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- Aaron Tickner
- Sustaining Member
Offline - From: Queensland, Australia
- Registered: 07/9/2026
- Posts: 83
Re: Bing and Fred's Album "A Couple of Song and Dance Men"
I discovered this album a few years after Ian. ABC radio (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) was doing a tribute to Irving Berlin in 1989, and they played "A Couple of Song and Dance Men". I hadn't heard Bing in the 1970s at this point and couldn't believe the resonance of his voice.
It was that same year that a girl I went to high school with introduced me to her Uncle, Les (a Crosby collector). One of the first things that Les and I spoke about was how I had heard this version on radio. Not long after, his niece handed me a copied tape of the LP. Sadly, Les passed away back in 2003. His Bing LPs and 78s now reside in my study cupboard. I also inherited his CDs, even though this meant I initially had some doubles. I already had the CD release, "How Lucky Can You Get".
Back in the early 2000s the mother of one of my band students was learning tap dance. We often chatted about Fred Astaire together. She never knew about this album, so I gave her Les' CD. I'm sure Les would have liked that I was able to spread the word with part of his collection.
Every time I reach for a Bing LP, 78 or CD I invariably think of Les. He would have loved this forum, and he would have loved the ICC meetings.
- Ian Kerstein
- Super Fan
Offline
- From: Nottingham. United Kingdom.
- Registered: 19/2/2022
- Posts: 663
Re: Bing and Fred's Album "A Couple of Song and Dance Men"
I can't speak for Australia - but oh for the days, Aaron when BBC radio used to play so much of the Great American Songbook era, the big bands and jazz, all beautifully curated by such well spoken and warm understated presenters such as Mr Green, Alan Dell, Bob Holness, Sheila Tracy, Peter Clayton, Desmond Carrington and David Jacobs. I not only listened but learned.
I was delighted around the time Aaron discovered this album that I was able to buy a pristine second hand one from a future employer. It certainly lived up to expectations. As with you, Aaron, I am such an admirer of Bing's gloriously mellow and resonant later voice. I'm delighted that someone as close as Les helped with your interest.
Fred Astaire remains a firm favourite of mine, too. Did anyone else move quite like him? One of the album's CD releases featured some outtakes called "Session Soundbites", as Bing and Fred accustom themselves to singing the songs with the band, being good naturedly corrected by producer Ken Barnes and funnily fluffing some of the lyrics. Here entitled, "Bing & Fred Bloopers"
Last edited by Ian Kerstein (09/9/2026 8:53 pm)
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Thread Starter- Aaron Tickner
- Sustaining Member
Offline
- From: Queensland, Australia
- Registered: 07/9/2026
- Posts: 83
Re: Bing and Fred's Album "A Couple of Song and Dance Men"
The Fred Astaire Complete UA CDs that Ken Barnes released also has outtakes from Fred's sessions.
I remember when I bought the CD of "How Lucky Can You Get" wondering what that thing was near Bing's ear. The next time I went to Les' house I went straight to his LP shelf and grabbed the album. Since the photo was larger, I could clearly make out the item was Bing's ubiquitous pencil and was relieved it wasn't a hearing aid. When I told Les of my fear, he laughed, "Bing? A hearing aid? Not likely, mate!"
There was a great program that broadcasted nationally on AM radio through the late 1980s and 1990s (the show may date even earlier) when I first started collecting. "Sentimental Journey" was hosted by a legend of Australian radio, John West. It was every Saturday night and ran for three hours. John would divide the show into three one-hour programs so the news could be read out on the hour. Although John was more of a Sinatra fan, he did occasionally devote programs to Bing. One of the hours was always devoted to listener's requests and Bing would occasionally pop up there of course.
I'll have to look to see if I still have any tapes of Sentimental Journey. I think I have one he did on Benny Goodman.
I haven't kept a lot of compact cassettes. The only thing I've really kept are recordings of concerts I played in back in the early 1990s. Still, I may have some broadcasts dedicated to Bing.