Biography
2 December 1895, Woodland, California, USA, d. 28 May 1962, Sherman Oaks, California, USA. One of the most popular organists of all time, he began as a pianist with a dance band but switched to organ, playing an initial concert at Washington’s Spokane Gem Theater in 1911. Many other theatre bookings followed and Crawford became the first organist to play LA’s Grauman’s Theater in 1918. He gained a prestigious job at New York’s Paramount Theater, during 1926 and 1933, sometimes performing opposite his wife Helen, the duo playing a twin organ console. During 1925-27 he provided RCA - Victor Records with massive selling records in ‘Rose Marie’ (later a record-breaking UK number 1 hit for Slim Whitman), ‘Valencia’ and ‘Russian Lullaby’, but is probably best remembered for songs ‘At Dawning’ and ‘Roses Of Picardy’. He featured prominently in concerts, and provided background music for a number of...
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