Hawaiian Music Collection - Crosby, Bing: Performer Biography

Born Harry Lillis Crosby in 1904 in Tacoma, Washington, Bing was a multimedia artist in radio, motion picture and records. He got his start when a friend asked him to play the drums for a five-piece band, but once his friend heard him sing, he was encouraged to use his vocal talents instead of the drums. He had an amazing ability to memorize a song after only hearing it once and he never learned to read music. Soon after, an audition in Los Angeles revealed his talent to the world. Throughout his career he was encouraged to try several styles of singing including Hawaiian. Bing sang “Sweet Leilani” in Waikiki Wedding and was awarded an Oscar for best film song of 1937. Eventually every American songwriter was writing songs for him and he began appearing on radio shows and later, movies and television. During World War II he was influential in helping to boost the morale of soldiers through his music. His popularity reached its peak after the war and he made more studio recordings than any other artist, including the most popular music recording ever (White Christmas). He died in 1977.

Bing Crosby.com about Bing by Gary Giddins from http://www.bingcrosby.com/welcome.html. (Accessed February 7, 2011)

Todaro, Tony. (1974) The Golden Years of Hawaiian Entertainment. Honolulu, HI: Tony Todaro Publishing p.92

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