NOVEMBER 24, 2007

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
1915 - Dave Dexter, Jr., writer, critic, at Capitol Records (1943-1974) he was head of advertising and publicity, A&R man, record producer, and VP of International, and after Capitol was head copy editor for Billboard magazine, is born David E. Dexter, Jr. in Kansas City, Missouri
1931 - Tommy Allsup, guitarist for Buddy Holly after he broke with The Crickets; session guitarist, A&R director of Country and Western, and record producer for Liberty Records; and producer for the Capitol Records band Asleep At The Wheel, is born in Owassa, Oklahoma. The Liberty catalog is currently owned by Capitol Records parent company, EMI Music

ON THIS DAY IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1955 - Tennessee Ernie Ford's Capitol Records single "Sixteen Tons", with "You Don't Have To Be A Baby To Cry" on the flip side, hits #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart
1956 - Capitol Records releases Sonny James' single "Young Love" with "You're The Reason I'm In Love" on the flip side
1966 - The Beatles begin recording the track "Strawberry Fields Forever" in Studio Two at EMI's Abbey Road Studios, in London, England. The song is finally completed on December 22, 1966 and will end up on The Beatles' next single with "Penny Lane" on the flip side. Take 1 of "Strawberry Fields Forever" will be released on "The Beatles Anthology 2" (Disc two, Track 2).
1991 - Freddie Mercury, songwriter and lead singer of the Capitol Records group "Queen", (1984-1986) dies of AIDS-related bronchial pneumonia at age 45 at his home in Kensington, England
1996 - Capitol Records band Crowded House plays their official farewell show at the Sydney Opera House to 100,000 fans as a benefit for the Sydney Children's Hospital Fund

ON THIS DAY NOT IN CAPITOL RECORDS HISTORY
1963 - The first live shooting to appear on television happens when Jack Ruby shoots Lee Harvey Oswald in the underground garage of a police station in Dallas, Texas as Oswald was being transferred to another facility.