Capitol Records of Canada - the corporate history timeline
Provided by Steve Clifford and updated by Serge Pelletier with help of the excellent book by Nicholas Jennings: FIFTY YEARS OF MUSIC - THE STORY OF EMI MUSIC CANADA)
- 1942
The Capitol Records Company was founded in the USA by songwriter Johnny Mercer. On July 1st, the company issued 9 different 78 RPMs (from # 101 to 109 - including one of Mercer's records - # 103).
On this first ever Capitol label, the silver logo on the black label showed the building structure under the word CAPITOL. The regular use of the "structure label" was dropped after the first 50 or so records (but was used from time to time for around another 50. Numbers 186 and 187 for example, both have the "structure label"). The label then featured the classic dome logo we know today. - 1947 (June)
Capitol USA realized the great potential of the Canadian market, that customers would have the opportunity to buy domestic products instead of paying expensive fees to import their favorite records. In 1947, Capitol incorporated the Capitol Canada company and hired Ken Kerr, a former Sparton Records sales manager from London, Ontario to run Canadian operations for Capitol, therefore being then, the only Canadian employee of the company.
This did not last long however, as the operation was shut down soon after because of Government restrictions on foreign investments. The project was too good to simply accept its demise that easily. So Ken Kerr and two other associates had the idea to start their own record company, and that way they MIGHT just inherit the contract to press records for Capitol, here in Canada. They succesfully raised enough money through different investors and found a commercial property in London, Ontario near the railroad tracks, making it easy to ship records once they were pressed. They named the company Regal Records. (not to be confused with the 1914 British label of the same name). - 1947
Until Regal was up and running, Capitol Canada remained inactive, but Capitol USA still wanted to put their hand on the Canadian market share, so for the next year and a half or so, they had their records pressed by Musicana, the company where Ken Kerr's associate (Scotty McLachlan) was working until it closed down, leading the way to Regal Records. - 1948 One quick year later, in August 1948, with only 12 employees, Regal Records started to press 10 inch 78 rpm records. The first Regal pressing being "You Call Everybody Darling" by Al Trace actually sold quite enough to gain the attention of other record companies. Things went well for Regal and they soon began pressing records for USA labels like REGENT and soon after, in June 1949, they signed the well deserved 5 year contract to press Capitol Records in Canada.
- 1949
Lockwood Miller (a businessman from London, Ontario - originally from L.A.) buys all shares of Regal Records and in June of this year, Capitol of Canada issues its very first record on the now classic purple label (78 rpm). The label had changed from black to purple by the time Canada issued their very first first record 78-101.
For more information on Capitol's early discography, please visit our Early Capitol Records page.
Gordon Macrae
24 hour of Sunshine / Wedding of Lili Marlene
Capitol 78 -101.
- 1950
Capitol of Canada issued its first Canadian artist recording, thus beginning a long tradition in supporting Canadian talent.
Jack Kingston
Yodeling Cowboy
Capitol C-654.
- 1950
As soon as the early 1950s, Capitol of Canada started pressing different formats, adding 33 RPM LPs and 45 RPM discs to their catalog. - July 1,1954
Capitol USA terminates it’s relationship with Lockwood Miller and forms «Capitol Record Distributors of Canada Limited» with head office in Toronto, branch office in Montreal and three independent distributors in the west.
Capitol began contracting to RCA plant in Smith Falls, Ontario. - 1956
Capitol moves into 2nd floor office at 635 Queen St. East, Toronto (Capitol was sandwiched between Coca-Cola on the 1st and 3rd floors) Capitol Record Club of Canada formed shortly thereafter on Broadview Avenue, Toronto (ceased operations in 1970). - 1956
EMI (UK) purchases Capitol Record USA and thereby acquires the Canadian operation.
Initially this had little effect on Capitol of Canada since the «Yanks» ran the show anyway. - 1958
name change from «Capitol Record Distributors of Canada» to «Capitol Records of Canada Ltd.» (they had to wait until Miller’s rights to the name had expired). - 1957
Paul White joins as a shipper - 1959
Capitol celebrates 10 years (Angel and Pathe Marconi formed).
Coke leaves and Capitol take over the building.
Record club moves in. - 1960
Paul White moves to Order Desk and then on to Promotion.
Then established 6000 series, the basis of what became the A&R Department.
The first Capitol of Canada LP was T 6000 «Freddy Gardner: The Unforgettable»
Canadian-only collections inspired by requests from Sales force all British artists such as George Formby, Peter Dawson, Mrs. Mills and Vera Lynn - 1962 (end of)
Geoffrey F. Racine becomes new President (replacing Harold Smith) and Capitol begins issuing Pop records from Britain (passed on by A&R in LA). Capitol continued issuing Beatles singles despite poor sales and their tenacity payed off as they began charting in London, Vancouver, Winnipeg, Kingston, Hamilton, and by November 1963,Toronto
Other British Invasion groups for who Capitol of Canada paved the way in North america included Dave Clark Five, the Yardbirds, Gerry and the Pacemakers, Freddie and the Dreamers, the Swinging Blue Jeans, Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas, the Hollies and Manfred Mann.
All were charting in Canada (and all were passed on by Capitol A&R in LA). The Animals and Herman’s Hermits were also initially issued by Capitol of Canada. - 1966
Capitol bought 4 acres in Mississauga (financed by Beatles bucks!) - 1966
On September 15 1965, CAPITOL RECORDS OF CANADA was re-incorporated as CAPITOL RECORDS (CANADA) LTD. - DISQUES CAPITOL (CANADA). This means that starting soon after, all labels were to be marked as such, or what we call WITH BRACKETS on either LPs or singles - 1967
150 Employees move to 3109 American Drive, Mississauga, Ontario - 1970
Started tape plant (mainly 8-tracks).
Moved this operation to Mississauga in 1971. - 1974
Name change to «Capitol Records-EMI of Canada» - 1975 (May)
Announce plans to build record pressing plant - 1976
June 7, 1976 - Capitol pressing plant opens in Mississauga (on land adjacent to their American Drive offices) starting with the 45 RPM singles. (closed in 1984). - 1976(July)
Canadian A&R department merges with US - 1977
June 15, 1977 - Capitol pressing plant is fully up and running in Mississauga with LPs, 45s and tapes. A promotional record (SPRO 9) was issued to commemorate the official opening of the plant. - 1978
Paul White leaves A&R and is replaced by Deane Cameron - 1982
Develop SDR (Super Dynamic Range) tape technology which US adopts and renames to XDR (Expanded Dynamic Range). - 1984
Thorn merges with EMI (leading to HMV stores coming to Canada) - 1984 (January)
began pressing and issuing CDs - 1985
Canadian A&R department becomes more independent (although not entirely). - 1988 (March)
Capitol of Canada closes down retail outlets (Mister Sound). - 1999
EMI Music Canada celebrated its fiftieth anniversary.
- November 2011
After buying EMI for 4.2 billion pounds in 2007 in order to save them from bancrupty, the private equity firm "Terra Firma" could not make payments and had to hand over EMI to Citigroup. In November, EMI was sold for a total of 4 billion US $ (1.9$ Bn to Universal for the music division, and 2$ Bn to Sony ATV for the music publishing division).
.
Taken from the Encyclopedia of Music in Canada - Second Edition. Published by
the University of Toronto Press, 1992
(ISBN 0-8020-2881-0).
Quoted under the entry:
Capitol Records - EMI of Canada Limited/ Disques Capitol - EMI du Canada Limitée (Capitol Records of Canada Ltd 1947-54, Capitol Record Distributors of Canada Ltd 1954-8, Capitol Records of Canada Ltd again 1958-74).
«Company established in Canada in 1954 by the US parent firm, Capitol Records, which had been founded in 1942 by the songwriters Buddy DeSylva, Johnny Mercer, and Glenn Wallachs. Prior to 1954 Capitol Records were pressed and distributed in Canada 1946-7 by Musicana Records.
«In 1947 an associate firm, Capitol Records of Canada, Ltd, was set up in London. It remained inactive, however, until it was purchased by W. Lockwood Miller in 1949. Capitol dates it’s history from this time. In 1954 the Miller company was replaced by the parent firm with Capitol Record Distributors of Canada, Ltd. The US company itself was taken over by Electrical and Musical Industries (EMI) of Great Britain in 1956, and the Canadian operation was renamed, in turn, Capitol Records of Canada Ltd in 1958 and Capitol Records - EMI of Canada Ltd in 1974. Head offices were established in Toronto in 1954, and branch offices opened in Montreal and , eventually, Calgary and Vancouver...»
