Bowie: A Biography - JFK247

Bolan was killed in a car accident a week later.
Bowie, along with Elton John and Rod Stewart,
attended the funeral and paid his respects before
the coffin, on which a swan-shaped bouquet lay. The
following month, Bowie promoted and sang “Heroes”
on Bing Crosby’s holiday special, Bing Crosby’s
Merrie Olde Christmas, topping a special-guests bill
that included Twiggy and Ron Moody (best-known as
Fagin in the Oscar-winning musical Oliver!). During
Bowie’s non-solo segment, one of the most famous
in the history of holiday TV programming, Bing,
seventy-four and frail in his cardigan, putters around
before a twinkling tree in an old country estate.
There’s a ring at the door. It’s David Bowie!
“Hello, are you the new butler?” he asks.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve been the new
anything,” Bing quips.
“I’m David Bowie, I live down the road. Sir
Perceval lets me use his piano when he’s not
around.”
Crosby asks Bowie what he sings.
“Mostly contemporary stuff,” he answers. “Do you
like modern music?”
“I think it’s marvelous, some of it, really fine,”
Crosby says unconvincingly.
“You ever listen to any of the older music?”
“Sure, like John Lennon and the other one, Harry
Nilsson.”
Crosby seems to warm up when Bowie mentions
his six-year-old son. “You go through any of the
traditional things in the Bowie household on