Bing Crosby Gives the Best Birthday Gift Ever
- Place – The Music Centre, Wembley
- Time – July 1975
- Artist – Bing Crosby
In July 1975 at the Music Centre in Wembley, Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire were recording a duet album. There was a rumour that Bing could be difficult to work with in the studio but this proved to have no foundation whatsoever.
This gives you an insight into the Bing Crosby I encountered.
On one occasion during a break in recording Bing started to make his way from the studio to the in-house restaurant for a very welcome lunch break.
God Bless Bing
Just outside the studio Peter Wilson, one of the studio staff members, was on the phone to his mother. It was her birthday and he was having that traditional birthday chat with his dear old mum.
During playback he held the phone high in the air so his mother could hear his voice singing on the playback coming from the studio, she was clearly a big fan of Bing’s.
Peter hadn’t noticed that the man himself was walking towards him, Bing walked over and asked Pete, “Who’s that on the phone?”
Peter replied, slightly nervously “It’s my mother, it’s her birthday today.”
Bing winked and took the phone from a bewildered Peter and proceeded to sing the rest of the song down the phone to Peter’s mother.
When the song finished Bing simply said, “God Bess” and handed the phone back to Pete.
Stunned and almost speechless he managed to find the words and said “Mum, THAT was Bing Crosby!”
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