In October 2001, an unlikely gathering of musicians calling itself the MuzikMafia took place at the Pub of Love in Nashville, Tennessee. "We had all been beat up pretty good by the 'industry' and we told ourselves, if nothing else, we might as well be playing muzik," explains Big Kenny of Big and Rich. For the next year and a half, the MuzikMafia performed each week and garnered an ever-growing, dedicated fan base. Five years, several national tours, six Grammy nominations, and eleven million sold albums later, the MuzikMafia now includes a family of artists including founding members Big and Rich, Jon Nicholson, and Cory Gierman along with Gretchen Wilson, Cowboy Troy, James Otto, Shannon Lawson, Damien Horne (Mista D), Two-Foot Fred, Rachel Kice, and several more in development. This book explores how a set of shared beliefs created a bond that transformed the MuzikMafia into a popular music phenomenon. David B. Pruett examines the artists' coalition from the inside perspective he gained in five years of working with them. Looking at all aspects of the collective, MuzikMafia documents the problems encountered along the ascent, including business difficulties, tensions among members, disagreements with record labels, and miscalculations artists inevitably made before the MuzikMafia unofficially dissolved in 2008. A final section examines hope for the future: the birth of Mafia Nation in 2009.

In The Country Music Reader Travis D. Stimeling provides an anthology of primary source readings from newspapers, magazines, and fan ephemera encompassing the history of country music from circa 1900 to the present. Presenting conversations that have shaped historical understandings of country music, it brings the voices of country artists and songwriters, music industry insiders, critics, and fans together in a vibrant conversation about a widely loved yet seldom studied genre of American popular music. Situating each source chronologically within its specific musical or cultural context, Stimeling traces the history of country music from the fiddle contests and ballad collections of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries through the most recent developments in contemporary country music. Drawing from a vast array of sources including popular magazines, fan newsletters, trade publications, and artist biographies, The Country Music Reader offers firsthand insight into the changing role of country music within both the music industry and American musical culture, and presents a rich resource for university students, popular music scholars, and country music fans alike.

Three times a year, this extraordinary reference series provides biographical profiles of important persons of African heritage. Whether they are personalities from the news, selected 20th-century notables, or individuals who are not yet household names, these are the men and women who are changing today's world and shaping the world of tomorrow. Each volume of Contemporary Black Biography contains at least 65 full-length biographies written in an easy-to-follow prose style, ranging from 2 to 4 pages each. Arranged alphabetically, entries are divided by subheads for quick scanning. Sections cover: Portrait (as available)Date and place of birthEducational backgroundAddressCareer dataMembershipsAwards receivedDetailed prose essayComplete source citations Contemporary Black Biography is not limited to coverage of only notable black Americans, nor is it restricted by a manufactured definition of "contemporary." Its multinational coverage spans this century and includes rising personalities as well as groundbreakers and newsmakers in a variety of fields.Contemporary Black Biography includes four cumulative indexes: Nationality: While concentrating on U.S. figures, this title also covers important personalities from other countries. Find them listed by nationality here.Occupation: Editors focus on biographies not typically found in other sources -- an eclectic blend of well-known and well-respected educators, physicians, politicians, activists, writers, clergy, military leaders, attorneys, as well as members of the more glamorous occupations such as athletes, fashion models and actorsSubjects: Events, places and organizations are cross-referenced to each entry. Use this index to identify key black individuals associated with such topics as the NAACP, the Montgomery Bus Boycott, Motown Records, Medicine, the Olympics and hundreds of othersName: As the only series devoted exclusively to black biography, Contemporary Black Biography's name index is the first place to look when you need information on contemporary black figures Entries in the Contemporary Black Biography series can be accessed online through Gale Biographies on NEXIS. Each of the more than 100,000 profiles in Gale Biographies provides an intimate glimpse into the personal and professional life and times of the listee, including: birth/death date and place, family, education, career highlights and achievements, awards and honors, major works, sources of additional information and much more.

Provides biographical information on important figures in today's musical arena, covering artists working in all genres of modern music, including rock, jazz, pop, rap, rhythm and blues, folk, New Age, country, gospel and reggae.

Raised by a single mom in rural Illinois, Gretchen Wilson's formal education concluded in the eighth grade when she traded books for tending bar at Big O's, a rough-and-tumble joint on the outskirts of Pocahontas, IL. By the time she was 15, Gretchen was managing the place with the help of a loaded 12-gauge behind the bar to keep folks in line. Though he was long gone, Wilson's father had instilled a love of music in his daughter that blossomed on stage at Big O's where she found herself fronting a cover band and eyeing a move to Nashville in search of something more. Another town, struggling in another bar job, but again her gift for music won out. Discovered while singing with the house band at a bar in Nashville's famed Printer's Alley, Gretchen Wilson soon joined the ranks of the Muzik Mafia and the rest is history. In less than one calendar year she went from worrying about the repossession of her car to being one of the most successful recording stars in the world. Co-written by acclaimed and New York Times bestselling author Allen Rucker, the book will cover this inspiring All-American success story while providing a fun, and insightful look in on the kind of strength, will, and humor that have allowed Wilson to reclaim the term "Redneck" and recast it as a point of pride for millions of her fans. Whether she discusses her fashion preferences (Wal-Mart over Victoria's Secret), her choice of beer over champagne, her views on family, or the artists who've helped her to carve out the path she currently walks (Tammy Wynette, Loretta Lynn, Merle Haggard, etc.), Wilson's signature knack for storytelling and connecting with her audience on that authentically real level translates seamlessly to the page and offers a new and exciting glimpse at one of America's most beloved performers.

The SAGE Encyclopedia of Music and Culture presents key concepts in the study of music in its cultural context and provides an introduction to the discipline of ethnomusicology, its methods, concerns, and its contributions to knowledge and understanding of the world's musical cultures, styles, and practices. The diverse voices of contributors to this encyclopedia confirm ethnomusicology's fundamental ethos of inclusion and respect for diversity. Combined, the multiplicity of topics and approaches are presented in an easy-to-search A-Z format and offer a fresh perspective on the field and the subject of music in culture. Key features include: Approximately 730 signed articles, authored by prominent scholars, are arranged A-to-Z and published in a choice of print or electronic editions Pedagogical elements include Further Readings and Cross References to conclude each article and a Reader’s Guide in the front matter organizing entries by broad topical or thematic areas Back matter includes an annotated Resource Guide to further research (journals, books, and associations), an appendix listing notable archives, libraries, and museums, and a detailed Index The Index, Reader’s Guide themes, and Cross References combine for thorough search-and-browse capabilities in the electronic edition

Two Foot Fred, country music celebrity, shares the story of his life, overcoming dwarfism to achieve success.

How Nashville Became Music City, U.S.A. was first published in 2006 and quickly became the go-to reference for those seeking to understand the Nashville music industry, or write about it. Now, Michael Kosser, prolific songwriter and author, returns with an updated and expanded edition, bringing the history of Music Row up to the present, since so much has changed over the last fifteen years. This new edition of How Nashville Became Music City, U.S.A. details the history of the Nashville song and recording industry from the founding of its first serious commercial music publishing company in 1942 to the present. Kosser tells the history of Music Row primarily through the voices of those who made and continue to make that history, including record executives, producers, singers, publishers, songwriters, studio musicians, studio engineers, record promoters, and others responsible for the music and the business, including the ambitious music executives who struggle to find an audience who will buy country records instead of just listening to them on the radio. The result is a book with insight far beyond the usual media stories, with plenty of emotion, humor, and historical accuracy. Kosser traces the growth and cultural changes of Nashville and the adventurous souls who fly to it to be a part of the music. He follows the changes from its hillbilly roots through its “Nashville Sound” quasi-pop days, from the outlaws, the new traditionalists, and the mega-sellers to the recent bro country and the rise of mini-trends. This edition also bears witness to the huge influence of Music Row on pop, folk, rock, and other American music genres.

In its 114th year, Billboard remains the world's premier weekly music publication and a diverse digital, events, brand, content and data licensing platform. Billboard publishes the most trusted charts and offers unrivaled reporting about the latest music, video, gaming, media, digital and mobile entertainment issues and trends.