Bing Crosby – A Southern Memoir, with Bonus Material, to Have First American Release

The 1975 album Bing Crosby – A Southern Memoir
will have its first American and CD release on January 25 by Collectors’ Choice Music and the Bing Crosby Archive. Previously available on vinyl and available in Britain, the recording features such songs as “Swanee,” “Sleepy Time Down South,” and “Georgia on My Mind.” In addition, the new release will premiere “Bing’s South Texas Quail Hunting Medley,” a private recording from the album sessions on which he substitutes some special lyrics for songs such as “Mack the Knife” and “The Surrey with the Fringe on Top” that lampoon the singer’s friends.

Also scheduled for release on January 25 is Bing Sings the Sinatra Songbook, an 18 track CD that features such previously unreleased material as a medley sung by Crosby and Frank Sinatra, that includes such tunes as “September Song,” “Witchcraft,” “Where or When” and “All the Way.” The disc will also feature such songs as “The Lady is a Tramp,” “I Get a Kick Out of You,” and “Too Marvelous for Words.” Michael Feinstein will provide the liner notes for the new release.

In addition, the label will release a 2-CD set, Bing Crosby & Rosemary Clooney – Bing & Rosie: The Crosby-Clooney Radio Sessions, which contains 59 unreleased tracks; as well as two digital only releases Bing Crosby – With All My Heart, a collection of love songs taken from master tapes for his 1950s radio shows; and Bing Crosby – Shall We Dance?, which combines material from Crobsy’s radio performances as well as his early television appearances.