Bing Crosby, David Bowie’s ‘Little Drummer Boy’ duet was a Christmas miracle that almost didn’t happen
The estate of the 'White Christmas' singer has released a new holiday album, 'Christmas Gems'
By Stephanie Nolasco Fox News
Published December 12, 2023 5:00am EST
Bing Crosby’s son lost his father when he was 19 years old, but he still hears his voice every year at any Christmas party he attends.
The crooner, who remains a holiday staple with songs like "White Christmas" and "Little Drummer Boy," died in 1977 at age 74. This year, Crosby’s estate and Primary Wave Music have teamed up to release "Bing Crosby’s Christmas Gems," a 14-track album that features a collection of holiday classics and rare recordings from the star’s archives.
"I’m very excited – the whole family’s excited," Harry Crosby told Fox News Digital. "I can’t believe we’re coming up close to 50 years since dad passed… We wanted to share a part of dad during Christmas, and also share a part of him that many people may not know about."
"Our family had a great amount of input into this [album]," the 65-year-old shared. "We haven’t heard some of these songs in a very long time. Some of these have been dormant for decades. It’s our way of telling a special story about our dad."
A younger generation may remember Crosby best from his 1977 duet with David Bowie for "Little Drummer Boy" – a collaboration that almost didn’t happen. The television special was recorded shortly before Crosby’s death.
When producers of Crosby’s Christmas TV special asked Bowie to sing "Little Drummer Boy," he refused, the Washington Post reported.
"I hate this song. Is there something else I could sing?" Bowie was quoted as saying.
The show’s supervisors panicked as the special was aimed at a younger audience.
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https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/bing-crosby-david-bowies-little-drummer-boy-duet-christmas-miracle-almost-didnt-happenhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCpXMy5GalI&ab_channel=BingCrosbyVEVO
