Bing Crosby Biography

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Bing Crosby
Pop Music | 3 CD Set
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Harry Lillis Crosby (1903-1977) became Bing Crosby because he loved a comic-strip character named Bing as a child growing up in his Tacoma, Washington hometown. His first vocal efforts were as a high schooler in a jazz band but he continued at college, teaming up with pal Al Rinker. Achieving a likable sound, the pair quit school in the hopes of making it in show business. Al Rinker's sister was singer Mildred Bailey and she proved to be very helpful. Crosby and Rinker were hired by Paul Whiteman and with Harry Barris became the Rhythm Boys, a highlight of Whiteman's stage act. The trio made popular recordings and appeared in the 1930 film "The King of Jazz," Crosby made good use of these showings, thus enabling him to try a solo career. With the evolution of good recording and amplifying equipment such as microphones, singers were able to communicate better with the audience. The style of "crooning" turned Bing into a star and that, coupled with his affinity for recording with jazz musicians, helped cement his style. He was not a jazz singer, but the jazz of the '20s had caused big changes in American popular music. With the advent of radio, pop music was moving forward rapidly. Crosby made many records that by the '40s made him the country's biggest singing star. Then came the movies. His "Road" pictures with Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour kept him in the public eye and by the '50s he was involved in films and television, including some lightweight roles that not always featured his singing. During his broadcasting career, "der Bingle" appeared with fellow stars of the era, including Al Jolson, Dinah Shore, Judy Garland, Louis Armstrong, Hope, and his brother Bob Crosby. He also teamed up with Frank Sinatra in the film "High Society." Crosby began to slow down in the '60s but it was around this time that his laid back stage persona was said to be his professional side, not his private. He was said to be a somewhat complex and hard-to-know individual, allegations his family did not deny. Although there is scant comparison with Sinatra as far as interpretation of songs goes, Crosby and Sinatra are both recognized as "THE" American singers of the century who most influenced others. Crosby's relaxed vocal mannerisms made him easy to love when looking at his popularity. Joel Whitburn's book, BILLBOARD TOP 40 HITS, begins in 1955 but does refer to earlier chart successes in some artists, including Crosby, whose listing includes six entries between 1955-62, all but one ("Around the World in 80 Days" - No. 25 in 1957) In fact, it says "White Christmas" was originally charted in 1942 and re-entered the chart 18 times. Crosby's big love was golf and it was on a golf course in Spain that he collapsed and died in 1977.

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