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A Christmas Sing with Bing

After missing Christmas 1954 on the air, Bing Crosby began a new tradition with 'A Christmas Sing.'

Christmas Sing With Bing

8 old time radio show recordings
(total playtime 7 hours, 15 min)
available in the following formats:

1 MP3 CD
or
8 Audio CDs


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Play a sample episode from December 23, 1955:

"Sing With Bing 1955"



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Text on OTRCAT.com ©2001-2024 OTRCAT INC All Rights Reserved. Reproduction is prohibited.

When it comes to Christmas Traditions in America, the name Bing Crosby is right up there with Frosty, Rudolph, and Santa Claus. However, Christmas 1954 would go down as the first time in twenty years that there was no half-hour Bing Crosby Radio Christmas broadcast.

Christmas Bing

Bing was born in 1903 and grew up in Spokane, Washington, where he attended Gonzaga High School and enrolled in Gonzaga University. He had a summer job at the Spokane Auditorium in 1917 where he saw Al Jolson and was mesmerized by Jolson's delivery. Seeking fame and fortune, Bing moved to Hollywood in 1925 and he got his big break when he and Al Rinker were hired by Paul Whiteman to form The Rhythm Boys. Mack Sennett signed the crooner for a series of musical short films in 1931, and in that year Bing had ten of the top 50 songs. 

Bing signed with Decca records in 1934 and hosted his first radio series for Cremo Cigars. The Kraft Music Hall tapped Bing to replace Paul Whiteman in 1936, and he held the gig for the next ten years. During the Christmas 1941 broadcast, just as the Nation was moving to a War footing, Bing debuted Irving Berlin's "White Christmas", and the next year the song was featured in the film Holiday Inn (1942, Paramount). Although '54 would be the 'Year without a Bing radio Christmas show", he did join Danny Kaye, Vera-Ellen, and Rosemary Clooney in the film White Christmas (1954, Paramount).

In the spring of the same year, Bing decided that he was no longer interested in making a weekly half-hour radio program and quit CBS's The Bing Crosby Show for General Electric. Bing's oldest son, Gary, was supposed to take over hosting duties, but the transition was delayed after Gary had been involved in an automobile accident. The situation was remedied in 1955 when Bing and the Insurance Company of North America produced A Christmas Sing with Bing which aired over CBS on Christmas Eve and carried by Canadian Broadcasting (CBC), Armed Forces Radio (AFRTS), and internationally by the Voice of America (VOA).

Although the producers may have seen the broadcast as a one-time show (the program was available on Decca Records before the next holiday season) listeners could hear traditions being established. The program opens with strains of Berlin's "Happy Holiday" and Bing's last number was "Silent Night", a pattern that would remain through 1962.

Bing Christmas 1955The format was designed to give the illusion that Bing, along with Paul Weston and His Orchestra, the Norman Luboff Choir, announcer Ken Carpenter, and several guests from around the world were coming into your living room to sing carols with and for you and your family. In reality, thanks to the magic of magnetic audiotape, the programs were as slickly edited and polished as a Hollywood movie. 

After the War ended, Crosby began investing in AMPEX, the company which was refining magnetic tape recording technology developed in Germany. Although the networks insisted that audiences would reject "canned" radio performances, Bing realized that tape editing would allow him to make multiple "takes" of his performance and keep the best one. Besides, if he could tape four episodes in a week, he would have the rest of the month to go golfing.

The Christmas Sing programs featured visitors from around the world, including Expeditionary Marines aboard their ships in the Mediterranean, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir in Salt Lake City, the Vatican Choir in Rome, son Gary introduced the Austrian Choir from Vienna (Gary had served in the same unit in Germany with Elvis Presley) and other international stops.

The 1962 broadcast was partially dedicated to promoting Bing's recent album I Wish You a Merry Christmas (1962).

See also: Bing Christmas

Text on OTRCAT.com ©2001-2024 OTRCAT INC All Rights Reserved. Reproduction is prohibited.

These classic recordings are available in the following formats:

  • Show Rating

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    COMMENTS

    I got this as a freebie with an order and I absolutely LOVE it! I love the older carols and hymns that are sung, and I love both the individual artists and the choirs from around the world. This is a wonderful disc to play while decorating the tree, relaxing by the fire or driving in the car. I would highly recommend it.

    Sara Verified Purchase

    I caught a few of these "Christmas Sing with Bing" shows this Christmas on Sirius XM. I loved them and after a quick search on Google, I found this website. The cd quality is very good. The shipping time was reasonable. The actual performances on each CD just bring you back to a much simpler time when Christmas was a family event to enjoy together. Highly recommend these CDs to add to anyone's Christmas CD collection.

    Catherine Verified Purchase

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  • MP3 CDs are delivered by mail. These archival quality MP3 CDs are playable in your computer and many MP3 player devices.



    8 recordings on 1 MP3 CD for just $5.00. Total playtime 7 hours, 15 min
    8 recordings on 1 MP3 CD for just $5.00
    total playtime 7 hours, 15 min
    Add MP3 CD Collection to Cart

    1. 8 shows - total playtime 7 hours 15 minutes
    2. Christmas Sing with Bing 551224 001.mp3
    3. Christmas Sing with Bing 561224 002.mp3
    4. Christmas Sing with Bing 571224 003.mp3
    5. Christmas Sing with Bing 581224 004.mp3
    6. Christmas Sing with Bing 591224 005.mp3
    7. Christmas Sing with Bing 601224.mp3
    8. Christmas Sing with Bing 611224 007.mp3
    9. Christmas Sing with Bing 621224 008.mp3
  • MP3 downloads are available instantly after purchase!



    8 recordings on 1 MP3 Collection Download for just $5.00. Total playtime 7 hours, 15 min
    8 recordings on 1 MP3 Collection Download for just $5.00
    total playtime 7 hours, 15 min
    Add Instant Download Collection to Cart

    1. 8 shows - total playtime 7 hours 15 minutes
    2. Christmas Sing with Bing 551224 001.mp3
    3. Christmas Sing with Bing 561224 002.mp3
    4. Christmas Sing with Bing 571224 003.mp3
    5. Christmas Sing with Bing 581224 004.mp3
    6. Christmas Sing with Bing 591224 005.mp3
    7. Christmas Sing with Bing 601224.mp3
    8. Christmas Sing with Bing 611224 007.mp3
    9. Christmas Sing with Bing 621224 008.mp3
  • Standard Audio CDs are delivered by mail on archival quality media with up to 60 minutes on each CD and play in all CD players



    8 recordings on 8 Audio CDs. Total playtime 7 hours, 15 min
    8 recordings on 8 Audio CDs
    total playtime 7 hours, 15 min

    Christmas Sing With Bing Disc A001

    1. Christmas Sing with Bing 551224 001

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Christmas Sing With Bing Disc A002

    1. Christmas Sing with Bing 561224 002

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Christmas Sing With Bing Disc A003

    1. Christmas Sing with Bing 571224 003

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Christmas Sing With Bing Disc A004

    1. Christmas Sing with Bing 581224 004

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Christmas Sing With Bing Disc A005

    1. Christmas Sing with Bing 591224 005

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Christmas Sing With Bing Disc A006

    1. Christmas Sing with Bing 601224

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Christmas Sing With Bing Disc A007

    1. Christmas Sing with Bing 611224 007

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Christmas Sing With Bing Disc A008

    1. Christmas Sing with Bing 621224 008

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00

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