BING AND 2011

It's hard to believe that another year has come and gone. Bing Crosby has been gone 34 years, but it seems like only yesterday he was crooning his heart out. The year 2011 was a pretty good one in the Bing Crosby fan world. More new CDs and mention of Bing in the media (other than at Christmas) has really boosted Bing Crosby's exposure in 2011. Here are some of the highlights of the year that was...

With news that Collector's Choice Music would be going through an overhaul, everyone was worried that that would be the end of the Bing Crosby Archive series as we know it. Even though Bing Crosby Enterprises produced the excellent CDs, Collector's Choice Music was the chief distributor. Luckily, Bing Crosby Enterprises rescued the series and are now distributing them. One of the first issues under this new arrangement is BING IN DIXIELAND. The excellent issue highlights Bing's Dixieland styled recordings. I highly recommend this album, and it is my choice as the best new Bing Crosby issue in 2011!

With the passage of time, we also have to face the facts that some people we lose each year. This year in the Bing community we mourn the loss of Dolores Hope. Dolores was the widow of Bob Hope. She married the commedian in 1934 and remained married to Hope until his death in 2003. Another death that for the most part went unnoticed was the death of child star Edith Fellows. Fellows died at the age of 88. She was the orphan that Bing befriended in the 1936 film "Pennies From Heaven".

Regarding this blog, I want to thank everyone for their support and interest in 2011. This month of December saw more visitors to this page than ever before. Over 7500 visitors have visited this site, and it is still climbing. Again, without you this blog would not be here, and in 2012 I want to continue to encourage your messages, comments, and suggestions.

I hope all of you Bing fans continue to have a happy and prosperous New Year...