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Composers & Musicians
This extraordinary life history is the result of more than fifteen years of recorded conversations, pieced together into a narrative of a uniquely American experience. Pleasant “Cousin Joe” Joseph’s colorful portrayals of the characters that parade through his life document more than seventy years of changing relationships between blacks and whites. In his own words, he describes growing up in Louisiana, working a rice plantation, and how Gospel music put him on a career path. His candid remarks underscore the economic struggles prevalent in a musician’s life.
Lee Greenwood’s contemporary anthem "God Bless the U.S.A." has touched the hearts of millions of Americans, inspiring a renewed spirit of national pride and patriotism. This platinum-selling song underscores the reasons Americans are willing to sacrifice in the name of freedom and democracy and expresses gratitude to those who have paid the ultimate price.
This biography of Greenwood and his song begins with the younger days of the singer’s life in California and ends with his overwhelming popularity after the Gulf War. Inspiring in its message, God Bless the U.S.A.: Biography of a Song is the story of a man and his music as they grow from the wild, carefree spirit of a rebellious teenager to the respect of a duty-bound patriot. Paperback.
The queen of gospel and a symbol of integrity, Mahalia Jackson was the embodiment of an era. Accurate, well-researched, and rich with the music, faith, people, and events that sparked the spirit of the time, Just Mahalia, Baby is a fast-paced and engaging biography. Paperback.
This collection of photographs and memories documents Professor Longhair’s entanglement in New Orleans music and popular American music in general.
Roy Acuff: The Smoky Mountain Boy draws upon personal interviews with Acuff’s contemporaries, friends, and family as well as Acuff himself. This combination honors Acuff by tracing the roots of his career through the evolution of his musical style and his distinctive American art form. Paperback.
Music writer and cultural historian Roger Hahn provides an intimate glimpse into a music genesis and legacy that has spread across the globe. From creating new categories of music like jazz and zydeco to adding new sounds to older genres like rhythm and blues, rock ’n’ roll, funk, and hip-hop, Louisiana has put her stamp on them all. With an introduction that includes an impressive overview of the state’s contribution to America’s music history, Hahn launches into biographies of twenty musicians and musical groups who have shaped—and are shaping—the face of our musical landscape. Included are well-known figures like Louis Armstrong, Jerry Lee Lewis, Fats Domino, The Boswell Sisters, Mahalia Jackson, Harry Connick, Jr., Lil Wayne, and Hunter Hayes. Right beside them are lesser-known but no less significant or influential figures including Jelly Roll Morton, Clifton Chenier, Steve Riley & The Mamou Players, Trombone Shorty, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, and Buddy Guy. The biographies present a small capsule of the artists’ cultural inheritances, influences, and accomplishments. A full-color portrait by artist Chris Osborne accompanies each profile in this testament to Louisiana’s musical legacy.
This is the ePub/eBook version of this title. This is not the print edition.
You Are My Sunshine expertly treats the impressive life story of Jimmie Davis, a man of many talents and accomplishments. Read this book and enjoy a Jimmy Davis’ original success story. Read of his rise from a humble background to the Governor’s Mansion, and his subsequent career as governor of Louisiana; his success in the music field, writing the classic “You Are My Sunshine,” and being one of the first inductees to the Country Music Hall of Fame; and read about his admirable love of family and friends throughout. Paperback.