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Meeting Jimmie Rodgers : How America's Original Roots Music Hero Changed the Pop Sounds of a Century

"In the nearly eight decades since his death from tuberculosis at age thirty-five, singer-songwriter Jimmie Rodgers has been an inspiration for numerous top performers-from Woody Guthrie, Lead Belly, Bill Monroe and Hank Williams to Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, Bob Dylan, and Beck. How did this Mississippi-born vaudevillian, a former railroad worker who performed so briefly so long ago, produce tones, tunes, and themes that have had such broad influence and made him the model for the way American roots music stars could become popular heroes? In Meeting Jimmie Rodgers, the first book to explore the deep legacy of ""The Singing Brakeman"" from a twenty-first century perspective, Barry Mazor offers a lively look at Rodgers' career, tracing his rise from working-class obscurity to the pinnacle of renown that came with such hits as ""Blue Yodel"" and ""In the Jailhouse Now."" As Mazor shows, Rodgers brought emotional clarity and a unique sense of narrative drama to every song he performed, whether tough or sentimental, comic or sad. His wistful singing, falsetto yodels, bold flat-picking guitar style, and sometimes censorable themes-sex, crime, and other edgy topics-set him apart from most of his contemporaries. But more than anything else, Mazor suggests, it was Rodgers' shape-shifting ability to assume many public personas-working stiff, decked-out cowboy, suave ladies' man-that connected him to such a broad public and set the stage for the stars who followed him. Mazor goes beyond Rodgers's own life to map the varied places his music has gone, forever changing not just country music but also rock and roll, blues, jazz, bluegrass, Western, commercial folk, and much more. In reconstructing this far-flung legacy, Mazor enables readers to meet Rodgers and his music anew--not as an historical figure, but as a vibrant, immediate force."

1 issue / $8.95 US
Prescriptions for Choral Excellence

"In shaping choral tone, directors often wish to improve the sound of their choir, but are challenged to pinpoint underlying problems or to guide singers toward solutions. Now, in Prescriptions for Choral Excellence, skilled vocal pedagogue Shirlee Emmons and leading choral director Constance Chase equip choral directors with the practical tools they need to help singers achieve peak choral performance. Drawing on years of experience, Emmons and Chase help choral directors and singers effectively diagnose and resolve problems. They cover topics ranging from breath management and diction to range and intonation, and much more. Beyond describing vocal difficulties, the book provides concrete instructions on how to apply the concepts in day-to-day rehearsal and performance. The numerous practical exercises and planning aides allow directors to maximize both time and talent to elicit the highest potential from their singers. While grounded in the most up-to-date research in voice science, the discussion of vocal anatomy and function is accessible to readers with no previous knowledge of voice science. Going beyond other vocal and choral guidebooks, the authors also apply the most current theories in leadership principles and group dynamics to choral settings, helping directors translate their natural musicality and charisma into inspiring and motivational leadership. A comprehensive and unique blend of practical expertise, voice science, and leadership psychology, Prescriptions for Choral Excellence is an invaluable guide for all choral directors seeking to create memorable and remarkable performances."

1 issue / $8.95 US
Securing Baritone, Bass-Baritone, and Bass Voices

"Perhaps the most renowned writer in the field of vocal pedagogy, Richard Miller has delivered a new and outstanding contribution to the study of vocal technique in Securing Baritone, Bass-Baritone, and Bass Voices. The first thorough and comprehensive treatment of low male voices, this book draws on techniques and practical advice from Miller's years of professional experience as a performer and pedagogue. With a unique focus on ""securing"" the technical stability of the male voice, the book offers practical advice to students, their teachers, and professional performers, through numerous practical exercises and repertoire suggestions appropriate to various stages of development. Miller synthesizes historic vocal pedagogy with the latest research on the singing voice, always emphasizing the special nature of the male voice and the proper physiological functioning for vocal proficiency. An indispensable guide to male low voices, this book is an essential text for performers, aspiring performers, and instructors alike."

1 issue / $8.95 US
The People's Artist : Prokofiev's Soviet Years

A study in contrasts, the career of Sergey Prokofiev spanned the globe, leaving him witness to the most significant political and historical events of the first half of the twentieth century. In 1918, after completing a program of studies at the St. Petersburg conservatory, Prokofiev escaped Russia for the United States and later France where, like most emigre artists of the time, he made Paris his home. During these hectic years, he composed three ballets and three operas, fulfilled recording contracts, and played recitals of tempestuous music. Scores were stored in suitcases, scenarios and librettos drafted on hotel letterhead. The constant uprooting and transience fatigued him, but he regarded himself as a person of action who, personally and professionally, traveled against rather that with the current. Thus, in 1936, as political anxieties increased in Western Europe, Prokofiev escaped back to Russia. Though at first pampered by the totalitarian regime, Prokofiev soon suffered official correction and censorship. He wrote and revised his late ballets and operas to appease his bureaucratic overseers but, more often than not, his labors came to naught. Following his official condemnation in 1948, many of his compositions were withdrawn from performance. Physical illness and mental exhaustion characterized his last years. Housebound, he journeyed inward, creating a series of works on the theme of youth whose music sounds despondently optimistic.

1 issue / $8.95 US

Ain't Too Proud to Beg: The Troubled Lives and Enduring Soul of the Temptations

The first and only definitive biography of legendary Motown group, the Temptations The Temptations are an incomparable soul group, with dozens of chart-topping hits such as My Girl and Papa Was a Rollin Stone. From the sharp suits, stylish choreography, and distinctive vocals that epitomized their onstage triumphs to the personal failings and psycho-dramas that played out behind the scenes, Ain't Too Proud to Beg tells the complete story of this most popularand tragicof all Motown super groups. Based on in-depth research and interviews with founding Temptations member Otis Williams and many others, the book reveals the highly individual, even mutually antagonistic, nature of the group's members. Venturing beyond the money and the fame, it shares the compelling tale of these sometime allies, sometime rivals and reveals the unique dynamic of push and pull and give and take that resulted in musical genius. The first book to tell the whole story of Motown's greatest group, with all-new interviews and previously undiscovered sources and photographs Gives the last word on enduring Motown mysteries, including the deaths of Paul Williams and David Ruffin and the truth behind Ruffin's tumultuous romance with Tammi Terrell Reveals the secret "can't miss" formula behind the Temptations' thirty-seven chart hits Draws on more than one hundred interviews with the group's associates, industry figures, family members, and most importantly, founding Temptation Otis Williams Ain't Too Proud to Beg takes a cohesive and penetrating look at the life and enduring legacy of one of the greatest groups in popular music. It is essential reading for fans of the Temptations, music lovers, and anyone interested in the history of American popular culture over the last fifty years.

1 issue / $25.95 US
Bass Guitar Exercises For Dummies

Learn to play bass guitar quickly and easily with this guide and bonus interactive CD! The bass guitar is utilized in almost every single genre of music-rock, classical, jazz, metal, funk, and country just to name a few. Bass Guitar Exercises For Dummies provides bassists an opportunity to dabble with all these styles and more. Regardless of your intended musical style, this hands-on guide provides the tips and drills designed to help perfect your playing ability. Features a wide variety of over 300 exercises and technique-building practice opportunities tailored to bass guitar From classic blues bass rhythms to funk, rock, and reggae bass patterns, players of all styles benefit from the exercises and chords presented Shows you proper hand and body posture and fingering and hand positions Each lesson concludes with a music piece for you to try The audio CD includes practice pieces that accompany the exercises and drills presented in each section Helps you build your strength, endurance, and dexterity when playing bass Whether you're a beginner bass player or you're looking to stretch your playing skills, Bass Guitar Exercises For Dummies is the book for you!

1 issue / $22.99 US
Clarinet For Dummies

Master the most popular woodwind Want to play the clarinet? No problem! This hands-on guide teaches you all the fundamental techniques you need to play this popular woodwind alone or in a group setting. Clarinet For Dummies gives you the ideal introduction to play clarinet. You?ll begin by learning how to properly hold a clarinet and move on to getting a consistent sound, reading music, and playing songs in a variety of styles, including classical, pop, and jazz. Step-by-step instruction on finger placement, posture, and basic up-keep for the instrument Tips on how to buy or rent a clarinet Accompanying CD offers play-along recordings of every exercise featured in the book Whether you?ve never held a clarinet or are looking to brush up on skills from your youth, Clarinet For Dummies is packed with friendly, easy-to-follow instructions to have you playing this versatile instrument with ease! Note: CD-ROM/DVD and other supplementary materials are not included as part of eBook file.

1 issue / $21.99 US
Singing For Dummies, 2nd Edition

Take your voice to the next level and grow as a performer Whether you're a beginning vocalist or a seasoned songster, Singing for Dummies makes it easy for you to achieve your songbird dreams. This practical guide gives you step-by-step instructions and lots of helpful tips, hints, vocal exercises, reminders, and warnings for both men and women, including advice on the mechanics of singing, discovering your singing voice, developing technique, singing in performance, maintaining vocal health, and performing like a pro. This Second Edition is an even greater resource with additional vocal exercises, new songs, and information on the latest technology and recording devices. Covers comprehensive singing techniques, finding one's pitch, the importance of posture and breath control, and taking care of one's voice Discover how to sing alone or with accompaniment The updated CD features new tracks and musical exercises, as well as demonstrations of popular technique, scales and pitch drills, and practice songs for singers of all levels Singing for Dummies, Second Edition contains all the information, practices, techniques, and expert advice you need to hone your vocal skills with ease!

1 issue / $24.99 US

Songwriting For Dummies, 2nd Edition

Proven techniques for songwriting success This friendly, hands-on guide tackles the new face of the recording industry, guiding you through the shift from traditional sales to downloads and mobile music, as well as how you can harness social media networks to get your music "out there." You get basic songwriting concepts, insider tips and advice, and inspiration for writing and selling meaningful, timeless songs. Songwriting 101 get a grip on everything you need to know to write a song, from learning to listen to your "inner voice" to creating a "mood" and everything in between Jaunt around the genres discover the variety of musical genres and find your fit, whether it's rock, pop, R master the art of writing lyrics, from finding your own voice to penning the actual words to using hooks, verses, choruses, and bridges Make beautiful music find your rhythm, make melodies, and use chords to put the finishing touches on your song Work the Web harness online marketing and social networks like Facebook, Twitter, and others to get your music heard by a whole new audience Open the book and find: What you need to know before you write a single note Tips on finding inspiration Ways to use poetic devices in lyrics Computer and Web-based shortcuts and technologies to streamline songwriting A look at famous songwriting collaborators Writing for stage, screen, and television How to make a demo to get your song heard Advice on how to make money from your music Learn to: Develop your songwriting skills with tips and techniques from the pros Use social networking sites to get your music out to the public Break into the industry with helpful, how-to instructions

1 issue / $21.99 US
SPIN: Greatest Hits: 25 Years of Heretics, Heroes, and the New Rock 'n' Roll

The official book celebrating the 25th anniversary of SPIN magazine From its first issue in 1985, SPIN has cultivated a reputation for brilliant writing and broad musical coverage, including genres and artists long abandoned by its competitors. From punk to electronica, goth to gangsta rap, emo to garage rock, and hip-hop to indie rock, SPIN has covered it all and featured interviews with leading artists through every musical wave of the last 25 years. SPIN: Greatest Hits brings together some of the classic stories that have appeared in the magazine, each with a new introduction by the author offering historical perspective on the article. Compiles the best articles from well-known writers such as Chuck Klosterman, Jonathan Ames, Elizabeth Gilbert, and David Hajdu Features the best SPIN interviews with Lou Reed, Noel Gallagher, Chuck D, and other influential musicians Includes hilarious sidebars such as "Six Extreme Metal Bands That Could Be Mistaken for Flavors of Herbal Tea," "Six Misguided Attempts to Falsify Rock History," and more Packed with great writing and information spanning a quarter-century of iconic music and musicians, SPIN: Greatest Hits is an essential keepsake for music fans and lovers of pop culture.

1 issue / $16.95 US
Hand Made, Hand Played

"Feast your eyes on more than 300 of today’s most creative, imaginative, and gorgeous hand-made guitars—all illustrated in full color and featuring information about the innovative artisans who created them. Meet guitar-making legends, such as C.F. Martin, Les Paul, and Leo Fender, who revolutionized the instrument’s design. Discover why the past 25 years have seen an explosion of craftspeople who build guitars by hand, employing an attention to detail factories can’t afford and using higher quality materials and more technical skill than in any previous era. Explore the various guitar styles used in a range of musical traditions, from blues to classical. Detailed information about each guitar’s specifications, plus personal statements and anecdotes from the artisans about their work and techniques complete each entry. Rounding out the book is a Web directory and an index of luthiers. Players, craftspeople, collectors, and those who are simply fans of this popular instrument will find this volume irresistible!"

1 issue / $35.95 US
Cheetah Chrome

Here is the autobiography of Cheetah Chrome, lead guitarist of the Dead Boys, one of the greatest punk bands ever. It a tale of success--and excess: great music, drugs (he overdosed and was pronounced dead three times), and resurrection.

The Dead Boys, with roots in the band Rocket from the Tombs, came out of Cleveland to dominate the NYC punk scene in the mid-1970s. Their hit Sonic Reducer soon became a punk anthem. Now, for the first time, Cheetah dishes on the people he known onstage and off, including the Dead Boys legendary singer Stiv Bators, Johnny Thunders of the New York Dolls, the Ramones, the Clash, Pere Ubu, and the Ghetto Dogs, as well as life at CBGBs, a year with Nico, and more.

Straight from the man, these are the backstage stories that every punk fan will want to hear. Never mind the Sex Pistols, here Cheetah Chrome!

1 issue / $24.00 US

The Blues : A Very Short Introduction

"Praised as ""suave, soulful, ebullient"" (Tom Waits) and ""a meticulous researcher, a graceful writer, and a committed contrarian"" (New York Times Book Review), Elijah Wald is one of the leading popular music critics of his generation. In The Blues, Wald surveys a genre at the heart of American culture. It is not an easy thing to pin down. As Howlin' Wolf once described it, ""When you ain't got no money and can't pay your house rent and can't buy you no food, you've damn sure got the blues."" It has been defined by lyrical structure, or as a progression of chords, or as a set of practices reflecting West African ""tonal and rhythmic approaches,"" using a five-note ""blues scale."" Wald sees blues less as a style than as a broad musical tradition within a constantly evolving pop culture. He traces its roots in work and praise songs, and shows how it was transformed by such professional performers as W. C. Handy, who first popularized the blues a century ago. He follows its evolution from Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith through Bob Dylan and Jimi Hendrix; identifies the impact of rural field recordings of Blind Lemon Jefferson, Charley Patton and others; explores the role of blues in the development of both country music and jazz; and looks at the popular rhythm and blues trends of the 1940s and 1950s, from the uptown West Coast style of T-Bone Walker to the ""down home"" Chicago sound of Muddy Waters. Wald brings the story up to the present, touching on the effects of blues on American poetry, and its connection to modern styles such as rap. As with all of Oxford's Very Short Introductions, The Blues tells you--with insight, clarity, and wit--everything you need to know to understand this quintessentially American musical genre."

1 issue / $8.95 US
Why Jazz? : A Concise Guide

"What was the first jazz record? Are jazz solos really improvised? How did jazz lay the groundwork for rock and country music? In Why Jazz?, author and NPR jazz critic Kevin Whitehead provides lively, insightful answers to these and many other fascinating questions, offering an entertaining guide for both novice listeners and long-time fans. Organized chronologically in a convenient question and answer format, this terrific resource makes jazz accessible to a broad audience, and especially to readers who've found the music bewildering or best left to the experts. Yet Why Jazz? is much more than an informative Q&A; it concisely traces the century-old history of this American and global art form, from its beginnings in New Orleans up through the current postmodern period. Whitehead provides brief profiles of the archetypal figures of jazz--from Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington to Wynton Marsalis and John Zorn--and illuminates their contributions as musicians, performers, and composers. Also highlighted are the building blocks of the jazz sound--call and response, rhythmic contrasts, personalized performance techniques and improvisation--and discussion of how visionary musicians have reinterpreted these elements to continually redefine jazz, ushering in the swing era, bebop, cool jazz, hard bop, and the avant-garde. Along the way, Why Jazz? provides helpful plain-English descriptions of musical terminology and techniques, from ""blue notes"" to ""conducted improvising."" And unlike other histories which haphazardly cover the stylistic branches of jazz that emerged after the 1960s, Why Jazz? groups latter-day musical trends by decade, the better to place them in historical context. Whether read in self-contained sections or as a continuous narrative, this compact reference presents a trove of essential information that belongs on the shelf of anyone who's ever been interested in jazz."

1 issue / $14.95 US
Folk Music : A Very Short Introduction

When we think of folk music, most of us picture Pete Seeger singing "This Land is My Land" or Joan Baez singing "Barbara Allen." But this stimulating Very Short Introduction throws open the doors on a remarkably diverse musical genre, in a wide-ranging portrait that goes far beyond America's shores to discuss folk music of every possible kind and in every corner of the globe. Written by award-winning musicologist Mark Slobin, this is the first compact introduction to folk music that offers a truly global perspective. Slobin offers an extraordinarily generous portrait of folk music, one that embraces a Russian wedding near the Arctic Circle, a group song in a small rainforest village in Brazil, and an Uzbek dance tune in Afghanistan. He looks in detail at three poignant songs from three widely separated regions--northern Afghanistan, Jewish Eastern Europe, and the Anglo-American world--with musical notation and lyrics included. And he also describes the efforts of scholars who fanned out across the globe, to find and document this ever-changing music.

1 issue / $8.95 US
Film Music: A Very Short Introduction

"Film music is as old as cinema itself. Years before synchronized sound became the norm, projected moving images were shown to musical accompaniment, whether performed by a lone piano player or a hundred-piece orchestra. Today film music has become its own industry, indispensable to the marketability of movies around the world. Film Music: A Very Short Introduction is a compact, lucid, and thoroughly engaging overview written by one of the leading authorities on the subject. After opening with a fascinating analysis of the music from a key sequence in Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs, Kathryn Kalinak introduces readers not only to important composers and musical styles but also to modern theoretical concepts about how and why film music works. Throughout the book she embraces a global perspective, examining film music in Asia and the Middle East as well as in Europe and the United States. Key collaborations between directors and composers--Alfred Hitchcock and Bernard Herrmann, Akira Kurosawa and Fumio Hayasaka, Federico Fellini and Nino Rota, to name only a few--come under scrutiny, as do the oft-neglected practices of the silent film era. She also explores differences between original film scores and compilation soundtracks that cull music from pre-existing sources. As Kalinak points out, film music can do many things, from establishing mood and setting to clarifying plot points and creating emotions that are only dimly realized in the images. This book illuminates the many ways it accomplishes those tasks and will have its readers thinking a bit more deeply and critically the next time they sit in a darkened movie theater and music suddenly swells as the action unfolds onscreen."

1 issue / $8.95 US

The Story of Crass

In-depth interviews with the main movers in the punk rock movement—Crass members Penny Rimbaud, Gee Vaucher, and Steve Ignorant—detail the face of the revolution founded by these radical thinkers and artists. This definitive biography of the band not only gives backstage access to their lives, philosophies, and the movement that followed, but also to never-before-seen photographs and rare dialogues.

1 issue / $16.00 US
Sing For Your Supper: A DIY Guide to Playing Music, Writing Songs, and Booking Your Own Gigs

Succinct and to the point, David Rovics demystifies the very different skills necessary to cultivate the arts of songwriting, guitar-playing and tour booking. If you are looking to make a living as an independent artist, this pamphlet is a must-read.

1 issue / $4.95 US
Acoustic Guitar Guide, Revised and Updated: Everything You Need to Know to Buy and Maintain a New or Used Guitar

This book will help all guitar players make better friends with their present guitar or decide on features to look for in a new one. They will learn about the differences in guitar woods (and how they sound), simple guitar maintenance, how to choose an instrument for their style of playing, what to expect from a music dealer, and the mystique of collectible guitars. This new edition includes more details on amplifying acoustic guitars, and a guide to guitar companies’ Web sites.

1 issue / $19.95 US
The Replacements

Formed in a Minneapolis basement in 1979, the Replacements were a notorious rock ’n’ roll circus, renowned for self-sabotage, cartoon shtick, stubborn contrarianism, stage-fright, Dionysian benders, heart-on-sleeve songwriting, and—ultimately—critical and popular acclaim. While rock then and now is lousy with superficial stars and glossy entertainment, the Replacements were as warts-and-all “real” as it got. In the first book to take on the jumble of facts, fictions, and contradictions behind the Replacements, veteran Minneapolis music journalist Jim Walsh distills hundreds of hours of interviews with band members, their friends, families, fellow musicians, and fans into an absorbing oral history worthy of the scruffy quartet that many have branded the most influential band to emerge from the ’80s. Former manager Peter Jesperson, Paul Stark and Dave Ayers of Twin/Tone Records, Bob Mould and Grant Hart of rivals Hüsker Dü, the legendary Curtiss A, Soul Asylum’s Dan Murphy, Lori Barbero of Babes in Toyland, R.E.M.’s Peter Buck, power-pop hero Alex Chilton, Craig Finn of The Hold Steady, and replacement Replacements Slim Dunlap and Steve Foley: all have something to say about the scene that spawned the band. These and dozens of others offer insights into the Replacement’s workings--and the band’s continuing influence more than fifteen years after their breakup. Illustrated with both rarely seen and classic photos, this, finally, is the rollicking story behind the turbulent and celebrated band that came on fast and furious and finally flamed out, chronicled by one eyewitness who was always at the periphery of the storm, and often at its eye.

1 issue / $14.99 US