A man whose voice became the soundtrack of the 20th century, Harry Lillis “Bing” Crosby. Born in 1903 in Tacoma, Washington, Bing grew up in a musical home in Spokane. His famous nickname came from his love for a comic strip called The Bingville Bugle.
Bing originally studied law at Gonzaga University, but his passion for music was stronger. He started as a drummer and singer in a band called the Musicaladers before heading to Los Angeles to try his luck in vaudeville.
After that he joined the Paul Whiteman orchestra as part of a trio called The Rhythm Boys. By 1931, he launched a solo radio show that became a massive success, eventually reaching 50 million listeners at its peak.
Bing is often called the archetypal crooner. With the invention of the microphone, Bing developed a mellow, relaxed, and intimate style, replacing the loud, operatic style of the 1920s. This style influenced generations of singers, including icons like Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett.
In the 1940s, Bing was the top movie star in the world. He is best known for two types of films. The “Road” Movies, A series of seven comedy films where he played the “straight man” to his lifelong friend, Bob Hope, and his Dramatic roles that led him to win an Academy Award for Best Actor in 1944 for his role as Father Chuck O’Malley in Going My Way.
We can’t talk about Bing Crosby without mentioning White Christmas. Written by Irving Berlin, Bing first sang it in the 1942 movie Holiday Inn. According to Guinness World Records, it remains the best-selling single of all time.
Bing was also a businessman. He was one of the first performers to prerecord his radio shows on magnetic tape, which allowed him to edit his performances for the best quality. He even invested in the Ampex Corporation to help develop the first commercial reel-to-reel tape recorders and later, videotape.
Bing Crosby passed away in 1977 at the age of 74 while playing golf on a course in Spain. He earned 23 gold and platinum records. Of his 1,700 recordings, 41 were number one hits.
A special memorial was held at New York City’s St. Patrick’s Cathedral shortly after Crosby’s death. Nearly 3,000 attended the ceremony.
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