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Showing 141 - 160 of 582 items
By Kirsten Anderson. 2021
How does a little boy from the London suburbs named Reginald Kenneth Dwight grow up to become one of the…
biggest pop stars of all time? A lot of talent and a lot of personality! Elton John, as he would later call himself, started playing piano at the age of three. Although he was trained to play classical music, Elton's real love was rock and roll. He cut his first album in 1969 and has dominated the airwaves ever since with songs like "Your Song," "Crocodile Rock" and "Can You Feel the Love Tonight." Known for his outlandish stage costumes and giant glasses, Elton John continues to write songs for Broadway musicals, Hollywood soundtracks, and Top-40 hitsBy Geoff Edgers. 2019
Put on your blue suede shoes and get ready for another addition to the Who Was… ? series! The King…
could not have come from humbler origins: Born in Tupelo, Mississippi, during the Depression, he grew up with the blues music of the rural South, the gospel music of local churches, and the country-western classics. But he forged a sound all his own—and a look that was all his own, too. With curled lip, swiveling hips, and greased pompadour, Elvis changed popular music forever, ushering in the age of rock and rollBy Katie Ellison. 2017
Get Up, Stand Up! for the king of reggae music! Bob Marley was a reggae superstar who is considered to…
be one of the most influential musicians of all time. Born in rural Jamaica, this musician and songwriter began his career with his band, The Wailing Wailers, in 1963. The Wailers went on to spread the gospel of reggae music around the globe. Bob's distinctive style and dedication to his Rastafari beliefs became a rallying cry for the poor and disenfranchised the world over and led to a hugely successful solo career. After his death in 1981, Bob Marley became a symbol of Jamaican culture and identity. His greatest-hits album, Legend, remains the best-selling reggae album of all time. Who Was Bob Marley? tells the story of how a man with humble roots became an international icon. This title in the New York Times best-selling series contains eighty illustrations that help bring the story to lifeBy Margaret Gurevich. 2021
Find out how this English singer-songwriter and actor who constantly reinvented his look and sound became one of the most…
influential musicians of the twentieth century in this new book from the #1 New York Times bestselling series. David Bowie, born David Robert Jones, wasn't just an incredible singer; he had an amazing talent for keeping his fans happily guessing about what he would do next. He alternated between musical genres with ease, established a successful acting career, and even created a legendary persona—the rocker alien Ziggy Stardust—that people still dress up as for Halloween each year. Author Margaret Gurevich takes readers through David Bowie's life and shows exactly why he is an inspiration to many people and is celebrated all over the worldThrobbing disco beats boom at the club. Crowds move to the lively beat of dance pop hits. Fans scream and…
cheer for teen idols. These are the sounds of pop. After Elvis hit the scene in the 1950s, a distinct youth taste in popular music began to emerge. The sound of pop music has varied greatly in the decades since Elvis, ranging from rock to disco to boy bands to dance pop. But all pop music is defined by catchy melodies and a broad appeal to teens. Find out how it all began. Learn about MTV's role in shaping pop music. Discover the stories of bubblegum pop groups, family bands, dance-pop idols, and disco sensations. And read more about legends such as Paul Anka, Madonna, the Jackson Five, and Katy PerryBy Erik Farseth. 2017
A guitarist fires off riffs. A drummer pounds out primal rhythms. Fans scream along to a booming chorus. These are…
the sounds of rock. When rock 'n' roll first shook up young audiences, parents and politicians screamed in protest. But artists soon used the music to make protests of their own. Since rock's birth in the 1950s, its sounds have been blasted from garages to stadiums. The music can be the soundtrack to rebellion, a tool for self-expression, or just a way to bang your head. Find out what inspired rock pioneers to pick up their guitars. Discover the stories of outrageous punks and grungy alternative rockers. And learn more about legends such as Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Metallica, and Green DayBy Tui Sutherland. 2019
Every kid has heard of Harry Houdini, the famous magician who could escape from handcuffs, jail cells, and locked trunks.…
But do they know that the ever-ambitious and adventurous Houdini was also a famous movie star and the first pilot to fly a plane in Australia? This well-told biography is full of the details of Houdini's life that kids will really want to know about!By Nico Medina. 2018
Named Temujin at birth by his nomadic family in early Mongolia, the great Genghis Khan used his skill and cunning…
to create the Mongol Empire and conquer almost the entire continent of Asia. As ruler of the largest empire in human history, he was as respected as he was feared. Learn more about the man and the legend in Who Was Genghis Khan?By Jim Gigliotti. 2022
Was Johnny Cash always the rebellious "Man in Black" that we remember him as today? Find out in this biography…
from the #1 New York Times bestselling series that takes us from Cash's childhood on an Arkansas cotton farm to his first days in rockabilly through his most famous years as a country music legend and icon of American songwriting. Due to his wide range of musical talent and an incomparable career spanning forty-nine years, Johnny Cash has been inducted into the Country, Rock and Roll, Rockabilly, and Gospel Halls of Fame. He also won 18 Grammys and 9 Country Music Association Awards. Who Was Johnny Cash? lets young readers learn about every step in Johnny Cash's groundbreaking musical career. As one of the best-selling American musicians of all time, Cash, born JR Carter, was known for his rich, deep voice and musical style that featured a chugging, train-like beatBy Pamela D Pollack. 2017
Who doesn't love Lucy? The legendary actress, producer, and comedian steps into the Who Was? spotlight. Much like her hit…
TV show, I Love Lucy, Americans in the 1950s fell in love with Lucy. Born in New York in 1911, Lucille Ball was always a natural performer. She danced in the chorus of Broadway shows and acted in small parts in Hollywood movies. But Ball's true gift was comedy. She found a way to showcase her gifts in 1951 when CBS gave her the chance to star in a sitcom. She based the show on her life and called it I Love Lucy. Over sixty years later, it is still one of the most loved television shows of all time. Lucille Ball became the first woman to run a major television studio, Desilu, and her comedic genius has kept people laughing for generationsBy Yona Zeldis McDonough. 2019
If not for a stint in reform school, young Louis Armstrong might never have become a musician. It was a…
teacher at the Colored Waifs' Home who gave him a cornet, promoted him to band leader, and saw talent in the tough kid from the even tougher New Orleans neighborhood called Storyville. But it was Louis Armstrong's own passion and genius that pushed jazz into new and exciting realms with his amazing, improvisational trumpet playing. His seventy-year life spanned a critical time in American music as well as black historyThe crowd sways to the melodic strumming of a bossa nova guitarist. A vocalist belts out lyrics that blend English…
and Spanish. Couples dance to salsa's syncopated rhythms. These are the sounds of Latin music. Before Latin music exploded into the mainstream in the 1990s, it was on the sidelines of American pop. Ritchie Valens fused Latin dance music with rock. Julio Iglesias popularized Latin ballads in the United States. And Gloria Estefan was the first crossover artist. But after Ricky Martin's "Livin' La Vida Loca" exploded onto the pop scene in 1999, Latin music took center stage. Follow the evolution of Latin music through the decades. Learn how its distinct sounds and catchy rhythms have been integrated into American pop. Discover how it is used for political expression. And read more about stars such as Victor Jara, Selena, and ShakiraBy Jim Gigliotti. 2017
Discover more about Stevie Wonder, the music prodigy whose awards include 25 Grammy Awards and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.…
Stevie Wonder is one of the most successful singer-songwriter-musicians of our time. Signing his first record deal when he was only eleven, he had his first No.1 hit when he was thirteen. Since then he has had thirty US top ten hits, won a range of awards for his music and his civil rights work, and created such iconic songs as "Isn't She Lovely" and "I Just Called to Say I Love You." Stevie Wonder is a beloved entertainer who continues to tour and perform around the worldA singer belts out a lonesome song. A guitarist plucks out a twangy lead. A fiddle player brings out a…
sweet melody. These are the sounds of country. Country music rose out of the folk songs that immigrants brought to the United States. The music spread from the American South to all over the country, capturing the hopes and the struggles of everyday people. In the twenty-first century, fans enjoy all sorts of wild, upbeat, and moving styles of country music. Find out what inspired the country's most memorable songs. Discover the stories of outlaw musicians and Nashville legends. And learn more about superstars such as Hank Williams, Patsy Cline, Johnny Cash, and Taylor SwiftBy Christine Price. 1973
By Sharon Bell Mathis. 1973
By Eric Morse, Anny Yi, Nelson George. 2017
Introduces young readers to hip-hop music through rhyming verse, and offers a guided tour visiting legendary hip-hop figures such as…
Run-D. M. C., LL Cool J, Beastie Boys, Salt-N-Pepa, Tupac, and more. For grades 2-4. 2017By Eric Morse, Anny Yi. 2015
By Misty Copeland, Salena Barnes. 2021
Award-winning author and American Ballet Theatre principal dancer Misty Copeland celebrates women dancers of color who have influenced her on…
and off the stage. Copeland discusses the legacy of these women who have fundamentally changed the landscape of American ballet from the early 20th century to today. For grades 5-8. 2021By Jan Wahl, Morgana Wallace. 2019
Covers the pioneering scientific work and inspiring courage of Hedy Lamarr, the famous Hollywood actress who fought against old-fashioned parents,…
a domineering husband, prejudice, and stereotypes to become an accomplished inventor whose work helped pave the way for many of the communications technologies we enjoy today. For grades 2-4. 2019