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CROSBY
& COMO
A LIMITED
COLLECTORS EDITION
OLD HOMESTEAD RECORDS
BR-123
ASSEMBLED IN 1984
A mellow blend. There's no other way to describe this collection of medleys by two of pop music's most famous Mr. C's ~ Perry Como and Bing Crosby. These selections are taken from the television programs broadcast in early 1960 on which Bing and Perry exchanged guest appearances. On these shows, they both joked about the medleys being made into an album because, up until that time, they had never recorded together. Regretfully, a formal recording session never did take place during the next seventeen years before Bing's death and so this rather facetious suggestion made two decades earlier turns out to be the perfect way to preserve these priceless performances by the ex-barber from Canonsburg, Pennsylvania and the ex-law student from Spokane, Washington. These tracks are comparable to the earlier Bing Crosby ~ Al Jolson meetings on the radio in the late 1940's. On those broadcasts, Bing was in obvious high spirits because he was harmonizing with the very entertainer who had been his boyhood idol and inspiration while he was still attending Gonzaga University and just starting to consider a show business career. Likewise, note Perry's joyful enthusiasm as he finds himself in the very same situation with his mentor, Bing Crosby. Very few people ever have a dream like that come true. Perry has confessed that he was an unabashed Crosby imitator early on in his career and, although he eventually made his own niche in the entertainment world, you can see that Bing's influence is still very much in evidence. Indeed, on these selections it is often hard to tell them apart because their range and delivery are so similar and, at the same time, so unforgettable. Their ad-lib senses of humor are also legend and are delightfully displayed on this album. It's a pleasure to enjoy the Old Groaner and Mr. Saturday Night one more time as they vocalize several dozen of Tin Pan Alley's greatest hits. No yelling, no screaming ~ just singing for the pure joy of it and showing the rest of the world how it's supposed to be done. Mark Scrimger 1984It is hard to believe that twenty-four years have lapsed since Bing Crosby and Perry Como "cut" this "album" on their shows. We ( as collectors and fans ) are lucky that they had the foresight to do this "album", especially since no "commercial" recording session with these two great performers took place. We would like to than the following collectors for their assistance in making this album possible. Mr. Ed Pacocha ( for supplying the idea for the album and the original source tape); Mr. Mark Scrimger ( for his liner notes, supplying many of the pictures, and helping with the mastering); Mr. Jim Hibbits ( for his assistance in mastering); Mr. Joe Sinnott ( for his excellent cover art work ); Mr. Fred Romary ( for the use of his "CROSBY COLLECTOR" picture); Mr. Vern Taylor ( for his valuable assistance in the completion of this project); Mr. John Morris and Steve Hester ( for their help in mastering). Stan Hester Production Coordinator 1984 Broadway Intermission BR-123 "Crosby & Como" A Limited Collectors Edition Old Homestead Records Box 199, Brighton Michigan 48116 USA Production Coordinator: Stan Hester. Album notes by Mark Scrimger
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