Dick Todd

Dick Todd had the fortune or misfortune of sounding like Bing Crosby - so much so that he was called "the Canadian Crosby." He was, nonetheless, a good singer in his own right, although the vocal resemblance didn't stop with timbre; he adopted some of Bing's mannerisms, too.

Todd's first brush with fame came during his four-year period of recording for the Victor subsidiary, Bluebird, which ended in 1942. This particular LP picks up his recordings for the small Rainbow label, which began in 1949. The high point of that association was a hit recording of "Daddy's Little Girl," included here. With that success, Rainbow continued to pair Todd with sentimental family songs, including "Daddy's Little Boy," "Be Good to Your Father and Mother" and the ghastly 1920 chestnut "Daddy, You've Been a Mother to Me."

Circa 1952, Rainbow collected these items in this obscure 10-inch LP of "American Family Songs," with cover image of Todd gazing down at the ideal family unit of mom, dad, brother and sis. I hail from a unit very much like this one, although Dad, something of a fashion plate, never would have allowed us to sit on his lap while he was wearing a suit. Papa would occasionally regale me with his own version of "Daddy's Little Boy," which had an ironic tone foreign to the Todd recording.

Rainbow filled out this LP with a few love songs and the saga of "Michael McInerny" (whom Todd insists on calling "McInereny"), who was noted, the lyrics tell us, for tickling the chins of the married women of the neighborhood. He seems hardly the type of fellow to be featured on a disc of family songs.

On most of these tunes, Todd has the spartan accompaniment of a pianist that I believe to be Eddie (Piano) Miller. (Miller was called "Piano" to distinguish him from the tenor saxophonist of the same given name, I think.) Todd also is aided by a small and not very well-drilled vocal group. The simply-miked sound is just to my taste.

Following these recordings, Todd sank into obscurity, reputedly becoming alcoholic, destitute and estranged from his own family before his 1975 death. These recordings may be period pieces, but he was a talented singer who is worth remembering.