An unconventional biography that explores Mostel's life from the Orthodox Jewish homes of his immigrant parents to the underground night-clubs where he began his career doing stand-up comedy and on to theatre, film, and television.

Prince's early albums Dirty Mind, 1999, and Purple Rain, established him as a major force in American pop music. His combination of rock and funk was unique, and drew both critical praise and commercial attention. The 1990s found Prince forming a new group, moving back in the direction of R&B, and eventually adopting an unpronounceable symbol as his moniker. By the end of the millennium, he was again exploring an eclectic collection of musical styles and enjoying a resurgence of interest in his well-known song "1999." Prince is one of the few artists of the entire rock era who successfully bridged the gap between traditional R&B and rock audiences with his musical eclecticism. He now stands among the best-selling pop musicians of the rock era. In this revealing study, author James Perone highlights the complexities and ambiguities of Prince's life work, while at the same time clarifying why it is that Prince remains such a widely popular figure in American music. After a brief introductory biographical treatment, Perone goes on to analyze all of Prince's musical output-both as specific pieces, and as part of a larger body of work. Perone doesn't allow any of the elements of Prince's entertainment career (including his early contractual problems, his series of proteges, his name change, and his views on gender and race) to pass without reflection. As a result The Words and Music of Prince operates as a sort of creative biography for both the man and the artist. The work also includes six illustrations, a bibliography, a discography, and an index.

This is the largest life-and-works of Musorgsky ever to have appeared outside Russia. Musorgsky created stunning masterpieces in such creations as his opera Boris Godunov and piano suite Pictures at an Exhibition - yet his life was tragic. It is this pathetic tale, interlaced with critical discussion of music, that is this book's concern.

"SETTLING SCORES: A Life in the Margins of American Music" details one life lived in the margins of America's musical consciousness. From a working-class background in gritty North Philadelphia to the sanctity of European concert stages, from imagined dangers lurking along the waterfronts in mysterious Asian cities to the real dangers lurking in the narrow minds of those who uphold the status quo in American music, this book reveals the life of one who embraced change, and, in the process, gained political leverage and intellectual freedom. It is the story of Joseph Franklin and a legion of collaborators, and it is a snapshot view of a slice of America's musical landscape in the final quarter of the 20th century, including a history of Relache and The Relache Ensemble. Born in Philadelphia, Joseph Franklin is a graduate of the Philadelphia Musical Academy and Temple University's Graduate School of Music. He has composed works for mixed instrumental/vocal ensembles, film, video, theater and dance. In 1977 he co-founded The Relache Ensemble, which evolved into Relache, Inc. a presenting and producing organization in support of the Relache Ensemble. He served as founding executive and artistic director of Relache until 1998. Independently, and as Director of Relache, he has been a producer of concerts, festivals, recordings, radio programs, residency programs, international tours and other related music events, including the NEW MUSIC AMERICA 1987 Festival, NEW MUSIC AT ANNENBERG at The University of Pennsylvania and MUSIC IN MOTION, a nationwide audience development project. He formerly served as Artistic Director for Helena Presents--The Myrna Loy Center, a performing arts and film center located in Helena, Montana. He has published criticism and book reviews in the Philadelphia Inquirer and Philadelphia City Paper. While living in Louisiana he developed and taught courses in arts administration and an overview of 20th century music at the University of New Orleans while serving as an independent consultant to arts organizations. He currently serves as executive director for Chamber Music Albuquerque, a presenting organization dedicated to presenting world-class chamber music ensembles in concert.

'WHICH IS THE BEST BAND I'VE BEEN IN? THE SMALL FACES WERE THE MOST CREATIVE, THE FACES WERE THE MOST FUN,THE WHO WERE THE MOST EXCITING. THESE WERE ELECTRIFYING DAYS IN MUSIC. WE WERE ALL UNTRIED, UNTESTED. WHAT WAS STOPPING US? NOTHING.' As drummer with the Small Faces, Faces and later The Who, Kenney Jones' unique sense of rhythm was the heartbeat that powered three of the most influential rock bands of all time. Beginning in London's post-war East End, Kenney's story takes us through the birth of the Mod revolution, the mind-bending days of the late-1960s and the raucous excesses of the '70s and '80s. In a career spanning six decades, Kenney was at the epicentre of many of the most exciting moments in music history and has experienced everything the industry has to offer. He jointly created some of the world's most-loved records, hung out with the Stones, Beatles, David Bowie, Keith Moon and Rod Stewart, and suffered the loss of close friends to rock 'n' roll excess and success. The legacy created by Kenney and his band mates has influenced acts as diverse as Led Zeppelin, the Sex Pistols and Oasis. Now, for the very first time, Kenney tells the full story of how a young Cockney Herbert played his part in the biggest social transformation in living memory - the people, the parties, the friendships, the fall-outs, the laughter, the sadness, the sex, drugs, and a lot of rock 'n' roll, while also opening up about his own deeply personal battles and passions, too. This is a vivid and breath-taking immersion into the most exciting era of music history and beyond.

In 1964 Roger Miller hit the pop charts with "Dang Me"-the same year the Beatles hit America and began the British Invasion. Roger received five Grammys for that year-and six more in 1965 when he had "King of the Road." Roger Miller was not an overnight success-he was a successful country songwriter since 1958, penning hits for Ray Price ("Invitation to the Blues), Jim Reeves ("Billy Bayou" and "Home") and Ernest Tubb ("Half a Mind"). Later, he wrote the score to the Tony Award winning Broadway musical Big River. In this biography, Don Cusic traces the personal life and career of Roger Miller, from Erick, Oklahoma to the Country Music Hall of Fame and shows why Roger Miller was an American Genius. Don Cusic is one of the premier historians of country music. He has written twenty-five books, including two novels. He is currently Professor of Music Business at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee.

Join Helen in her family's exploits as they travel to a new life in America as Immigrants leaving their old way of life behind. You will share their family's passion for freedom as they fulfill their aspirations and dreams to enjoy a better life in their new country America.

She continues her true story for almost a century sharing their achievements as well as the hard ships that followed. Read on and share her adventures and points of interest as she travels along visiting places such as London, England, Istanbul, Turkey, Barcelona, Spain, and the Mediterranean, and ride along the Orient Express. This is a true story that will make you cry at times and feel the difficulties, and at other times you will find yourself laughing. It's a book that's hard to put down as you feel the challenges they faced each day. It is written so that others could believe in themselves, and they, too, could accomplish their goals and enjoy all that life has to offer.

Audrey Hepburn: The Illustrated World of a Fashion Icon is a stunning illustrated biography of style and screen legend Audrey Hepburn, from internationally renowned fashion illustrator Megan Hess. From Sabrina to Breakfast at Tiffany's, Audrey Hepburn is renowned for her unforgettable film roles and fashion looks, but less well known is her fascinating life, including her childhood in Nazi-occupied Holland and her tireless dedication to helping those less fortunate than herself. In this book, Megan's beautiful illustrations follow Hepburn through three distinct chapters: her early life in World War II Europe, dreaming of becoming a ballerina; her ingenue years as the rising star of Hollywood and her incredible fashion partnership with Hubert de Givenchy; and her private life beyond the silver screen, building a legacy through her humanitarian work. Elegantly enclosed by a hardback cover and ribbon, Audrey Hepburn: The Illustrated World of a Fashion Icon is a beautiful celebration of a woman whose life was as remarkable as the clothes she wore and the movies she starred in, with every surprising detail and iconic outfit brought to life on the page by the expert hand of Megan Hess.

Sometimes Broadway dreams do come true.

Fresh from the obscurity of living in the small farming community of Grove, Oklahoma, Ronald Young, at 22, is catapulted onto New York City's "Great White Way..". BROADWAY.

After arriving in Manhattan on a Friday, he auditions for his first Broadway show on Monday. Bingo After three call back auditions he snags his first dancing role in the soon to be mega hit "HELLO, DOLLY " directed and choreographed by Gower Champion and starring Carol Channing.

Armed with three music degrees and lots of enthusiasm he embarks on his career on Broadway. His resume includes working with some of the legends of the theater: Ethel Merman, Shirley Booth, Angela Lansbury, Tommy Tune, Bernadette Peters, Joel Gray, Chita Rivera, Sandy Duncan, Georgia Engel and many others. He appeared in a host of shows: "MAME," "GEORGE M " "THE BOY FRIEND," "MY ONE AND ONLY," "A CHORUS LINE" and the films "HAIR" and "ANNIE."

"THE ONLY BOY WHO DANCED" is a series of compelling, riveting stories about Ronald Young's personal quest to make it on Broadway. If you or a friend have hidden aspirations to make it on the New York theatrical scene, you will enjoy his tips and suggestions on how to break through this tough barrier.

(Amadeus). President of The Juilliard School and then of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts during the years 1945-1968, Schuman (1910-1992) was an "artistic catalyst" who was instrumental in shaping how America perceived and supported music, dance and drama in the second half of the twentieth century. His influence as an arts administrator, educator and composer caused him to be considered at one time as "probably the most powerful figure in the world of art music." Complex, driven, and filled with a confident optimism that characterized America at the time, Schuman thought of himself as "a part of many different worlds." Those worlds included his life as a composer of more than one hundred works in orchestral, choral, chamber, and operatic settings. His music has been characterized as "full of American directness in its vibrant rhythms and brilliant orchestrations." This first-ever complete biography of Schuman brings the many threads of his life together within the context of the personalities and events that shaped how we experience the arts in America in the twenty-first century.

In January 2015 Dick and Angel Strawbridge embarked on the journey of a lifetime when they swapped their cosy two-bedroom flat in East London for a derelict chateau with 12 acres of land in the Loire valley. Where Sunday Times bestseller A Year At The Chateau told the entertaining and heartwarming beginning of the family's French adventure, as they found their forever home and began to restore and renovate the dilapidated castle, Living The Chateau Dream is about the years of hard graft that followed. Dick and Angel leapt into action transforming Chateau-de-la-Motte Husson into both a thriving family home and a sustainable business, and began making their dream of rural life in a fairytale castle a reality. From throwing open the shutters to new suites to exploring the walled garden, launching their wedding business and hosting guests for food lover weekends, no stone was left unturned. From the day-to-day tasks like installing a lift to the beginnings of lifelong traditions and memories such as investigating the seasonal delights of the surroundings and having a family sleepover on the moat, this much-anticipated follow-up includes many firsts for the Strawbridge family. As Dick and Angel recount stories of the renovations that took place over the next four years at the chateau, we start to understand the true extent of the work and skill that it has taken to make this incredible house into a much-loved home. With stories of remarkable discoveries and unexpected challenges, amazing transformations and once-in-a-lifetime celebrations, this book is sure to delight, entertain and inspire fans in equal measure.