Going my way : Bing Crosby and American culture /

This volume offers work presented at a 2002 conference dedicated to Bing Crosby at Hofstra University. Crosby flourished between 1931 and 1957, and these essays focus on the legendary performer in various media during that period. Michael Feinstein rues the fact that Crosby's impact is often forgotten today; David White and Eric Mazur discuss the affect of Catholicism on Crosby's role as an actor; and Elaine Anderson Phillips concentrates on his on-screen persona in a film framework. Other essays look at Crosby's influence on rock performers, importance as a songwriter, and connection to technological advances that changed 20th-century popular music performance and recording. Still others--on his public persona and his professional relationships with such noted performers as Fred Astaire and Frank Sinatra--cement Crosby's importance in 20th-century popular culture. This wide-ranging collection makes it clear that Crosby's importance is not and should never be forgotten. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates and above. T. R. Harrison Jacksonville University