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Bing Crosby

Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby Jr. (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer, actor, television producer, and businessman. The first multimedia star, he was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century worldwide. He was a leader in record sales, network radio ratings, and motion picture grosses from 1926 to 1977. He was one of the first global cultural icons. He made over 70 feature films and recorded more than 1,600 songs.

His early career coincided with recording innovations that allowed him to develop an intimate singing style that influenced many male singers who followed, such as Frank Sinatra, Perry Como, Dean Martin, Dick Haymes, Elvis Presley, and John Lennon. Yank magazine said that he was "the person who had done the most for the morale of overseas servicemen" during World War II. In 1948, American polls declared him the "most admired man alive", ahead of Jackie Robinson and Pope Pius XII.: 6  In 1948, Music Digest estimated that his recordings filled more than half of the 80,000 weekly hours allocated to recorded radio music in America.

Crosby won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in Going My Way (1944) and was nominated for its sequel, The Bells of St. Mary's (1945), opposite Ingrid Bergman, becoming the first of six actors to be nominated twice for playing the same character. He was the number one box office attraction for five consecutive years, 1944 to 1948. At his screen apex in 1946, Crosby starred in three of the year's five highest-grossing films: The Bells of St. Mary's, Blue Skies and Road to Utopia. In 1963, Crosby received the first Grammy Global Achievement Award. He is one of 33 people to have three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, in the categories of motion pictures, radio, and audio recording. He was also known for his collaborations with his friend Bob Hope, starring in the Road to... films from 1940 to 1962.

Crosby influenced the development of the post World War II recording industry. After seeing a demonstration of a German broadcast quality reel-to-reel tape recorder brought to the United States by John T. Mullin, he invested $50,000 in the California electronics company Ampex to build copies. He then persuaded ABC to allow him to tape his shows. He became the first performer to prerecord his radio shows and master his commercial recordings onto magnetic tape. Crosby has been associated with the Christmas season since Irving Berlin's musical film Holiday Inn, in which he starred and famously sang "White Christmas". Through audio recordings, he produced his radio programs with the same directorial tools and craftsmanship (editing, retaking, rehearsal, time shifting) used in motion picture production, a practice that became the industry standard. In addition to his work with early audio tape recording, he helped finance the development of videotape, bought television stations, bred racehorses, and co-owned the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball team, during which time the team won two World Series (1960 and 1971).

Birth and Death Data: Born May 3, 1903 (Tacoma), Died October 14, 1977 (Madrid)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1926 - 1961

Roles Represented in DAHR: baritone vocal, lyricist, songwriter, speaker, composer

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 351-375 of 1149 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Decca DLA 909 10-in. 9/11/1937 Sail along, silv'ry moon Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 939 10-in. 9/20/1937 Can I forget you? Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 940 10-in. 9/20/1937 The folks who live on the hill Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 941 10-in. 9/20/1937 I still love to kiss you goodnight Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 942 10-in. 9/20/1937 Remember me? Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 971 10-in. 9/25/1937 Basin Street blues Connie Boswell ; Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 972 10-in. 9/25/1937 Bob White (Whatcha gonna swing tonight?) Connie Boswell ; Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 1051 10-in. 11/12/1937 There's a gold mine in the sky Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 1052 10-in. 11/12/1937 When the organ played O promise me Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 1071 10-in. 11/15/1937 Let's waltz for old times' sake Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 1072 10-in. 11/15/1937 In the mission by the sea Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 1148 10-in. 1/21/1938 My heart is taking lessons Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 1149 10-in. 1/21/1938 This is my night to dream Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 1150 10-in. 1/21/1938 On the sentimental side Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 1151 10-in. 1/21/1938 The moon of Manakoora Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 1152 10-in. 1/26/1938 Alexander's ragtime band Connie Boswell ; Eddie Cantor ; Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 1153 10-in. 1/26/1938 Home on the range Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 1210 10-in. 4/13/1938 Sweet Hawaiian chimes Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 1211 10-in. 4/13/1938 Little angel Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 1276 10-in. 4/22/1938 Let me whisper I love you Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 1277 10-in. 4/22/1938 Don't be that way Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 1287 10-in. 4/25/1938 Little lady make-believe Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 1288 10-in. 4/25/1938 When mother nature sings her lullaby Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 1289 10-in. 5/3/1938 Darling Nellie Gray Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 1290 10-in. 5/3/1938 Swing low, sweet chariot Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
(Results 351-375 of 1149 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Crosby, Bing," accessed November 24, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/101942.

Crosby, Bing. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 24, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/101942.

"Crosby, Bing." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 24 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/101942

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