AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Bob Crosby's Bob Cats

Artist:Bob Crosby's Bob Cats

Song: Who's Sorry Now

Album:Palesteena

Singer Bob Crosby started out in the 30s with the Dixieland band The Bob Cats and then led a larger band mostly on the radio. He was very successful in the late 30s. But music changed and he adapted to swing though he wasn't as successful. He was born Aug. 23, 1913 in Spokane, WA and he was the younger brother of the much more famous crooner and actor Bing Crosby. There were seven children in the family. He attended Gonzaga College. But as his brother had done before him. he dropped out of school to pursue a singing career. He started out in the early 30s with the Delta Rhythm Boys, three years with pianist Anson Weeks' band followed by a stint with The Dorsey Brothers. He became a bandleader in 1935 when the members of Ben Pollock's band quit en masse in an effort to make more money. They had an agent Cork O'Keefe who helped organize The Casa Loma Orchestra. He thought they needed a singer and Crosby was hired. His brother was already successful and they felt they could use that to sell the band. They signed with Decca and had success with vocal tracks like the #1 hits In a Little Gypsy Tea Room (1935) and Whispers in the Dark (1937). Those were by the larger band. But there was a band within a band called The Bob Cats and they recorded mostly instrumental. When they recorded Who's Sorry Now in 1938, the band was Eddie Miller on tenor sax, Yank Lawson on trumpet, Warren D. Smith on trombone, Nappy Lamare on guitar, Irving Fazola on clarinet, Bob Zurke on piano, Haig Stephens on bass and Ray Bauduc on drums. This comp from Naxos has all of The Bob Cats late 30s hits. With the rise of swing in the late 30s, Crosby realized that the band would have to change as Dixieland wasn't popular anymore. Crosby's solution was to combine the bands and work mostly on the radio from 1943-50. And Crosby's singing was emphasized. Crosby knew that he couldn't be more popular than Harry James or Tommy Dorsey. So he didn't try to do that and the band continued to record and make a good living. Crosby continued on radio in the 50s and he even had his own TV show for a while. Crosby recorded for Dot Records in the 50s. Then he recorded for small labels until he died on Mar. 9, 1993 at age 79. So Bob Crosby wasn't as famous as his brother. But he did have a pretty good career. Here's a video of Who's Sorry Now by Bob Crosby's Bob Cats. This seems to be a Snader Telescription from 1951.