In 1951, the Schmitt Brothers won an international singing competition, besting the top 40 quartets in the U.S. and Canada. They blasted to fame in 18 short months and didn't stop singing for 35 years-making them the first to win on their first try and the longest performing quartet to retain its original members. But there's more to the story. The Schmitt Brothers were really brothers-from a family of 17. They were devoted husbands and fathers-with 35 children among them. They were businessmen and civic leaders-who never missed an opportunity to serve and promote their community. They traveled more than 2 million miles and performed in 3,000 programs including the Ed Sullivan, Arthur Godfrey and Lawrence Welk shows as well as Carnegie Hall, Madison Square Garden and the top stages in the country. The Schmitt Brothers were capable of perfectly blending delicate tones, thundering crescendos, cascading decrescendos and chords that-if you didn't know better-made you think there was an entire orchestra backing them up. For everyone who heard the Schmitt Brothers, the magic of their singing brought harmony and joy to all who knew them. This is their amazing story.

"The Schmitt Brothers put their hometown of Two Rivers, Wisconsin, on the map when they won the 1951 international SPEBSQSA championship. They blasted to fame in 18 short months and didn’t stop singing for 35 years. The quartet traveled more than 2 million miles to appear in 3,000 performances, including the Ed Sullivan, Arthur Godfrey, and Lawrence Welk shows as well as at Carnegie Hall, Madison Square Garden and other top venues in the United States and Canada. More than 70 years later, their family, friends and fans dedicated a stage in their honor in the same park where the city welcomed the Schmitt Brothers home after their victory. Filled with 240+ photos and 25+ newspaper clippings, this commemorative book tells the story of Two Rivers, the Schmitt Brothers and the many people who worked so hard to memorialize their contributions to the city they loved." -From back cover.

There are eight Schmitt brothers in all, and one of them is even a girl - the poor thing. Anne, the only girl, is a ruthless tomboy. Fritz is an aspiring mad scientist. Zach is an aspiring weird scientist. Lester is their lab rat and test pilot. Roscoe is the thrill-seeker and super hero. Stanley is the family comedian. Gus is the perfectionist and natural victim. Last but not least, there's Fuzz, the family baby - raised by his brothers. Every day is chock full of adventure, pranks, mischief and misfortune. A must read for all ages.

This is a book of collected works compiled and written by community members who chose to share their remembrances of the past. The stories take place in Oshkosh, Wisconsin in the 1940s and '50s, although a few stories go before and a few beyond. They are stories of corner taverns, grocery stores, churches and self-contained neighborhoods; of sports and sport heroes, and icons of the past; of movie theatres, a dank basement, and a chance encounter with Gene Autry; of polio epidemics, iron lungs, and stories from two who were afflicted; of hoboes, fearful mothers, and orphan train drops; of the beginning of aviation, steam-driven trains, and motorcycle clubs; of walleye and white bass runs, ice shanties, and spearing sturgeons; of breweries no longer there and barbershop songfests that are; of boating, yacht clubs, and Friday night fish frys; of "regular folks" and community leaders, and others of note; of pin setting and caddying, and other teenage staples; of war rationing, blackouts, and savings bonds; of old-fashion ice houses, traveling circuses, and freshwater quarries; of YMCA's, library expansions, and civic events; of an American war hero, a diary kept, and a fallen president; and of an Oshkosh that in its "heyday" was known throughout the country as "Sawdust City." The stories you are about to read are first-hand accounts; images of another time. Ron La Point, a retired high school history teacher, has authored two previous books: A Family History, and Oshkosh: A South Sider Remembers. He and his wife, Carol, winter in Sun City West, Arizona and summer in his hometown of Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

The Artful Evolution of Hal & Mal's is a collaboration between artist Ginger Williams Cook and author Malcolm White about the people, the place, and the history of Hal & Mal's, an iconic institution in downtown Jackson, Mississippi. Featuring beautiful watercolor paintings, the book brings together thirty years of family history, live music performances, and cafe society through graphic designs of old photographs, original illustrations, Hal's legendary recipe cards, and the written word. Opening with a foreword by the renowned author and chef Robert St. John and featuring Ginger's bold and vibrant look at a place she grew up patronizing, The Artful Evolution of Hal & Mal's captures the reflective, quirky voice of one half of the dynamic team known to millions as Hal & Mal. Hal & Mal's was conceived by brothers Hal and Malcolm White. The dream was rooted in a childhood on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, reinforced by years of living and working in New Orleans, and ultimately launched in Jackson in 1985. This gathering place has always been owned and operated by family--now the second and third generations. The multifunctional, southern-soul-soaked rooms are adorned with memorabilia and chock-full of local character; each one also features a stage for live music. The kitchen serves a steady offering of hearty regional staples with a nod toward the Gulf of Mexico. Hal & Mal's is the most-talked-about upscale honky-tonk in all of Mississippi, where art is made, music plays, and folks gather to share community and celebrate the very best of Mississippi's creative spirit.