Bing Crosby’s heirs sell stake in estate to boost his work

New York, Oct. 14 (U.S.): Harry Crosby was 19 when his father Bing died in 1977. But when he goes to a mall in December, there’s a good chance he’ll hear his father sing “White Christmas.”

He and his family want to hear that voice more in the other 11 months, a desire that led to the announcement of a deal on Monday to sell an equal stake in Bing Crosby’s equity to Primary Wave Music.

It’s another example of how selling catalog rights became a burgeoning business, with most of them involving rock artists writing their own music – Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Neil Young and Stevie Nicks are examples. The Crosby deal is the most notable among a pre-rock artist who primarily translated songs written by others.

The deal is estimated to be worth more than $50 million, according to the Associated Press (AP).

The younger generation knows Crosby better through “White Christmas” and his duet with David Bowie in “The Little Drummer Boy” set for a TV special shortly before his death. Few people alive remember Crosby’s days as a major recording artist and movie star.

“There were things that were very successful in the ’30s and ’40s, for a long time, and just went away,” said Harry Crosby. “People associate dad with Christmas, but in the 1940s and ’50s, they didn’t associate it with Christmas. They associated my dad with many things, and that’s what I want to bring back.”

Some of his hit songs include “Pennies From Heaven”, “It’s Been So Long”, “Don’t Fence Me In” and “Accentuate the Positive”.

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Crosby won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as a priest in the 1945 movie Going My Way, and made seven “Road” films with his comedian friend Bob Hope. His association with golf is also mentioned, as he created his first pro tournament and was a member of 75 golf clubs.

The Crosby family, which includes his widow and two of Harry’s siblings, were interested in a documentary series that tells Bing’s story.

Larry Mistel, the company’s founder and CEO, said Primary Wave’s number one priority is to increase Crosby’s digital footprint, to boost his profile on Spotify and add his music to playlists for a generation unfamiliar with it.

“We want to be in business and partnering with the greatest of the great, no matter the genre, no matter the era,” Mistel said. Initial Wave also works with the estates of Count Basie and Ray Charles.

The challenge, he said, is to penetrate the new youth culture with the work of a mature artist. Unlike many rock-era artists involved in such deals, Crosby is clearly not there to perform or promote his work.

But while song publishing is at the heart of many such deals, Mistle said “Initial Wave” takes a broader look at ways to get the artist’s name out there and, of course, make money off his look or his business. He sees huge potential in Crosby’s film properties.

“The way I look at my dad is not just in terms of music and movies,” Crosby said. “He pioneered all the different mediums and all the things that resulted from that – technology, music, golf, sportsmanship, hunting. There are so many different things that describe a human being.”

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The times he hears “White Christmas” while out in public brings a smile to Crosby.

“I miss him so much,” he said. “It’s a time to reflect. It’s not painful, it’s inspiring. It’s reassuring that with all the things he’s done and as hard as he’s been working, he’s recognized over and over again.”

RAE

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