The Best of the Crooners

What is a "crooner?" According to Merriam-Webster it's "someone who croons." So, what is "croon?" Merriam-Webster defines "croon" as " to sing in a soft intimate manner adapted to amplifying systems." Wikipedia defines a crooner as a singer of pop music backed up by an orchestra or big band.

Crooning is not considered a music style but rather a singing technique; soft, intimate, clear, beautiful singing. Crooning's decline began in the mid-1950s as Rock-n-Roll started its rise. More recently, Harry Connick Jr. has given crooning a revival of sorts.

The crooners I know are from television shows and movies from when I was a kid. I never saw a live performance. So, with that in mind, here's my pick for the top 10 crooners of "all time." (not ranked) At one time or another almost all of these have been called a "national treasure."

I've linked each crooner's name to his website. Those were also my source for much of the information.

Andy Williams: 82 year old Andy is alive and well in Branson Missouri, I think. He was a staple on television from 1962 to 1971. He's best known for "Moon River" "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" and "Can't Get Used to Losing You." Andy is still famed for his popular television Christmas specials.

Bing Crosby: Bing died in 1977 at the age of 74 who enjoyed a stellar career in music and movies for more than 50 years. He belongs to an elite group of singers with massive record sales.

His probably most known today for "White Christmas" but his "Would You?" was #1 on the charts for 20 weeks in 1936.

Dean Martin: Dean was another multi-talented crooner who transitioned from music to movies and then comedy. He was a leader of the legendary "rat pack." He's known for "That's Amore" "Everybody Loves Somebody" and "Ain't that a Kick in the Head." I remember watching a few episodes of Dean's popular variety show and his "Roasts" were hilarious. Dean died in 1995 at the age of 78.

Elvis Presley: Yes, the "King of Rock-n-Roll" is also known as a crooner. In fact he sang about every genre of music and was also successful on screen. He's known for a number of songs including "Fools Rush In" "Jailhouse Rock" and "How Great Thou Art." The cause of his death in 1977 at the age of 42 is still controversial. It is known that he suffered several chronic illnesses and heavily medicated himself.

Frank Sinatra: Here's another of the greats; singer, dancer, and actor and leader of the famous "rat pack." Frank staged several comebacks during his life. He was highly respected among his peers in the music and movie industries. Some of his well known songs include "I did it my Way" "New York, New York" and "Strangers in the Night."

Nat King Cole: As a kid I loved Nat King Cole's soft baritone voice. My parents owned his Christmas album (remember vinyl discs?) which went Gold in the early 60s. Nat was a pioneer for African-American television variety shows. He performed in musicals, in television, and on screen. Some of his well known tunes include "Sweet Loraine" "Unforgettable" and "Ramblin' Rose." Unfortunately Nat was a chain smoker. He died of lung cancer in 1965 at the age of 46.

Perry Como: Perry rose to fame in the 1940s. He was drawn in movies but didn't come out very well. However, his Christmas television specials were an annual hit between 1948 and 1987. His popular hits include "Dream Along with Me" "Don't Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes" and "Temptation." Perry died in his sleep in 2001 at the age of 79.

Robert Goulet: Robert died in 2007 at the age of 74. He played Lancelot in the original production of Camelot in 1960. He went on to perform in numerous Broadway productions, television shows, and movies. He recorded more than 60 albums. Among his best known songs are the Christmas classic "Do You Hear What Hear" "If I Ever I Leave You" and "Impossible Dream."

Sammy Davis Jr: A member of the "rat pack" Sammy was known around the world for his Broadway and Las Vegas performances. He was singer, actor, dancer, and comedian all rolled into one. He won numerous Grammys and Emmys. One of his best known songs is probably "Candy Man." Sammy died in 1990 at the age of 75.

Harry Connick Jr: Harry is our present day crooner. He rose to fame with the 1989 score of When Harry Met Sally. In 1990 he made his film debut in the Memphis Belle, an excellent World War Two movie. Harry has won numerous Emmys and Grammys. Harry is 42 years old and lives with his wife Jill Goodacre and their three daughters in the Northeast.

There you have them, ten crooners many of whom were cronies during their lifetimes. As with all good things, their era has ended but their influence has not.