And They All Sang: Adventures of an Eclectic Disc Jockey [Hardcover]

Studs Terkel (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this enjoyable, informative collection of 40 interviews, Pulitzer-winning oral historian Terkel recalls his venerable radio program, The Wax Museum, which premiered shortly after the end of WWII in 1945, profiling composers, entertainers and impresarios of nearly every type of music. In a stirring introduction, Terkel explains his love affair with music, which began when he was a boy and culminated with this daily radio show, where Terkel used a diverse playlist to spark dynamic chats with opera divas Edith Mason and Rosa Raisa, rockers Bob Dylan and Janis Joplin, world musicians Ravi Shankar and Andres Segovia, jazz greats Dizzy Gillespie and Louis Armstrong, folk singers Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger, and others. Insightful and daring, Terkel always asks the right questions, whether culturally or musically. Most scintillating are the occasions when Terkel provokes his subjects to weigh in on controversial topics (as when composer Leonard Bernstein comments, "What would American music or culture be like if there were no black people here?"). Although perhaps not as strong as some of Terkel's weightier works (e.g., The Good War: An Oral History of World War II), this volume is nevertheless effective oral history, demonstrating an expert journalist's ability to let his subjects speak. (Sept. 1)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

*Starred Review* Studs Terkel--Pulitzer Prize-winning author, oral historian, radio personality, raconteur, and humanitarian--has grappled with life's tough predicaments (poverty, war, prejudice, injustice, and death) in vital conversations with both regular folks and people in the public eye. But as much as Terkel has been a clarion champion of human rights and peace, he has also been an ardent and expert celebrator of the arts. He gathered his favorite conversations with theater and film luminaries in The Spectator (1999), and now turns to his first love, music, in this zestful and moving collection of his revelatory dialogues with musicians, singers, composers, and impresarios. Terkel converses intensely with stars from the classical world, including Marian Anderson, Ravi Shankar, and Leonard Bernstein. He conducts lively exchanges with jazz greats Louis Armstrong, Betty Carter, and Dizzy Gillespie, and considers the power of spirituals, blues, and folk music with Mahalia Jackson, Big Bill Broonzy, Pete Seeger, young hipster Bob Dylan, and a humble Janis Joplin. In each priceless give-and-take, Terkel captures the distinct personality of each artist and the spirit of his or her world-altering music. Terkel is like no other in his eloquence, humor, empathy, and generosity. Donna Seaman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: New Press, The; First Edition edition (September 6, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1595580034
• ISBN-13: 978-1595580030
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 6.4 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,287,214 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Studs Terkel (1912-2008) was a free spirit, an outspoken populist, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author, a terrible ham, and one of the best-loved characters on the American scene. Born in New York in 1912, he lived in Chicago for over eight decades. His radio show was carried on stations throughout the country.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Studs Terkel..., April 5, 2006

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Daily_Show_Fan (Maine) - See all my reviews

This review is from: And They All Sang: Adventures of an Eclectic Disc Jockey (Hardcover)

Studs Terkel is a great writer/interviewer. He knows that the best stories don't come from the higher-ups in the country but from everyday working class people. I highly recommend this book.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A marvelous Book, January 11, 2007

By 

Sheila Malone (Backwoods of Maine) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: And They All Sang: Adventures of an Eclectic Disc Jockey (Hardcover)

This book is wonderful and so full of character. Anyone old enough to remember Studs Terkel and His radio program will love this book, and if you have never heard of him you will enjoy getting to know his unique outlook on life. The interviews are a rich and colorful history of the music of the 20th century and well worth the price of admission.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars More great oral history from Studs Terkel, February 26, 2007

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Will (San Francisco) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: And They All Sang: Adventures of an Eclectic Disc Jockey (Paperback)

Nice collection of parts of interviews of some greats from the opera and jaz worlds. Better than the original interviews in one respect -- the subjects get to talk more than the interviewer. I loved Stud's show on WFMT, but sometimes...