WE WELCOME THOSE WITH A GENUINE INTEREST IN BING CROSBY. YOU WILL BE ASKED THREE QUESTIONS WHEN YOU REGISTER. DEPENDING ON YOUR ANSWERS, WE WILL EITHER APPROVE OR NOT APPROVE YOUR MEMBERSHIP. This requirement arises from misuse of the forum by a few.
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Jon Oye keeps adding images to his site Contemplations on Classic Movies and Music
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1 of 1- sammydavis64
- New member
Offline - Registered: 08/7/2019
- Posts: 6
New member!
Hi there all!
I'm very pleased to be joining this group and getting to discuss and read more about Bing Crosby as I continue to discover him more. My name is Brady, I'm 23 from the USA and have been listening thru my recently acquired Bing Crosby collections nonstop these past few weeks.
I became a true fan of the jazz/traditional pop genre in 2012 with my introduction to Sammy Davis Jr. From there, when I wasn't obsessively listening to or collecting anything and everything that Sammy did, I would find and listen to other singers from the genre, and within several years my knowledge and palette for this genre grew extensively. I have collected and listened to the likes of Nat King Cole, Mel Tormé, Bobby Darin, Ella Fitzgerald, Al Jolson, Tony Bennett (whom I've had the good fortune to see twice in concert), and of course Mr. Sinatra. With all these guys my vinyl collection currently reaches 550+ pieces!
The only missing "link" so to speak was Bing Crosby. Its impossible not to be at least aware of Bing, of course, so naturally I had done some research and listened to bits and pieces, downloaded the occasional album here/there. But for some reason he didn't grab my interest just yet. I liked him naturally, but didn't -adore- him the way I seemed to with everyone else. So I decided to leave Bing on the back burner for when the time came that I'd be ready to fully appreciate and immerse myself.
Well thank goodness that time finally came! I dove headfirst into all things Bing thanks to some help finding the complete Jonzo and Sepia Decca series online, as well as the 50s albums, the CBS Radio recordings, and most of the 1970s albums. I'm just loving it. His laid-back style is so relaxing and calming. I've especially been adoring listening to the Buddy Cole Trio recordings off the Mosaic set, the 1950s Bing was perfect with a jazz-combo and I wish he would've made more albums exploring this sound! But...ugh...that organ...oh well haha.
Anyway I'm so glad I'm finally fully into Bing. I've started to collect some vinyls as well and have a couple boxes of records coming this week. Anyone have any recommendations on things to check out?
Also, if someone could recommend a good, mostly complete/factually accurate book about Bing's life that would be highly appreciated!
Very excited to be here. Thank you!
~Brady
- Malcolm Macfarlane
- Senior Member
Offline
- From: Wilmslow, Cheshire, UK
- Registered: 22/11/2010
- Posts: 836
Re: New member!
- David Lobosco
- Moderator
Offline
- From: Pennsylvania
- Registered: 21/11/2010
- Posts: 1,562
Re: New member!
I echo Archiefit's sentiments. I am a slightly younger Bing fan (45 years old now) but there was nothing like listening to Bing the first time, and discovering new music every day. With the internet much of the music is at our fingertips now, but I have great memories of combing through records at flea markets and antique stores trying to find Bing Crosby recordings. Those were the days!
Welcome to the groups!
- paulmock
- Seasoned Member
Offline
- From: Hollywood, CA
- Registered: 29/11/2010
- Posts: 233
Re: New member!
Warmest of welcomes here! Don't be afraid to share or ask any questions. All friends here. ENJOY!
All the best,
Paul M. Mock
- Graham Pascoe
- Senior Member
Offline
- Registered: 30/11/2010
- Posts: 587
Re: New member!
Hullo Brady. As Bing said in HIGH SOCIETY, 'You must be one of the younger fellas'. I'm one of the older fellas and live in Bathurst, Australia, some 130 miles west of Sydney. There are many Crosby enthusiasts in Australia. I'll bet you know of The International Club Crosby and its BING magazine. The club's web site is www.club-crosby.org. Cheers from Graham
- JoeDoakes
- Member
Offline
- Registered: 24/7/2019
- Posts: 22
Re: New member!
Personally, I find Bing’s 1930s recordings to be his overall best. His voice was never better and the arrangements are often much more lively than what followed in later years
- TheShadow
- New member
Offline
- Registered: 17/10/2018
- Posts: 4
Re: New member!
I see everyone has already pointed you in the right direction insofar as Bing biographies. The only one you need to concern yourself with is the two-volume work by Giddins. As far as music I would recommend three CDs from an aspect of Bing's career that doesn't get a lot of attention, the songs from his radio show the Kraft Music Hall. "Bing In the Hall," "Lost Radio Recordings from 1935 and 1936," and "Here's Bing Crosby: Radio Broadcasts 1938-1946." These three CDs can be found on Amazon or eBay and feature a lot of absolute gems that Bing never formally recorded.