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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 26-50 of 1149 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BVE-41688 10-in. 2/13/1928 Sunshine Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal chorus vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor BVE-41689 10-in. 2/13/1928 From Monday on Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal chorus vocalist, baritone vocal, lyricist  
Victor BVE-41696 10-in. 2/18/1928 Mississippi mud Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with mixed vocal chorus vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor CVE-43117 12-in. 2/28/1928 High water Paul Whiteman Concert Orchestra Orchestra, with male vocal solo vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor BVE-43121 10-in. 3/1/1928 What price lyrics? Rhythm Boys Male vocal trio, with piano, ukulele, and viola lyricist, vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor BVE-43140 10-in. 3/12/1928 I'm winging home (Like a bird that's on the wing) Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal chorus vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor BVE-43144 10-in. 3/14/1928 Ma belle Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal chorus vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor BVE-43145 10-in. 3/15/1928 Lovable Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor BVE-43148 10-in. 3/16/1928 March of the musketeers Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal chorus vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor BVE-43660 10-in. 4/21/1928 I'm afraid of you Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor BVE-43662 10-in. 4/22/1928 My pet Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal chorus vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor BVE-43663 10-in. 4/22/1928 It was the dawn of love Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal quartet vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor BVE-43664 10-in. 4/22/1928 Dancing shadows Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with vocal chorus vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor BVE-43667 10-in. 4/23/1928 Louisiana Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal chorus vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor BVE-43669 10-in. 4/24/1928 Do I hear you saying (I love you) Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal trio vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor BVE-43670 10-in. 4/25/1928 You took advantage of me Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal chorus vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor PBVE-61013 10-in. 8/20/1930 Three little words Duke Ellington Orchestra ; Rhythm Boys Jazz/dance band, with male vocal trio vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor PBVE-61047 10-in. 10/28/1930 Fool me some more! Bing Crosby ; Gus Arnheim Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor PBVE-61048 10-in. 10/28/1930 It must be true Bing Crosby ; Gus Arnheim Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor PBVE-61057 10-in. 11/20/1930 Them there eyes Cocoanut Grove Orchestra ; Rhythm Boys Jazz/dance band, with male vocal trio vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor PBVE-61058 10-in. 11/20/1930 The little things in life Cocoanut Grove Orchestra ; Bing Crosby Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor PBVE-61068 10-in. 1/19/1931 I surrender, dear Cocoanut Grove Orchestra ; Bing Crosby Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo songwriter, vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor PBVE-61075 10-in. 3/2/1931 Thanks to you Cocoanut Grove Orchestra ; Bing Crosby Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor PBVE-61076 10-in. 3/2/1931 One more time Cocoanut Grove Orchestra ; Bing Crosby Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor PBVE-61077 10-in. 3/2/1931 Wrap your troubles in dreams (And dream your troubles away) Bing Crosby Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band vocalist, baritone vocal  
(Results 26-50 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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