Crosby, Bing

A towering figure of music and movies, born 1903, died 1977. Just as Louis Armstrong is credited with influencing every jazz musician who came after him, Bing Crosby is considered the first modern popular singer. From early dates with Paul Whiteman's orchestra as part of a vocal trio called "The Rhythm Boys," to a solo career that saw the sale of more than 300 million records, his intimate, natural sound was considered a startling innovation. Compared to the belters, shouters and operatic singers who had come before, his subtlety was a prime influence on Frank Sinatra and Peggy Lee, who influenced countless others in turn. His "Road" movies with Bob Hope were very successful, and he made many records with Louis Armstrong or with the Andrews Sisters as well as with Hope.