Bing Crosby Radio Years, Vol. 1 CD

The particular radio years referred to here are 1952-1954. Astonishingly, there's nary a Christmas song in sight on this collection, making it an anomaly in the world of Crosby CDs. There's also a minimum of showbiz chatter; you pretty much get the songs and the applause, with the occasional introduction crediting either the songwriter or the artist best known for performing the song. There's just enough jiving on the duet numbers to make it feel live without getting in the way of the music. And the material is first-rate, with a track list that includes "Singin' in the Rain," "Young at Heart," "You Go to My Head," and "Surrey With the Fringe on Top," among others.

The guest list isn't too shabby either--Crosby goofs around with the Andrews Sisters on "I Can Dream, Can't I?" and duets with Lauren Bacall, Rosemary Clooney, and Patti Page. Accompaniment is provided by the John Scott Trotter Orchestra, a smooth if undistinguished mid-sized jazz ensemble augmented by strings and vocal choirs as necessary. In smartly shifting the focus from Crosby's plethora of holiday material and picking material that eschews the stagy prattle that can bog down other sets, THE RADIO YEARS is a sure bet.

This CD documents 25 of Bing Crosby's biggest hits from his days performing radio broadcasts. All the music heard here was recorded during Crosby's postwar singing career (1946-1954). Still, the man who brought smiles to peoples' faces during the grim Great Depression is in fine form on all of these songs. Moreover, he is teamed up (on various tracks) with some of the great entertainers the 20th Century has produced, including the Williams Brothers, Peggy Lee, Bob Hope, the Mills Brothers, Jimmy Durante, Maurice Chevalier, George Burns, Judy Garland, Nat "King" Cole, The Andrew Sisters, and others.

Highlights include George "Sugar Throat" Burns' goofy version of "It Might As Well Be Spring" and Jimmy Durante's raspy toned comedy on "You Gotta Start Off Each Day With a Song." However, Crosby's jazzy version of "Everybody Loves My Baby" is perhaps the most endearing of the many selections included on this expansive compilation.

Recorded between 1950 & 1954. Includes liner notes by Pete Cline.

Kay Thompson, George Burns, Rudy Vallee, Burl Ives.

Personnel includes: Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Peggy Lee, Judy Garland, Gary Crosby, Lauren Bacall, Al Jolson, Nat King Cole, The Andrew Sisters, Ella Fitzgerald, Rudy Valllee, Walter O'Keefe, The Mills Brothers, Burl Ives, Frank Sinatra, Dennis Day, Rosemary Clooney, Dick Powell, Helen O'Connell, Patti Page, Jimmy Durante (vocals).

Personnel includes: Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Judy Garland, Rosemary Clooney, Nat King Cole, Peggy Lee, Lauren Bacall, The Andrew Sisters, Gary Crosby, Helen O'Connell, Dick Powell, Patti Page, Maurice Chevalier, Jimmy Durante,

Personnel includes: Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney, The Andrews Sisters, Helen O'Connell, Gary Crosby, Lauren Bacall, Dick Powell.