Dear Friends,
It is now upon us, the 22nd anniversary of Bing Crosby's sad passing. History constantly asks us "where were you when Kennedy was shot", so I thought it would be interesting to hear from people that remember where they were when Bing died. Unfortunately I was 3 when Bing died so I was probably watching "Sesame Street".
To honor the anniversary of Bing's passing, I'm listening to Bing's "Musical Autobiography" record set again. I'm making it for my friend Scott Hart, and I haven't heard it in a long time.
Where were you
when Bing Crosby died?
Posted by Dana on October 14, 1999 at 14:49:34:
In Reply to: Where Were You? posted by David Lobosco on October 14, 1999 at 08:44:11:
I don't think I've considered the "where were you" angle of this
before. I was nine when Bing died, and I've just come to this sad
realization about the "year the music died" - I can only recall
memories of Elvis dying that August, and nothing of Bing in October.
How sad! Dana
Posted by Mike on October 14, 1999 at 14:19:29:
In Reply to: Where Were You? posted by David Lobosco on October 14, 1999 at 08:44:11:
I distinctly remember exactly where I was when I heard Bing had passed away. I was in college in Boston, and my friend's father had picked us up to bring us home for the weekend. Knowing of my interest in Bing, my friend's father told me the sad news. My reaction was a simple "Oh, no!" To which my friend added, quoting the popular Minute Maid commercials, "There's no doubt about it!"
Callous, to be
sure, but quick comments like that have always earned my admiration.
I sat in silence, thankful that I had at least seen Bing live in
concert in NYC the year before, but knowing there'd be no more great
Crosby appearances.
Posted by J.Mallon on October 14, 1999 at 20:30:22:
In Reply to: Where Were You? posted by David Lobosco on October 14, 1999 at 08:44:11:
October 14 ,1977 I was working in my home office in Sacramento CA. My wife had gone shopping but returned much sooner than expected. As she walked through the door she asked if I had heard. She said, "I hate to tell you this, but Bing is dead"!. She went on to say that she thought something was wrong because the radio stations were playing his music. Normally, we had to search and search for a song by Bing. Then she said no more because she could see I was alone with myself. I was totally deflated. It was as if someone had stuck a pin in a balloon.
So many memories tied to a man I never met.
Over my years, I sort of kept track of my various girl friends by a Bing song popular at the time I went with them, (Starting with, "When Mother Nature Sings Her Lullabye " So many family memories tied to Bing. Would Christmas ever be the same again without a "Bing Crosby Christmas Special"? The "PRO-AM" couldn't be the same without Bing's presence
For over 42 years Bing had a special place in our home and our hearts, and now he was gone. And because his name in the first road movie was Josh Mallon, I thought that gave us an extra-added attachment to him.
I believe I shed more tears at the loss of Bing than I did for most family members except for the sudden loss of my father, the person who "introduced" me to Bing so many years before. It was a dark and quiet weekend except for Bing's voice on TV.
Early Monday morning I flew to LA. As our plane taxied toward a gate I noticed a dozen or so people of various sizes dressed in black walking towards what I presumed to be a chartered plane. I often wondered if it was Bing's family heading back to San Fran.
A few years later, I was sitting at the Bar in the Key Bridge Marriott when I overheard a conversation next to me. Both men were photographers. One bragged about the great shot he took of the Pope in Ireland. He shot the picture as the cape the Pope was wearing caught in the wind and blew up behind the Pope's head. He said it was the cover of Time or Newsweek and that he had received some awards for it.
The other fella told how he had managed to sneak into the mausoleum where Bing was being waked and took a few fast pictures of Bing and ran. He had three cars waiting for him outside, He ran by one car and threw the camera inside then he jumped in the middle car and the three cars drove off. He said, if they were followed, the cars would split up. And we know, the picture was published in THE NATIONAL INQUIRER.
I asked him why he would intrude on a family at their time of pain and sorrow.?
His answer was, "$10,000".
Posted by Goldsmith on October 15, 1999 at 13:28:34:
In Reply to: Where Were You? posted by David Lobosco on October 14, 1999 at 08:44:11:
I was in a hospital bed suffering through another bland hospital
cafeteria meal while recuperating from a bout of pneumonia. I
remember watching the 5PM news when the story was announced.
John Goldsmith
Posted by Jane FitzGerald on October 15, 1999 at 09:05:07:
In Reply to: Where Were You? posted by David Lobosco on October 14, 1999 at 08:44:11:
I was at my desk at work when a friend called to give me the horrid
news. I couldn't believe it and asked a co-worker to turn on his
radio. The really ironic thing was that my childhood friend from
Toledo who gave me my first Bing album had come to visit for the
weekend and was sitting with me to share the news. True to my Irish
heritage (and Bing's) we hosted a wake that evening, playing Crosby
records and looking through my scrapbook. Nick Clooney was the anchor
on Channel 12 here in Cincinnati at the time and I remember he
broadcast a phone call to his sister Rosemary...we all shared the same
sorrow. Thankfully Bing lives on in his music, movies and in our
hearts.
Posted by Lars on October 15, 1999 at 01:32:01:
In Reply to: Where Were You? posted by David Lobosco on October 14, 1999 at 08:44:11:
I was 18, and it was a schoolday but I was home early and played Bing- records. Just by chance I played 'When I leave the world behind' over and over - to write down the lyrics. Only late the same night, while listening to British Radio (BBC), I suspected something was wrong as they played Bing music for a whole hour. In the news following that program they told that Bing had died that same afternoon while playing golf in Spain
It was some really sad news - I woke my parents up and told them as
well (as they have always loved Bing too).
Posted by Sue Horn on October 16, 1999 at 16:50:26:
In Reply to: Re: Where Were You? posted by Lars on October 15, 1999 at 01:32:01:
I was a freshman in college, coming home for a weekend. My dad, the biggest then-living Bing fan, met me at the bus station on 42nd Street in New York City. His eyes were red from crying and he handed me the newspaper. I felt so bad for my dad, and for everyone else who loved Bing's music. That weekend, we all made lame comments about how it was better for Bing to have died that way, and that at least he got a round in, etc. All of it was true, it was better fro Bing to die that way, what wasn't great was the huge hole we all felt in our hearts. Yes, his music was still there, but we knew there'd never be anything "new" by Bing. The ironic thing is that now, so many years after his death, there really is a lot available that wasn't around when he was. Like Lars, I am thrilled everytime a "new" radio program is available, or a version of a song we've never heard.... I miss Bing, I miss my dad, I miss my mom too. At least with Bing, I can hear his voice almost anytime I want.
Posted by pat bonner on October 19, 1999 at 12:47:51:
In Reply to: Where Were You? posted by David Lobosco on October 14, 1999 at 08:44:11:
because i check bing's pages once a week. i'm only catching up now. i was at work on friday oct 14, 77 when someone put down her phone and said "bing crosby died". the song that immediately came to mind was "i can't begin to tell you" i thought bing would be around "forever"--he was part of me since i was five, when i saw him in road to morocco. my wife then called later, then my mom, who followed bing since she came here from ireland since he rose to stardom in 31. she was in tears.
Posted by rich hanley on December 15, 1999 at 15:22:03:
In Reply to: Where Were You? posted by David Lobosco on October 14, 1999 at 08:44:11:
i was home watching television when the news broke . i was 52 then
raising two boys, and thinking i had grown callous, but i broke down
and wept more than i had when my own father died.........tks for
the opportunity to share this with you all. rgh