20 Best Books About Musicians (2023 Update)

Eye-catching illustrations and an accompanying 70-minute cd make this an exciting and educational introduction to the world of classical music-from composers and music history to the instruments of the orchestra-for elementary age children (and parents, too!). illustrated in exquisite and colorful detail with over 100 original drawings and photographs, the engaging text is broken into three sections: an introduction to each instrument of the orchestra from the cello to the timpani the stories of famous composers from bach to stravinsky. an explanation of different musical styles from baroque to modern.each step of the way, children can listen to actual musical examples of what they are learning about. young readers will hear the sound of an actual violin as they study the instrument and enjoy the playful tune of a mozart minuet as they read about the composer's precocious exploits as a child. join orchestra bob on this fun and exciting musical journey. perfect for young students just starting to play an orchestral instrument as well as for parents and teachers looking for a simple introduction to the principles and history of classical music.

Winner of the indie book award 2022 for non-fiction winner of the royal philharmonic society storytelling award 2021 'riveting, taking in prejudice as well as sacrifice. there are 4.30am starts, lost instruments, fractured wrists, all captured with vivid flourishes. a paean to camaraderie.' observer seven brothers and sisters. all of them classically trained musicians. one was young musician of the year and performed for the royal family. the eldest has released her first album, showcasing the works of clara schumann. these siblings don't come from the rarefied environment of elite music schools, but from a state comprehensive in nottingham. how did they do it? their mother, kadiatu kanneh-mason, opens up about what it takes to raise a musical family in a britain divided by class and race. what comes out is a beautiful and heartrending memoir of the power of determination, camaraderie and a lot of hard work. the kanneh-masons are a remarkable family.

When i thought about writing a book about being a working musician, a few things went through my mind. who am i to write a book on this subject? am i really an expert on this? i spoke with more and more people who have known me for a long time and know my history. they all gave me a resounding, "yes! you are in the business and have seen all areas of the business, go for it!" in my travels all around the world, many aspiring artists and musicians have asked me questions about touring. many of the questions are similar, but some really stand out. nevertheless, i've always made notes on what questions were asked. when i started writing this book, i quickly realized i was writing more than just a book on touring. it is a guide for the music business and solid musicianship in general. this is for the working musician who may play on the weekends for a hobby, but aspires to do more. some "notes" may be fairly basic. others are for the advanced musician, who has already moved to nashville, l.a., or new york. everything in this collection is for any musician (or music lover) looking for secrets and tips about being on the road and beyond. this book is a personal account of this business from my humble opinion and experiences. some may agree on certain points and some certainly will not. often, there are no clear-cut guidelines in this business. the following notes are some of mine. enjoy your read and leverage my experiences (and mistakes) to help you on your musical journey. i hope it helps you become successful in whatever aspect of the business you pursue. don't let anyone stop you… go for it!

"the blues had a baby and they called it rock 'n' roll," said the great muddy waters.but what was the firstborn? using this question as their starting point, writers jim dawson and steve propes nominate 50 recordings for that honor. beginning with a 1944 jazz at the philharmonic recording, "blues, part 2," and ending with elvis presley's "heartbreak hotel," what was the first rock 'n' roll record? profiles some of the most important and influential recordings in rock's history.for each nominee, dawson and propes provide chart positions, labels, recording information, and an explanation as to why it might qualify as the first. lesser known milestones like "open the door, richard" and "rocket 88" appear here alongside acknowledged classics like "shake, rattle, and roll" and "rock around the clock," and many forgotten artists are restored to their rightful place in rock's pantheon. the result is a provocative and entertaining guide to the earliest days of rock 'n' roll.this 30th anniversary updated and revised edition brings to light new and surprising details about the songs and artists that are vying for the honor of being the first rock 'n' roll record.

From cradle to stage shares stories and exclusive photos featuring mothers of rock icons, the icons themselves, and their behind the music-style relationships while the grohl family had always been musical-the family sang together on long car trips, harmonizing to motown and david bowie, virginia grohl never expected her son to become a musician, let alone a rock star. but when she saw him perform in front of thousands of screaming fans for the first time, she knew that stardom was meant to be for her son. and as virginia watched her son's star rise, she often wondered about the other mothers who raised children who became rock stars. were they as surprised as she was about their children's fame? did they worry about their children's livelihood and well-being in an industry fraught with drugs and other dangers? did they encourage their children's passions despite the odds against success, or attempt to dissuade them from their grandiose dreams? do they remind their kids to pack a warm coat when they go on tour? virginia decided to seek out other celebrity mothers to ask these questions, and so began a two-year odyssey in which she interviewed such women as verna griffin, dr. dre's mother; marianne stipe, michael stipe of rem's mother; janis winehouse, amy winehouse's mother; patsy noah, adam levine's mother; donna haim, mother of the haim sisters; hester diamond, mike d of the beastie boys' mother. with exclusive family photographs and a foreword by dave grohl, from cradle to stage will appeal to mothers and music fans everywhere.

A combination text and workbook in three volumes. all areas of music theory are covered in a concise and practical manner and each level contains 28 lessons.

Directly from the mission district in san francisco, the explosive fusion of latin, salsa and rock is chronicled from a writer who has followed the music and the musicians for over 30 years. the book covers the stories of prominent latin rock bands including santana and malo, examining in detail the pioneering records and the ways in which both reflect a wide spectrum of latin influences. it highlights the cast of characters and emerging period in the us during the late '60s, with all the cultural background events including the summer of love, woodstock, political activism, and the record label expansion. legendary figures such as bill graham, clive davis and the escovedos family play crucial roles in the development of this sound. as latin music continues to become more mainstream, the interest in its musical roots grows. this book sheds light on these musical pioneers, and is gorgeously illustrated with over 800 b&w photos by jim marshall, rudy rodgriguez, joan chase and others, plus artwork of dozens of rare album covers.

A fascinating celebration of the piano, including tales of its masters from mozart and beethoven to oscar peterson and jerry lee lewis, told with the expertise of composer and author of temperament, stuart isacoff. this history takes us back to the piano's humble genesis as a simple keyboard, and shows how everyone from ferdinando de’ medici to herbie hancock affected its evolution of sound and influence in popular music. presenting the instrument that has been at the core of musical development over the centuries in all its beauty and complexity, this explores the piano’s capabilities and the range of emotional expression it conveys in different artists’ hands. a natural history of the piano is fast-paced and intriguing, with beautiful illustrations and photos, a must-read for music lovers and pianists of every level.

All musicians should be able to sit down at the keyboard and make sense of a tune. with that goal in mind, every instrumentalist and singer can profit from this book. it covers many techniques for exploring, understanding, and performing the songs found in real books. you will learn how to analyze the form and harmonic structure, insert an introduction, interpret the melody, improvise on the chords, construct bass lines, voice the chords, add substitutions, and much more. playing from a real book is all about options. the material presented here will offer you a full range of techniques that you can put to use right away.

Based on the popular wall street journal column, anatomy of a song captures the stories behind 45 influential rock, r&b, and pop hits through oral-history interviews with the artists who wrote and recorded them–including keith richards on street fighting man, rod stewart on maggie may, and more writer and music historian marc myers brings to life five decades of music in anatomy of a song, based on the popular ongoing wall street journal column, through oral histories of forty-five transformative songs woven from interviews with the artists who created them. taking readers inside the making of a hit, anatomy of a song includes led zeppelin's "whole lotta love," janis joplin's "mercedes benz," rod stewart's "maggie may," and cyndi lauper's "time after time." joni mitchell remembers living in a cave on crete with the "mean old daddy" who inspired her 1971 hit "carey," while elvis costello talks about writing "(the angels wanna wear my) red shoes" on a train to liverpool. keith richards, mick jagger, jimmy page, smokey robinson, grace slick, mavis staples, steven tyler, the clash, merle haggard, bonnie raitt, debbie harry, and many other leading artists reveal the inspirations, struggles, and techniques behind their influential works. covering the history of rock, r&b, country, disco, soul, reggae and pop, anatomy of a song is a love letter to the songs that have defined several generations of listeners.

A new, definitive look at one of music's greatest songbooks by an expert author the latest book in the bestselling all the songs series, this is the most in-depth exploration of prince's songs ever written. spanning nearly 50 years of albums, eps, b-sides, and more, read the full story behind all of the songs that prince ever released. moving chronologically through his epic back catalogue, expert author benoît clerc analyses everything there is to know about each song and session. with a career as mythologized as prince, this book is an exhaustive compendium that shines a light on every corner of prince's magnificent, otherworldly career. no stone is left unturned across more than 600 pages, illustrated with incredible photography throughout. from the inspiration behind the lyrics and melody to the recording process and even the musicians and producers who worked on each track, uncover the stories behind the music in this truly definitive book – a must-have for every prince fan.

Shaun ryder is a 1990s rock 'n' roll legend. now, for the first time, comes his hilarious, swaggering, hugely entertaining account of just what it takes to be a rock star. as lead singer of happy mondays and black grape, shaun ryder was the keith richards and mick jagger of his generation. a true rebel, who formed and led not one but two seminal bands, he's had number-one albums, been a figurehead of the madchester scene, headlined glastonbury festival, toured the world numerous times, taken every drug under the sun, been through rehab – and came out the other side as a national treasure. now, for the first time, shaun lifts the lid on the real inside story of how to be a rock star. with insights from three decades touring the world, which took him from salford to san francisco, from playing working men's clubs to headlining glastonbury and playing in front of the biggest festival crowd the world has ever seen, in brazil, in the middle of thunderstorm. from recording your first demo tape to having a no.1 album, covering tour bus debauchery, ridiculous riders, record company run-ins, drug dealers and the mafia, shaun gives a fly-on-the-wall look at the rock 'n' roll lifestyle – warts and all: how to be a rock star – and also how not to be a rock star.

One of spin's best music memoirs of 2022! brian johnson's memoir from growing up in a small town to starting his own band to ultimately replacing bon scott, the lead singer of one of the world biggest rock acts, ac/dc. they would record their first album together, the iconic back in black, which would become the biggest selling rock album of all time.brian johnson was born to a steelworker and wwii veteran father and an italian mother, growing up in new castle upon tyne, england, a working-class town. he was musically inclined and sang with the church choir. by the early '70s he performed with the glam rock band geordie, and they had a couple hits, but it was tough going. so tough that by 1976, they disbanded and brian turned to a blue-collar life.then 1980 changed everything. bon scott, the lead singer and lyricist of the australian rock band ac/dc died at 33. the band auditioned singers, among them johnson, whom scott himself had seen perform and raved about. within days, johnson was in a studio with the band, working with founding members angus and malcolm young, cliff williams, and phil rudd, along with producer mutt lange.when the album, back in black, was released in july–a mere three months after johnson had joined the band–it exploded, going on to sell 50 million copies worldwide, and triggering a years-long worldwide tour. it has been declared "the biggest selling hard rock album ever made" and "the best-selling heavy-metal album in history." the band toured the world for a full year to support the album, changing the face of rock music–and brian johnson's life–forever.

#1 new york times bestseller, named by the times as one of "6 books to help understand trump's win" and soon to be a major-motion picture directed by ron howard "you will not read a more important book about america this year."—the economist "a riveting book."—the wall street journal"essential reading."—david brooks, new york timeshillbilly elegy is a passionate and personal analysis of a culture in crisis—that of white working-class americans. the disintegration of this group, a process that has been slowly occurring now for more than forty years, has been reported with growing frequency and alarm, but has never before been written about as searingly from the inside. vance tells the true story of what a social, regional, and class decline feels like when you were born with it hung around your neck.the vance family story begins hopefully in postwar america. d.’s grandparents were “dirt poor and in love,” and moved north from kentucky’s appalachia region to ohio in the hopes of escaping the dreadful poverty around them. they raised a middle-class family, and eventually one of their grandchildren would graduate from yale law school, a conventional marker of success in achieving generational upward mobility. with piercing honesty, vance shows how he himself still carries around the demons of his chaotic family history.a deeply moving memoir, with its share of humor and vividly colorful figures, hillbilly elegy is the story of how upward mobility really feels. and it is an urgent and troubling meditation on the loss of the american dream for a large segment of this country.

#1 new york times bestseller – the critically acclaimed singer-songwriter, producer, and six-time grammy winner opens up about faith, sexuality, parenthood, and a life shaped by music in “one of the great memoirs of our time” (glennon doyle, author of untamed). named one of the best books of the year by npr and autostraddle – “the best-written, most engaging rock autobiography since her childhood hero, elton john, published me.”—varietybrandi carlile was born into a musically gifted, impoverished family on the outskirts of seattle and grew up in a constant state of change, moving from house to house, trailer to trailer, fourteen times in as many years. though imperfect in every way, her dysfunctional childhood was as beautiful as it was strange, and as nurturing as it was difficult. at the age of five, brandi contracted bacterial meningitis, which almost took her life, leaving an indelible mark on her formative years and altering her journey into young adulthood.as an openly gay teenager, brandi grappled with the tension between her sexuality and her faith when her pastor publicly refused to baptize her on the day of the ceremony. shockingly, her small town rallied around brandi in support and set her on a path to salvation where the rest of the misfits and rejects find it: through twisted, joyful, weird, and wonderful music. in broken horses, brandi carlile takes readers through the events of her life that shaped her very raw art—from her start at a local singing competition where she performed elton john’s “honky cat” in a bedazzled white polyester suit, to her first break opening for dave matthews band, to many sleepless tours over fifteen years and six studio albums, all while raising two children with her wife, catherine shepherd. this hard-won success led her to collaborations with personal heroes like elton john, dolly parton, mavis staples, pearl jam, tanya tucker, and joni mitchell, as well as her peers in the supergroup the highwomen, and ultimately to the grammy stage, where she converted millions of viewers into instant fans.evocative and piercingly honest, broken horses is at once an examination of faith through the eyes of a person rejected by the church’s basic tenets and a meditation on the moments and lyrics that have shaped the life of a creative mind, a brilliant artist, and a genuine empath on a mission to give back.

The rolling stones, commonly referred to as the world's greatest rock 'n' roll band, epitomize everything that's excessive, lavish, exciting, and powerful about rock music. here, founding member and bass player bill wyman presents an honest and humorous account that serves as a backstage pass to the band's history, from drug busts, to tax exile, to solo careers. straight from wyman's huge personal archive, rolling with the stones features previously unreleased letters, photographs, memorabilia, and personal journals. with over 2000 photographs, more than 45 beautifully designed tour spreads, song lists from every show, and biographies on each band member.

Many fans of rolling stones guitarist keith richards wonder how he's managed to survive the last half-century of raucous rock and roll behavior and drug use. this suspicion is only intensified after reading life, his 2011 autobiography. richards has always been just who he is, leaving the facades for others and choosing instead to just be himself. his open honestly is evident in life, when he discusses not only the tunes made famous by his legendary band but the men behind them. keith writes about his past addictions at length, and the isolation both his drug use and the band's fame brought. the book even includes many pictures from keith's personal collection. these are available as a pdf download with the audiobook version on life. richards talks about the early days of the rolling stones, when the band did a lot more listening than playing. he, along with vocalist mick jagger and fellow guitarist brian jones, would sit for hours dissecting and digesting records by chuck berry and muddy waters. from there, they developed their own sound, and formed a band to play the music the y loved. jagger and richards soon found they worked well together as a songwriting team, and the rolling stones were born. he offers a look at their rise to fame and all of the events of the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s that contributed to their legendary status. richards wrote life with help from journalist james fox. fox is best known for his book about an infamous 1941 murder in kenya called white mischief. his other works include five sisters: the langhornes of virginia. he has also worked as a reporter for london's sunday times. the life audiobook is narrated by johnny depp and joe hurley.

Can you feel nostalgic for a life you've never known? suffused with her much-loved warmth and wit, emma john's memoir follows her moving and memorable journey to master one of the hardest musical styles on earth – and to find her place in an alien world.emma had fallen out of love with her violin when a chance trip to the american south introduced her to bluegrass music. classically trained, highly strung and wedded to london life, emma was about as country as a gin martini. so why did it feel like a homecoming? answering that question takes emma deep into the appalachian mountains, where she uncovers a hidden culture that confounds every expectation – and learns some emotional truths of her own.

Rock & roll: an unruly history is a full-scale salute to rock that is also a companion to the ten-part public television series, illuminating the roots of rock and exploring the "rock and roll culture" that surrounds the music. robert palmer, a preeminent rock critic and musician who was the chief advisor for the public television series, explores the complex creative processes that have allowed rock music to endure as a living art, fed from sources deep within nonconformist, anti-mainstream, often multiethnic american culture. by focusing on its roots and branchings, palmer charts rock's ongoing developmental processes, showing how its many tributaries – from blues and gospel to reggae, punk, and rap – converge and connect to create the most insightful history of rock and roll ever written.

Rock & roll: an unruly history is a full-scale salute to rock that is also a companion to the ten-part public television series, illuminating the roots of rock and exploring the "rock and roll culture" that surrounds the music. robert palmer, a preeminent rock critic and musician who was the chief advisor for the public television series, explores the complex creative processes that have allowed rock music to endure as a living art, fed from sources deep within nonconformist, anti-mainstream, often multiethnic american culture. by focusing on its roots and branchings, palmer charts rock's ongoing developmental processes, showing how its many tributaries – from blues and gospel to reggae, punk, and rap – converge and connect to create the most insightful history of rock and roll ever written.