In The Gaithers and Southern Gospel, Ryan P. Harper examines songwriters Bill and Gloria Gaither's Homecoming video and concert series-a gospel music franchise that, since its beginning in 1991, has outperformed all Christian and much secular popular music on the American music market. The Homecomings represent "southern gospel." Typically that means a musical style popular among white evangelical Christians in the American South and Midwest, and it sometimes overlaps in style, theme, and audience with country music. The Homecomings' nostalgic orientation-their celebration of "traditional" kinds of American Christian life-harmonize well with southern gospel music, past and present. But amidst the backward gazes, the Homecomings also portend and manifest change. The Gaithers' deliberate racial integration of their stages, their careful articulation of a relatively inclusive evangelical theology, and their experiments with an array of musical forms demonstrate that the Homecoming is neither simplistically nostalgic, nor solely "southern." Harper reveals how the Gaithers negotiate a tension between traditional and changing community norms as they seek simultaneously to maintain and expand their audience as well as to initiate and respond to shifts within their fan base. Pulling from hisfield work at Homecoming concerts, behind the scenes with the Gaithers, and with numerous Homecoming fans, Harper reveals the Homecoming world to be a dynamic, complicated constellation in the formation of American religious identity.

A clear and concise beginner's guide to playing the guitar. If you've ever wanted to play guitar, this is the quick and easy way to learn. This clearly illustrated guide shows you all you need to get started playing the guitar, from getting to know the instrument, posture and reading tablature to playing advance chord extensions, scales and arpeggios. There are tips for perfect technique and innovative illustrations show you how to play even the most complicated-sounding chords. By the end of the 10 lessons you will be able to play chords and scales, improvise your own solos and finger pick and strum chords in every key. Easy-to-follow text helps you understand the relationship between notes and there is even a directory of over 250 chords for you to experiment with. Learn how to: Buy and tune a guitar Get to know the correct posture Learn open chords and basic fingerwork Understand simple music theory and note relativity Discover barre chords Understand how to play simple scales Take your first steps to soloing and improvising Read any kind of tablature Extend your chord repertoire and learn arpeggios Develop your skill and learn new styles of playa

This book discusses WWI-era music in a historical context, explaining music's importance at home and abroad during WWI as well as examining what music was being sung, played, and danced to during the years prior to America's involvement in the Great War. Why was music so important to soldiers abroad during World War I? What role did music-ranging from classical to theater music, rags, and early jazz-play on the American homefront? Music of the First World War explores the tremendous importance of music during the years of the Great War-when communication technologies were extremely limited and music often took the place of connecting directly with loved ones or reminiscing via recorded images. The book's chapters cover music's contribution to the war effort; the variety of war-related songs, popular hits, and top recording artists of the war years; the music of Broadway shows and other theater productions; and important composers and lyricists. The author also explores the development of the fledgling recording industry at this time. Provides an excellent resource for students investigating music during the First World War as well as for adults interested in WWI-era history or music of the pre-twenties Documents the variety of reasons songs were sung by soldiers in wartime-to cheer themselves up, boost courage, poke fun at or stimulate hatred of their enemies, or express grievances or protest against the war or against authority Covers stage music of the WWI era, including music hall (British), vaudeville, revues, operettas, and musicals

Written by a renowned composer whose works have been performed by major orchestras around the world, The Study of Orchestration is the only text that explores the characteristics of orchestral instruments and shows students how a master composer approaches orchestration. The fourth edition invites students to experience the instruments through online audio and video recordings and now offers more coverage of writing for band.