Composers Books


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Composers Books sorted by Average customer review: high to low .

Composers
Story of the Orchestra : Listen While You Learn About the Instruments, the Music and the Composers Who Wrote the Music!
Published in Hardcover by Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers (2000-10-02)
Authors: Robert Levine and Robert T. Levine
List price: $19.95
New price: $11.81
Used price: $1.94

Average review score:

Story of the Orchestra
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-07-30
As an event manager for Jan Mulder and orchestra, website: www.janmulder.us I purchased three copies of The Story of the Orchestra which will be given to young people to learn about the orchestra's various instrument. I highly recommend this book for both adults and younger people.
Hans Goede

Homeschool Parent
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-09
Excellent tool for teaching your children about the Orchestra. The CD that comes with it is great.

Excellent book and CD!!!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-14
"Santa" brought this book for our 4 year old. She loves it! It is layed out in a way that we can read just portions of each page without her getting overwhelmed. It is definitely a book she can grow with. Because a mom has to brag: My daughter can now easily name each instrument and knows which "family" it belongs. She laughs hysterically over Beethoven's picture, knows Tchaikovsky composed Swan Lake and the Nutcracker (the sweetest thing is hearing a 4 year old rattle of Tchaikovsky and Vivaldi!) etc. Highly recommended!

I love this book!
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2008-03-28
I purchased this book in preparation for teaching a group of homeschooled students (ages 7-14) a short course in music appreciation. It was a terrific resource for them. The text was brief but engaging; the cartoons were entertaining; and the photography was so eyecatching. It covered the musical periods, with information on several representative composers. Then each of the orchestra sections was covered, with a helpful CD included to hear snips from pieces that featured the instruments. The students all learned quite a bit from this book. I recommend it highly.

Highly Entertaining and Educational
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-27
I was looking for resources to help make teaching about classical music and composers to primary grade children more entertaining and I found what I needed all wrapped up in this book and CD combination.

Part I of the book concerns composers and is separated into the periods in which they composed, ie., Baroque, etc., with a brief description of art, architecture and feeling of the period. The composers covered for all periods are Vivaldi, Bach, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Wagner, Tchaikovsky, Brahms, Mahler, Debussy, Stravinsky, Schoenberg, Gershwin, Copland and Bernstein.

Part II of the book is about the instruments of the orchestra. Again, this is further broken down into the different sections of the orchestra such as strings, woodwinds, etc. Then within each of those sections a feature on the individual instruments.

The accompanying CD has brief examples of the compositions introduced in the composers section and for each instrument. It really helps the kids hear what they've been discussing.

One of the best things about this book are the illustrations. They are colorful and entertaining. Sometimes there are humorous illustrations such as a drawing of the ideal Baroque instrumentalist needing 2 right hands, 3 left hands, and 3 eyes which really had my 3rd grade kids in giggles after hearing the intricacies of "Spring" by Vivaldi. There are also entertaining illustrations showing how an instrument produces its sound and they are mixed with photographs of the instrument itself. I highly recommend this book for music teachers to use as a reference and for parents who have children interested in learning an instrument.

Composers
Bill Graham Presents
Published in Hardcover by Doubleday (1992-09-25)
Author: Bill Graham
List price: $27.00
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Average review score:

Most Excellent!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-10-13
Since I named my son Graham after Bill, I thought perhaps I should know a little bit more about his life. I now now know alot more!

It is written in a narative style which makes it very easy to read. The stories are told by the people who were there, some happy, some sad ,some very funny.

If you are interested in the life of this man or even the history of modern day Rock and Roll Concert Production, how it started and evolved, I highly recomend this book.

Great, interesting book
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-04-03
This book is a little weird (to me) in concept but it works out really well in the end. The book goes from Bill's early days in Nazi Germany all the way to his death with no major stone left unturned. Lots of great stories with very little in the way of punches being pulled. I mean Bill really tells you what he is thinking. Very uncensored. Covers the drugs and the behind scenes stuff with no BS involved. Shows the guy for who he was, warts and all and lets him and the people he is talking about retort one another which I thought was weird in a good way. This book is of great interest to anyone who has probably gotten to this point in reading reviews. If you are interested in this type of subject then this book is a must.

Insightful
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-03-24
It's a good insight into the rock scene back in the 60's and 70's. A must read for anyone who likes classic rock.

judgescott
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-01-10
i didn't realize how much bill graham did behind the scenes.
montery pop ,woodstock, altamont,ect............

The Production Manager king
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2006-12-21
This book is structured so that as Bill Graham comments on different times of his life, he allows the persons hes speaking of to comment in the next paragraph. This makes for some very interesting reading. Grham discusses his time in Korea and killing the enemy. This experience allows him to have an abundant amount of courage when it comes to dealing with band managers in the future. Bill discusses Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, Zeppelin, the Stones, J Geils Band, Santana, the Who and all the tense dealings with each of these personalities. This book could have benefitted from better pictures of the bands. Thats my only critical comment.

Composers
The Doors
Published in Paperback by Harper Paperbacks (1983-09-19)
Author: Danny Sugerman
List price: $24.95
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Average review score:

ALL HIS LYRICS ON ALL HIS RECORDS
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2005-02-23
This book gives you all the lyrics to his songs and there are pictures and paragraphs about them.

Enjoyable And Fascinating.
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2002-09-24
"The Doors: The Illustrated History" is the best photographic, visual book record of the band. Compiled by Doors manager Danny Sugerman, it is a fascinating, visually rich and enjoyable display of a band that changed rock music and the amount of praise (and criticsm) they inspired. The pictures are great, they are clear, close and informative and clearly show how Jim Morrison created the theatrical aspects we so see so often in today's rock music. We also get different shots of the man, as the wild, leather-clad Lizard King and as a lonely, quiet poet. The articles and reviews are fascinating because they take us back to a time and place, but they are also surprising to read when compared to what is written today about certain rock artists. In one article dealing with the New Haven arrest where Morrison became the first rock performer to be arrested at a concert, the writer calls the music of The Doors "satanic, sensual and demented." A sign of what was to come with artists like Iggy Pop, Marilyn Manson, Alice Cooper and many others. Some of the reviews are especially well-written, like one where the writer says the Doors music evokes images like the eye-ball slashing in Luis Bunuel's "Un Chien Andalou." Like the music, the images are timeless, and evoke a poetic, deep persona who's presence is ever so strong in rock. Like The Beatles, The Doors are an unforgettable force, you hear them once and never forget. The foreward by Jerry Hopkins, who wrote "No One Here Gets Out Alive," is also informative and has interesting things to say about the resurgence of Doors music. This is a must for any Doors fanatic and anyone who has ever been touched by the music and words.

An Excellent Coffee Table Book/Conversation Piece for Fans
Helpful Votes: 6 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2002-12-10
I'm somewhat of a new Doors fan, particularly of Jim Morrison. The hair and the pout drew me in first, then the music followed. When I found this book, I knew I had to own it. I was not at all disappointed. Sugerman has done a fantastic job of compiling the hundereds of pictures and newspaper/magazine articles from over the years into this informative collection. The progression over the years of Morrison's rise to fame and eventual downfall into drugs and self-desctruction is adeptly demonstrated. A must-have for any Doors fan.

Great Job Danny!
Helpful Votes: 6 out of 8 total.
Review Date: 2002-11-08
Danny Sugerman is someone in the Doors "family" that alot of people don't think very highly of. He has made a pretty good living out of Jim Morrison's death and continues to this day to fuel the many myths he helped create with his contribution to "No One Here Gets Out Alive". But if it weren't for Danny.....The Doors would not be selling so many records or books or anything on Morrison. Danny has helped keep "The Myth" alive. This is why The Doors are so popular today. Having said that, no single person worked harder to keep the Doors name alive in the 80's than he did- for that I respect Danny.

This amazing compilation of cuttings, reviews, photographs and articles was collected by a young Danny during the height of The Doors success whilst working as Jim's assistant-answering Jim's fan mail.

Beginning with the bands first forays onto the LA gig circuit the fledgling Doors took the rock press by storm with their doom laden sound and extremely smart lyrical imagery. From the Whisky to Miami via the Singer Bowl and New Haven we travel along on the dark journey to oblivion that was the Doors turbulent and sadly short career as seen through the eyes of the press and a young teenage kid. As it happened live and uncut.

My review of The Doors: The Complete Lyrics
Helpful Votes: 9 out of 9 total.
Review Date: 2001-12-13
I absolutely love this book. The introduction and the photographs are worth the price alone. This book has the lyrics to all your favorite Doors songs plus poetry (lyrics) from Jim Morrisons' spoken word album "An American Prayer." It has also got interviews and a behind the scenes look at what went on during some of the recording sessions as well as definitions as to just what Jim meant in some of their songs. The discussion about the meaning of The End is great. This book is a must for Doors fans from the most ardent to the just curious. The book is not one that will be looked at once or twice and put on a shelf. It is a facinating read no matter how many times you read it. The Doors: The Complete Lyrics increased my respect and admiration for the band, and Jim in particular, 1000 fold.

Composers
Louis Armstrong
Published in Hardcover by Broadway (1997-06-16)
Author: Laurence Bergreen
List price: $30.00
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Average review score:

Subtitled "An Extravagent Life"
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2006-08-26
This book is subtitled "An Extravagant Life," and is available in hardcover. Laurence Bergreen also wrote "Louis Armstrong: An Extrodinary Life" Unfortunately I got the impression that Mr. Bergreen became a little disillusioned with his subject. He glosses over Armstrong's flaws. For instance, Bergreen seems to accept Louis' infidelities were the result of bad advice about women he received in his adolescence! His relationship and treatment of his mentor Joe Oliver is also rather quickly dismissed. I wish more time was spent on these parts of Armstrong's life. I can't fault the research and musical analysis, though.

Encore for Louis!
Helpful Votes: 14 out of 16 total.
Review Date: 2003-02-04
This was one of the best biographies I have ever read. By far the best one of the life of Louis Armstrong. It took me only 2 days to read this book, I could hardly put it down. Not being much of a fan of Dixieland, New Orleans Jazz, etc...after reading this book I was hooked. I wanted to listen to every Louis recording available. Bergreen paints Armstrong as such an amazing character which he completely was. Even if you aren't a jazz fan this is just a great book about a great man.

It's a won'derful book!
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2006-07-27

You get not only a bio of a great musician & person, you get a detailed description how Blacks lived New Orleans through the turn of the century. From it you get a better understanding of how the pre-recording (and therefore unrecorded) sounds of untutored musicians became the roots of the New Orleans musical genre and how the odds were stacked against Louis. You come to understand his workaholism and his deference to his eventual agent, who probably exploited him.

As the book progresses, the historical descriptions are not as detailed but you feel the music and the person developing. Ironically, the two best known pieces "Hello Dolly" & "It's a Wonderful World", were late stage, not representative, but somehow routine work for the prolific Louis.

It's hard to imagine from the impoverished roots, the raw deals and the omnipresent daily racism (even to his death in 1971 segregation both de facto and Jim Crow continued), how Louis kept his optimism and exhuberance. It was not self deceptive, when the chips were down, he supported the Brown v Board of Ed decision, not just in his heart, but words and actions.

He was an unfaithful lover and husband. We don't know if he ever promised otherwise... all his wives but the first (who was common law married) knew he was a married man when they started "dating" him. The world owes Mrs. Armstong the 2nd (Lil) a debt. She gave him confidence and a platform to be the star he became.

In the Acknowledgments the author says this is the first bio he's written where his admiration for his subject grows.

Louis Armstrong blazed a trail. He was a tough cat, much tougher than all the supposedly macho dudes who posture now. He doesn't have to posture because he's dealt with the mob and prostitutes who slash with the knifes in their shoes, and somehow reminds us, that despite all this, it's a wonderful world.

WOW!!
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 9 total.
Review Date: 2003-06-08
This book was amazingly well written! It wonderfuly portrays the life of a very talented and amzing man. Please, for your own sake, read this book!

The best biography on Louis Armstrong, by far
Helpful Votes: 8 out of 9 total.
Review Date: 2004-08-27
I believe I've read them all and nothing ever written about Louis Armstrong is as detailed as this book. Moreso than the "tired old stories" you see repeated in version after version of other tales of Armstrong, this one actually delves into the personal life as well as the persona of the man. Every Armstong fan needs to read this book - it's an awakening!

Composers
The Man Called CASH: The Life, Love and Faith of an American Legend
Published in Paperback by Thomas Nelson (2005-11-01)
Author: Steve Turner
List price: $14.99
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Average review score:

Great book
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-02-09
The Man Called Cash is a very good book. very informative.I think a child 11-12 years old could read it and beable to understand what they are reading.I think it gose behond some of the other books I have read on Johhny Cash.I would recomend it to any one who is interested in seeing where Johnny Cash were he came from and the legacey he left.

Fantastic biography of a true ledgend
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-01-11
I am a legally blind man and and I usually get my books to listen to through the library, but after I saw the movie walk the line I felt I had to know more about the ledgend of Cash through an audiobook if I could find one. I was lucky to find this one. I love the way Kris Kristofferson reads the book. Since he was a friend of cash's, he put feeling into the reading like no other person can. Through the author's extensive research on Cash, I found out things I never knew about him. The Movie is good, but if you really want to know who Cash is, just by this and Listen to Kristofferson tell you about his friend. The man in black.

piety and weakness
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2006-08-25
I learned a lot about Johnny Cash, as well as people like Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, Hank Williams, Patsy Cline, and many others who were the ones that generated so much buzz about music in the 1950's. Toward the end of the book, I was sad because I knew that it would speak of his death. I found myself not wanting to hear about it, because I had loved learning about his life so much.

My favorite story in the whole book was about a prayer he prayed at dinner. His dinner guest recalled the story:

Cash prayed and said, "... and we thank you Lord for this food, and we ask that you would bless it to our body. We pray these things in Jesus' name, Amen. When he finished praying he winked at me and said, "I still miss the drugs though."

It is precisely that juxtaposition of piety and weakness that I think I love about him. It reminds me of another man who is known well for his writing when he said:

I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do ... What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?

In case you didn't catch that, the other man to whom I referred is the Apostle Paul. He happened to be one of Cash's favorite people for obvious reasons. I have wondered why I am so enamored by people like Johnny Cash and Paul; these men of such conviction, but at the same time so open about their transgressions. I think it is because they knew themselves well, and they never allowed the good in them to elevate them to a place where they could look down at others. They knew the darkness, and that it was always waiting if they would just relent and turn to it.

Cash turned to it a lot. However, like Paul, he also said:

Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!

At the end of his life, after June Carter died he hung around for a few months more. He could barely walk, was in massive pain, and was eighty percent blind. In this state, however, he still had the Bible enlarged big enough so he could read it. Others spoke about his love of Jesus, his kindness, his generosity, and his faithfulness to June.

So many want to be cynical about people who struggle, fall, get up, and fall again. They like to point and yell to expose someone else's flaws. I am more convinced that the ones who yell the loudest are the ones who are the most scared of having their flaws exposed.

One of my favorite lines in music comes from a song sung by Cash. It was written by Bono and performed with U2 (yeah, I know big surprise). The line goes:

I went out there,
In search of experience,
To taste and to touch,
And to feel as much,
As a man can,
Before he repents.

Isn't that all of our stories? I know it's mine. I also know that it is mine everyday. I walk around, and like a little kid test the boundaries of God's love. Some days, I may not go far, other days I may feel restless and I just want to run. Yet each time I return home to talk with God I find myself speaking the words of Paul:

Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!

Hello, I'm A Johnny Cash Book!
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2006-06-10
I usually don't read many biographies, but I received this one for Christmas one year since I am a huge Johnny Cash fan. I was glad to see that this book was very well written and also a very easy read. I knew it was going to be good when the first chapter was pretty emotional, as it starts off with June Carter Cash dying. The book also focuses well on some key moments in Johnny Cash's life that made the most significant difference - the first being the death of his brother, Jack, and the others that revolved around June. Like other reviewers have stated, Walk The Line used a lot of moments from the book and I would recommend reading the book as well as watching the movie. I think what was great about Johnny Cash, and what we can all relate too, is how open he was with how he was a sinner and how he had made a lot of mistakes (ie. drugs, affairs, etc.), but he changed his ways when he fully committed himself to Jesus and his faith. I think this book can be a great tool to those who have struggled and have difficult pasts because Cash showed that it doesn't matter what you have done, that you have forgiveness and that you can always start over. Great message and this book has a lot of interesting and funny stories that will want to make you laugh, smile, shake your head, or make you feel sad. Steve Turner has done a great job and had made me rethink biographies. If you're a Johnny Cash fan, this a must-have!

Informative and In-Depth! A Good Biography to Start Learning About the Life of Johnny Cash.
Helpful Votes: 9 out of 13 total.
Review Date: 2006-05-10
Before I read this book, THE MAN CALLED CASH, by Steve Turner, from 2004, I had also read the 1997 book called CASH: THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY (with Patrick Carr). They both cover similar ground. The 1997 book seems more homey, like Johnny Cash is talking to you, but this book, by Steve Turner, seems more accurate.

Having know Johnny and his family for over a decade, author Steve Turner was actually hired to help write another autobiography, but June and Johnny died unexpectedly, and the book turned into an in-depth research research project, instead of just helping Johnny write with decent grammar, or whatever it takes two authors to do with an AUTObiography.

Both books seem to be equally long in content, though the page counts and page sizes differ between the hardcover of this book and the small paperback of THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY book that I read.

Though both books cover a lot of the same incidents from Johnny's life, this book, THE MAN CALLED CASH, features some highly interesting coverage of the last living days of June and Johnny, before they both passed on in 2003. There is also plenty of more in-depth coverage of events told in THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY, and there are also plenty of events from Johnny's life that are not mentioned in the 1997 autobiography. I recommend that you read both books, actually.

The author also points out that since he had to do research, instead of just typing out whatever Johnny told him, he has discovered that Johnny Cash never had trouble telling a good story, or making a good story even better! For example, Johnny Cash has written and talked about how rowdy he was in the Air Force, fighting with the military police, etc., but Steve Turner points out that the people who were in the Air Force with him don't remember any of that kind of rowdiness from Johnny, who never got into much trouble, and would have been widely known on the air base if he HAD fought with the guards, etc. This book also tells about how Johnny would play music with other airmen in his dorm, and Johnny was the worst of the bunch, learning a lot from the others!

There are many interesting b/w photos, although mostly small, but in high quantity! There is a photo of his brother Jack, whose childhood death affected Johnny for the rest of his life.

This book also has a chronology of major events in Johnny's life, and a discography of his primary releases, which is good to use as a shopping list, for me.

This book does have some distracting typos that I hope get fixed in future printings. On one page the same sentence appears twice in a row. In the Chronology, the death of his father, Ray Cash, appears twice on the list, in 1985 (correct), and then again in 1993 (incorrect). This is unfortunate, but these two are the worst distractions that I found without even trying.

It is also interesting to see how the movie WALK THE LINE compares to what is contained in both of these books! For instance, both books say that June Carter never really met or toured with Johnny until he was a big, established star, years into his music career, while the movie gives me the impression that they met on Johnny's first fledgling tour.

THE MAN CALLED CASH gives information about the the saw accident and his brother Jack. This book says that actually there was another 12 year old boy there, who witnessed the event, and Johnny suspected him of being involved in a bad way, though none of the adults thought so at the time, or ever! Both books mention how Johnny would see Jack appear in his dreams for the rest of his life, always a few years older than Johnny at whatever the age Johnny dreamed the appearance.

This book talks about Johnny's friendship with the evangelist, Billy Graham. I personally enjoy Johnny's Gospel albums and projects, but I am a little bit disappointed over the wasted years of drug abuse and family neglect from Johnny, who thought of himself often as a lost Christian, but a Christian none the less. What do you think about that?

The Bible says, "What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice." -- Philippians 1:18. Using this Bible verse as a model, it tells me that Johnny Cash's Gospel works, as good as they are, are also totally legitimate as long as they correctly preach the Word of God--regardless of the depths of sin and abuse that Johnny heaped upon himself and his loved ones.

As long as Jesus Christ is being preached correctly, the sins of the messenger do not negate the message itself (and we are all sinners, just not as extreme as Johnny was, I suspect)! I do not and cannot condone his sinful abuses, (though I have done most of them myself, before I got Saved 8 years ago), but I will let God judge his own servant, and I will continue to enjoy the many beautiful Gospel projects which Johnny Cash was always eager and happy to work on!

GOSPEL GLORY is my favorite Johnny Cash Gospel CD, so far. His movie, THE GOSPEL ROAD, is on DVD and is also really cool! My favorite Gospel project from Johnny Cash is his spoken word reading of the entire NEW TESTAMENT on 16 CDs, very affordably priced from amazon.com, and all three of these items come highly recommended by me!

I can recommend both of these books for anybody who enjoyed the WALK THE LINE film.

Bottom line: read CASH: THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY for a fun time spent with Johnny Cash in his own words, then read this book, THE MAN CALLED CASH, for the REAL story on how many of those stories actually went down!

Composers
Off The Record: Songwriters on Songwriting
Published in Hardcover by Andrews McMeel Publishing (2002-09-02)
Author:
List price: $49.95
New price: $6.00
Used price: $1.65
Collectible price: $69.99

Average review score:

Only thing missing . . .
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2003-01-11
. . . was the music! I was surprised and mildly disappointed that the CD's didn't include the original recordings of the songs talked about. Other than that it was most enjoyable

May the musical journey never end.
Helpful Votes: 6 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2004-11-14

This book is an absolute Gem!I just spent the afternoon enjoying this terrific book and the 2 CD's that came along with it.25 great songs, mainly from the second half of the 20th. century,and the songwriters behind them.The songs and writers were so well chosen that it's hard to imagine anyone not liking most,if not all,the choices.
To listen to these Artists talk about their lives,work,and the things that meant so much to them is a real treat.The interviews are all very personal and it seems that everything was spontaneous and came right from the heart.
Here is some of what you'll find:
"If you wanna make it,you can't fake it,you gotta live it."
Hank Williams Sr.
"The answer,my friend,is blowing in the wind."
Peter Yarrow will tell you what it means.
"You don't hit a home run every time you come to bat.You don't hit oil every time you drill."Jimmie Davis,Gov.Louisiana and writer of "You are my Sunshine".
"Why can't I free your doubtful mind and melt your Cold,Cold Heart." Where did Hank get that title?
"The Dragon lives forever and has been with us for 3 or 4 generations." Peter Yarrow
"Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree." L.Russell Brown tells us what prompted this one.
"Love is Like a Burning Ring of Fire"What gave Merle Kilgore and June Carter Cash the idea for this song?
I am reluctant to say anything negative about this super book;but I felt a letdown after the end of each interviev on the CD's.I think the songs should have been included in their entirety;but then again it would have been impossible to give it only 5 stars.
I read the book and then listened to the CD's;and found that a good order.
Finally,I'd recommend you read the other reviews.They all have something to add.

Wonderful
Helpful Votes: 6 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2003-01-04
"Off The Record: Songwriters on Songwriting" by Graham Nash is WONDERFUL!

It features

Full color artistic renderings the lyrics of 25 famous songs by the original songwriters.
Songs like True Colors, What a Wonderful World, Never My Love, and many more.

Pictures of the songwriters and artists.

Interviews with the songwriters.

Then 2 CD's filled with songwriter interviews where you get to hear some of the story about what inspired the featured song and other songs the songwriter wrote.

"Songwriters on Songwriting" is beautiful and delightful.

Ande Rasmussen
Songwriter
Editor and Publisher of Inspirations for Songwriters
President of Austin Songwriters Group

Music to my eyes!
Helpful Votes: 7 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2002-12-06
A visually stunning book for music lovers or casual fans. The multimedia format really takes the music and lyrics to a new level. Cheers to Graham for this wonderful effort!

Can't get enough!
Helpful Votes: 7 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2002-12-06
Already anxious for the next edition! I've always been a big fan of Graham Nash's, but never had the benefit of so much insight into the creation of great songs. Where do you find this type of memorable music today? It's rare. I can listen to each of the featured 25 songs in Off the Record and tell you about a special memory that is conjured up from the recesses of my mind. It's fascinating to read the artists' stories behind the songs. Please Graham, give us more!

Composers
Rage to Survive
Published in Hardcover by Villard (1995-05-23)
Authors: Etta James and David Ritz
List price: $20.00
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Used price: $3.07
Collectible price: $150.00

Average review score:

Really real
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-08-30
Etta James has lived a wild life, and she lays it out unvarnished in Rage to Survive. Plenty of detail about what the music scene was like during her formative years, and she pulls no punches when discussing her bad habits and mistakes. Refreshingly straight forward and entertaining. I highly recommend reading this.

A BOOK WORTH THE ASKING PRICE!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-14
I, Tina; Don't Block the Blessings by Patti LaBelle, Bobby Womack, Pryor Convictions (Richard Pryor), Super Freak (Rick James) and The Etta James Story have been some of the most TELLING books that I have EVER had the pleasure of reading.

I personally prefer when an artist joins with their OWN writer and composes their OWN story, instead of waiting for someone else to do it, only to wind up in court desperately trying to refute the ill-refuted claims gathered by 2nd, 3rd and 4th-hand witnesses to something they heard told to their 3rd cousin twice removed.

I agree with Etta, your only TRUE judge in this ball of confusion is God, so why should you apologize to anyone else? Why not put it out there for everyone to finally snicker, whisper and gossip about, and then ultimately get over?

This book is only a grave reminder to everyone who has always looked to "Holly-WEIRD'S" version of a "hero", that perhaps it would be best to look a little closer to home.

Celebrities are only humans, too. Try looking up to the everyday, ordinary people that you see delivering your mail daily, pulling over drunk drivers, extinguishing fires, teaching your children, preaching to your families and saving your loved ones~~instead of people who can never vote (because they're felons), don't own property or their own vehicles, and are barely able to do a better job than YOU at child-rearing!

the etta james story
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-01-09
the book is great to read it came in very good condition not dirty or torn or bent.

a true fighter
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-01-04
With odds stacked against her in every direction - including personal resistance to success - Etta manages to not only survive, but thrive & inspire!
Stories of the early days of motown, touring, & musician swapping is exciting and nearly incestuous (so many huge names in music ran the same circuits, competing for musicians, songs, gigs & label attention).

Rage de survivre
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-28
The title of this book, Rage to Survive, is very well chosen, hinting is at does to the French phrase "rage de vivre," rage to live.

I grew up with Motown, Aretha, and Otis Redding, but never heard of Etta James until I was over 50! The singer I know only thanks to YouTube, but what I heard there was so talented it's almost scary: soul and blues, sure, but also country and jazz. I suspect that her drug addiction in the late 50s and early 60s led the publicity industry to shun her. (It was only starting in 1968 that one could do drugs and not get the silent treatment.) I know that this is an "as told to" book, but how many soul musicians have bothered to write any kind of memoir? This book deserves to become a classic of its kind.

Amy Weinhaus sounds fresh and interesting only because Etta James is so little known. Weinhaus's career may be over, and she probably won't live to see 30. James is 71. If I am right, Weinhaus will never have a child. James performs with her sons. Etta, you are one tough momma...

Composers
Anthology of Awesomeness: The Official 2gether Scrapbook
Published in Paperback by MTV (2001-07)
Authors: Brian Gunn and Mark Gunn
List price: $12.95
New price: $3.99
Used price: $1.80

Average review score:

NOAH BASTIAN IZ HOTT!!!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2001-10-17
This is THE best scrapbook in the wooooooooorld!!! What can I say??!! I'm obsessed!!! Along with the two albums this is wicked...JUST BUY IT AND DROOL OVER NOAH aka CHAD!!!... R.I.P Michael Cuccione xXx

Awesome!
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2006-08-11
This is the ultimate book for the ultimate 2GE+HER fan! Although I got a book that only had 92 pages - and I think I'm missing the last 4 pages of the book because it suddenly ends. But anyways, this book is hilarious and is filled with various trivia about the guys! QT can't write, Jerry was born without a jaw, Mickey wasn't always a gangster, Chad's blue eyes hypnotize, and Doug wears a balding toupee! A book that's definitley worth your money.

Rip off!
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2005-07-21
I love this book but the person that I bought it from ripped me off. I am totally pissed about this. Someone took out 4 pages so now I have 92 pages. I was supposed to have 96! Damn con artist. I still love 2gether though but I need to know what I'm missing in those 4 pages.

2Gether
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2002-04-02
2Gether is the best musical grop and will always be the best, there cd's are funny, and good, whenever I have a bad day I put in one of there albums and it makes me feel better. The guys of 2Gether are talented, cute, sweet, and adorable. Noah is my favorite member and he sings beautifully and I love him with all my heart. I would like to say R.I.P. to Michael Cuccione, he was a brave kid until the end, he's a great singer, actor, and he is defintly a role model to all people. I will always love you.

This book really is awesome!
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2002-11-09
This is one of my favorite books! I do enjoy "real" literature, novels, and that sort of thing -- don't get me wrong. I just think that this is written very well and it's extremely hilarious. You find out stuff about these guys that you've never known before. For example, did you know QT really couldn't write? He signs his name with an X! Never before seen pictures of all the guys (ever wonder what Doug's high school yearbook pic looked like?) are included, too. A little bit of old skool Whoa! is in here as well. If you ever watched 2Gether, this is a great book to have! Besides, it's cheap enough. Give it a shot. Or else Chad will cry.

Composers
Backstreet Boys: The Unofficial Book
Published in Paperback by Billboard Books (1998-03)
Author:
List price: $10.95
New price: $1.45
Used price: $0.01
Collectible price: $27.88

Average review score:

IT WAS BAD; IF YOU HATE BSB YOU'LL HATE THIS !
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2000-07-05
Horrible book, because it deals with a horrible "band" which is fooling millions of people around the globe...

BACK, from Ecuador
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2002-02-08
IT IS AN INTERESTING BOOK, AN IT IS VERY CHEAP.
I COULD READ ALL THE BIOGRAPHY ABOUT MY FAVORITE GROUP AND I THINK THAT I FALL IN LOVE WITH THEM.
THE BEST PHOTOGRAPH IS WHERE THEY ARE TOGETHER IN A CONCERT.
THEY ARE VERY GOOD-LOOKING

i love this book!!!!!!!!
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2000-07-10
i love the pic's in this book, when i read this book it told me some thing i didn't know, but some parts iretate me cause i know they are wrong,but i think i was well written it made me laugh many times,i love most the pic's on nick, as i have all the books on bsb i find this one of the best i have!!!!!!!!! it's a must!!!!!!!!!!

THIS BOOK IS SO GOOD AND I LIKE AJ MCLEAN PICTURES.
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 1999-06-11
I LIKE THIS BOOK CAUSE THE PICTURES INSIDE IT LOOK SO GOOD ESPECIALLY AJ MCLEAN AND HOWIE D AND THOSE ARE MY FAVORITES IN THE GROUP AND I ALSO LIKE BRIANL.BECAUSE HE IS SO FINE AND THE BOYS GOT IT GOING ON ALL THE TIME.

It was great, if you love BSB you'll love this.
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 1999-07-10
It was great! I love the Backstreet Boys (especially Brian) and I loved this book. It had great info on each of the guys, good stuff about how they got together, and really hot pictures. If you love the Backstreet Boys, get this book!

Composers
JOSH GROBAN
Published in Paperback by HAL LEONARD CORPORATION (2007-04-07)
Author: Josh Groban
List price: $19.95
New price: $12.21
Used price: $13.14

Average review score:

I am totally impressed with this product
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2005-08-25
This product is exactly what I was looking for. Thank you so much.

Great Gift
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2006-02-19
My friend wanted it for Christmas, so I got it for her as a surprise, and while I'm not a big fan of Josh Groban, she loves him. I've never had a Christmas gift make someone so happy, she absolutely loves everything about this book.

THIS IS GREAT
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2005-09-30
This sheet music is great. My husband loves to sing and to play the piano. This sheet music is fabulous.

Fantastic Voice...Fantastic Arrangement
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2004-12-14
I am not nearly as gifted in the vocal department as Josh is, however, I do play the flute, and after getting hooked on his cd, I got this book. The wonderful things about this book is that since the melody is there, I can play the melody. The songs are in an easy enough key, and the notes are never out of reach. Josh Groban is young still, and I simply can not wait to see what his voice will be like in 10 years. If you like to play excellent music, this book is wonderful. You may find, however, that it will be necessary to raise the songsb y an octave (mainly due to the limitations of your instrument) but the result is the same, and still powerful.

Josh is awesome---You can't argue that.
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2004-12-08
Uh, I'm not sure what the last person was talking about...Josh handles the high notes very well. His voice is so beautiful. Clearly, he's gotten as far as he has for a good reason. If he was the same as the rest of the young vocalists in this country, then tell me why exactly he's famous and selling MILLIONS of albums. Yeah, that's what I thought.


Books-Under-Review-->Kids and Teens-->Arts-->Music-->Composers-->6
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