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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 576-600 of 1149 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Decca DLA 2949 10-in. 3/16/1942 Just plain lonesome Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 2950 10-in. 3/16/1942 The waltz of memory Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 2989 10-in. 5/25/1942 Lazy Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 2990 10-in. 5/25/1942 Let's start the New Year right Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 2991 10-in. 5/25/1942 I've got plenty to be thankful for Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 2996 10-in. 5/27/1942 I'll capture your heart Fred Astaire ; Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 2998 10-in. 5/27/1942 When my dreamboat comes home Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 2999 10-in. 5/27/1942 Walking the floor over you Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 3009 10-in. 5/29/1942 White Christmas Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 3010 10-in. 5/29/1942 Abraham Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 3011 10-in. 5/29/1942 Song of freedom Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 3012 10-in. 6/1/1942 The bombardier song Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 3013 10-in. 6/1/1942 Easter parade Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 3014 10-in. 6/1/1942 Happy Holiday (Holiday Inn title song) Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 3015 10-in. 6/1/1942 Be careful it's my heart Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 3025 10-in. 6/8/1942 Adeste fideles (O come all ye faithful) Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 3026 10-in. 6/8/1942 Silent night, Holy night Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 3027 10-in. 6/8/1942 Faith of our fathers Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 3028 10-in. 6/8/1942 God rest ye merry, gentlemen Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 3029 10-in. 6/10/1942 Conchita, Marquita, Lolita, Pepita, Rosita, Juanita Lopez Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 3030 10-in. 6/10/1942 The road to Morocco Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 3031 10-in. 6/10/1942 Ain't got a dime to my name Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 3032 10-in. 6/12/1942 My great-great-grandfather Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 3033 10-in. 6/12/1942 A boy in khaki—a girl in lace Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
Decca DLA 3034 10-in. 6/12/1942 Moonlight becomes you Bing Crosby vocalist, baritone vocal  
(Results 576-600 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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