Country Music: The Encyclopedia [Paperback]

Irwin Stambler (Author), Grelun Landon (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 14, 2000

This completely revised and updated edition of Irwin Stambler and Grelun Landon's landmark encyclopedia of country music isn't limited to pure country anymore; in fact, its broad range covers country, country rock, bluegrass, rockabilly, country gospel, honky-tonk, western swing, cowboy (and cowgirl!) singers, and more! And unlike other encyclopedias, Country Music: The Encyclopedia is more than just a list of names and dates. It's the most personal country reference book there is, filled with original, first-person interviews with stars young and old, from Hank Williams to Shania Twain. In addition, the 75 percent new or substantially revised entries, and a series of indexes that allow you to reference song titles, album titles, performers, and types of music-as well as anything else that interests you in a general subject index-make Country Music: The Encyclopedia the greatest book of its kind.

Country Music: The Encyclopedia contains:
* Complete awards information, year by year
* Scores of photos of the hottest stars
* And, for the first time, a complete set of indexes-by performer, by song and album title, and general subject index-that no other country encyclopedia offers

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

During the last 10 years, the country-music industry has exploded with new stars and new sounds. The creators of The Encyclopedia of Folk, Country and Western Music are back with an all-new, revised, and updated country-music reference. Ranging from Hank Williams Sr. to BR5-49, each biographical sketch traces the artist's career and lists notable recordings. Want to know which early country artists appeared on the National Barn Dance radio show? Curious about which banjo players use the Scruggs picking style? The general subject index makes for mighty good readin'. Entries are also indexed by artist and album and song titles, and an appendix lists award- winners and members of the Country Music Hall of Fame. Whether you prefer Bob Wills or Shania Twain, this is the ultimate reference for any country-music lover. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Stambler and Landon here offer the third edition of a text first published as The Encyclopedia of Folk, Country, and Western Music (LJ 11/15/69; St. Martin's 1982. rev. ed.). The chiefly biographical entries have been substantially updated and tend to have more depth than usually found in other encyclopedias on country music. The reference-style layout promises to be useful and is augmented with a general index and specialized indexes of performer, song title, album title, and type of music. An added feature is the year-to-year awards section. Ideally, a reference collection should include the present work for its in-depth entry coverage and indexes; Barry McCloud's Definitive Country (LJ 6/1/95) for the impressive lists of awards, agents, artists' managers, fan clubs, festivals, and other related listings; and Country Music magazine's The Comprehensive Country Music Encyclopedia (LJ 11/15/94) for entries on the venues, genres, labels, recording studios, radio shows, and other related subjects. One really can't go wrong with any of these selections. Recommended for public and academic libraries.?Kathleen Sparkman, Baylor Univ. Lib., Waco, Tex.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 720 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin; 3rd edition (July 14, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312264879
• ISBN-13: 978-0312264871
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7.1 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,120,693 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Authoritative and informative source for country music info., September 25, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Country Music: The Encyclopedia (Hardcover)

I'm not a huge fan of country music, but I found this encyclopedia, with its many interviews and interesting tidbits, to be a fascinating read. The author seems to have amazing access to many of the most prominent country music stars and fills his accounts with witty accounts of the stars' lives. In short, I recommend this book highly.

3.0 out of 5 stars Do you need?, June 27, 2009

By 

Rejane Hinkle "twin spin" (El Paso, TX) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Country Music: The Encyclopedia (Paperback)

I just got this to get the titles of Country songs to see what I needed to add to my collection!

1.0 out of 5 stars Poorly Proofread, February 14, 2007

By 

TRNIMMO (Illinois) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Country Music: The Encyclopedia (Paperback)

This won't be much help to collectors. Many album titles listed in the discographies are wrong as well as release dates. I still pick it up from time to time just for a laugh and every time I do I find another error.