Editing Bing Crosby (section)

===Early years===
In 1923, Crosby was invited to join a new band composed of high-school students a few years younger than himself. [[Al Rinker|Al]] and Miles Rinker (brothers of singer [[Mildred Bailey]]), James Heaton, Claire Pritchard and Robert Pritchard, along with drummer Crosby, formed the Musicaladers,<ref name=bicrdha/> who performed at dances both for high school students and club-goers. The group performed on Spokane radio station [[The Davenport Hotel (Spokane, Washington)|KHQ]], but disbanded after two years.<ref name="Giddins2001"/>{{rp|92–97}}<ref>[[The Davenport Hotel (Spokane, Washington)|Early KHQ broadcast from the Davenport Hotel Spokane]]</ref> Crosby and Al Rinker obtained work at the Clemmer Theatre in Spokane (now known as the [[Bing Crosby Theater]]).

On August 14, 1925, Bing appeared at the Clemmer Theater as part of The Clemmer Trio (Frank McBride, Lloyd Grinnell and Harry Crosby) and they were shown as being presented with special stage effects.<ref>{{cite journal |title=The Spokesman-Review |journal=The Spokesman-Review |date=May 13, 1925 |page=6}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |title=Spokane Chronicle |journal=Spokane Chronicle|date=August 17, 1925}}</ref>Rinker played piano in the pit. They continued at the theater alongside the film of the week for a very successful 12 weeks. They were initially billed as The Clemmer Trio and later as The Clemmer Entertainers depending who performed.<ref name="macfarlane2001">{{cite book |last=Macfarlane |first=Malcolm |url=http://www.bingmagazine.co.uk/bingmagazine/1903-1935.htm |title=Bing Crosby: Day by Day |publisher=[[Rowman & Littlefield#Imprints|Scarecrow Press]] |year=2001 |isbn=0810841452 |edition=Live (online) revision}}</ref>

In October 1925, Crosby and Rinker decided to seek fame in California. They traveled to Los Angeles, where Bailey introduced them to her show business contacts. The [[Fanchon and Marco]] Time Agency hired them for 13 weeks for the revue ''The Syncopation Idea'' starting at the Boulevard Theater in Los Angeles and then on the [[Loews Theatres|Loew's circuit]]. They each earned $75 a week. As minor parts of ''The Syncopation Idea'', Crosby and Rinker started to develop as entertainers. They had a lively style that was popular with college students. After ''The Syncopation Idea'' closed, they worked in the Will Morrissey Music Hall Revue. They honed their skills with Morrissey, and when they got a chance to present an independent act, they were spotted by a member of the [[Paul Whiteman]] organization.

Whiteman needed something different to break up his musical selections, and Crosby and Rinker filled this requirement. After less than a year in show business, they were attached to one of the biggest names.<ref name="macfarlane2001"/> Hired for $150 a week in 1926, they debuted with Whiteman on December 6 at the [[Tivoli Theatre (Chicago)|Tivoli Theatre]] in Chicago. Their first recording, in October 1926, was "I've Got the Girl" with Don Clark's Orchestra, but the Columbia-issued record was inadvertently recorded at a slow speed, which increased the singers' pitch when played at 78&nbsp;rpm. Throughout his career, Crosby often credited Bailey for getting him his first important job in the entertainment business.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.redhotjazz.com/rhythmboys.html |title=Paul Whiteman's Original Rhythm Boys |website=Redhotjazz.com |access-date=November 19, 2016 |archive-date=November 7, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161107114559/http://www.redhotjazz.com/rhythmboys.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>