Monday, January 29, 2018

COMING SOON: GARY GIDDINS AND BING BIO - VOLUME 2


Gary Giddins presents the second volume of his masterful multi-part biography...

Bing Crosby dominated American popular culture in a way that few artists ever have. From the dizzy era of Prohibition through the dark days of the Second World War, he was a desperate nation's most beloved entertainer. But he was more than just a charismatic crooner: Bing Crosby redefined the very foundations of modem music, from the way it was recorded to the way it was orchestrated and performed.

In this much-anticipated follow-up to the universally acclaimed first volume, NBCC Winner and preeminent cultural critic Gary Giddins now focuses on Crosby's most memorable period, the war years and the origin story of White Christmas. Set against the backdrop of a Europe on the brink of collapse, this groundbreaking work traces Crosby's skyrocketing career as he fully inhabits a new era of American entertainment and culture. While he would go on to reshape both popular music and cinema more comprehensively than any other artist, Crosby's legacy would be forever intertwined with his impact on the home front, a unifying voice for a nation at war. Over a decade in the making and drawing on hundreds of interviews and unprecedented access to numerous archives, Giddins finally brings Bing Crosby, his work, and his world to vivid life -- firmly reclaiming Crosby's central role in American cultural history.

"The best thing to happen to Bing Crosby since Bob Hope." (WSJ)


See also http://garygiddins.com/

Tuesday, January 16, 2018

STEVE CROSBY: GRANDSON OF BING


Steven C. Crosby '81 endured 28 separate interviews to land his dream job at Seattle-based Vulcan Inc., the brainchild of billionaire investor and philanthropist Paul G. Allen, the co-founder of Microsoft. In his capacity as vice president of corporate communications, Crosby reports directly to Allen and oversees Vulcan's in-house marketing, PR, media relations, advertising, special events, promotions, community outreach and government affairs teams.

The son of actor Gary Crosby and the grandson of legendary crooner Bing Crosby, Crosby 's only forays into show business were a few high school plays and hosting his own college radio show. "My father forbade me from going into show business, so it forced me to focus my energies elsewhere."

He says that his parents were very careful to make sure he lived a normal life and earned his keep. "I had jobs all throughout high school, college and law school. I didn't have all the trappings one might expect from a Hollywood lifestyle. My parents kept everything very grounded."

Monday, January 1, 2018

A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE - EPISODE 3

Happy New Year! Here is episode 3 of my pod cast on You Tube. I think the bugs and kinks of episode 2 has been corrected. I hope you enjoy the episode, and please keep the comments and suggestions coming...