and "You Don't Know Me" at The Owen Bradley Studio in Nashville, Tennessee. After creating an edited version of "My Mother's Eyes" EMI will release it and the last two tracks in England on Lynn's album "Vera Lynn In Nashville" (EMC 3203).