Bing Crosby

Bing Crosby was the 20th century's first multi-media superstar: a star on radio, in movies and in music. In the 1920s, he was a vocalist with the Paul Whiteman Orchestra, the ground-breaking jazz band. Soon, he set the pace for solo crooners who were to come later, selling millions of records (he had 38 No.1 singles, which surpassed even Elvis Presley and The Beatles). He began work in films in the 1930s, another successful part of his career that continued into the 1960s.

His influence in the entertainment field, including his influence on Western singers, was unparalleled. In 1962, Crosby became the first recipient of the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. He has been inducted into the halls of fame for both radio and popular music, and has won 5 Academy Awards.

A Westerner himself, Bing Crosby loved the out-of-doors. In 1943, he bought a cattle ranch in Elko, NV, and in 1948 was named Honorary Mayor of Elko, a title he held until his death. He also loved Western music. Because of his widespread popularity, he was hugely influential in expanding the audience for Western music, more so than many people realize. In 1933, he had a bigger hit (charting at #2) with “The Last Roundup” than Gene Autry did (Gene’s reached #12), and he had the first real hit recording of “Home on the Range” the same year. Later in the 1930s and into the 1940s, Crosby had bigger hits with numerous western songs than singing movie cowboys did, thereby exposing a large and very receptive audience to Western music and laying the groundwork for its acceptance among fans beyond the country genre.

Crosby’s recorded output was enormous, to say the least. That’s not so unusual for a major entertainer, but the sheer volume of his Western recordings can be seen in the following example. In 1995, a record company decided to issue a CD of Crosby’s Western records. That CD had 25 songs, and there were many more that had to be left out. He recorded Cindy Walker's first song, “Lone Star Trail,”and had major hits with “New San Antonio Rose,” “Sierra Sue,” “Along the Navajo Trail,” “Mexicali Rose,” “The Singing Hills,” “Mule Train” and many others. He also sold over a million records of “Don’t Fence Me In,” “Deep in the Heart of Texas,” “San Fernando Valley,” “I’m an Old Cowhand” and “Pistol Packin’ Mama.”

But his most important contribution to Western music was expanding its audience. In 1936, he invited the Sons of the Pioneers to appear in his movie, Rhythm on the Range, where they introduced “I’m an Old Cowhand,” and Crosby introduced “Empty Saddles.” In the 1940s, Crosby continued to record hit Western songs, and, as if to show his respect for the talent and acceptability of Western musicians, he enjoyed inviting the Cass County Boys to perform at his home parties. He played a major role in facilitating the acceptance of Western music as an important part of American popular culture, rather than simply as a niche genre.

~O.J. Sikes