[78-L] Capital Series

[Randy Watts]

--- On Tue, 3/3/09, Steven C. Barr <stevenc at interlinks.net> wrote:

> From: Steven C. Barr <stevenc at interlinks.net>
> Subject: Re: [78-L] Capital Series
> To: "78-L Mail List" <78-l at klickitat.78online.com>
> Date: Tuesday, March 3, 2009, 6:41 PM
> ---- Original Message ----- 
> From: "agp" <agp2176 at verizon.net>
> > Is there any available research on variations of the
> Capital label? 
> > Not so much label style, but series, like Columbia
> Masterworks.
> > I know that there was a Capital Criterion series as
> well as the 
> > Capital Americana series -- with a red label in the
> 40000 number 
> > range. I also have a red label in that number series
> that doesn't say 
> > Americana -- 40114: Deck of Cards/ Rounded Up in Glory
> by Tex Ritter, 
> > but I assume that Capital kept the numbering a label
> colour and 
> > de-emphasised the series.
> > So, what was the purpose of this series and the
> Criterion series. 
> > What others were there in the 78 rpm era
> > 
> CapitOl's numbering was VERY complicated...!
> 
> Their numbering started c.1942 at (IIRC) 200; around 1948
> these acquired
> a "57-" prefix (their new 75-cent price, reversed). This
> was followed by a
> new series in the 15000's; after about 400+ issues they
> reverted to the
> original numbering system, which they used through at least
> early 1959
> (when they phased out 78's...!). Records in album sets were
> numbered in
> different series, like 20###!
> 
> The 40### "Americana" records were their C&W issues in
> the late forties.
> There was also a "race" series, which I can't immediately
> recall...and they
> also issued a "greatest hits" series (16###?).
> 
> It is all detailed in my DG...!
> 
> Steven C. Barr

Few details on Capitol, off the top of my head:

Race series releases were numbered in the 70000s. Popular album releases were originally numbered in the 10000 and 20000s. "Americana" album releases were numbered in the 48000s. There was also a 60000 series for jazz. (These may have been "Kenton Presents" releases. Don't have my notes at hand.) Oh, and they also had a 90000 series that was basically used for odds and ends: lots of Christmas music and polkas show up in here. The 1600s were used for reissues, causing a jump in the numbering of new release pop singles from 1599 to 1700 when they finally reached that point. In the late '40s the 10000 and 20000 series were discontinued and popular album releases from that point on took over the 15000 series, then in the 15400s. 

I believe the "Criterion" designation was only used on album releases.

All of this was, I believe, a plot on the part of Capitol Records to drive their dealers crazy.

Randy