How Television Gave Us Some of the Best Recordings in History

Thank goodness in the late 40’s the Mutual/Don Lee radio network and their Los Angeles flagship station, KHJ, decided to make the move into television, mandating the construction of the beautiful new TV headquarters shown above.  (An odd personal aside:  I’ve been in the building above on a few occasions, but each time, I entered it from the back and never saw it from the front.  I had no idea I was in the old KHJ-TV building!)  The old radio location on Melrose Avenue (not to be confused with the building above) had to be re-purposed, and Capitol Records was happy to use the space for commercial recording use.  After seven years, Capitol would also move to newer digs, but in the intervening period, great sounds came forth.

By the way, ever look at the deadwax area on a Capitol LP and wonder why they used “D” for their stampers made in Los Angeles and “N” for New York?  The “D” stood for “Don Lee,” and Capitol just kept using that, even long after their move out of the KHJ/Don Lee Building.

Below:  5515 Melrose Ave as it looked on a classic Capitol album cover, and as it looks today.

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