Author Bill Amatneek has spent his life with music. He was the bass player on the first David Grisman Quintet album, a writer for Rolling Stone, banjoist with Frank Wakefield, and much more. This book consists of a series of stories of life in the culture of the eclectic (but primarily acoustic) musician of the late 20th century. Peopled by names like Tony Rice, Kate Wolf, Peter Rowan, New Riders of the Purple Sage, Aretha Franklin, Frank Wakefield, David Grisman and others, these entertaining and thoughtfully related tales mark Amatneek as a fine storyteller, and reveal the human nature of some of our finest musicians. Awarded Best Music Book by the Bay Area Independent Publishers Assoc. in 2004. Recommended. 187 pp.
610-1
$15.95
AFRICAN BANJO ECHOES IN APPALACHIA: A STUDY OF FOLK TRADITIONS
by Cecelia Conway
Photo
A well-researched study of the influence of African-Americans on banjo playing throughout U.S. history. Includes many photographs and illustrations. Notes, bibliography and index. 394 pp.
411-5
$26.00
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AMERICA'S INSTRUMENT: THE BANJO IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY
by Phillip Gura and James Bollman
5 Photos
Now in it's second printing! Richly illustrated history of "America's instrument" from the gourd banjo of enslaved Africans to the minstrel banjos of the mid 1800's, and the Fairbanks, Stewart, Haynes and other instruments representing the very zenith of popular culture in the late 1800s. Rare period photos, sheet music covers, tutors, tunebooks and more! Hardcover, 97 color and 156 b&w illustrations, 303 pp.
on order, expected arrival date 11/27/09
411-7
$60.00
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BARRELHOUSE BLUES: LOCATION RECORDING AND THE EARLY TRADITIONS OF THE BLUES
by Paul Oliver
Explores the folk traditions that preceded and shaped the blues style as well as the conditions under which first recordings were made. Barrelhouse Blues traces the recordings made at such early venues as street and vaudeville performances, work and prison camps, and juke joints. Hardcover. 228 pp.
542-236
$24.95
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BLUEGRASS TIME: A MUSICIAN'S PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE EARLY DAYS OF BLUEGRASS FESTIVALS
by Phil Zimmerman
2 Photos
Featuring photographs taken between 1972 and 1984, the book documents the passing of the torch from the first generation pioneers of bluegrass to their successors, as well as capturing the energy of the early festivals. Includes Bill Monroe, Ralph Stanley, Kenny Baker, Don Stover, Charlie Waller and the Country Gentlemen, J.D. Crowe and the New South, Sam Bush and New Grass Revival, John Hartford, Bela Fleck, Emmylou Harris, Vasser Clements, Del McCoury, many more. Printed in black and white using 4-color rich black process to achieve the highest possible quality. Foreword by Rhonda Vincent. 64 pp.
714-1
$25.00
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BUNYAN AND BANJOES: MICHIGAN SONGS & STORIES
by Kitty Donohoe & Pasqua Cekola Warstler
Photo
Now available as a book/CD pack! An enchanting potpourri of folklore, songs, Indian legends, recipes, history, and other Michigan-based activities. Includes stories on how maple sugar is made; the early fur trade, the building of the Mackinac Bridge and Soo Locks; the sad loss of the steamer Chicora; as well as several songs adapted to sign language. 48 pp.
232-1CD
$25.95
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CAFE SOCIETY: THE WRONG PLACE FOR THE RIGHT PEOPLE
by Barney Josephson, et al
Photo
Tells the personal history of Barney Josephson, proprietor of the legendary interracial New York city night clubs Cafe Society Downtown and Cafe Society Uptown, and their successor, The Cookery. Famously known as "the wrong place for the right people," Cafe Society featured the cream of the jazz and blues performers - among whom were Billie Holiday, boogie-woogie pianists, Big Joe Turner, Lester Young, Buck Clayton, Big Sid Catlett, and Mary Lou Williams - as well as comedy stars Imogene Coca, Zero Mostel, and Jack Gilford, and also gospel and folk singers. Hardcover, 376 pp.
542-223
$29.95
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CAJUN MUSIC: A REFLECTION OF A PEOPLE
by Ann Allen Savoy
Photo
A labor of love -- and THE history of Cajun music -- from one of the genre's leading contemporary musicians and historians. Over 100 traditional songs in Cajun French with English translations, and interviews with many great Cajun musicians. Loaded with photos. 419 pp.
216-1
$42.00
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CLAPTON'S GUITAR: WATCHING WAYNE HENDERSON BUILD THE PERFECT INSTRUMENT
by Allen St. John
Photo
A mesmerizing journey into the heart of high-end guitar-making through the quirky character of Wayne Henderson, a musician and craftsman who builds his guitars by hand, literally by putting penknife to wood and carving away "everything that isn't a guitar." There is a waiting list 10 years long for his guitars. This absorbing account follows, step-by-step, the incredible sculpting of Clapton's favored guitar and along the way readers get a whirlwind tour of what might be called "Six String Nation," where fine instruments are made, played, and treasured in modern America. 277 pp.
542-141
$14.00
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COUNTRY MUSIC ORIGINALS - THE LEGENDS AND THE LOST
by Tony Russell
Photo
Roots music authority Tony Russell offers vivid portraits of the men and women who created country music, the artists whose lives and songs formed the rich tradition from which so many have drawn their inspiration. Includes major figures Jimmie Rodgers, The Carter Family, Fiddlin' John Carson, Charlie Poole, and Gene Autry; and many fascinating lesser-known figures such as Carson Robison, Otto Gray, Chris Bouchillon, and Emry Arthur. 110 profiles in all, many of whose stories are told here for the first time. Russell draws upon new research and source material--contemporary newspaper reports and magazine articles, internet genealogy sites, and his own interviews. The result is a lively mix of colorful tales and anecdotes and priceless accounts of performances. Includes more than 200 illustrations, some never before published, including photographs, record labels, song sheets, newspaper clippings, cartoons, advertisements, and magazine covers. Hardcover. 258 pp.
581-5
$29.95
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COUNTRY MUSIC RECORDS: A DISCOGRAPHY, 1921 - 1942
by Tony Russell, Bob Pinson
Photo
Documents all country music recording sessions from 1921 until 1942. Until now, discographies of pre-World War II country music recordings were only to be found scattered in journals and fanzines, or in books devoted to single artists. With primary research based on files and session logs from record companies, interviews with surviving musicians, as well as the 200,000 recordings archived at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum's Frist Library and Archives, this work is the first compendium to accurately report the key details behind all the recording sessions of country music during this era. In doing so, it tells the commercial story of the music's first two decades. 1183 pp.
542-221
$49.95
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DELTA BLUES: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE MISSISSIPPI MASTERS WHO REVOLUTIONIZED AMERICAN MUSIC
Ted Gioia
Photo
An analysis of the influence of Mississippi Delta music traces its rise from the plantation songs of the nineteenth century through the achievements of modern performers, in a tribute that cites the accomplishments of Robert Johnson, Charley Patton, B.B. King and many more. Hardcover, 448 pp.
542-210
$27.95
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FIDDLER'S CURSE - REVISED AND UPDATED: THE UNTOLD STORY OF ERVIN T. ROUSE, CHUBBY WISE, JOHNNY CASH AND THE ORANGE BLOSSOM SPECIAL
by Randy Noles
Photo
One of the most bizarre stories in all of popular music is the history of "Orange Blossom Special," arguably the century's best-known fiddle tune. The man credited with its ownership, Ervin T. Rouse, endured tragedy, alcoholism and mental illness. He spent his last years fiddling for tips in isolated taverns at the edge of the Everglades. The man who claimed co-ownership, Chubby Wise, achieved fame as a bluegrass fiddler but struggled to overcome personal demons. Johnny Cash, who made the song a mainstream hit, quietly championed Rouse and earned the enmity of Wise. This trio's disparate legacies are here told - and forever linked with the legendary diesel steamliner. Formerly titled "Orange Blossom Boys." 226 pp.
49-1081
$14.95
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FIDDLING WAY OUT YONDER: THE LIFE AND MUSIC OF MELVIN WINE
by Drew Beisswenger
Photo
From a small mountain town in West Virginia, elder fiddler Wine has inspired musicians and music enthusiasts far beyond his homeplace. Wine, a farmer, a coal miner, a father of ten children, and a deeply religious man, shaped a musical tradition. The book addresses the broad historical issues related both to North American fiddling and to Wine's personal history. His playing also comes under close stylistic scrutiny. The book reveals Wine's particular tunings, his ways of holding the instrument, his licks, his bowing techniques and patterns, his tune categories and favorite keys. Includes transcriptions & analyses of ten of his tunes, some of which are linked to minstrelsy, ballad singing traditions, and gospel music. The background of each is discussed, and how it has fit into Melvin's life. Hardcover, 248 pp.
701-2
$45.00
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FIDDLING WAY OUT YONDER: THE LIFE AND MUSIC OF MELVIN WINE
by Drew Beisswenger
Photo
From a small mountain town in West Virginia, elder fiddler Wine has inspired musicians and music enthusiasts far beyond his homeplace. Wine, a farmer, a coal miner, a father of ten children, and a deeply religious man, shaped a musical tradition. The book addresses the broad historical issues related both to North American fiddling and to Wine's personal history. His playing also comes under close stylistic scrutiny. The book reveals Wine's particular tunings, his ways of holding the instrument, his licks, his bowing techniques and patterns, his tune categories and favorite keys. Includes transcriptions & analyses of ten of his tunes, some of which are linked to minstrelsy, ballad singing traditions, and gospel music. The background of each is discussed, and how it has fit into Melvin's life. 248 pp.
on order, expected arrival date unknown
701-4
$25.00
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GUITAR IN AMERICA: VICTORIAN ERA TO JAZZ AGE
by Jeffrey J. Noonan
Photo
Offers a history of the instrument from America's late Victorian period to the jazz age. The opening chapter traces the guitar's use in this country from the Colonial era up to the 1880s. The narrative continues with America's BMG (banjo, mandolin, and guitar) community, a late nineteenth-century musical and commercial movement dedicated to introducing these instruments into America's elite musical establishments. Using surviving BMG magazines, the author details an almost unknown history of the guitar during the movement's heyday, tracing the guitar's transformation from a refined parlor instrument to a mainstay in jazz and popular music. In the process, he not only introduces musicians (including numerous women guitarists) who led the movement, but also examines new techniques and instruments. Chapters consider the BMG movement's impact on jazz and popular music, the use of the guitar to promote attitudes towards women and minorities, and the challenges foreign guitarists such as Miguel Llobet and Andres Segovia presented to America's musicians. Hardcover, 239 pp.
701-3
$50.00
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HE WAS SINGIN' THIS SONG
by Jim Bob Tinsley, with forewords by Gene Autry, Douglas B. Green and S. Omar Barker
Photo
Book/CD pack. This lovingly researched book is a musical, pictorial and historical narrative of the Old West, featuring 48 annotated songs that are authentic examples of the popular music of the era, handed down from one cowpoke to another as they roamed the range. Features many fascinating historical photos and stories of the cowboys and their lives. The author sings 11 of the most popular songs on the accompanying CD. Winner of the outstanding "Western Music Award" from the National Cowboy Hall of Fame and Western Heritage Center! Softcover. 242 pp.
49-491133
$35.00
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HOMEGROWN MUSIC - DISCOVERING BLUEGRASS
by Stephanie P. Ledgin
Photo
A colorful and lively history of bluegrass. Candid interviews with legends like Earl Scruggs, Ralph Stanley and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. Ledgin covers the festival experience, "parking lot picking," origins, continuing the tradition, the songs, lots more. With an extensive resource guide and suggested recordings. Foreword by Ricky Skaggs. 181 pp.
542-140
$19.95
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HOWDY, FOLKS, HOWDY, VOL. 1 - STORIES OF BILL MONROE AND THE BLUE GRASS BOYS BY THE "MEN WHO WORE THE HATS"
compiled by Doug Hutchens
Photo
Invaluable memories by the the Blue Grass Boys about Monroe. Most collected at their first reunion, they move along in an "I remember one time..." format that puts you right there at the table. A collection of stories, interviews and photographs. Art Stamper, Lonnie Hopper, Eddie Adcock and many more. 33 pp.
638-1
$6.00
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I HEAR A VOICE CALLING: A BLUEGRASS MEMOIR
by Gene Lowinger
Photo
During the final years of Bill Monroe's life, bluegrass fiddler Lowinger took a series of photos of Bill on the road. These photos and others are interwoven into Lowinger's own story of a New Jersey boy obsessed with folk and old-time music; his college trips to see Monroe and other bluegrass masters; his stints as a fiddler for the New York Ramblers, Greenbriar Boys, and Blue Grass Boys; and his memories of playing at the Grand Ole Opry and music festivals. A photographic reflection on Bill Monroe's public and private life, it also testifies to the bluegrass master's profound mentorship and guidance. 75 photos, 160 pp.
542-238
$19.95
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IT STILL MOVES: LOST SONGS, LOST HIGHWAYS, AND THE SEARCH FOR THE NEXT AMERICAN MUSIC
by Amanda Petrusich
Photo
A survey of the modern world's avant garde folk scene pays tribute to the traditions of such genres as gospel, bluegrass, and rock while tracing the rise of Americana music, in an account that celebrates its foremost artists and explores the adaptations of the twenty-first century. Hardcover. 290 pp.
542-205
$25.00
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IT STILL MOVES: LOST SONGS, LOST HIGHWAYS, AND THE SEARCH FOR THE NEXT AMERICAN MUSIC
by Amanda Petrusich
Photo
Petrusich takes us on a tour through the roots of American rural music, stopping at eccentric motels, visiting mythic sites of recording sessions and reciting heroic tales of song-catching and villainous accounts of song-stealing. A survey of the modern world's avant garde folk scene pays tribute to the traditions of such genres as gospel, bluegrass, and rock while tracing the rise of Americana music, in an account that celebrates its foremost artists and explores the adaptations of the twenty-first century. 290 pp.
542-235
$15.00
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LIFE FLOWS ON IN ENDLESS SONG: FOLK SONGS AND AMERICAN HISTORY
by Robert V. Wells
Photo
An engaging survey of what folk songs tell us about the American past. Wells discusses how folk songs emerged from particular historical circumstances and evolved as they migrated from one region to another. Crafting a sociological map of four centuries of American history, he investigates how songs embody shifting attitudes toward the institution of the family, war and religion, work and the labor movement, transportation, and slavery and Jim Crow. Discusses Leadbelly and Woody Guthrie. With a selective discography of key recordings. 240 pp.
542-239
$25.00
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LIFT EVERY VOICE: THE HISTORY OF AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSIC
by Burton Peretti
Photo
Traces the roots of black music in Africa and slavery and its evolution in the United States from the end of slavery to the present day. The music's creators, consumers, and distributors are all part of the story. Musical genres such as spirituals, ragtime, the blues, jazz, gospel, rhythm and blues, rock, soul, and hip-hop - as well as black contributions to classical, country, and other American music forms - depict the continuities and innovations that mark both the music and the history of African Americans. Hardcover, 222 pp.
542-224
$34.95
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LINTHEAD STOMP: THE CREATION OF COUNTRY MUSIC IN THE PIEDMONT SOUTH
by Patrick Huber
Photo
An exploration of the origins and development of American country music in the Piedmont's mill villages examines a colorful cast of musicians: Fiddlin' John Carson, Charlie Poole, Dave McCarn, the Dixon Brothers and others, and considers the enduring contributions that the region's millhands made to American popular music. Map, illustrations, bibliography, more. Hardcover. 416 pp.
542-211
$30.00
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MANDOLIN BLUES - FROM MEMPHIS TO MAXWELL STREET
by Rich DelGrosso
Photo
Book/CD pack. Travel back in time as acclaimed mandolinist Rich DelGrosso traces the story of the black mandolinist in America. Follow the lives of Yank Rachell, W. Howard Armstrong, Charlie McCoy, Vol Stevens, Will Weldon, Carl Martin, Johnny Young, and then learn their timeless music. Include rags, drags and stomps, stories from Rich's time spent with Armstrong and Rachell, a selected discography, more. CD includes all musical examples and songs. An indispensable guide to the rich history of blues mandolin. Note/tab. 80 pp.
49-695899
$19.95
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MANDOLINS, LIKE SALAMI: A HISTORY & PERSONAL MEMOIR
by Sheri Mignano Crawford
3 Photos
"Biographical Sketches of Twentieth Century Italian American Mandolinists, and a Social History of Mandolin Orchestras and Ballo Liscio Repertoire in North Beach, San Francisco and the Bay Area!" Artists and traditions come to life via this in-depth read illuminating the cultural and musical roots of a heritage the author shares. Filled with photos, and names like the Andrini Brothers, Gino Pellegrini's Aurora Mandolin Orchestra, Tony Flores, O.Di Bell, many more! 196 pp.
659-1
$27.95
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MY BOYFRIEND'S BACK: THE STORY OF THE GIRL GROUPS
CD/book package featuring the high points of one of the best periods in rock & roll history -- when the "girl groups" ruled. Four-color book with lots of photos and information. CD includes "Lollipop," "Heat Wave," "One Fine Day," "Chapel Of Love," "Leader of the Pack," "The Locomotion," more.)
out-of-stock, more coming soon
FRIED-CD181
$16.98
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MYSTERY TRAIN
by Greil Marcus
Photo
A new edition of the classic study of rock music traces the evolution of the genre as exemplified in the careers of six key artists -- Robert Johnson, Harmonica Frank, Randy Newman, the Band, Sly Stone, and Elvis Presley -- and examines its influence on American pop culture. Updated with a revised discography and notes. Fifth edition. 409 pp.
542-195
.. list $17.00 ours
$8.00
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PICTURING THE BANJO
by Leo G Mazow
4 Photos
This is the catalog that accompanies the "Picturing the Banjo" exhibit at Washington's Corcoran Gallery from 12-10-05 to 3-05-06 and which will then move to the Palmer Museum of Art at Pennsylvania State University from 3-30-06 to 6-25-06. Made popular in minstrel shows of the nineteenth century, the "banjar" derives from the stringed gourd instrument African slaves brought with them to plantations in the Caribbean and American South. From minstrelsy to the folk music revival of the twentieth century, the banjo has continued to attract audiences and acquire meaning. "Picturing the Banjo" gives this long history an entirely new dimension by tracing the instrument's representation in American visual culture from the eighteenth century to the present. Published in conjunction with an exhibition of the same name, "Picturing the Banjo" offers the first examination of the instruments portrayal in images that range from anonymous photographs of performers to paintings by Thomas Eakins and prints by Dox Thrash. Organized by the Palmer Museum of Art of The Pennsylvania State University. 120 illus. 200 pp.
655-1
$44.95
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RECORD MAKERS AND BREAKERS : VOICES OF THE INDEPENDENT ROCK 'N' ROLL PIONEERS
by John Broven
Photo
This engaging history of the independent rock 'n' roll record industry from its raw regional beginnings in the 1940s with R&B and hillbilly music through its decline in the 1960s combines narrative history with extensive oral history material from numerous recording pioneers. The rich oral histories provide abundant on-the-ground information about nurturing new artists such as Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, and B.B. King and then losing them to the bigger labels; developing pressing plants, distribution centers, jukebox circuits, and disk jockey networks; financing these operations, often on shoestring budgets; and creating innovative approaches (including payola) to developing an audience. Hardcover, 584 pp.
542-220
$50.00
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RING THE BANJAR!
by Robert Lloyd Webb
5 Photos
The banjo in America from folklore to factory. A history of the banjo. Includes many beautiful color and B&W illustrations. 2nd edition. 101 pp.
42-1
$24.95
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STOMP AND SWERVE: AMERICAN MUSIC GETS HOT, 1843 - 1924
by David Wondrich
Early decades of American popular music are the dark ages, until the mid-1920s when recordings became popular. This book brings a forgotten music, hot music, to life by describing how it became the dominant American music and became rock 'n' roll. In minstrelsy, ragtime, brass bands, early jazz and blues, fiddle music, and other forms, there was as much stomping and swerving as can be found in the most exciting performances of hot jazz, funk, and rock. It explains how the strange combination of African with Scotch and Irish influences made U.S. music vastly different from other African and Caribbean forms; shares terrific stories about minstrel shows, "coon" songs, whorehouses, knife fights, and other "low-life" phenomena; and showcases a motley collection of performers. 256 pp.
on order, expected arrival date unknown
542-216
$17.95
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TAMBURITZA AMERICA
by Milan Opacich
4 Photos
The Tamburitza represents a whole family of stringed instruments related to the mandolin and the balalaika and originating in the lands that became Yugoslavia. There are strong Slavic communities which continue a great tradition of tamburitza playing across the US, and especially in the midwest (Cleveland and Chicago come to mind). Milan Opacich, recipient of a 2004 National Heritage Fellowship Award, has been a torch-bearer for the tambura family of instruments - making, repairing, playing them and now writing the definitive history of them in the USA. The story of an Old-World music tradition, the tamburitza of the South Slavs, which came to America with the immigrants in the late 1800's and early 1900's. Opacich documents the history of the instrument and the many makers, musicians & orchestras who have contributed to the tradition. The journey recalls the industrial towns where work once revolved around mines, mills, and factories, and the vibrant communities of the day. Other traditional instruments - the flute or frula, the bagpipes or gajde, and the gusle - are spotlighted along with the violin, a relative newcomer to tamburitza. 200 photos! Oversize hardcover, 300 pp.
654-1
.. list $49.95 ours
$42.00
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TEXAS BLUES: THE RISE OF A CONTEMPORARY SOUND
by Alan Govenar
Allows artists to speak in their own words, revealing the dynamics of blues, from its beginnings in cotton fields and shotgun shacks to its migration across boundaries of age and race to seize the musical imagination of the entire world. Fully illustrated with 495 dramatic, high-quality color and black-and-white photographs - many never before published - "Texas Blues" provides comprehensive and authoritative documentation of a musical tradition that has changed contemporary music. Award-winning documentary filmmaker and author Govenar builds on his previous groundbreaking work documenting these musicians with the stories of 110 of the most influential artists and their times. From Blind Lemon Jefferson and Aaron "T-Bone" Walker of Dallas, to Delbert McClinton in Fort Worth, Sam "Ligntnin'" Hopkins in East Texas, Baldemar (Freddie Fender) Huerta in South Texas, and Stevie Ray Vaughan in Austin, "Texas Blues" shows the who, what, where, and how of blues in the Lone Star State. Hardcover, 624 pp.
available as a special order
542-217
$40.00
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THAT HALF-BARBARIC TWANG - THE BANJO IN AMERICAN POPULAR CULTURE
by Karen Linn
Photo
Scholarly without being tedious, Linn uses everything from sentimental novels and escaped slave posters to Felix The Cat cartoons and magazine advertisements to create an impressive cultural history of what the author calls the "idea of the banjo." Softcover, 232 pp.
75-29
$19.95
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THE BANJO ENTERTAINERS: ROOTS TO RAGTIME, A BANJO HISTORY
by Lowell H. Schreyer
Photo
Focuses on the hundreds of banjoists who made their living as professional entertainers from the minstrel period of the early 1800's into the ragtime era leading into the 20th Century. Also touches on related areas in the banjos development. Schreyer, a former newspaper reporter, relied heavily on the products of his profession in tracing careers and performing routes of these banjoists through pre-Civil War newspapers, entertainment journals and later fretted instrument periodicals. Also a player of the banjo, Schreyer has a lifetime of research that built a banjo information database, as well as a plethora of previous writings about the banjo. 151 photos & illustrations. 269 pp.
692-1
$35.00
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THE BIRTH OF THE BANJO: JOEL WALKER SWEENEY AND EARLY MINSTRELSY
by Bob Carlin
Photo
Sweeney was, in essence, the Elvis Presley of the 1840s. He introduced mainstream America to a music and an instrument - the banjo. Sweeney, an Irish-American, sampled African-American music at a young age. He then added more traditional sounds, creating a new form. The only avenue then available to a professional banjo player was the minstrel show, which Sweeney used. The book provides an overview of early banjo music, beginning with the banjo's introduction to America and Great Britain. Correcting previous fallacies (such as Sweeney's supposed development of the five-string banjo), the work discusses Sweeney's roots, music and contribution to the physical development of the instrument. Appendix with performance chronology. 193 pp.
542-154
$35.00
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THE HAYLOFT GANG: THE STORY OF THE NATIONAL BARN DANCE
ed. by Chad Berry
Photo
The Barn Dance was the nation's most popular country music radio show during the 1930s and 1940s, defining country and western entertainment until it was supplanted by the Grand Ole Opry and rock 'n' roll in the 1950s. Drawing on the colorful commentary of performers and former listeners, these essays trace the history of the program, explore the paradox of country music in a major urban center, investigate notions of authenticity, and much more. 52 photos. 256 pp.
75-50
$24.95
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THE MUSIC OF BILL MONROE
by Neil V. Rosenberg and Charles K. Wolfe
Photo
The definitive study of Monroe's contributions to American and world music. Spanning over 1000 separate performances, this presents a complete chronological list of all of his commercially released sound and visual recordings. Each chapter begins with a description of Monroe's life & career at that point, bringing in producers, sidemen, and others as they become part of the story. The second part of each chapter presents the discography: the session's name, place, date, time and producer; master/matrix numbers, song/tune titles, composer credits, personnel, instruments, and vocals; and catalog/release numbers and reissue data. Hardcover, 296 pp.
75-44
$35.00
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THE NASHVILLE PORTRAITS: LEGENDS OF COUNTRY MUSIC
by Jim McGuire
3 Photos
60+ of the photographer's notable portraits of the superstars of country music - in dramatic duotone reproductions - accompanied by a bio of each and quotes about the artists by OTHER legendary artists. The photos are often of younger versions of the stars. A delightful "coffee table" book. Includes Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, Reba McIntyre, Bill Monroe, others. Hardcover. 142 pp.
542-180
.. list $34.95 ours
$15.00
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THE ROAD TO ROBERT JOHNSON - THE GENESIS AND EVOLUTION OF BLUES IN THE DELTA FROM THE LATE 1800s THROUGH 1938
by Edward Komara
Photo
A long-awaited and well-researched book that makes a plausible case for how Johnson became a great guitar player without satanic assistance. Komara traces the development of Johnson's music in light of the people and songs that directly and indirectly influenced him. Includes much information about life in the Delta from the late 1800s to Johnson's controversial death in 1938, and features fascinating historical photos, musical examples, and much more. Required reading for all blues fans! Note/tab. 91 pp.
49-695388
$14.95
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TRUMPET RECORDS: DIAMONDS ON FARISH STREET
by Marc W. Ryan
Photo
In a new edition, the history of a regional record company and the blues, gospel, and R&B greats it launched nationally. Elmore James, Sonny Boy Williamson, Little Milton, James Waller - all furthered their careers at the little label on Farish Street, in the historic black district of Jackson, Mississippi. It was started by Lillian McMurry, a white woman who was so taken by a found record by Wynonie Harris that she decided to record more music like it. Includes accounts of recording sessions, and McMurry's attempts to fuse country and African American popular music into what would become rock'n'roll. 225 pp.
701-1
$20.00
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VOICES IN JAZZ GUITAR: GREAT PERFORMERS TALK ABOUT THEIR APPROACH TO PLAYING
by Joe Barth
Photo
A thoroughly researched book on jazz guitar. Barth's methodical approach to interviewing jazz guitar icons is impressive and his ability to maintain easy rapport with each artist is masterful. Features John Abercrombie, Howard Alden, Jimmy Bruno, Larry Coryell, Al DiMeola, Sid Jacobs, Pat Metheny, Pearl Django, Leni Stern, many more. A great addition to jazz guitar canon and a must-have for aspiring jazz musicians serious about our great American art form. 488 pp.
02-21133
$29.95
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WAITING FOR A TRAIN: JIMMIE RODGER'S AMERICA
ed. by Mary Davis and Warren Zanes
Photo
Scholars, critics, and musical artists give their viewpoints on his music and his influence. With contributions by Dave Alvin, Rodney Crowell, Bob Dylan, Marty Stuart, Steve Forbert, Tom Russell, and many others. 297 pg.
158-58
$17.95
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WILL YOU MISS ME WHEN I'M GONE: THE CARTER FAMILY AND THEIR LEGACY IN AMERICAN MUSIC
by Mark Zwonitzer with Charles Hirshberg
Photo
We were glued to this book! This story is a saga of "...love and fulfillment, sadness and loss." It reads like a well-written novel of another time and place. The first major biography of the Carter Family, the musical pioneers who almost single-handedly established the sounds and traditions that grew into modern folk, country, and bluegrass music. Recommended! Softcover. 417 pp.
542-100
$15.00
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Folklore & Music History
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