Mark Brainards A Musicians Son (Lyrics, Poems, and Memoirs) is a collection of selected works written over a span of forty years. The memoirs are a long musical journey under the tutelage of his musician father who played in the big band era with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra and was a songwriter in his own rite. Influence and inspiration carried on through the rest of his family as well as friends, peers, bandmates, The Beatles, and women in his life. He has written over 200 songs and poems on many subjects including love, spirit, cars, women, heartbreak, places, experiences, and the bizarre. Many are included in this book with the stories behind them. "Even though I have accomplished so much, I feel like my life is still taking off. All my songs are my children and I'll leave them to somebody some day. Even though they never topped the charts, they're the greatest hits in my family anyway." MB

We all have our dreams. We all want to be someone or something special in our lives. In this book, you will read about a small-town boy who wanted nothing more than to become a stock car driver and, as a fifteen-year-old teenager, became one. I hope you will enjoy this book.

Yo-Yo Ma is an internationally acclaimed cello virtuoso. My Son, Yo-Yo is the compelling story of his life from the cradle to his entering Harvard University at the age of seventeen. It is told by his mother but narrated and written by Dr. John A. Rallo. By telling the story of her son, Marina Ma hopes other young people will realize life is a struggle uphill and that pain and hard work are part of growing up. In her story, love of family is the main sustaining force keeping it together especially during difficult times. The book, written in warm, conversational style, highlights events in the development of the "boy wonder." It is divided into thirty short chapters enriched by numerous photographs from the family album.

As a musician, a music teacher, and father of three musical children, Robert A. Cutietta can view the challenge of raising musical kids from all sides. Now, in a volume written specifically for parents (with or without musical background), he draws upon his extensive research and varied personal experience to offer a complete, practical guide to this common parenting issue. Does music make kids smarter? At what age should a child begin music lessons? Where should I purchase an instrument? What should parents expect from a child's teachers and lessons? How do I get them to practice? Raising Musical Kids answers these and many more questions as it covers everything from assembling a good listening library for kids, to matching a child's personality with an instrument's personality, to finding musical resources in your community. Cutietta is a gold mine of common sense and straightforward advice. For instance, his novel reward system for enforcing practice will be a godsend for parents. Knowing that children can--and usually do--get most of their music education within the public school system, the author explores at length the features and benefits of elementary and secondary school programs, and shows how parents can make the schools work for them and their children. And along the way, readers will enjoy Cutietta's good humor--his tales of 3rd graders wrestling with huge string basses--and the common sense way he dispels many stereotypes, such as the all-too-common "only boys can play drums." Throughout, Cutietta emphasizes the joy of participating in music for its own sake. This is a book that parents everywhere will treasure as a complete road map for developing their child's musical abilities.

Does music make kids smarter? At what age should a child begin music lessons? Where should you purchase an instrument? What should parents expect from a child's teachers and lessons? How can you get kids to practice? Raising Musical Kids answers these and many other questions as it guides parents through everything from assembling a listening library for kids, to matching a child's personality with an instrument's personality, to finding musical resources in your community. Knowing that children can—and often do—get most of their music education from their school, parent and educator Robert Cutietta explores the features and benefits of elementary and secondary school programs, and shows how parents can work with the schools to provide the best possible music program. Throughout the book, Cutietta emphasizes the joy of participating in music for its own sake. The first edition of Raising Musical Kids delighted and informed parents to equal degrees, and this fully-revised second edition is a book that parents everywhere will treasure as a complete road map for developing their child's musical abilities.