Fave radio crooner?

[Radioflyer]

I'll admit it...I'm a Ray Eberle fan...always have been, though there were some mighty fine ones fronting the great bands. Your choice?

rf

 

[Wild Root]

Ba ba ba BING!

Oh, first I have to agree that Ray Eberly was amazing and totally under rated as a male vocalist of the 40's! Sang very good songs with the Miller band.

But, when it comes to the true crooner sound, it's early (1930-1938) Bing Crosby! Before there was Bing, Rudy Valley used to be the nation's heart throb with the ladies. Soon as Bing started to be recognized after his singing with Paul Whiteman's Rhythm Boy's, women all over started to fall for this young man Bing Crosby. You might even say he was more popular in his early years then later on.

I find Bing to be my top favorite of the 30?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s and Ray my top favorite of the 40?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s. Well, Bing and Ray are just about neck and neck on my list.

=WR=

 

[nightandthecity]

You might even say he was more popular in his early years then later on.
=WR=

I'd go further - he was a lot better in his earlier years than later on!

Lets not forget Al Bowley

 

[Wild Root]

I'd go further - he was a lot better in his earlier years than later on!

You know, I feel the same way. I do enjoy his 40's recordings a lot but, it was a different style for him, much more relaxed and slower, his early work had a lot of Jazz influence and scatting. Something that he steered away from was his whistling. I love his early songs when he would whistle in the middle of the song... oh, so sweet!

=WR=

 

[nightandthecity]

yeah...I suppose what I mean by "better" is "hotter"!

When I was young in the 60s and 67s I thought of Bing as this bland MOR entertainer. It was a complete revelation when I first heard some of his early sides. I was gobsmacked - and hooked!

Now I'm older I realize that a lot of people move from hot to lukewarm as they age.....!

Yep, I LOVE that whistling!

 

[Radioflyer]

Oh.... and uh.... Ginny Simms turns my propeller too! But that's another string!

rf

 

[Nonchalant]

You know, I feel the same way. I do enjoy his 40's recordings a lot but, it was a different style for him, much more relaxed and slower, his early work had a lot of Jazz influence and scatting. Something that he steered away from was his whistling. I love his early songs when he would whistle in the middle of the song... oh, so sweet!

=WR=

I seem to lose interest in Bing after '33. Not that he wasn't great afterwards, he was always great -- but his later work didn't have the urgency and power of his first true solo recordings (the sides he made for Brunswick... I'm sure those records are very representative of his radio work at the time). He wasn't ensconced in Hollywood yet, and still had close ties to the New York jazz musicians like Eddie Lang and co.. Their presence really raised the bar for Bing, and his theirs.

Bing was doing so many interesting and innovative things at the time.. He was quite simply the most brilliant singer of his generation. He was so ahead of the field, there just wasn't anybody around to come close, and there were some wonderful singers then: people like Al Bowlly, Rudy Vallee, Smith Ballew, Skinnay Ennis and Russ Columbo come to mind -- I love them all, but none of them could ever approach Bing.

When I first heard him singing the song "Please", I was awestruck. I had to drop whatever prejudices I had about his private life or character.. For me, Bing Crosby is simply the best there ever was.

 

[topcat]

Yeah. Nobody did their thing quite like Bing. A veritable cornucopia of talent,
little did they know what a journey of fame that twas ahead for him.

I would like to add at least an honorable mention to the very early Mel Torme
and his Mel-Tones, who in fact did some work and recordings with Mr Crosby.

 

[Wild Root]

This makes sense...

=WR=

 

[Cousin Hepcat]

Bing CD reccomendations?

Anyone have Bing CD reccomendations?

Already have his very early stuff (20s through around 32-33) and 1940's stuff; looking for CD reccomendations for stuff in between where he whistles & sings with swing bands.

One time I heard a 78 "Bob White" that was cool, circa mid-30s decca; went to Amazon but they have too many Bing CDs to search through them all and din't see this era stuff right away

Thanks

 

[Wild Root]

http://www.kcmetro.cc.mo.us/pennvalley/biology/lewis/crosby/bing.htm

Check this site out... they know they're stuff! You can also post questions and the guys there are very nice.

=WR=

 

[Cousin Hepcat]

http://www.kcmetro.cc.mo.us/pennvalley/biology/lewis/crosby/bing.htm

Check this site out... they know they're stuff! You can also post questions and the guys there are very nice.

=WR=

Thanks Root - cross-referencing their Bing discography from that website for a set of titles from the 30s with Title searches on Amazon, came up with this CD - just about every one's a winner, over half I'd put on a "must have" list, and its got that Killer Diller track, "Bob White": Man don't those guys at ASV always seem to know how to pick the best tracks for their CDs!

Bing Crosby - His Greatest Hits of the 30's - Asv Living Era

Incidentally, ran across another great CD with dixieland band, Bing With a Beat (w/ Bob Scobey's Frisco Jazz Band) - much later in his career (1957) but even the reviewers note his voice on this one really hearkens back to his earlier days and the band's playing in top form! - apparently a big seller, lots of LP copies around; just now latched on to an EX one for $4

(man every time I think I've kicked the "Habit"!...)

 

[Absinthe_1900]

I'm surprized Wildroot missed The Silver Masked Tenor from the early radio days.

 

[Weston]

Well, just to chime in, I'm a big fan of Der Bingle myself. I have the "His Legendary Years" Box set, and its mighty fine, mighty fine.

Funny story on it, got on a Bing binge, and wanted his boxed set. Read it was the best compilation. Jumped on ebay, found one for 20 dollars plus 8 shipping. Amazon had it for $45. Bid on it, and immediately found another starting at $5!! Well, for the only time in my life, I was thrilled to be outbid by another. Lost the 28 dollar one.

Then, kept my eye on the 5 dollar one, and bid at the last minute.
Snagged it for....wait for it....$5 plus $3 shipping! Can't beat 4 CD's of Bing for $8! You can't get ONE for that! Good times.