13/10/2016 3:38 pm  #1


Harry Lillis and Bar-One CDs

Over the years I've been collecting most of Bing's commercial recordings re-issued on CD (I have yet to catch up with some of the more recent Sepia stuff and some of the alternate UA takes), but I've never come across the Harry Lillis and Bar-One CDs. Some of the rare material on these CDs has since been made officially by the Crosby estate through their partnership with CC (and later UMG). Unfortunately, there are still entire albums that are exclusive to these CDs. How are/were they distributed? How can I find them?

Many thanks in advance

 

13/10/2016 10:04 pm  #2


Re: Harry Lillis and Bar-One CDs

Stefan Huber wrote:

 - - - I've never come across the Harry Lillis and Bar-One CDs. Some of the rare material on these CDs has since been made officially by the Crosby estate through their partnership with CC (and later UMG). Unfortunately, there are still entire albums that are exclusive to these CDs. How are/were they distributed? How can I find them?)

Stefan, details were circulated to members of the fan clubs at the time of issue. So far as I am aware they were not distributed through normal retail channels. As a result circulation was quite limited.
 

 

13/10/2016 11:22 pm  #3


Re: Harry Lillis and Bar-One CDs

So, are they still available from them?

     Thread Starter
 

14/10/2016 7:02 am  #4


Re: Harry Lillis and Bar-One CDs

Stefan Huber wrote:

So, are they still available from them?

Stefan
This was quite some years ago and I do not believe that the sources remain active.
 

 

01/11/2016 3:21 pm  #5


Re: Harry Lillis and Bar-One CDs

Stefan. All of the Harry Lillis CDs have appeared at one time or another for sale on eBay. I purchased my entire HL series via eBay (with the exception of the 5th volume). I would check there occasionally. The Bar-One CD's are rare, and I've only seen a couple of them appear on eBay (though not the ones you or I would be looking for).

I hope this helps!


Zane Johnson
 

10/11/2016 7:18 am  #6


Re: Harry Lillis and Bar-One CDs

Stefan,

I obtained some of the Bar One International CDs directly from Barry Whittingham, but that was in 2009. I have a catalog and an address, but no email or telephone. I could provide you with the address if there is some chance it is still active.

I obtained some of the Harry Lillis CDs from Chick Wilson's Select Circles, which I know is, unfortunately, no longer active. Others I purchased from eBay, where they occasionally appear.

Since you are searching for CD releases of Bing's commercial recordings, there are currently several new copies of "Crosby Classics Volume II" (EMI Regal 1572042) available on eBay at a low price (probably old stock). This CD has 17 of the medleys from the 1960 "101 Gang Songs" album. Not Bing's best work by any means, but I believe these medleys are only available on this CD and some of the Bar One CDs, with the EMI Regal being an official release. The "Crosby Classics Volume II" CD seems to be quite rare as I had never even seen a picture of the cover before, despite searching for it for years. Here's a link:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/BING-CROSBY-CROSBY-CLASSICS-VOLUME-II-RARE-MUSIC-CD-/311728402953?hash=item489475f209:g:hLUAAOSwA3dYENgF

Last edited by Jim Determan (10/11/2016 7:21 am)

 

10/11/2016 11:36 am  #7


Re: Harry Lillis and Bar-One CDs

Hello

I haven't heard any news of Barry for some years now. He performed a great service for Crosby collectors in the early days of CD, with some of his releases still being (as far as I know) the only CD option for certain recordings. "Hey Jude, Hey Bing!", "Bingo Viejo" and the 5 poems from 1977, for example. He also produced an 8-CD series of songs culled from KMH broadcasts called "The Krafty Young Bing".

I saw him at the Leeds meeting a few times and he used set up a stall at the back of the room and chatter incessantly throughout the meeting!

He produced a lot of compilations and various themed series - the complete Bing/Al Philcos, etc. - and although the quality could be variable, in those early years of CD (and certainly long before the internet) he was a great source of hard-to-obtain material.

I obtained my Harry Lillis releases via ICC, but with regard to the Sing-Along albums, I have an "official" release of "Join Bing and Sing Along" on a the Hallmark label. Hallmark 710082.

Other than that - as Jim says - other than the EMI Regal release, the sources seem to be from private sources. I have, for example,  a privately-produced Sing-Along compilation called "Sing Along With Bing Crosby!" on the GAV Records label. (GAVCD-1002). I seem to remember picking this up at Leeds a few years ago, but I have no idea who was responsible for GAV Records. I'm sure somebody out there will...

 

10/11/2016 3:51 pm  #8


Re: Harry Lillis and Bar-One CDs

The poems were in fact issued on the Collectors Choice "Seasons" CCM2104 in 2010
(later replaced by the identical CD on the UMG label B0017960-2 in 2013, still available - see http://bingcrosby.com/product-category/cds-and-vinyl/page/2), both issued as a joint enterprise with the Crosby family companies.

 

 

10/11/2016 7:08 pm  #9


Re: Harry Lillis and Bar-One CDs

I also have the Hallmark "Join Bing & Sing Along" CD, which is taken from the 1959 album of the same title. But the material on the EMI Regal release is different, it is from the 1960 "101 Gang Songs" album. Based on Richard's discography there is no overlap. Also, it seems to be in stereo, whereas I believe the Hallmark is mono.

I've heard of the GAV label, but never found any of their CDs. They also released some of the Buddy Cole material, long before the Mosaic set, that I had tried to find at that time.

It would sure be nice to see the Crosby family release official versions of the Longines sessions, "Hey Jude" and "Bingo Viejo".

Jim

 

11/11/2016 10:46 am  #10


Re: Harry Lillis and Bar-One CDs

Thanks, Richard...

Sorry, I had completely forgotten that the 5 poems make up part of the bonus tracks on the CCM "Seasons" release.

Jim is quite right - the Hallmark CD is in mono. The GAV release is in stereo and is a compilation of tracks from "101 Gang Songs", "Join Bing and Sing Along!" and "On the Happy Side".

Although it has had an "official" CD release, I would like to add "Bing 'n Basie" to the list of albums I would like to see remastered and re-packaged by BCE - including, of course, the un-released, "If I Had a Hammer". (Incidentally, "If I Had a Hammer was included on the Bar-One International release of "Bing 'n Basie", together with "Hey Jude, Hey Bing!" on a single CD...)

Jeremy

 

14/11/2016 3:55 am  #11


Re: Harry Lillis and Bar-One CDs

"Bing 'n Basie" was the first CD I ever bought - before I even had a CD player. I was so surprised to see it released, and thought it might not stay in print long. It was a pretty early CD release, and I suspect Polydor released it because it gave them the first Bing CD on the market.

I would like to see BCE reissue it, especially if they include a clean version of "If I Had a Hammer", one that doesn't sound like it was recorded on a portable tape recorder held up to a speaker. But I'm glad to have heard it even in that form. The only reason I can see for it not being released on the album is there are some passages where Bing is having to sing over the band when it is pretty loud, and since Bing recorded his vocals to pre-recorded tracks there was no way to change that. But it's a nice uptempo performance that would add to the album.

 

19/11/2016 8:26 pm  #12


Re: Harry Lillis and Bar-One CDs

I miss Chick Wilson and Mr. Nostalgia as well. Redmond Nostalgia too is gone but not forgotten as well. Surprisingly they opened a new record/CD store in my neighborhood. I haven't been there yet, but I was shocked. 

Chick Wilson had some great stuff. Mr. Nostalgia was good in Florida but his prices were a little dear. Oh I can't forget Worlds Records either!

 

21/11/2016 3:23 pm  #13


Re: Harry Lillis and Bar-One CDs

Yes, Redmond Nostalgia had extensive lists of non-Bing material. With every "Bing" order I placed with Redmond, I used to include a couple of other discs of other favoured singers, and so I have quite a few Mario Lanza Coca-Cola shows and Gordon MacRae "Railroad Hour" productions of classic musicals, for example...

Other contributors to this board will, I feel sure, have much more extensive recollections of, and information about, father-and-son, Larry and David Kiner, who were responsible for making this material available. I seem to remember there was a direct - even personal - link between Larry's possession of the Bing material and Bing himself, but without doing a bit more research, I hesitate to elaborate on that... 

 

21/11/2016 3:48 pm  #14


Re: Harry Lillis and Bar-One CDs

I think that this 1994 obituary of Larry Kiner will be of interest to all.

It has also been quoted on David Lobosco's "Bing Crosby News Archive".
 

 

21/11/2016 3:53 pm  #15


Re: Harry Lillis and Bar-One CDs

Thanks, Richard. I knew I could rely on you..!

 

26/11/2016 2:39 am  #16


Re: Harry Lillis and Bar-One CDs

It's sad that Redmond Nostalgia closed, but I am envious of Larry Kiner's son having all these recordings still that he could listen to anytime. Redmond has a great chronological offering of Buddy Clark. I bought many of them but I regret I never got to complete the collection. I wish we had contact info for Larry's son - I believe his name was David Kiner.

 

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