Sheet music:Irving Berlin's White Christmas

Since the middle of the 19th century, Americans purchased pianos in increasing numbers. Families and friends gathered around the piano for evenings of musical fun. Piano players needed sheet music to learn the latest songs and publishers quickly printed everyone's favorite pieces, first in black and white and later with detailed chromolithographed color covers. The advent of radio and even television simply increased public awareness of hit songs, and the production of sheet music still grew. Eventually, use of sheet music lessened along with the popularity of home pianos in the middle and later 20th century. Radio, phonographs, and personal listening devices began to replace the piano in the parlor.Irving Berlin's hit song "White Christmas" was first featured in the 1942 musical film "Holiday Inn" and was popularized by singer and entertainer, Bing Crosby. The song later appeared in the 1954 film "White Christmas" starring Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney, and has remained a holiday favorite since.