Rudy Vallée has been crooning since at least 1929. Bing Crosby actually started in the mid-late 1920's, but as a member of Paul Whiteman's Rhythm Boys. Bing Crosby became a single crooner in 1930, i believe. Frank Sinatra began crooning in 1939. I don't know about the last one, but i assume he began crooning in the 1940's.
As others have commented, Eddie Fisher never identified with the “crooner craze” (as Lowell Thomas called it), nor did Frank Sinatra for most of his career. In interviews, Vallee underscored that neither he nor Gene Austin, Crosby, nor Russ Columbo received anything like the hysterical adulation Sinatra received in his “live” performances during the “Big Band Era.”
@@jimdrake-writer yes his first #1 record was in 1928 yet he was still in the top 15 on Billboards Top Artists Chart throughout Dec 2022, along with SZA, Taylor Swift, Harry Styles, Drake and Mariah etc.
@@taddyd1: Billboard Magazine did not publish any “charts” of top-hit recordings until 1940. Any such “charts” purportedly listing popular-music recordings before 1940 are unreliable latter-day recreations. In the 1920s, record sales were approximated by the largest producers (Victor, Columbia, and Brunswick) based upon the number of stampers that had been made for the record-pressing machines. Actual sales, as Crosby made clear in television interviews (e.g., the WOR-TV late-night program of Joe Franklin) rarely exceeded 150,000 copies for any double-sided recording until the late-1940s. For details and sources, see industry-historian and discographer Allan Sutton’s “Recording the ‘Twenties” and “Recording the ‘Thirties” (Mainspring Press).
Hhhmm. Well, Valle is older here so that is the improvement, I love Bing but dang like Vallee he had a creepy look while singing when he was young (he too got better with age), Sinatra & Fisher definitely sounded and presented better regardless of age.
Sinatra is not a crooner. He does portamento, entirely different thing. Though it sometimes sounds the same. Even Frank Sinatra himself I would say this often. Only reason why he ready to be calling this was because he was in a complete slump when this was made
He fluffed the phrase “To the youth” in the bridge of the song (“To the youth / To the fire / To the light that is moving and calling us”). He repeated “To the youth” twice.
Its funny on the old popularity stakes but on these performances alone, RV past sell by, Bing has timbre and tone, FS lacks both and even sounds flat and Eddie has a great voice but a naff song (my opinion only).
This is fantastic, thank you!
Magnificent! Thank you Alan! I must contact you for ideas in tracking down some old TV shows - or rather early TV shows.
The VOICE!! Nobody is even close.
Somebody was trying to push for Eddie. He doesn't belong here. He's not a crooner. Good singer, I'll leave it at that.
Rudy Vallee had lost nothing at all wonderful.
everybody waiting for sinatra man, beautiful
Bing and Frank - cool and jazzy - good stuff
Rudy Vallée has been crooning since at least 1929. Bing Crosby actually started in the mid-late 1920's, but as a member of Paul Whiteman's Rhythm Boys. Bing Crosby became a single crooner in 1930, i believe. Frank Sinatra began crooning in 1939. I don't know about the last one, but i assume he began crooning in the 1940's.
This is so great! How many videos are out there of Rudy singing the Stein Song? Thanks so much for posting this.
As others have commented, Eddie Fisher never identified with the “crooner craze” (as Lowell Thomas called it), nor did Frank Sinatra for most of his career. In interviews, Vallee underscored that neither he nor Gene Austin, Crosby, nor Russ Columbo received anything like the hysterical adulation Sinatra received in his “live” performances during the “Big Band Era.”
Bing was much bigger than Frank in the 30s and 40s in record sales, radio play, his radio show ratings and movies.
@@taddyd1: Crosby’s national stardom, which began on radio in September 1931, predated Sinatra’s stardom by almost a decade.
@@jimdrake-writer yes his first #1 record was in 1928 yet he was still in the top 15 on Billboards Top Artists Chart throughout Dec 2022, along with SZA, Taylor Swift, Harry Styles, Drake and Mariah etc.
@@taddyd1: Billboard Magazine did not publish any “charts” of top-hit recordings until 1940. Any such “charts” purportedly listing popular-music recordings before 1940 are unreliable latter-day recreations. In the 1920s, record sales were approximated by the largest producers (Victor, Columbia, and Brunswick) based upon the number of stampers that had been made for the record-pressing machines. Actual sales, as Crosby made clear in television interviews (e.g., the WOR-TV late-night program of Joe Franklin) rarely exceeded 150,000 copies for any double-sided recording until the late-1940s. For details and sources, see industry-historian and discographer Allan Sutton’s “Recording the ‘Twenties” and “Recording the ‘Thirties” (Mainspring Press).
Russ Columbo actually came a bit before Bing, he was equally as outstanding, and would have gone just as far as Bing if not for his early death.
I wish Rudy Vallee made more 1950s records
He intended to, but less than a week after he made the LP “The Kid from Maine” for the RKO Unique label, the company declared bankruptcy.
Eddie definitely has the better voice than the other three..... love him
Eddie Fisher simply had the best lyric baritone voice of the 20th century.
frank had that Italian bel canto.....
It’s a shame that Rudy vallee was unable to maintain his popularity that he use to have in his hay day like Crosby did till his death
bing had that irish brogue......
Hhhmm. Well, Valle is older here so that is the improvement, I love Bing but dang like Vallee he had a creepy look while singing when he was young (he too got better with age), Sinatra & Fisher definitely sounded and presented better regardless of age.
Sinatra is not a crooner. He does portamento, entirely different thing. Though it sometimes sounds the same. Even Frank Sinatra himself I would say this often. Only reason why he ready to be calling this was because he was in a complete slump when this was made
Nice to see Eddie alongside these greats, but he was a singer not a crooner and in my opinion the best of them all..
Am I wrong, or did Rudy lose his way?
He fluffed the phrase “To the youth” in the bridge of the song (“To the youth / To the fire / To the light that is moving and calling us”). He repeated “To the youth” twice.
They're missing Elvis
Elvis wasn't a crooner
eddy is just coping the other two........
Its funny on the old popularity stakes but on these performances alone, RV past sell by, Bing has timbre and tone, FS lacks both and even sounds flat and Eddie has a great voice but a naff song (my opinion only).