I was just listening to NPR's piece on Bing Crosby on my vintage Mac MX110Z's FM tuner, watching the snow fall outside my window, and thinking that it would be a great time to listen to White Christmas from the copy of the Bing Sings box set that Cindy got for me a couple of years ago. Thank you, Cindy!
I am a huge Bing Crosby fan, and I've always enjoyed listening to his music and watching his movies immensely. For those of us who live in Washington State, Bing Crosby is one of our musical founding fathers, and believe me, we Washington State'r's are into music.
Silly family story: My Dad, Jack, was born in depression era Spokane, where his parents had a horse ranch just outside of Spokane, in Mica. During the depression era the Davenport Hotel employed a lot of the struggling locals, and my Grandfather, Gus, my Uncle, Ainse, and my Dad, Jack, all worked there as waiters at one time or another. If I remember my family oral tradition correctly, Grandpa's half brother, 'Uncle Bid' kept an eye on the horse ranch while he ran a bourbon still to help out the local economy, while the rest of the family was in Spokane working.
About that time, Bing was singing his way into people's hearts around the world, and there were stories I heard from certain waiters at the Davenport Hotel, of Bing having a bit to much to drink, standing on top of the tables and singing his heart out, and then having to be 'helped' home afterwards. The good ol' days.
The Bing Sings Reader's Digest box set surveys 96 of his Brunswick & Decca recordings, and was manufactured by RCA for Reader's Digest. Bing Crosby was an amazing jazz singer, and I absolutely love Where the Blue of the Night Meets the Gold of the Day, Dear Hearts and Gentle People, Sam's Song & Play a Simple Melody, which were both duets with his son, Gary. Speaking of duets, there's lots of great duets, those with Gary Crosby as I already mentioned, but also with Patti Andrews, Jane Wyman, Evelyn Knight, Johnny Mercer, Fred Astaire, Judy Garland, Bob Hope, and many more.
Bing Sings' 8 records are of average quality sonically, but they're magnificent musically! Bing's one of the greatest jazz singers in history, but getting his music on vinyl is not easy. I'd really love to see someone take an interest in reissuing select Bing Crosby jazz music. I'd be glad to help with some song recommendations, like the duets with Gary Crosby and Louis Armstrong, which would be at the top of my wish list.
Mosaic has a CD box set titled Bing Crosby CBS Radio Recordings (1954-56) that I would love to see reissued on vinyl. I've got a copy of the CD box set from MCA, Bing: His Legendary Years 1931-1957, which would also be a treasure if reissued on vinyl.
While you're out hunting in the used record stores, be sure to grab a copy of the Bing Sings box set if you see one, or any other Bing Crosby albums you come across. Every lover of jazz should have some Bing Crosby in their record collection!
Ok, it's time for me to go finish up the article I'm writing for Positive Feedback, then make a nice hot Tom & Jerry, and sit back and watch Holiday Inn while the snow falls!
From my home to yours, may the music playing make you happy! Thanks for stopping by!
