Bing Crosby (born Harry Lillis Crosby in 1903) is perhaps best remembered for two things: His signature bass-baritone voice, and his beloved recording of Irving Berlin's "White Christmas." The latter is, to this day, one of the country's most popular songs at Christmastime.The biggest hit of Crosby's career, "White Christmas" was first aired on a Christmas Day radio broadcast in 1941. It was then included in Crosby's '42 film Holiday Inn, and it hit the music charts on October 3rd of that year. By October 31st, it had risen to Number 1--and it stayed there for 11 weeks. The holiday favorite was repeatedly re-released by Decca, and it charted another 16 after its initial success. It reached the Number 1 again in 1945, and then a third time in 1947. It remains the best-selling single of all time, selling (according to the Guinness World Records) "over 100 million copies around the world, with at least 50 million sales as singles." Of course, many attribute the success of the recording to Crosby's unique voice. However, the singer himself publicly dismissed his role in the song's popularity; he was quoted as saying that "a jackdaw with a cleft palate could have sung it successfully." One little-known fact about "White Christmas" is that the original 1942 master recording eventually became damaged due to its frequent use in pressing additional singles. In 1947, Crosby re-recorded the song using the same musicians and backup singers--and it is that second recording that is most familiar today.
In his 1990 autobiography Don't Shoot, It's Only Me!, Bob Hope wrote of his friend Bing Crosby: "Dear old Bing. As we called him, the 'Economy-sized Sinatra.' And what a voice. God I miss that voice. I can't even turn on the radio around Christmas time without crying anymore." It was not only Bob Hope who equated Crosby's voice with the sounds of Christmas. Even now, as temperatures dip and snow-covered lawns are decorated with twinkling lights, Bing Crosby's rendition of "White Christmas" is a soundtrack staple in homes and shopping malls. It therefore seems fitting that we honor his legacy here on our HillTop Records blog during the month of December. But did you know that the American performer contributed much more to the recording industry, especially in the way of technological advancement?
Well into his successful radio career in 1945, Bing Crosby made an important career decision. He was at that time in the midst of an argument with NBC over his insistence that he be able to prerecord his radio shows. Crosby saw a great advantage to prerecording, as it would enable him to set his own schedule. However, the networks disagreed, arguing that the public would not stand for "canned" radio and that prerecording would eliminate the special element of magic that only a live show has. Crosby set out to prove the producers wrong, and he wound up becoming a key player in the development of magnetic tape sound recording.
Legend has it that Crosby was propelled by his love of golf--he wanted to prerecord his shows so that he could spend more time improving his game. However, the radio personality was motivated by much more than his wish to devote more time to extracurricular activities: He wanted to improve the quality of recording, and be able to control the timing of his performances. Bing Crosby Enterprises produced his show, allowing him to arrange the microphones his own unique way and shooting promotion spots for his latest investment--the world's first frozen orange juice, by a new brand called Minute Maid.
Always an astute businessman with an eye for trends, Bing Crosby recognized the problems in his original transcription methods. His solution was to hire Jack Mullin, the recording professional credited with bringing the German Magnetophon to the United States. This innovative magnetic tape recorder from Radio Frankfurt could record 20 minutes per reel of high-quality sound. Its abilities caught the eye of Alexander M. Poniatoff, who founded Ampex in 1944. Ampex set out to manufacture an improved version of the Magnetophone, while Mullin used his German-made machine to record Crosby's Philco Radio Time show. As Crosby later explained in his autobiography, the new technology's key advantage lay in the editing:
"By using tape, I could do a thirty-five or forty-minute show, then edit it down to the twenty-six or twenty-seven minutes the program ran. In that way, we could take out jokes, gags, or situations that didn't play well and finish with only the prime meat of the show; the solid stuff that played big. We could also take out the songs that didn't sound good. It gave us a chance to first try a recording of the songs in the afternoon without an audience, then another one in front of a studio audience. We'd dub the one that came off best into the final transcription. It gave us a chance to ad lib as much as we wanted, knowing that excess ad libbing could be sliced from the final product. If I made a mistake in singing a song or in the script, I could have some fun with it, then retain any of the fun that sounded amusing."
Impressed by the company's advancements, Crosby invested $50,000 in Ampex and stipulated that the money be put towards producing more machines. In 1948, the entire second season of his Philco show was taped with the brand-new Ampex Model 200 tape recorder. Then, in 1950, he was filmed singing into one of the new Ampex tape recorders (one that, according to him, reproduced his voice better than anything else invented) in Mr. Music. Using his ever-growing media influence across multiple platforms, Crosby launched the tape recorder revolution in America. One of the first people to adopt the technology was his close friend and colleague, Bob Hope.
Crosby did not only change the way radio was recorded; he did the same for television. Until the early '50's, most television was aired live. Then came Crosby's own production, The Fireside Theater. Because Mullin had not yet succeeded with video tape, Crosby himself filmed the series of 26-minute shows at the Hal Roach Studios. His "telefilms" were then syndicated to individual TV stations. Crosby's career as a TV producer was short-lived; however, he continued to finance the development of videotape. On November 11th, 1951, Bing Crosby Enterprises (BCE) gave the world's first demonstration of videotape recording in Los Angeles. The images, captured by a modified Ampex 200 tape recorder, were "blurred and indistinct" but they marked a major leap forward for the recording industry--and they helped solidify Bing Crosby's lasting legacy.
The American singer, movie star and music industry pioneer was one of the best-selling recording artists of the 20th century. His acting abilities landed him an Academy Award, and his incredible contributions to American music were rewarded with the first-ever Grammy Global Achievement Award. His is one of only a few names that can be found on three different stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He is also a member of the National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame in the radio division.
Bing Crosby also co-wrote the lyrics to 15 songs, including "At Your Command," which was Number 1 for three weeks on the U.S. pop singles chart in 1931. Songs of his were recorded by the likes of Frank Sinatra, Thelonious Monk, Billie Holiday and Duke Ellington. He certainly left his mark on the American music scene, at Christmastime and throughout the year. We know that his trademark voice and entrepreneurial spirit continue to inspire many of our HillTop Records songwriters.
