The Spring 2003 edition of BING magazine (#133) is now available and there is a detailed report on the very successful Hofstra conference on Bing with many photographs. The magazine also contains news of various centennial celebrations including the forthcoming event at Gonzaga to mark the centenary of Bing’s birth.

In the UK, two new documentaries about Bing have been shown by BBC-TV and full reviews will be found in Bert Bishop’s section. In addition, the BBC’s Radio2 network is planning three one-hour programmes on Bing’s work starting on Tuesday, April 24 and these will be narrated by Pat Boone. In the USA, a TV documentary is being put together for the Public Broadcasting Service by KSPS-TV of Spokane and after a first showing at Gonzaga, it will premiere locally in the Spokane area on the evening of May 18. It will be made available to other PBS stations after that, so hopefully it will start showing up around the USA by late summer.

Kathryn Crosby’s tome My Last Years with Bing and another new book by Richard Grudens - Bing Crosby: Crooner of the Century - have been selling well. A book about the song “White Christmas” has garnered a fair amount of publicity and full reviews of all of these excellent volumes will be found in the Books ‘N’ Bing section.

In the USA, MCA/Universal are to issue three superb new double DVDs and other companies have been active on this front as well. CDs continue to be issued featuring Bing and we have early news of a possible 3-CD set from Michael Feinstein containing very rare material. Also, a long lost “Music That Satisfies” show has been traced as has Bing’s recording of “Poor Little G String” for the film March of Time.

Gord Atkinson tells us of the latest issues in his The Crosby Years series and all of the other regular contributors are there too with Wig Wiggins revealing details of a new prestigious album from MCA/Universal Bing Crosby: A Centennial Anthology Of His Decca Recordings and Keith Parkinson looking at Bing’s film Rhythm on the River. The Keeping Track section looks at the new CD releases, which include the latest albums from Jasmine Records. DVDs are examined in depth with reviews of Pennies From Heaven and The Road to Hong Kong plus news of some exciting new releases.

In short, if you are interested in Bing Crosby, this is the magazine for you.

Order your copy of the magazine now by calling Wig Wiggins on (703) 241-5608 or by e-mailing the Editor.

Page last updated: January 6, 2005