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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 401-425 of 1149 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Decca DLA 1635 10-in. 12/12/1938 The lonesome road Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 1636 10-in. 12/12/1938 When the bloom is on the sage Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 1689 10-in. 12/19/1938 Between a kiss and a sigh Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 1690 10-in. 12/19/1938 Just a kid named Joe Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 1691 10-in. 12/19/1938 It's a lonely trail Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 1692 10-in. 12/19/1938 Let's tie the old forget-me-not Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 1718 10-in. 3/10/1939 East side of heaven Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 1719 10-in. 3/10/1939 Hang your heart on a hickory limb Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 1720 10-in. 3/10/1939 That sly old gentleman Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 1721 10-in. 3/10/1939 Sing a song of sunbeams Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 1722 10-in. 3/15/1939 Ida, sweet as apple cider Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 1723 10-in. 3/15/1939 Poor old Rover Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 1724 10-in. 3/15/1939 Down by the old mill stream Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 1733 10-in. 3/22/1939 Deep purple Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 1734 10-in. 3/22/1939 Stardust Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 1739 10-in. 3/27/1939 God bless America Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 1740 10-in. 3/27/1939 The star-spangled banner Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 1742 10-in. 3/31/1939 If I had my way Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 1743 10-in. 3/31/1939 Little Sir Echo Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 1744 10-in. 3/31/1939 I surrender dear Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 1745 10-in. 3/31/1939 I'm building a sailboat of dreams Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 1752 10-in. 4/3/1939 Alla en El Rancho Grande Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 1753 10-in. 4/3/1939 It must be true-2 Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 1754 10-in. 4/3/1939 S' posin'-2 Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 1757 10-in. 4/5/1939 Whistling in the wildwood Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
(Results 401-425 of 1149 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Crosby, Bing," accessed October 31, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/101942.

Crosby, Bing. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved October 31, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/101942.

"Crosby, Bing." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 31 October 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

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

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