Multimedia Pioneer

Today's episode is the first in a look at several dozen musicians who lived after 1900, roughly in chronological order.  And let me emphasize this is a extremely subjective look - it seems like every time I would look at my list, I f would find a new musician that just had to be on there - so I'm not presenting this in any way as an ideal selection of the most popular or talented or well known musician - just a deep dive into the lives and talents of some of the greatest singers and musicians of the 20th and 21st centuries

And I'm going to start with Bing Crosby mainly because he is widely considered the first multimedia star.  Bing Crosby was able to achieve unprecedented and simultaneous superstardom across the three dominant entertainment mediums of his time: recorded music, radio, and motion pictures. In other words, Crosby’s career was characterized by his massive and concurrent success in multiple platforms, a feat unmatched by performers who came before him.

Crosby was by far the best-selling recording artist of his time and remained so until well into the rock era. His recording of "White Christmas" is the best-selli Setting a standard for future male vocalist such as Frank Sinatra and he was also a major    ng single of all time. And he had 41 number one hits, a number that even surpassed Elvis Presley and The Beatles.

Transcript

Welcome to celebrate creativity, and modern music makers - this should be episode 497 - Multimedia Pioneer - my plans are to have episodes about two or three musicians who lived after 1900 - then help episode 500 - and then returning for the entire month of November to look at some of the greatest musicians from 1900 to the present day. And I'm not going to concentrate on trying to illustrate episodes regarding the various musicians with Music or audio clips, because most of their works are copyright, unlike many of the works written by musicians prior to 1900.

Today's episode is the first in a look at several dozen musicians who lived after 1900, roughly in chronological order.  And let me emphasize this is a extremely subjective look - it seems like every time I would look at my list, I f would find a new musician that just had to be on there - so I'm not presenting this in any way as an ideal selection of the most popular or talented or well known musician - just a deep dive into the lives and talents of some of the greatest singers and musicians of the 20th and 21st centuries

And I'm going to start with Bing Crosby mainly because he is widely considered the first multimedia star.  Bing Crosby was able to achieve unprecedented and simultaneous superstardom across the three dominant entertainment mediums of his time: recorded music, radio, and motion pictures. In other words, Crosby’s career was characterized by his massive and concurrent success in multiple platforms, a feat unmatched by performers who came before him.

Crosby was by far the best-selling recording artist of his time and remained so until well into the rock era. His recording of "White Christmas" is the best-selli Setting a standard for future male vocalist such as Frank Sinatra and he was also a major    ng single of all time. And he had 41 number one hits, a number that even surpassed Elvis Presley and The Beatles.

Bing Crosby was a major radio star from the early 1930s well into the 1950s, hosting shows like The Kraft Music Hall and Philco Radio Time.
His radio show regularly drew an audience of up to 50 million listeners—a staggering number at the time.

He pioneered the use of the microphone to achieve a subtle, intimate "crooning" style, setting a standard for future male vocalists such as Frank Sinatra.  And he was also a major box office draw at the movies. Crosby starred in over 70 feature films, earning a contract with Paramount Pictures. And he was the top box-office star in the world for five consecutive years (1944–1948). Bing Crosby won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in Going My Way (1944) and starred in the highly successful Road to... film series with Bob Hope.

He even has three stars - not one, not two, but three - stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame—one each for recording, radio, and motion pictures.

Beyond his performing career, Crosby was a pioneer who fundamentally changed the technology of broadcasting by embracing early magnetic tape recording. Bing Crosby was the first performer to pre-record his radio shows onto magnetic tape. He invested in the Ampex company, which developed North America's first commercial reel-to-reel tape recorder.
This move allowed him to edit, polish, and time-shift his broadcasts, raising the production quality of radio and eventually television. His efforts essentially established the practice of pre-recording and editing that is now standard in the entertainment industry. In essence, Bing Crosby was a cultural icon whose influence dominated the airwaves, the box office, and the record charts simultaneously, all while pushing the boundaries of media technology.

Bing Crosby's singing style, which defined the "crooner" era, was a revolutionary blend of emerging technology and a deep appreciation for the rhythmic and improvisational nature of jazz. His style was a deliberate break from the bombastic, unamplified theatrical singing that preceded him, resulting in an intimate, relaxed, and conversational delivery.

Crosby drew heavily from the Black jazz musicians he worked with and admired, bringing their sophisticated musical concepts into mainstream pop.

Now you may remember from my earlier podcasts on famous writers and composers that I stress the fact that no art is created in a vacuum.  Bing Crosby is certainly no exception.  In fact, Louis Armstrong was Crosby's acknowledged idol and primary influence. Crosby was mesmerized by Armstrong's rhythmic freedom, improvisational genius, emotional candor, and relaxed, swinging phrasing. Crosby incorporated Armstrong's jazz aesthetic—the ability to rework a melody and phrase naturally—into his own pop songs.

Then there was Bix Beiderbecke - Bix was and innovative white jazz cornetist who worked with Crosby in the Paul Whiteman Orchestra. Crosby was inspired by Beiderbecke's lyricism and the clarity of his attack on the notes, which he emulated in his own vocal agility.

And then there was Al Jolson - a theatrical star of the previous generation. Early in his career, Crosby was "spellbound" by Jolson's showmanship and his mastery of ad-libbing and stage presence.

Bing Crosby also worked with top jazz artists such as Jack Teagarden, Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey, and Eddie Lang while he was a member of Paul Whiteman's orchestra and The Rhythm Boys, ingrained in him an infallible sense of rhythmic precision and swing that set his singing apart.

Many of these names might be unfamiliar to most of us, but there is no question that Bing Crosby was not just an original - but was also highly influenced by the talented musicians around him.

The rise of new technology in the 1920s was essential for Crosby's development, because it allowed his natural voice and style to become a commercial success.  It is said that Bing Crosby was the first vocalist to truly use the microphone as an instrument. Before electronic amplification, singers had to project with a semi-operatic, loud, and formal style to be heard over an orchestra - a style that wasn't very relaxing or even realistic.
The electric microphone allowed Crosby to drop his voice to an intimate, subtle level—a close, relaxed baritone that sounded like he was singing or speaking directly to one person. This technique became known as crooning - I always wondered where that word came from!

Bing Crosby possessed a naturally resonant, virile-sounding baritone with a warm, husky timbre, which Louis Armstrong famously likened to "gold being poured out of a cup.” Crosby’s voice was masculine enough to make the new, intimate crooning style widely acceptable, sweeping away the previous generation of lighter, high-pitched tenors. By merging the improvisational rhythms of jazz with the ability to sing softly and intimately into a microphone, Bing Crosby created a new, popular singing style that would go on to influence virtually every male pop singer who followed him, most notably Frank Sinatra, Perry Como, and Dean Martin.

Bing Crosby was born Harry Lillis Crosby Jr., but he acquired his famous nickname from a newspaper comic strip when he was about seven years old. The nickname originated from a comic page feature or column called "The Bingville Bugle," which ran in the local newspaper, The Spokesman-Review, in Spokane, Washington, where his family lived. "The Bingville Bugle" was a humorous parody of a rural, "hillbilly" newspaper. The feature had a main character named "Bingo" (sometimes seen as the lead character in the cartoon sketches, or simply the place name).

A neighbor or childhood friend, Valentine Hobart, noticed how much young Harry loved the comic—he would often laugh uncontrollably while reading it. The friend started calling him "Bingo from Bingville.” Over time, "Bingo" was shortened to the simple and memorable "Bing," and it stuck with him for the rest of his life. So, the biggest multimedia star of his time got his universally recognized name from a small-town, comical newspaper feature!

Later Bing Crosby became an integral part of the road to movies - the series of films are a brilliant showcase of the chemistry between Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, and their frequent co-star, Dorothy Lamour.
The "Road to..." movies are a series of seven musical-comedies that ran from 1940 to 1962. They are characterized by a unique blend of witty banter, adventure, musical numbers, and groundbreaking meta-humor.

The primary installments, all starring Crosby, Hope, and Lamour (except the last), are:

Road to Singapore (1940)
Road to Zanzibar (1941)
Road to Morocco (1942)
Road to Utopia (1946 - filmed in 1943)
Road to Rio (1947)
Road to Bali (1952)
The Road to Hong Kong (1962 - with Joan Collins - yes, that Joan Collins from Dynasty

The films followed a consistent, beloved formula that was very popular with audiences.  Bing Crosby's character was always the smooth schemer (the "cool customer"), a fast-talking con man who plots the group's dangerous, money-making ventures. He is the charming crooner who inevitably gets the girl in the end.

Bob Hope was the nervous patsy (the "cowardly braggart"), full of bravado but easily spooked. He's usually the one stuck doing the dirty work or the dangerous stunts. He always loses the girl to Bing.

Dorothy Lamour was the exotic love interest (the "sarong queen"). She was the sultry, beautiful heroine in the far-off land that both men constantly fought over, providing the romantic engine for the plot.

The series seem Little I wish I had not I meant to I slept till about six which is good to emphasize Breaking the Fourth Wall: Hope frequently spoke directly to the audience, making comments about the plot, the quality of the script, or his attempt to win an Oscar.

Example from Road to Bali: "Bing's gonna sing, folks. Now's the time to go out and get the popcorn."

The films were peppered with self-mockery and references to Hollywood, Paramount Studios, and their own careers. The later films even had the villains recognize their running gags, as if they had also seen the previous "Road" pictures.

Each movie was a lighthearted parody of a popular adventure film genre of the time: They took the trio to ridiculously exotic locales (jungles, the high seas, the frozen Yukon, the Arabian desert). Crosby's gorgeous singing voice was a staple, balanced by humorous duets and musical set pieces with Hope and Lamour.

One classic running gag was the "Patty-Cake Routine," where the boys would distract a villain with a quick, absurd sequence of hand-claps before landing a punch and running away. The "Road to..." movies were massive hits, providing audiences—especially during the challenges of World War II—with a perfect dose of escapism, laughter, and infectious, carefree charm.

The series is seen as a crucial link between the frantic, physical comedy of the 1930s (like the Marx Brothers) and the more sophisticated, self-aware comedy that would emerge in the late 20th century.
In fact, the Hope and Crosby dynamic set the blueprint for nearly all subsequent comedic pairings in film. And The distinct contrast between Crosby (cool, calm, and charming) and Hope (fast-talking, nervous, and often the victim) became the go-to formula for comedy duos.

Unlike earlier comedy teams who were strictly "straight man" and "clown" (like Abbott and Costello), Hope and Crosby played equals who were competitive—especially over the girl—but maintained a genuine, affectionate "bromance." This mix of genuine friendship and competitive rivalry is key to many modern buddy films.  I think Butch Cassidy and the Sundance kid.

This "odd couple" or "mismatched partners" concept is the foundation for countless buddy cop films and action comedies, where two distinct personalities are forced to work together.

Now Bing Crosby's association with Christmas is not just due to a few hit songs; he is arguably the figure who invented the popular, secular Christmas music industry as we know it today. His enduring legacy is built on three key pillars: the best-selling song of all time, the popularization of the Christmas album, and his holiday specials.

The foundation of his Christmas royalty is, without a doubt, the song "White Christmas.” In fact, His 1942 recording of the Irving Berlin song is recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the best-selling single of all time, with estimated sales over 50 million copies.

The song was first introduced on his radio show on Christmas Day, 1941, just weeks after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Its sentimental lyrics about an idyllic, snowy Christmas struck an intense chord with homesick soldiers and their families during World War II, making it a powerful anthem of longing and hope. Crosby's relaxed, intimate "crooning" style, enabled by the microphone, made the song feel personal and directly addressed to the listener, perfectly conveying the quiet ache of nostalgia.

Before Crosby, Christmas music was largely limited to traditional hymns and carols heard in church. Bing changed that, bringing holiday music into the popular mainstream. Crosby was initially reluctant to record religious songs for profit, but his 1935 recording of "Silent Night" and "Adeste Fideles" was a runaway success, paving the way for popular artists to record seasonal music.

THis 1945 compilation of holiday songs, Merry Christmas (later re-released as White Christmas), has been a continuous best-seller for decades and remains one of the longest continuously printed albums in U.S. history. This album template—mixing traditional carols with secular pop songs—became the standard for every artist who followed.  And he is also responsible for popular recordings of other holiday classics, including:

"I'll Be Home for Christmas (If Only in My Dreams)"
"It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas"
"Jingle Bells" (with the Andrews Sisters)

Starting in the 1960s, Crosby cemented his "Voice of Christmas" status by hosting annual TV Christmas specials.These specials typically featured his second wife, Kathryn, and their children, presenting a warm, traditional, and wholesome view of the American family Christmas.

His final special, Bing Crosby's Merrie Olde Christmas (taped shortly before his death in 1977), produced one of the most famous and unexpected Christmas duets of all time: "Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy" with rock star David Bowie. This moment bridged generations, creating a modern classic that remains beloved today.

In short, Bing Crosby didn't just sing a famous Christmas song—he virtually defined how modern Western culture experiences the holiday through music.

Now let me go back to make a few comments about the duet between Bing Crosby and David Bowie - an rather unexpected duet because of the massive generational and cultural gap between the two artists. It was an instant piece of surreal television that has since become a beloved holiday classic.

So here you have Bing Crosby The quintessential American crooner, a Hollywood icon, and a symbol of traditional, old-fashioned Christmas. And with him is David Bowie - an avant-garde, boundary-pushing rock star, famous for androgynous looks and the experimental Berlin Trilogy. The mere concept of the two performing together on Crosby's 1977 TV special, Bing Crosby's Merrie Olde Christmas, was a bizarre and almost unbelievable cultural collision.

At first, The show's producers wanted a British rock star for the special, which was being filmed in London. Bowie agreed to participate, mostly because his mother was a huge Bing Crosby fan and wanted him to do it.
When Bowie arrived at the studio with his then-wife, wearing full makeup and vibrant red hair (according to accounts from Crosby's family), the producers were reportedly shocked. Crosby's son recalled the producers nearly asking Bowie to remove the lipstick and an earring, noting the incredible contrast with his father. The show's musical supervisors planned for a straightforward duet of the classic Christmas carol, "The Little Drummer Boy." Bowie, however, balked, saying, "I hate this song. Is there something else I could sing?”

With no time to waste, the show's writers and musical directors rushed into the studio basement, found a piano, and in a frantic hour and a half, wrote a brand new counter-melody and lyrics for Bowie to sing. This new section was titled "Peace on Earth."

The result was that the new arrangement had Crosby singing the traditional "Little Drummer Boy" melody, while Bowie sang the newly composed "Peace on Earth" lyrics as a harmonious counterpoint. They reportedly rehearsed for less than an hour and recorded the song in just three takes.

The duet was taped in London on September 11, 1977. Tragically, Bing Crosby died of a heart attack just over a month later, on October 14, 1977, while golfing in Spain.

The special aired posthumously in November 1977. The duet was one of Crosby's final recorded performances and quickly became a cherished piece of holiday music, later released as a hit single in 1982.

That scene between the two legends is truly one-of-a-kind.  I highly recommend that you go to the top of the page for my show notes or transcript and use the direct link to go to a YouTube video of the duet.

The URL is already there - all you need to do is click on
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCpXMy5GalI.

Or you can type Bing Crosby David Bowie duet peace on earth as a specific search query that will easily bring up the David Bowie/ Bing Crosby video on YouTube.

Do check out the duet with Bing Crosby and David Bowie - it is one of those videos where at the end you will say Wow!

Bing Crosby’s voice was warm, golden, and had a smooth tone that Louis Armstrong famously likened to "gold being poured out of a cup. Bing Crosby's. singing sounded effortless and approachable, like "the guy next door. Crosby was the first vocalist to truly use the microphone as an instrument. The advent of the ribbon microphone allowed him to sing softly and intimately, amplifying a subtle, nuanced delivery that would have been impossible before. He sang as if he were speaking or confiding in a single person, creating an unprecedented sense of closeness with the listener. This intimate style was key to his mass popularity on radio and records. Drawing heavily from jazz, particularly the innovations of Louis Armstrong, Crosby brought rhythmic excitement and swing to popular song. His style was marked by emotional candor and honesty, connecting with his audience by sounding warm, genuine, and unaffected.

Now a little bit about the circumstances a Bing Crosby's death. He passed away suddenly on October 14, 1977, at the age of 74, under circumstances that were, for him, quite fitting.  You see, Crosby was an avid golfer and was finishing a round with friends on the golf course near Madrid Spain. He had just completed the 18th hole. Reports indicate he was victorious in the match, winning by one stroke. As he was walking back to the clubhouse, he collapsed and suffered a massive heart attack.

His final reported words, moments before collapsing, have been widely quoted as: "That was a great game of golf, fellas. Let's go have a Coca-Cola."

His death, while tragic for his family and fans, was often described as a "romantic way to go"—dying instantly, without pain, after enjoying one of his favorite pastimes in the company of friends.

"So, let's take a cue from Bing Crosby, and remember: true success isn't just about talent, it's about the creativity we bring to every new endeavor.
"Crosby's incredible journey reminds us that the ability to adapt, innovate, and master a new medium is the greatest creative gift of all. We hope his story inspires you to celebrate the creativity in your own life this week.

"From the film set to the recording studio, Bing Crosby never stopped finding new ways to perform. That is the spirit we love to celebrate. For more stories on the artists who defined their eras through talent and sheer creativity, be sure to subscribe to Celebrate Creativity wherever you get your podcasts."

Join us next time on Celebrate Creativity for episode 498 and to look into the life and music of Frank Sinatra.

Sources include Wikipedia and ChatGPT four. Thank you for listening to Celebrate Creativity.