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Oscar Hammerstein II and the Invention of the Musical
By Laurie Winer. 2023
A new look at artist Oscar Hammerstein II as a pivotal and underestimated force in the creation of modern American…
culture You know his work—Show Boat, Oklahoma!, Carousel, The King and I. But you don’t really know Oscar Hammerstein II, the man who, more than anyone else, invented the American musical. Among the most commercially successful artists of his time, he was a fighter for social justice who constantly prodded his audiences to be better than they were. Diving deep into Hammerstein’s life, examining his papers and his lyrics, critic Laurie Winer shows how he orchestrated a collective reimagining of America, urging it forward with a subtly progressive vision of the relationship between country and city, rich and poor, America and the rest of the world. His rejection of bitterness, his openness to strangers, and his optimistic humor shaped not only the musical but the American dream itself. His vision can continue to be a touchstone to this day.
Shout, Sister, Shout!: The Untold Story of Rock-and-Roll Trailblazer Sister Rosetta Tharpe
By Gayle F. Wald. 2007
The essential biography of America&’s godmother of rock &‘n&’ roll whose exuberant singing and guitar playing captivated audiences and inspired…
generations of musicians from the 40s to todayWhen Shout, Sister, Shout! was first published in 2007, Sister Rosetta Tharpe was resting in an unmarked grave in a Philadelphia cemetery. That lack of a headstone symbolized so much of what was egregiously wrong about so many stories of American music, particularly the genre we call rock or rock-and-roll. It&’s a genre that wouldn&’t exist without Tharpe, though her contribution was forgotten for many years.The biography finally tells the story of the queer, Black trailblazer who defied categorization and influenced scores of popular musicians, from Elvis Presley and Little Richard to Bonnie Raitt, The Alabama Shakes, and Lizzo. The author draws on memories from more than 150 people who knew Tharpe, as well as scraps of information gleaned from newspapers, archives, and memorabilia, to piece together a story that forever alters our understanding of women in rock and of US popular music.
My road to opera: the recollections of Boris Goldovsky
By Curtis Cate, Boris Goldovsky. 1979
An anecdotal memoir by the man known to American opera lovers as Mr. Opera. Goldovsky, who began his musical life…
as a despiser of opera, is the lively and omniscient commentator on intermission features of the Metropolitan Opera broadcasts. 1979
Duke: the musical life of Duke Ellington
By Bill Gutman. 1977
Biography of the innovative pianist, composer, and band leader who helped popularize jazz. Incorporates personal interviews with many people who…
knew and loved the Duke. For junior and senior high and adult readers
Boogie lightning
By Michael Lydon. 1974

This I believe
By Lawrence Welk. 1979
At seventy-six, the popular band leader exults in his fulfilled life based on self-discipline, rugged individualism, faith in God, and…
a belief in the young. He outlines the "Welk Freedom System" which includes training, voluntary employment agreements, and profit-sharing policies
Guitar heroes
By John Tobler. 1978
Brief sketches of the styles and achievements of thirty-two legendary rock guitarists from pioneers Chuck Berry and Les Paul to…
superstars Jimi Hendrix and Peter Frampton and cult figures Duane Allman and Jerry Garcia. For junior and senior high readers
Pavarotti, my own story
By Luciano Pavarotti. 1981
The joyful tenor enthuses about his life and career. He reminisces about how he became a performer and rose to…
his present fame. He talks openly about his feelings toward musical interpretation, the operatic stage, his craving for audience approval, his zest for food, and love for his family
Heavier than Heaven: Kurt Cobain: la biografía
By Charles R. Cross. 2001
Nueva edición de la biografía definitiva de Kurt Cobain con un nuevo prefacio del autor. El suicidio fue el último…
acto que definió la personalidad de Kurt Cobain, tras una existencia repleta de rabia, dolor e inspiración. En esta biografía ya clásica, el periodista Charles R. Cross pone su extenso conocimiento de la escena de Seattle al servicio de la narración de una vida fascinante. Tras más de cuatrocientas entrevistas y cuatro años de investigación, en los que tuvo acceso a todo tipo de documentos privados, el autor traza una panorámica del músico desde su adolescencia, cuando vivía en una caravana, hasta el momento en que alcanzó la fama y el fervor de toda una generación. Charles R. Cross ha escrito un prefacio para esta nueva edición, donde da cuenta de los sucesos relacionados con Cobain y el propio libro durante las más de dos décadas transcurridas desde la muerte del artista. Críticas:«Unlibro que deja el listón en lo más alto, vertiginoso al modo de las tragedias griegas. Hasta que alguien escriba otro más audaz en su análisis psicológico y social, y más exhaustivo en su presentación de datos, Heavier than Heaven será el punto de partida de cualquier viaje al oscuro y claustrofóbico mundo interior de Cobain.»Anthony DeCurtis, Rolling Stone «Fascinante. El retrato más logrado hasta la fecha. Cautivará hasta al lector más despistado.»Keith Cameron, Mojo «Un libro serio y sustancioso. Su acceso a los diarios completos de Cobain hace que la trama se desarrolle como en los mejores himnos de Nirvana: una presentación lenta, un par de acordes desencajados, pasajes suavemente seductores seguidos de gritos violentos y un final devastador. Huele a autenticidad.»Jeffrey Ressner, Time «La biografía definitiva... Cross sabe descifrar el alma de un hombre. Un retrato portentoso.»Anthony DeBarros, USA Today «Una nueva edición de la biografía definitiva de Kurt Cobain, Heavier than Heaven (Reservoir Books), con un nuevo prefacio de su autor, Charles R. Cross. Tras más de cuatrocientas entrevistas y cuatro años de investigación, en los que tuvo acceso a todo tipo de documentos privados, Cross traza una panorámica del cantante y guitarrista de Nirvana.»Antonio Bordón, La Opinión de Tenerife
Long Road: Pearl Jam and the Soundtrack of a Generation
By Steven Hyden. 2022
A leading music journalist&’s riveting chronicle of how beloved band Pearl Jam shaped the times, and how their legacy and…
longevity have transcended generations. Ever since Pearl Jam first blasted onto the Seattle grunge scene three decades ago with their debut album, Ten, they have sold 85M+ albums, performed for hundreds of thousands of fans around the world, and have even been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In Long Road: Pearl Jam and the Soundtrack Of A Generation, music critic and journalist Steven Hyden celebrates the life, career, and music of this legendary group, widely considered to be one of the greatest American rock bands of all time. Long Road is structured like a mix tape, using 18 different Pearl Jam classics as starting points for telling a mix of personal and universal stories. Each chapter tells the tale of this great band — how they got to where they are, what drove them to greatness, and why it matters now. Much like the generation it emerged from, Pearl Jam is a mass of contradictions. They were an enormously successful mainstream rock band who felt deeply uncomfortable with the pursuit of capitalistic spoils. They were progressive activists who spoke in favor of abortion rights and against the Ticketmaster monopoly, and yet they epitomized the sound of traditional, male-dominated rock &‘n&’ roll. They were looked at as spokesmen for their generation, even though they ultimately projected profound confusion and alienation. They triumphed, and failed, in equal doses — the quintessential Gen-X tale. Impressive as their stats, accolades, and longevity may be, Hyden also argues that Pearl Jam&’s most definitive accomplishment lies in the impact their music had on Generation X as a whole. Pearl Jam&’s music helped an entire generation of listeners connect with the glory of bygone rock mythology, and made it relevant during a period in which tremendous American economic prosperity belied a darkness at the heart of American youth. More than just a chronicle of the band&’s career, this book is also a story about Gen- X itself, who like Pearl Jam came from angsty, outspoken roots and then evolved into an establishment institution, without ever fully shaking off their uncertain, outsider past. For so many Gen-Xers growing up at the time, Pearl Jam&’s music was a beacon that offered both solace and guidance. They taught an entire generation how to grow up without losing the purest and most essential parts of themselves. Written with his celebrated blend of personal memoir, criticism, and journalism, Hyden explores Pearl Jam&’s path from Ten to now. It's a chance for new fans and old fans alike to geek out over Pearl Jam minutia—the B-sides, the beloved deep cuts, the concert bootlegs—and explore the multitude of reasons why Pearl Jam&’s music resonated with so many people. As Hyden explains, &“Most songs pass through our lives and are swiftly forgotten. But Pearl Jam is forever.&”
A traveling salesman with little formal education, Max Hunter gravitated to song catching and ballad hunting while on business trips…
in the Ozarks. Hunter recorded nearly 1600 traditional songs by more than 200 singers from the mid-1950s through the mid-1970s, all the while focused on preserving the music in its unaltered form. Sarah Jane Nelson chronicles Hunter’s song collecting adventures alongside portraits of the singers and mentors he met along the way. The guitar-strumming Hunter picked up the recording habit to expand his repertoire but almost immediately embraced the role of song preservationist. Being a local allowed Hunter to merge his native Ozark earthiness with sharp observational skills to connect--often more than once--with his singers. Hunter’s own ability to be present added to that sense of connection. Despite his painstaking approach, ballad collecting was also a source of pleasure for Hunter. Ultimately, his dedication to capturing Ozarks song culture in its natural state brought Hunter into contact with people like Vance Randolph, Mary Parler, and non-academic folklorists who shared his values.
Cross the tracks: A memoir
By Boosie Badazz. 2022
From one of rap's most evocative writers comes a stirring memoir and "masterpiece of a book" (Snoop Dogg) about how…
Boosie Badazz, one of the industry's most controversial figures, was able to overcome insurmountable odds to make his music dreams a reality. A Baton Rouge native who began rapping at age fourteen, Boosie Badazz was already a cult hero in Louisiana when, in 2009, he was sentenced to two years in prison. The next year, he was indicted on even more serious charges, eventually landing him on Death Row. Prosecutors played Boosie's music in the courtroom to paint him as a thug with no chance of redemption. However, against overwhelming odds and the backdrop of a social media campaign to #FreeBoosie, he was freed in March of 2014 with a rare second chance to make his music dreams come true. With illuminating prose, this "truly great read" (DJ Vlad, CEO of VladTV) explores the relationship between Boosie's life on the streets with his ceaseless tear through the rap industry. From near-death experiences to a ruthless bout with kidney cancer to a life-threatening diabetes diagnosis, Boosie has overcome remarkable challenges to make a name for himself as one of rap's most influential voices. A redemptive story with an urgent voice, Cross the Tracks is the survival tale of a man who wasn't sure he would live to see another day...but who rose from the ashes to change the rap industry forever
Who were the beatles? (Who Was?)
By Geoff Edgers. 2019
Almost everyone can sing along with the Beatles, but how many young readers know their whole story? Geoff Edgers, a…
Boston Globe reporter and hard-core Beatles fan, brings the Fab Four to life in this Who Was...? book. Readers will learn about their childhoods in Liverpool, their first forays into rock music, what Beatlemania was like, and why they broke up. It's all here in an easy-to-listen narrative!
Who is elton john? (Who Was?)
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 hits
Unspoken: Toxic Masculinity and How I Faced the Man Within the Man
By Guvna B. 2021
Men are bold. Men are brave. Men are strong in the face of fear. But what happens when that strength…
crumbles? Growing up on a council estate in East London, rapper Guvna B thought he knew everything he needed to know about what it means to be a man. But when a personal tragedy sent him reeling, he knew he had to face these assumptions head on if he was going to be able to overcome his grief. In this intimate, honest and unflinching memoir, Guvna B draws on his personal experiences to explore how toxic masculinity affects young men today. Exploring ideas of male identity, UNSPOKEN is an inspirational account of Guvna’s journey.
Judy Collins
By Vivian Claire. 1977

Brother Ray: Ray Charles' own story
By Ray Charles, David Ritz. 1978
Candid autobiography of the famous American singer and musician who was born black and poor in the deep south, became…
blind as a small boy, and was orphaned as a teenager. Strong language and explicit descriptions of sex. 1978.
When Elvis died
By Neal Gregory. 1980
Examines the world's reaction, and in particular the response of the news media, to the death of an idol. This…
account also explores the phenomenal impact of Elvis Presley on the culture of an entire generation and the charisma he held for strangers and intimates alike
Bing Crosby, the hollow man: The Hollow Man
By Donald Shepherd, Robert F. Slatzer. 1981
A biography that portrays Bing Crosby as a man very different from his appealing public image. The authors depict the…
crooner as a "monstrously callous" man driven by his desire for fame and fortune, citing particularly his treatment of his first wife, Dixie Lee, and of all his children
Hundred miles to nowhere: an unlikely love story
By Elisa Korenne. 2017
A singer-songwriter moves from New York City to rural Minnesota for love, and finds somewhere, and someone, in the middle…
of nowhere. When Elisa Korenne took a month's break from New York City to be the resident singer-songwriter in middle-of-nowhere Minnesota, she didn't intend to stay. Then she fell in love with the local outdoorsman/insurance guy. One cross-country romance later, Elisa gave up subways, theater, City Bakery cookies, and her Brooklyn apartment to become the 1,153rd resident of New York Mills, a rural town ninety miles from the nearest metropolitan area, Fargo. She had to resort to moonshine to stay sane. Adult. Unrated