In his memoir, Dr. George E. Allen looks back at a career spanning more than five decades of teaching music to Philadelphia students. Early on in life, he learned about many styles of music, and he took his love of the art to college, where he earned multiple degrees before joining the Philadelphia School District. There, he earned the respect of students, fellow music teachers, and music administrators. It wasn't easy, but he did it his way and enjoyed positive results. He inspired the same type of dogged effort in his students, relying on a phrase that he placed at the beginning of all his syllabi: "It is better to know than to think you know." He first heard that on the phone from Ellis Marsalis, the father of jazz musician Wynton and a well-known musician in his own right. Allen adopted the phrase as one of his own mantras, never allowing his students to say "I think" or "I can't." Whether you are someone who loves music, an education professional, or someone thinking about becoming a teacher, you can find inspiration in Allen's love for music, education, and his students. It was time for me to begin serious work on writing about my experience as a music educator in Philadelphia because I did it differently with satisfying results.

Written with humour and honesty with interesting content on every page. It is a "must" for all ages especially those interested in Show business. The foreword written by Phil Collins, former pupil is of especial interest

This, the second edition, was significantly revised and expanded. It incorporates a substantial amount of new material - notably three sections on the operas Hugh the Drover, Sir John in Love and The Poisoned Kiss. Also Wilfrid inserted into the final chapter A Double Man's Last Harvest, an account of the late A minor sonata for violin and piano.

Drawing on primary documents as well as interviews and letters, the authors have created a fascinating portrait of one of America's most distinguished and prolific composers whose creative output spans more than half a century. With its well organized, carefully annotated and indexed bibliography, the book is not only a pleasure to read, but a valuable research tool. Read's notable accomplishments include an extensive catalog of 150 opus numbers that run the gamut of instrumental combinations and musical genres, plus nine scholarly books dealing with various aspects of notation, orchestral devices, and instrumental techniques.

The biography describes Read's family background, his early years growing up in Evanston, Illinois, his high school education, his years at the Eastman School of Music, his Cromwell fellowship to Europe, and his marriage to accomplished teacher/pianist, Margaret Vail Payne. Major events are highlighted during his years at St. Louis, Kansas City, Cleveland, and, finally, Boston. Interlochen, Tanglewood, the MacDowell Colony, the Huntington Hartford Foundation, as well as official visits to Mexico, are explored in terms of the role they played in the creative life of the composer. A major portion of the biography is devoted to Read's opera, DEGREESIVillon DEGREESR. Readers will be interested in the completely annotated bibliography, which includes a complete listing of works, performances, reviews, discography, and literary writings. Appendixes include classified lists of instrumentation, commissions, awards, honors, positions, text sources, dedications, and manuscript locations.

**THE SUNDAY TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLER** _______________ 'I want to be Sheila Hancock when I grow up' Lorraine Kelly 'Wise, witty, kind and true' - Sunday Times 'A sparkling memoir as funny and insightful as it's moving' - Daily Mail 'A captivating memoir' - Mail on Sunday _______________ A gloriously irreverent memoir from the frontline of old age - by the Sunday Times-bestselling author and legendary actor In Old Rage, one of Britain's best loved actors opens up about her ninth decade. Funny, feisty, honest, Sheila Hancock makes for brilliant company as she talks about her life as a daughter, a sister, a mother, a widow, an actor, a friend and looks at a world so different from the wartime world of her childhood. And yet - despite age, despite rage - she finds there are always reasons for joy. _______________ 'The much-loved actor candidly shares the fear, joy and frustration she has found in her ninth decade' - Guardian, Books of the Year 2022 'Sheila Hancock reflects upon her life and career with all the winning candour and warm-heartedness we have come to expect from the legendary actress' - Waterstones

In August 1970 Elton John achieved overnight fame after a rousing performance at the Troubadour in Los Angeles; over the next five years he was unstoppable, scoring seven consecutive number 1 albums and sixteen Top 10 singles in America. But behind his outre image and comedy glasses lay a desperately shy individual, conflicted about his success, his sexuality, and his narcotic indulgences. In 1975, at the apex of his fame, John attempted suicide twice yet, after announcing his retirement in 1977 at the age of thirty as well as coming out as a gay man, he gradually found his way back to music. Captain Fantastic is an intimate look at the rise, fall and rise again of John's fame-and-drug fuelled decade, with a final section bringing his life up to the present.

From the Jim Crow world of 1920s Greenville, South Carolina, to Greenwich Village's Café Society in the '40s, to their 1974 Grammy-winning collaboration on "Loves Me Like a Rock," the Dixie Hummingbirds have been one of gospel's most durable and inspiring groups. Now, Jerry Zolten tells the Hummingbirds' fascinating story and with it the story of a changing music industry and a changing nation. When James Davis and his high-school friends starting singing together in a rural South Carolina church they could not have foreseen the road that was about to unfold before them. They began a ten-year jaunt of "wildcatting," traveling from town to town, working local radio stations, schools, and churches, struggling to make a name for themselves. By 1939 the a cappella singers were recording their four-part harmony spirituals on the prestigious Decca label. By 1942 they had moved north to Philadelphia and then New York where, backed by Lester Young's band, they regularly brought the house down at the city's first integrated nightclub, Café Society. From there the group rode a wave of popularity that would propel them to nation-wide tours, major record contracts, collaborations with Stevie Wonder and Paul Simon, and a career still vibrant today as they approach their seventy-fifth anniversary. Drawing generously on interviews with Hank Ballard, Otis Williams, and other artists who worked with the Hummingbirds, as well as with members James Davis, Ira Tucker, Howard Carroll, and many others, The Dixie Hummingbirds brings vividly to life the growth of a gospel group and of gospel music itself.

This is a story covering 37 years in television broadcasting including 29 years at the ABC Television Network. It's a story about the broadcast of major events ranging from The Super Bowl and The Olympics to the accident at Three Mile Island. It's about the efforts to get the broadcast back on the air at The 1989 World Series after The San Francisco Earthquake hit disrupting the coverage. It tells what was involved in getting those unforgettable images of Captain John Testrake being interviewed on the tarmac of Beirut Airport while a terrorist waved his pistol behind the Captain's head during the hijacking of TWA Flight 847. Learn what went on behind the scenes to bring those events to your home. Learn about the obstacles that had to be overcome; the hard work, the zany antics and the triumphs of the people who worked behind the cameras and microphones to get those broadcasts on the air and bring those images to America and the world.

In the minds of today's audiences, George Burns was a solo act. But in the history of show business, he will long be remembered for his work with Gracie Allen. Few performers have enjoyed so much popular and critical acclaim. Together they enjoyed phenomenal success in vaudeville, radio, television, and film. Although they were celebrities, the two performers enjoyed a life remarkably free of scandal. After the death of Allen in 1964, Burns made commercials, a music video, and an exercise video. He wrote books and won numerous awards, and his nightclub and convention appearances did not stop until shortly before his death.

Through a thoughtful biography and detailed entries, this book serves as a comprehensive reference to the careers of Burns and Allen together and individually. The biography summarizes their rise as vaudeville performers, their work in a range of media, and Burns' continued achievements after Allen's death. Sections of the book cover their work on the stage, on radio, on television, and in films. Each section provides detailed entries for their performances, including cast and credit information, plot synoposes, and review excerpts. Appendices list their awards, personal appearances, and archives; and an extensive annotated bibliography cites and discusses sources of additional information.

Folk singer and folk music collector, writer, painter, journalist, art critic, whalerman, sheep station roustabout, Marxist, and much more - this is the story of A. L. (Bert) Lloyd's extraordinary life. A. L. Lloyd played a key part in the folk music revival of the 1950s and 60s, but that is only part of his story. Dave Arthur documents how Lloyd became a member of the Communist Party, forceful antifascist, trade unionist and an important part of left-wing culture from the early 1930s to his death in 1982. Following his return from Australia as a 21-year-old, self-educated agricultural labourer, he was at the heart of the most important left-wing movements and highly respected for his knowledge in various fields. Dave Arthur recounts the life of a creative, passionate and life-loving Marxist, and in so doing provides a social history of a turbulent twentieth century.

Ann Sheridan came to Hollywood in 1933 as a finalist in a beauty contest, a publicity stunt for Paramount's "Search for Beauty." Of the 30 contestants who appeared in the picture and the 6 finalists whom Paramount put under contract, she was the only one to achieve stardom. Her films included "Angels with Dirty Faces" (1938), "They Drive by Night" (1940), "Kings RoW" (1942), and "Come Next Spring" (1956). Through the years, she appeared on stage and on many radio and television programs. As with her film career, her broadcasting work was diverse, including appearances in dramas, comedies, talk shows, variety revues, and game shows. In 1965 she joined the cast of "Another World," thus becoming one of the first movie stars to appear in a soap opera. Her role led to a prime time series, the situation comedy "Pistols 'n' Petticoats" (1966-1967). She died during production.

This reference book chronicles Ann Sheridan's fascinating life and career. The volume begins with a biography that traces her rise to stardom and her many successes in the entertainment world. A chronology then summarizes the most important events in her life. The chapters that follow provide detailed information for her work in films, radio, and television. Entries are provided for each of her performances, with each entry giving cast and credit information, a plot summary, excerpts from reviews, and critical commentary. The book also includes information about recordings of Sheridan's songs, the various awards and honors that she won, and magazine covers on which she appeared. The volume also presents an extensive annotated bibliography of works about Sheridan and lists sources of archival material.