Book

In 2009, the legendary Les Paul passed away at the age of 94. In celebration of his life, this book, capturing Paul's own reflections on his remarkable inventions and guitar playing, was published as...

Born in Texas and raised in Arizona, Buck Owens eventually found his way to Bakersfield, California. Unlike the vast majority of country singers, songwriters, and musicians who made their fortunes wor...

Confessions of a Serial Songwriter is an amusing and poignant memoir about songwriter Shelly Peiken's journey from young girl falling under the spell of magical songs to working professional songwrite...

To be a great singer, talent and technique are obviously important, as are having excellent songs and being able to move an audience. But there's more to it than that, including two critical skills th...

What characteristics, qualities and traits make a hit songwriter? What roles do hard work, talent, early musical development and environment play in becoming successful in an industry that changes dai...

Tom Harrison's book How to Become a Film Composer gives up-and-coming composers the inspiration, information and the tools necessary to succeed in today's music for media industry. Harrison has spent...

Look into the lives of 40 authors, composers and translators of our favorite pre-20th century traditional Christmas songs heard around the world in this book by Dale V. Nobbman. Many of these individu...

Some of the most iconic recordings ever set to vinyl were produced on the Gibson Les Paul with the Patent Applied For pickup which, with its glass-like chime and haunting mids, represents the heart an...

From the ashes of Nirvana, Dave Grohl rose as a one-man band with a self-titled album: Foo Fighters. Now, twenty-five years on and with a rock-solid outfit - including Nate Mendel (bass), Taylor Hawki...

Music publishing is one of the most complex parts of the music business, and yet it can be the most lucrative area of income for musicians. Expert and industry veteran Randall Wixen has adapted this e...

Kylie is a quiet girl who signs up for trumpet in band. Her friends and band teacher tell her she is talented. But Kylie doesn't believe in herself. One night, while watching TV, her eyes catch an ama...

This complete guide for any composer interested in earning money writing music for television is aimed at the complete novice as well as the seasoned expert. It leads you through the steps necessary t...

The business of being a musician has evolved into the entertainment business - encompassing music creation, concerts, licensing, festival organizing, merchandising, fashion, and branding. Consequently...

Warren Zevon songs are like chapters in a great American novel. Its story lies in the heart of his - and our - psyche. The lines are blurred. We never seem to know if we are looking in a mirror or pee...

Country may be the plainspoken music of rural America, but it certainly got gussied up on its way to the hit parade. Rhinestones and Twanging Tones: The Look and Sound of Country Music shows in glitte...

More than 30 years ago Marty Di Bergi (played by director Rob Reiner) could not have known that as he introduced his rockumentary This Is Spinal Tap, he was creating a work of genius that would rock o...

The Martin Ukulele is a detailed look at the ukuleles built by the C. F. Martin Co. of Nazareth, PA, and at how the instruments' success forever changed the company that made them. Martin's ukulele-ma...

Read & Burn is the first serious, in-depth appraisal of Wire, one of the most influential British bands to emerge during the punk era. If Wire were briefly a punk band, however, it was largely by hist...

From 1958 to 1963, Neil Sedaka sold 25 million records - more than anyone except Elvis Presley. He thought he could do no wrong, but a year later he was all but off the charts, swept away by the Beatl...

Touched By Grace is an up-close-and-personal account by the legendary guitarist and songwriter Gary Lucas of the time he spent with his friend and collaborator, Jeff Buckley, during Jeff's early days...

Long before there was a peace process in Ireland, Van Morrison unwittingly did his bit to unite a nation divided. Born in the heart of East Belfast in the North, he is revered as a Celtic soul hero in...

The Beatles' sixth studio album, Rubber Soul, was a game changer. By December 1965, when the album was released, the Beatles had played the first arena rock show at Shea Stadium for 55, 000 delirious...

From Paper to Pixels is a guide for musicians making the transition from paper sheet music to digital sheet music readers and apps. From selecting the perfect tablet or computer to finding the right a...

George Jones's nearly 60-year recording and performing career has had a profound influence on modern country music and influenced a younger generation of singers, including Garth Brooks, Alan Jackson,...