The singer who joined David Bowie for “Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy” was Bing Crosby.
The pair recorded the duet on September 11, 1977, for Crosby’s television special Bing Crosby’s Merrie Olde Christmas. Crosby sang the traditional “Little Drummer Boy,” while Bowie performed “Peace on Earth,” a counterpoint written especially for their meeting by Ian Fraser, Larry Grossman and Buz Kohan.
Bowie had resisted recording “The Little Drummer Boy” alone because he felt it did not suit his voice. The production team quickly created “Peace on Earth” so the two singers could perform complementary parts. They reportedly rehearsed for about an hour before recording the number.
The television special aired after Crosby’s death in October 1977. The duet was later issued as a single in 1982 and became a seasonal favorite. Perry Como, Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra were all prominent traditional pop singers, but none participated in this Bowie-Crosby recording.