Customer Reviews

The Ladies Who Sing With the Band

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I know the author, and I love music. I find that she writes very much the way she talks; in a down to earth manner with a punch line at the end of every paragraph. She has a way of looking at events of the past with a philosophical attitude and with reflective humor. I caught myself reading a majority of her book with a grin on my face. Even the most tragic circumstances that she describes are examined with that humorous, philosophical approach. Events are just described, are "enlightened" -- so to speak.

She describes well the hard life of playing the role of a lady singer in a jazz band, the fun of being with some of the best names in the business, and how this whole experience shaped her life. Her feeling of being lucky do what has been a fulfillment of a life's dream while associating with some of the greatest names in Jazz and the music industry of this period permeates the book. This is true even when she describes the details of suffering through the some of the hardships of a musical career. Her philosophical summary in the last chapter of the book was touching and wonderful to read.

Betty has included some excellent source material in her book including names, dates, and photographs of many famous jazz musicians of the 20th century.

Although not a comprehensive listing of the ladies who sing with the band, this is certainly a good enough effort to receive three stars in my estimation. I did enjoy reading the text and I'm sure that I will keep referring to it from time to time. Well done.

Betty Bennett does Hamburg, Iowa proud with her folksy biography. We are proud that Betty has done so well and we applaud her many life experiences as she sang with the band.