The 30th anniversary of the death of Bing Crosby will be celebrated in grand style on WMKV-FM (89.3) with a 30-hour Crosby music marathon and career retrospective beginning at noon Saturday. In fact, officials at the station believe it is the most comprehensive radio tribute being produced anywhere to mark the occasion of Crosby's death, Oct.
14, 1977. "The program is already the source of tremendous buzz in the music community. At least two international Bing Crosby Web sites are already linking to WMKV for the event," said George Zahn, station director.
(The show is streamed at www.wmkvfm.org .
) It promises to be much more than a hit parade, although it will be that, since Crosby had more No. 1 hits and charting singles than any artist in history - including the likes of Frank Sinatra, the Beatles and Elvis Presley. The broadcast will be loaded with some rarely heard gems gathered by producer Mark Magistrelli, including appearances from radio shows such as Kraft Music Hall, Lux Radio Theater and overseas World War II broadcasts never carried in the States.
There also will be interviews with Crosby biographer Gary Giddins and producer Ken Barnes. Magistrelli says it's no problem filling 30 hours with the crooner - promising plenty of Crosby's famous duets from radio and TV shows. "Talk about loving radio, this guy was beyond belief," Magistrelli said.
"As late as 1962, and with all his money, Bing was still trying to do a network radio series five times a week - with Rosemary (Clooney). I even have an original Christmas special he did for CBS in '63." Magistrelli thinks Crosby's unique, easy-going swagger even influenced rock culture.
"I never quite got past the revelation that when Yoko bought John Lennon a 1950s jukebox, John loaded it up with nothing but Bing records, playing them incessantly. Who knew? Maybe that Bing 'n' Bowie 'Little Drummer Boy' duet was a little less off-the-wall than it seemed back in '77," Magistrelli said.
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