Archives West Finding Aid

Bing Crosby (1903-1977) was a singer, actor, comedian, and investor from Tacoma, Washington (United States). He is considered by many to be the first multimedia star. During his musical career, he performed with other stars including Bob Hope, Ella Fitzgerald, and Frank Sinatra. In 1963, he received the first Grammy Global Achievement award. As well as being popular in the United States, his music was loved by American soldiers serving overseas in WWII. He is also remembered for being the first person to pre-record his radio shows and for his help in financing the development of the videotape.

Mary Lou Williams (1910-1981) was a jazz pianist, composer, and bandleader from Atlanta, Georgia (United States). As a child, she was considered a piano prodigy. By the age of three she had taught herself to play piano, and by the age of 10 she was supporting her family with her performances. During her lifetime, she composed and recorded more than one hundred records. Some of the musicians she composed for included Duke Ellington and Benny Good. She was also known as a jazz teacher. Some of her most famous students included Thelonious Monk, Charlie Parker, and Miles Davis.