Page "Crooner" Paragraph 8

By the early 1930s the term " crooner " had taken on a pejorative connotation, both Cardinal O ' Connell of Boston and the New York Singing Teachers Association publicly denouncing the vocal form, O ' Connell calling it " base ", " degenerate ", " defiling " and un-American and the NYSTA adding " corrupt ".

Even The New York Times predicted that crooning would be just a passing fad.

The newspaper printed, " They sing like that because they can ’ t help it.

Their style is begging to go out of fashion ….

Crooners will soon go the way of tandem bicycles, mah jongg and midget golf.

" Voice range shifted from tenor ( Vallée ) to baritone ( Russ Columbo, Bing Crosby ).

Still, a 1931 record by Dick Robinson, Crosby, Columbo & Vallee, called upon men to fight " these public enemies " brought into homes via radio.