I think every serious Crosby collector SHOULD find the new CHARTMASTERS analysis SOMETHING. Terms after 2000 used perhaps do not apply to Bing and his pre-rock contemporaries, just read it, and try to figure it all out? "The Voice That Built Popular Music"-Yes! / Arriving at this conclusion is fine with me-YET....

Malcolm
I am very familiar with your excellent research. I had thought that another California EMBASSY club would correspond with a Cab Calloway gig in the area. More so the Cab Calloway "Hi de Ho for AUGUST 29,1932" has a printed add noting both Bing & Cab Calloway. Under that it states, 'with Bing Crosby on stage" So that is incorrect. /
Al Capone's Chicago area clubs did include the "Three Duces". Other contemporary entertainers like Ethel Waters, Adelaide Hall, Fats Waller, Helen Morgan, Ruth Etting, & Louis Armstrong also found interest from Capone. In addition to the "Greyhound Inn'-later known as "Montmartre", there were "Colosimo's (still operating after "big Jim" being gunned down in the site in 1920),) the "Cafe de Paris"-bombed, "Cinderella Cafe", "Showboat", "Cocoanut Grove" and the "Cotton Club" in Cicero, Illinois-run by Al's brother, Ralph., and the Metropole Hotel There were others. . While as performers IN clubs, accounts note that they were PERSUADED to perform for Capone personally, in other locations-perhaps one of these noted above?

Alan & Malcolm /
Got it / Eddie Condon's info has got to be where I originally read it. I will also note more so that many people of that generation had recollections of Bing, and others, at many sites, unverified. This well-known Chicago site, then a speakeasy, I think was one of them. Bing may have returned later unverified. Still looking for Bing in St. Louis speakeasy clubs.  / Another site I found in the net, an add, perhaps in California, finds Bing and Cab Calloway at the EMBASSY THEATRE, except I can't find in what CITY on August 29, 1932.Malcolm, with your resources may be able to locate?

Malcolm/
The passage of time and actual sites of these performances are becoming less and less. Your diaries and Don Rayno's works become more important, as actual documentations. To be more specific:
-As you note, this Spanish Ballroom in Seattle is not the one associated with Cole McElroy's site in that city. Nor does Rayno.
-The (Dec.12,1929) show at the Shrine Auditorium found Don Rayno noting 'the band' at the event. Is it safe enough that Bing with the Rhythm Boys with Mildred Bailey were also at that event?
-Obviously the Criterion Theatre in Los Angeles on April 20,1930 found 'the band' in New York City-not very near to Los Angeles. Your diary and Don Rayno's account more so concur. Perhaps this Los Angeles site was visited by Bing or Mildred at another time-if so, as of now, not documented.
- I read about Chicago's "Three Duces" or 222 Club, associated with Bing, somewhere. Can't find it, as of now.
-ALSO- Don Rayno has 'the band' in the "Blossom Room" of the Roosevelt Hotel on (Nov.14,1929)-another site that indicate that perhaps Bing, the Rhythm Boys & Mildred were there?
Merging your Diaries and Rayno's info is worth it/ 
 

My own research of old Billboard, Variety & especially Malcolm, Giddens & Don Rayno find some questions. /Specifically noting an April 6 to April 14,1930. There was a Mc Elroy's Spanish Ballroom in BOTH Portland and Seattle. Did Bing & Whiteman appear in BOTH, or just in Portland? Or a "Spanish Ballroom "not owned by Cole Mc Elroy? More confusing is another Seattle site called "Spanish Castle Ballroom", although it is a bit later in 1931-or maybe this is wrong?
There is also the gap between August 1928 to March,9,1929, finding the Rhythm Boys separating from the main orchestra-covered well by Malcolm. Any others? Perhaps in Chicago's speakeasy (Three Duces) or in St. Louis?
Also, I have a question IF the Rhythm Boys shared gigs with Mildred Bailey (Al Rinker's sister), between the time Whiteman signed her (August,5,1929 to April 30,1930-when the Rhythm Boys officially left Whiteman. Don Rayno has Mildred Baily in the Roxy Theatre. on May 8,1930-after the Rhythm Boys left.
Anyone out there in Crosby land may know? /

New Tricks, Some Fine Old Chestnuts & Buddy Cole in the mid-1950s...  / Bing's vocals on these 1950s albums hardly match his brilliant vocals of the 1930s. Buddy Cole's Trio is somewhat of a cover up of these uninspired performances. Cole's contribution to Bing's 1954 "Musical Autobiography LP", is a botched effort, with Decca failing to use many of the original Crosby originals they owned, but that's another story. (This LP was however an event, in which I still have the original LP and the 45RPM original set.) Cole's backing of a re-recording of "Mississippi Mud" WAS more so something good, which an interested Bing. The 1957 single release of this on (Decca-38031) without chatter, is better.  Cole's 1955 backings of "Christmas Is A Coming ", The First Snowfall", "Is Christmas Only A Tree" & "Moments To Remember" are good enough. "The Possibility's There", "The Next Time It Happens", "Something In Common", "Look To You Heart", "Suddenly There's A Valley" ,"The Longest Walk", "Old Man River", "In A Little Spanish Town" should never had been attempted. Neither were Cole's 1956 contributions to "Honeysuckle Rose", "Swanee", "Love Is A Home". Cole did luck out in October,1956 when he captured a very interested Bing vocal captured on "Around The World" & "I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day", are easily their best collaboration -brilliant recordings! Bing's 1957 releases of "Straight Down The Middle" & "Tomorrows My Lucky Day" with Cole on American (Columbia) are ok. Decca renderings "Church Bells" & "Rain" were perhaps not worth it.

MORE ABOUT DEEP PURPLE /
I should have noted the excellent Dick Todd version of "Deep Purple" . It' was an odd contemporary challenge for Bing, as the "Canadian Crosby" sounds just like him. / THE contemporary (1939)  female version belonged to Bea Wain's fine vocal of a very good song that lingers./

I would rate Jo Stafford's "Keep It A Secret" as the best vocal of another excellent ditty

DEEP PURPLE is a great song penned by (Peter De Rose &Mitchell Parish) that would be recorded later in the rock era and more so became a best seller by Nino Tempo & April Stevens in 1963 with an interesting sound and good singing. Compared with Bing's earlier 1939 vocal, arraigned with an interesting sound backing by Matty Malnick however, it's obvious that Bing was interested. He knew he had a classic to perform. His vocal (this late) is superb.  As far as I can hear, Bing defined it in 1939, in the middle of so many of his other recordings, some good, some lesser.

It's still ok to disagree. If I listen to "Begin The Beguine", I'll still get more into the committed Sinatra version with Axel Stordahl's excellent backing. Staying in the COLE PORTER range of songs, I am not stating that "I Never Realized" is the only definitive Porter ditty that he defined. His "Don't Fence Me In" with the Andrews Sisters, with Vic Schoen's backing remains excellent. His later voice in 1956 somehow met the challenge on the Porter songs with Grace Kelly on "True Love", with Louis Armstrong on "Now You Has Jazz" (more so a late jazz standard with Louis's band)) and with Frank himself on "Well Did You Evah" all reek of excellence and a commitment from all. The fab Johnny Green arrangements for this "High Society" film also included Nelson Riddle) You can say that Bing shared these latter songs. In any case they all have Bing's claims upon them. Maybe I just realized that my ears have noted 5 defined Cole Porter songs belonging to Bing?



 

Ian / I totally agree that the 1942 HOLIDAY INN was the better film. I also rate it Bing's best-all around film and one of the best musicals ever produced by anyone- including the official 1942 soundtrack. / The 1954 WHITE CHRISTMAS film, originally in color, was also hugely successful, with Rosemary Clooney's vocals sadly missing from the official soundtrack recordings issued. A botched job, even though Peggy Lee was no slouch. (I have seen booted discs of the original 1954 soundtrack). Keeping with the film, I have read that Danny Kaye was miscast. Perhaps Hope or Astaire could have been better? If so, I still think the black and white Holiday Inn would still be the better film. Bing and Astaire more so defined it musically. At their best for sure! In any case, the White Christmas film made lots of monies in 1954. Bing, Clooney, Kaye, Vera Ellen were top notch performers who all lifted a silly plot into something likable.

Graham /My own research in my ('Just Remember This'), found Chick Bullock on many labels, including early recordings on Victor. After this, his (US) (AMERICAN RECORD COMPANY) controlled 1930s releases included numerous released on Banner, Perfect, Conqueror, Vocalion & Melotone. This was the same marketing strategy. that 
found many (original AMC owned Brunswick) Bing Crosby releases, many at a lower price, in dime & department stores on these same labels.It should also be noted that the name BING CROSBY found ON the record,, more than its title, sold the record anyway. Others, including the likes of Chick Bullock, only hoped to attain the popularity that Bing (then) achieved./Thank you/

Blonde/ JUST REMEMBER THIS is about popular music produced primarily between 1900-50 Plus. Your local library could most likely get it for you for free, or you can purchase it easily on the net. I cover a lot, mostly old 78s, and since Bing himself did so much to define that era, you have my critical review about Bing's legacy, especially in recordings, radio & films. /Otherwise, I suggest that you find Columbo's version of PARADISE, & compare it to Bing's version. /Thank you/ Colin