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The Big Payback: The History of the Business of Hip-Hop
by Dan CharnasThe Big Payback takes us from the first $15 made by a "rapping DJ" in 1970s New York to the recent multi-million-dollar sales of the Phat Farm and Roc-a-Wear clothing companies in 2004 and 2007. On this four-decade-long journey from the studios where the first rap records were made to the boardrooms where the big deals were inked, The Big Payback tallies the list of who lost and who won. Read the secret histories of the early long-shot successes of Sugar Hill Records and Grandmaster Flash, Run DMC's crossover breakthrough on MTV, the marketing of gangsta rap, and the rise of artist/ entrepreneurs like Jay-Z and Sean "Diddy" Combs. 300 industry veterans-well-known giants like Rick Rubin and Russell Simmons, the founders of Def Jam, and key insiders like Gerald Levin, the embattled former Time Warner chief-gave their stories to renowned hip-hop journalist Dan Charnas, who provides a compelling, never-before seen, myth-debunking view into the victories, defeats, corporate clashes, and street battles along the 40-year road to hip-hop's dominance. Watch a Video .
Big Time (Orca Limelights)
by Tom RyanGerri waits outside all night to audition for Big Time, her favorite TV singing competition. She believes she has a shot at success, but when she’s insulted by one of the judges and kicked out of the competition, she thinks she’ll probably never sing again. After a teacher at her school asks her to join a choral club, Gerri reluctantly gets involved. Even though she can’t read music and she doesn’t know the other kids, she finds herself enjoying the group and learning a lot about music. A cute guy she met at the Big Time auditions joins the group, and when they perform their unique mashups at an open-mic night, Gerri realizes there’s more than one way to be a successful—and happy—singer!
Big Tune: Rise of the Dancehall Prince
by Alliah L. AgostiniAn exuberant picture book written by Alliah L. Agostini and illustrated by Shamar Knight-Justice is about a Black boy with big dancing dreams who learns the meaning of courage and community.It’s the weekend, first in June; speaker’s blasting out big tune!Cousins, aunties, uncles, friends pack the house, and fun begins.Shane is shy but loves to dance—and all year long, he’s picked up cansto earn some money toward his goal: high-tops with a pump-up sole.But then the speaker blows—it’s done! Will this stop his family’s fun?Can Shane come through to save the day and bring back Big Tune Saturday?Set within a vibrant Caribbean American neighborhood and told to a rhythmic beat, Big Tune is a story of Black boy joy that touches on determination, confidence to express who you are, selflessness, and community gratitude.
Bill Clifton: America's Bluegrass Ambassador to the World
by Bill C MaloneThe most atypical of bluegrass artists, Bill Clifton has enjoyed a long career as a recording artist, performer, and champion of old-time music. Bill C. Malone pens the story of Clifton's eclectic life and influential career. Born into a prominent Maryland family, Clifton connected with old-time music as a boy. Clifton made records around earning a Master's degree, fifteen years in the British folk scene, and stints in the Peace Corps and Marines. Yet that was just the beginning. Closely allied with the Carter Family, Woody Guthrie, Mike Seeger, and others, Clifton altered our very perceptions of the music--organizing one of the first outdoor bluegrass festivals, publishing a book of folk and gospel standards that became a cornerstone of the folk revival, and introducing both traditional and progressive bluegrass around the world. As Malone shows, Clifton clothed the music of working-class people in the vestments of romance, celebrating the log cabin as a refuge from modernism that rang with the timeless music of Appalachia. An entertaining account by an eminent music historian, Bill Clifton clarifies the myths and illuminates the paradoxes of an amazing musical life.
The Bill Ferris Enhanced Omnibus E-Book
by William FerrisThis Omnibus Ebook for the first time brings together pioneering folklorist William Ferris's books on the music and arts of the South.Included in this ebook are:Give My Poor Heart Ease: Voices of the Mississippi Blues:Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, Ferris toured his home state of Mississippi, documenting the voices of African Americans as they spoke about and performed the diverse musical traditions that form the authentic roots of the blues. Now, Give My Poor Heart Ease puts front and center a searing selection of the artistically and emotionally rich voices from this invaluable documentary record. Illustrated with Ferris's photographs of the musicians and their communities and including original music and original film, the book features more than twenty interviews relating frank, dramatic, and engaging narratives about black life and blues music in the heart of the American South.The enhanced ebook edition includes: * Almost 2 hours of video clips and interviews scattered throughout the text* An hour of original music, also imbedded throughout the text* Concludes with the full DVD of original film and full CD of original musicThe Storied South: Voices of Writers and Artists:The Storied South features the voices--by turn searching and honest, coy and scathing--of twenty-six of the most luminous artists and thinkers in the American cultural firmament, from Eudora Welty, Pete Seeger, and Alice Walker to William Eggleston, Bobby Rush, and C. Vann Woodward. Masterfully drawn from one-on-one interviews conducted by Ferris over the past forty years, the book reveals how storytelling is viscerally tied to southern identity and how the work of these southern or southern-inspired creators has shaped the way Americans think and talk about the South.The enhanced ebook edition includes 45 of Ferris's striking photographic portraits of the speakers and original audio and films of the interviews.
Bill Monroe: The Life and Music of the Blue Grass Man (Music in American Life)
by Tom EwingThe Father of Bluegrass Music, Bill Monroe was a major star of the Grand Ole Opry for over fifty years; a member of the Country Music, Songwriters, and Rock and Roll Halls of Fame; and a legendary figure in American music. This authoritative biography sets out to examine his life in careful detail--to move beyond hearsay and sensationalism to explain how and why he accomplished so much. Former Blue Grass Boy and longtime music journalist Tom Ewing draws on hundreds of interviews, his personal relationship with Monroe, and an immense personal archive of materials to separate the truth from longstanding myth. Ewing tells the story of the Monroe family's musical household and Bill's early career in the Monroe Brothers duo. He brings to life Monroe's 1940s heyday with the Classic Bluegrass Band, the renewed fervor for his music sparked by the folk revival of the 1960s, and his declining fortunes in the years that followed. Throughout, Ewing deftly captures Monroe's relationships and the personalities of an ever-shifting roster of band members while shedding light on his business dealings and his pioneering work with Bean Blossom and other music festivals. Filled with a wealth of previously unknown details, Bill Monroe offers even the most devoted fan a deeper understanding of Monroe's towering achievements and timeless music.
The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, 9th Edition: Complete Chart Information about America's Most Popular Songs and Artists, 1955-2009
by Joel WhitburnThe Essential Reference Guide to America's Most Popular Songs and Artists Spanning More than Fifty Years of Music Beginning with Bill Haley & His Comets' seminal "Rock Around the Clock" all the way up to Lady Gaga and her glammed-out "Poker face," this updated and unparalleled resource contains the most complete chart information on every artist and song to hit Billboard's Top 40 pop singles chart all the way back to 1955. Inside, you'll find all of the biggest-selling, most-played hits for the past six decades. Each alphabetized artist entry includes biographical info, the date their single reached the Top 40, the song's highest position, and the number of weeks on the charts, as well as the original record label and catalog number. Other sections--such as "Record Holders," "Top Artists by Decade," and "#1 Singles 1955-2009"--make The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits the handiest and most indispensable music reference for record collectors, trivia enthusiasts, industry professionals and pop music fans alike. Did you know? * Beyoncé's 2003 hit "Crazy in Love" spent 24 weeks in the Top 40 and eight of them in the #1 spot. * Billy Idol has had a total of nine Top 40 hits over his career, the last being "Cradle of Love" in 1990. * Of Madonna's twelve #1 hits, her 1994 single "Take a Bow" held the spot the longest, for seven weeks--one week longer than her 1984 smash "Like a Virgin." * Marvin Gaye's song "Sexual Healing" spent 15 weeks at #3 in 1982, while the same song was #1 on the R&B chart for 10 weeks. * Male vocal group Boyz II Men had three of the biggest chart hits of all time during the 1990s. * The Grateful Dead finally enjoyed a Top 10 single in 1987 after 20 years of touring. * Janet Jackson has scored an impressive 39 Top 40 hits--one more than her megastar brother Michael!From the Trade Paperback edition.
Billboard Express (Orca Limelights)
by Sigmund Brouwer Cindy MorganElle has come to Nashville to become a star. She has what it takes, but her agent and all the label executives want to change everything about her, her hair, her body, her clothes and, most important, her music. So Elle becomes a blond, sings about cookin' for her man and wears tiny shorts and revealing tank tops. Then a chance meeting with an established female songwriter makes Elle realize that she's paying too high a price for success. Billboard Express continues the story that began in Rock the Boat by Sigmund Brouwer.
The Billboard Guide to Writing and Producing Songs That Sell: How to Create Hits in Today's Music Industry
by Eric BeallBeall, an experienced A&R executive for leading music publishers, has designed this guide for songwriters who want to craft material that will meet the demands of the commercial marketplace. The author uses interviews with successful writers, producers and executives to reveal the secrets that open doors in a very competitive industry, and he has developed practical exercises that will help budding songwriters create the titles, hooks, rhythms and melodies that will appeal to contemporary audiences. A section analyzes the components that allow a song to become a hit such as radio airplay, the science of marketing singles and how to target an audience in advance. Annotation ©2009 Book News, Inc. , Portland, OR (booknews. com)
Billie Eilish: For Beginning Piano Solo
by Billie EilishLegendary recording artist Billie Eilish shares an intimate inside look at her life—both on and off the stage—in this stunning, photo-filled book. <P><P>Billie Eilish is a phenomenon. With distinctive visual flare and darkly poignant lyrics that are unparalleled among music icons of the 21st century, Billie is a musician who stands out from the crowd. Between her record-shattering award-winning music and her uncompromising and unapologetic attitude, it's no surprise that her fanbase continues to grow by millions month after month. She is that rare combination of wildly popular and highly respected for her prodigious talent, a once in a generation superstar. <P><P>Now in this stunning visual narrative journey through her life, she is ready to share more with her devoted audience for the first time, including hundreds of never-before-seen photos. This gorgeous book will capture the essence of Billie inside and out, offering readers personal glimpses into her childhood, her life on tour, and more. A must-have for any fan. <P><P><b>A New York Times Bestseller</b>
Billie Eilish
by Billie EilishLegendary recording artist Billie Eilish shares an intimate inside look at her life - both on and off the stage - in this stunning, photo-filled book.Billie Eilish is a phenomenon. With distinctive visual flair and darkly poignant lyrics that are unparalleled among music icons of the 21st century, Billie is a musician who stands out from the crowd. Between her record-shattering, award-winning music and her uncompromising and unapologetic attitude, it's no surprise that her fanbase continues to grow by millions, month after month. She is that rare combination of both wildly popular and highly respected for her prodigious talent, a once-in-a-generation superstar.Now in this stunning visual narrative journey through her life, she is ready to share more with her devoted audience for the first time, including hundreds of never-before-seen photos. This gorgeous book captures the essence of Billie inside and out, offering readers glimpses into her childhood, her life on tour, and more. A must-have for any fan.Recommended for ages 14 and over.
Billie Eilish: In Her Own Words
by Billie EilishLegendary recording artist Billie Eilish walks us through personal highlights and moments from the book as she reflects on photos from her life and career - both on and off the stage - for the first time in this fascinating audio accompaniment. <p><p>Billie Eilish is a 21st-century global pop phenomenon. Uncompromising and unapologetic, between her record-breaking, award-winning music and artistry, it's no surprise that she has become one of the biggest and most loved artists of her generation. <p><p>Contains never-before-told stories and recollections from her personal life and career, from the early years to her breakout success and including memories shared by her parents, this is an audiobook like no other - in her own words, providing a truly intimate window into her journey, narrated by Billie herself.(P)2021 Hachette Audio
Billie Eilish, The Unofficial Biography: From E-Girl to Icon
by Adrian BesleyWith number one albums in multiple countries and five Grammys under her belt, Billie Eilish has become a pop sensation. Billie was a promising young dancer until musical success came literally overnight in 2015. A song she uploaded to SoundCloud received a thousand plays in twenty-four hours. The thirteen-year-old's voice intoxicated listeners and the track went viral. Billie and her brother, Finneas, produced a series of eclectic but equally bewitching tracks, which drew fans from around the world. Follow her journey from singing in her bedroom to performing at huge arenas, and find out what makes Billie Eilish the most extraordinary teenage star in the world.
Billie Holiday: and Other Conversations (The Last Interview Series)
by Billie HolidayThe first-ever collection of interviews with the tortured but groundbreaking singer Billie Holiday, part of Melville House’s beloved Last Interview series Legendary singer Billie Holiday comes alive in this first-ever collection of interviews from throughout her career. Included is her last interview, given from her deathbed in a New York City hospital, where police were standing by ready to arrest her for a parole violation should she recover. Also included: The transcript of an interrogation by a US Customs official questioning about whether she'd violated her parole by using drugs on a foreign tour. But the book is more than a look at just the famously tragic side of her life. In other conversations, drawn from music magazines, late-night radio programs, and newspapers across the US and Canada, she discusses her childhood, musicians who influenced her, her friendship -- and falling out -- with the influential sax player Lester Young, why she chose the gardenia as her symbol, why she quit Count Basie's band, her substance abuse problems, writing songs and whether she wrote her own memoir, and more. In frank and open conversations, Billie Holiday proves herself far more articulate, aware, intelligent, and even heroic than the way she's often portrayed. This collection is an essential volume for all who have been moved by her music.
Billie Holiday
by John SzwedPublished in celebration of Holiday's centenary, the first biography to focus on the singer's extraordinary musical talentWhen Billie Holiday stepped into Columbia's studios in November 1933, it marked the beginning of what is arguably the most remarkable and influential career in ?twentieth-century popular music. Her voice weathered countless shifts in public taste, and new reincarnations of her continue to arrive, most recently in the form of singers like Amy Winehouse and Adele.Most of the writing on Holiday has focused on the tragic details of her life--her prostitution at the age of fourteen, her heroin addiction and alcoholism, her series of abusive relationships--or tried to correct the many fabrications of her autobiography. But now, Billie Holiday stays close to the music, to her performance style, and to the self she created and put into print, on record and on stage.Drawing on a vast amount of new material that has surfaced in the last decade, critically acclaimed jazz writer John Szwed considers how her life inflected her art, her influences, her uncanny voice and rhythmic genius, a number of her signature songs, and her legacy.
Billie Holiday: The Musician and the Myth
by John Szwed* Kirkus Best Books of 2015 selection for Biography *Published in celebration of Holiday's centenary, the first biography to focus on the singer's extraordinary musical talentWhen Billie Holiday stepped into Columbia's studios in November 1933, it marked the beginning of what is arguably the most remarkable and influential career in twentieth-century popular music. Her voice weathered countless shifts in public taste, and new reincarnations of her continue to arrive, most recently in the form of singers like Amy Winehouse and Adele.Most of the writing on Holiday has focused on the tragic details of her life--her prostitution at the age of fourteen, her heroin addiction and alcoholism, her series of abusive relationships--or tried to correct the many fabrications of her autobiography. But now, Billie Holiday stays close to the music, to her performance style, and to the self she created and put into print, on record and on stage.Drawing on a vast amount of new material that has surfaced in the last decade, critically acclaimed jazz writer John Szwed considers how her life inflected her art, her influences, her uncanny voice and rhythmic genius, a number of her signature songs, and her legacy.From the Hardcover edition.
Billie Holiday: The Musician and the Myth
by John Szwed* Kirkus Best Books of 2015 selection for Biography *Published in celebration of Holiday's centenary, the first biography to focus on the singer's extraordinary musical talentWhen Billie Holiday stepped into Columbia's studios in November 1933, it marked the beginning of what is arguably the most remarkable and influential career in twentieth-century popular music. Her voice weathered countless shifts in public taste, and new reincarnations of her continue to arrive, most recently in the form of singers like Amy Winehouse and Adele.Most of the writing on Holiday has focused on the tragic details of her life--her prostitution at the age of fourteen, her heroin addiction and alcoholism, her series of abusive relationships--or tried to correct the many fabrications of her autobiography. But now, Billie Holiday stays close to the music, to her performance style, and to the self she created and put into print, on record and on stage.Drawing on a vast amount of new material that has surfaced in the last decade, critically acclaimed jazz writer John Szwed considers how her life inflected her art, her influences, her uncanny voice and rhythmic genius, a number of her signature songs, and her legacy.From the Hardcover edition.
Billy Bishop Goes to War
by John Gray Eric PetersonOne of Canada's most successful and enduring musical plays, Billy Bishop Goes to War was first published in 1982 and went on to win the Los Angeles Drama Critics' Award and the Governor General's Award for Drama. In 2010, the celebrated story of the World War I flying ace - credited with seventy-two victories and billed as the top pilot in the British Empire - was revised to frame the original play as a retrospective. It is the same play it always was - the difference is in the telling. Billy Bishop now appears in his later years, reflecting on his wartime exploits, and on the business of war and hero making. Bishop's reminiscence is not so much about the horror and death of war as it is about being young and intensely alive. "The prime of life / The best of men," Bishop sings, "It will never be / Like this again."A memory play about war, Billy Bishop has been going into battle onstage for more than thirty years. The Canadian classic is revisited in this second edition, where war is still a terrible thing, but some men say it was the greatest time of their lives. It's about the ironies and the price of survival.The play format is deceptively simple with a solo narrator who assumes multiple roles while his piano-playing sidekick offers sardonic musical comments.Cast of 2 men.
Billy Bragg: Still Suitable for Miners
by Andrew Collins'Love me or hate me. It's a great read’ - Billy Bragg He was a punk. He was a soldier. He was a flag-waver for the Labour Party and the miners. He is Billy Bragg, passionate protest folk singer and tireless promoter of political and humanitarian causes around the world. His life encapsulates so much about his generation: born in the late ’50s, passions forged by punk, politics shaped by Thatcherism, career inspired by engagement, hope provided by the end of the Cold War and ideology galvanised by what he sees as a ‘post-ideological’ twenty-first century. He adapts to survive: serious about compassion and accountability, he likes a laugh too, and has never forgotten where he comes from.Still Suitable for Miners is the official Billy Bragg story, tracing his life, family and career at close range from Barking to the present day. This 20th anniversary edition has been updated to include the rise of Corbyn, the unfolding of Brexit, Billy’s reclamation of skiffle and his overtures into Americana.
Billy Joel: The Definitive Biography
by Fred SchruersThe long-awaited, all-access biography of a music legendIn Billy Joel, acclaimed music journalist Fred Schruers draws upon more than one hundred hours of exclusive interviews with Joel to present an unprecedented look at the life, career, and legacy of the pint-sized kid from Long Island who became a rock icon.Exhibiting unparalleled intimate knowledge, Schruers chronicles Joel's rise to the top of the charts, from his working-class origins in Levittown and early days spent in boxing rings and sweaty clubs to his monumental success in the seventies and eighties. He also explores Joel's creative transformation in the nineties, his dream performance with Paul McCartney at Shea Stadium in 2008, and beyond.Along the way, Schruers reveals the stories behind all the key events and relationships--including Joel's high-profile marriages and legal battles--that defined his path to stardom and inspired his signature songs, such as "Piano Man," "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant," "New York State of Mind," and "She's Always a Woman." Throughout, he captures the spirit of a restless artist determined to break through by sharing, in his deeply personal lyrics, the dreams and heartbreaks of suburban American life.Comprehensive, vibrantly written, and filled with Joel's memories and reflections--as well as those of the family, friends, and band members who have formed his inner circle, including Christie Brinkley, Alexa Ray Joel, Jon Small, and Steve Cohen--this is the definitive account of a beloved rock star's epic American journey.
Bing and Billie and Frank and Ella and Judy and Barbra
by Dan CallahanCrosby, Holiday, Sinatra, Fitzgerald, Garland, and Streisand were the major interpreters of the American songbook, and this is the interlocking story of their lives and careers. Here is the epic tale of how these artists dominated American popular music over a fifty-year period, a roller coaster ride that gains momentum through the 1930s and '40s, reaches a crest of magical creativity in the 1950s and early '60s, and then crashes down by the early 1970s, a half century when the great American songbook dominated the airwaves and the fight for racial equality came to the forefront. Ella was beloved in her time, and she is still beloved. Frank is still the king of the songbook, but Bing's legacy is just as vital once you start listening to his unprecedented 1930s output. The best songs from Judy's greatest triumph, her 1963–64 TV series, are shared endlessly online. The legend of Billie grows by the year, and the basis of this should be appreciation and wonder for her own great artistry in the 1930s. Barbra is a living legend and still a commercial force to be reckoned with, the last exemplar of the songbook and its glories. All six of these singers reach out to us and show us new ways of expression and new ways to dream.Their song is largely ended but the melody lingers on.
Bing Crosby: Swinging on a Star: The War Years, 1940-1946
by Gary Giddins"The best thing to happen to Bing Crosby since Bob Hope," (WSJ) Gary Giddins presents the second volume of his masterful multi-part biography Bing Crosby dominated American popular culture in a way that few artists ever have. From the dizzy era of Prohibition through the dark days of the Second World War, he was a desperate nation's most beloved entertainer. But he was more than just a charismatic crooner: Bing Crosby redefined the very foundations of modern music, from the way it was recorded to the way it was orchestrated and performed. In this much-anticipated follow-up to the universally acclaimed first volume, NBCC Winner and preeminent cultural critic Gary Giddins now focuses on Crosby's most memorable period, the war years and the origin story of White Christmas. Set against the backdrop of a Europe on the brink of collapse, this groundbreaking work traces Crosby's skyrocketing career as he fully inhabits a new era of American entertainment and culture. While he would go on to reshape both popular music and cinema more comprehensively than any other artist, Crosby's legacy would be forever intertwined with his impact on the home front, a unifying voice for a nation at war. Over a decade in the making and drawing on hundreds of interviews and unprecedented access to numerous archives, Giddins brings Bing Crosby, his work, and his world to vivid life--firmly reclaiming Crosby's central role in American cultural history.
Bing Crosby: A Pocketful of Dreams, The Early Years 1903 - 1940
by Gary GiddinsFrom 1934 to 1954, Bing Crosby utterly dominated North American entertainment. Nobody has ever had as many hit records, and Crosby was the number one movie star five years in a row. The rise of Bing Crosby was the rise of North American popular culture itself. In Bing Crosby, the first volume of the definitive Crosby biography, award-winning music critic Gary Giddins chronicles the ascension of Bing's career. From Crosby's early recordings, to his triumph on Americas most popular radio show, to his first success in Hollywood, Giddins provides the most detailed study yet of the rise of a North American star. This is the first definitive biography of Crosby and was written with exclusive access to unpublished materials. Giddins Visions of Jazz won the 1998 National Book Critics Circle Award. Bing Crosby was the first North American pop culture icon, and his career heavily influenced Sinatra and Elvis, as well as popular music itself.
Biografía del sonido: Anhelo de vibración
by Fernando TortajadaEl viaje de una pianista a la eternidad del silencio. <P><P>Pyotr Frankl es un pianista australiano que, a los diecinueve años, tras un trágico suceso, conoce a una profesora muy especial de sesenta años en España, doña Julia. Esta le guiará durante diez años, pues cambiará radicalmente su manera de tocar y le introducirá en una forma de entender la técnica del piano tan apasionante como incomparable. <P><P>Después de la muerte de doña Julia, Pyotr va a conocer en uno de sus recitales a Alma -comienzo del relato-, que se conmueve de tal manera con su modo de tocar que verá en él la oportunidad de trasformar su aburrida rutina actual con el instrumento. Alma, desde ese instante, va a profundizar junto a Pyotr en una insólita evolución de su técnica. Pero tras un final de la primera parte muy emotivo por lo inesperado, el destino caminará con ellos a través de todo el relato.
A Biographical Dictionary of English Court Musicians, 1485-1714, Volumes I and II
by David LasockiCompiled by scholars with unrivalled knowledge of the sources, this dictionary provides biographies of all musicians and instrument makers employed by the English court from 1485-1714. A number of the musicians featured here have never previously received a dictionary entry. Coverage of these minor figures helps to flesh out the picture of musical life in the court in a way which individual studies of more major composers cannot. In addition to basic biographical details, entries feature information on: appointments; probate material; family background; heraldry; signatures and holograph documents; subscriptions to books; bibliographic references. A finding-list of variant names, details of the succession of court places assumed by musicians and an index of subjects and place names completes this comprehensive reference work.