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50th out of 379 books
—
137 voters
Will You Miss Me When I'm Gone?: The Carter Family and Their Legacy in American Music
Will You Miss Me When I'm Gone? is the first major biography of the Carter Family, the musical pioneers who almost single-handedly created the sounds and traditions that grew into modern folk, country, and bluegrass music. Meticulously researched and lovingly written, it is a look at a world and a culture that, rather than passing, has continued to exist in the music that...more
Paperback, 432 pages
Published
February 17th 2004
by Simon & Schuster
(first published July 15th 2002)
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There’s too much to say about the Carter Family. I could start with their oddball personalities : the chirpy, pocketsized indomitable Maybelle, the spaced-out Alvin Pleasant (note great middle name - how nice to have been called Paul Pleasant Bryant or Paul Niceenoughwhenyougettoknowhim Bryant), and the dour, flinty Sara. Of all the photographs of the Carter Family, there’s only one where Sara is smiling and even on that one, it’s not a grin, just a mild softening of the features, a fleeting ho...more
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This is one of my very favorite books. You know that book that each of us has in our collection that we want everyone to read? That book that we loan to friends, family, colleagues, and (I suppose in some cases) strangers, just wanting them to read it because we
KNOW
they'll love it? This is that book.
I'm sort of OCD about my music; I tend to overanalyze and obsess about who (stylistically) begat whom. That being said, The Carters are near the top of the family tree of much of what has become...more
I'm sort of OCD about my music; I tend to overanalyze and obsess about who (stylistically) begat whom. That being said, The Carters are near the top of the family tree of much of what has become...more
I bought this book right after I saw Walk the Line (which is an awesome, awesome movie – go see it). I was in Barnes & Noble, and this caught my eye – a New York Times Notable Book and a National Book Critics Circle Finalist that just happened to be about the Carter family at the exact moment when I had the songs of Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash running through my head. Serendipity, no?
I am glad for it, because this was a great book. I have been drifting along, reading four or five books...more
I am glad for it, because this was a great book. I have been drifting along, reading four or five books...more
I was supposed to read this book in college for a History of Pop Music course. The course favored heavily on popular music no one really cared about like folk and country from the Depression through the 1950's and not music I actually consider to be popular which was a disappointment. I think we covered the 1970's-2000's in the last two weeks because the prof would not shut up about Hank Williams and the Carters. Needless to say this collected dust until about a week ago.
Now the fact that they...more
Now the fact that they...more
A. P. Carter left no journals, no papers, no correspondence behind upon his death. Nor did his ex-wife Sara. Maybelle gave us Helen, Anita, and June but she didn't leave behind many documents either. But what these three people did leave behind is a stunning body of music that became the taproot for much of what we know today as bluegrass, country and western, and folk music. They influenced people like Woody Guthrie, Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, members of The Band. Their voices traveled out over the...more
There is not a single dull page in "Will You Miss Me When I'm Gone?", its story is incredible and must be heard by anyone that is interested in music. I was happy to find that this book goes so in depth during the years where Mother Maybelle toured with the Carter Sisters, an era in which I knew nothing about. The authors capture the rural mountain living life vividly, a lifestyle and time that seems like a different world. No good story is left untold, from Hank Williams attempting to murder Ju...more
An absolute must-read for anyone interested in the Carter Family and the history of American music. This book was both historically informative and incredibly interesting to read. This book made my husband cry.
Any country fan who hasn't read it should put it on their Christmas present list. It would fill any empty hours between turkey and the chimes at midnight perfectly. I enjoyed the writing. the relaxed style reflects the way that country has influenced the syntax of American English. I enjoyed adding to my knowledge of the history of what we Brits call Americana. And I added to the pleasure by using the internet to prepare me a party tape of all the songs mentioned in the section that I'd just rea...more
I read this several years ago and just loved it. My parents grew up in the 1940s listening to the Grand Ole Opry, and it was fun to read about the business and personalities behind the music -- although I think the height of the Carter Family trio's popularity predated this time.
I also like stories about rural families -- not least because I grew up in and remain part of one -- and most writers don't know how to take us seriously and do us justice.
I give it 4 stars because I reserve 5 for books...more
I also like stories about rural families -- not least because I grew up in and remain part of one -- and most writers don't know how to take us seriously and do us justice.
I give it 4 stars because I reserve 5 for books...more
As a fan of the Carter Family, I found an in-depth story of their early life, the music that A.P. discovered throughout Appalachia and brought to the rest of the world, the music the Carters created and the path their careers took over the years. It enhanced my appreciation of Americana, folk, country and bluegrass music because the roots of those genres can be traced back to the Carter Family's early forays into recording and radio performances. This is a must read for fans! I think even those...more
My daughter passed this on to me when I told her I needed to "read a book about the arts, music or dance" for a Book Bingo: Fall Into Books game we have going for staff at Addison PL. If you're a fan of traditional music or the roots of country music, this might be for you. Otherwise, it might just be 400 pages of boredom. I liked it. A.P., his wife Sara, and his sister-in-law Maybelle were the original Carter Family. This is their story as well as the story of Maybelle and her daughters, and Ch...more
Very interesting topic, though I found the second half of it somewhat ponderous. Unfortunately, it often fell into the usual trap of padding the story of a seminal group with anecdotes about meetings with "more famous" people (Elvis, Johnny Cash, etc.). I would have preferred that Zwonitzer had spent more time focusing on the really interesting personalities of Sara and A.P. and their troubled relationship. I realize that reliable information on these two was likely tough to come by, but it seem...more
Great biography! Sad and real and weird. And most importantly sympathetic--that tone is really hard to strike where you don't feel like the author is dishing more dirt than should really be seen, in the interests of privacy.
The story will definitely be more exciting if you are a little familiar with the music, OR if you supplement your reading experience with some audio. There are a lot of song mentions that help fill out the world of the book, and even some judicious use of lyrics. Really well...more
The story will definitely be more exciting if you are a little familiar with the music, OR if you supplement your reading experience with some audio. There are a lot of song mentions that help fill out the world of the book, and even some judicious use of lyrics. Really well...more
I did enjoy this book quite a bit, even though I had some problems with the way it was written. The author throws in colloquialisms and writes in a self-consciously informal way that I found distracting. As though he is trying to write "country". I know a few times I had to pause in my reading to roll my eyes and if had just been written in a more straight forward way, I wouldn't have noticed it, nor would have detracted from the story in the least.
Also, many times things are written where I wou...more
Also, many times things are written where I wou...more
Oct 02, 2011
David Glenn Dixon
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
read-for-money,
wcp-review
Washington City Paper
Arts & Entertainment : Book Review
Clinch Mountain Breakdown
By Glenn Dixon • November 1, 2002
Alvin Pleasant Carter fell for the voice before he even knew which girl it belonged to. Trudging over Clinch Mountain toward his cousin's house to try to sell fruit trees out of a catalog to his relatives, A.P. was struck by an alto singing the train-wreck ballad "Engine 143." It took some time for his affection to be returned, but he eventually won Sara Dougherty over. When asked...more
Arts & Entertainment : Book Review
Clinch Mountain Breakdown
By Glenn Dixon • November 1, 2002
Alvin Pleasant Carter fell for the voice before he even knew which girl it belonged to. Trudging over Clinch Mountain toward his cousin's house to try to sell fruit trees out of a catalog to his relatives, A.P. was struck by an alto singing the train-wreck ballad "Engine 143." It took some time for his affection to be returned, but he eventually won Sara Dougherty over. When asked...more
I'm a bit biased because I've had the privilege to work for the author, Mark Zwonitzer (who also writes, directs, and produces for PBS's American Experience); all the same, this is a wonderfully rich take on the Carter Family legacy. The writing is lovely and lovingly executed, but it's no mere exercise in hero-worship. We really get to know Sara, Maybelle and A.P. (and their children) for all their talents and failings, and in Will You Miss Me we get to ride with them out of the mountains, on s...more
One of the best books about the music that became bluegrass I've ever read. It illustrates the weird amalgamations, "hawaian style" really did come from Hawaii over the radio, the influence of itenerant black musicians, the exposure to cowboy music, and the good scots irish folk tunes that are the bones of bluegrass. Most of all the human drama and failings in AP and Sara's failed marriage and what it meant for everyone. A beautifully researched and written book.
A great read for all fans of American music. The author romanticizes the hardship of early 20th century Appalachian life, but he deals admirably with the lack of either written or spoken histories. These mountain people didn't talk much, or express their feelings, so the reader is left imaginatively filling the blanks! Nevertheless, enough of the hard facts of the Carter Family's life are given to paint a picture. Especially the later years are well portrayed.
Feb 06, 2008
Rebecca
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
anyone with even a passing interest in biographies, americana, music
Shelves:
biography-memoir,
music
Wow, the Carter Family deserves the best treatment, and this is it. This book has something for everyone. It's as authoritative and as relaxed as a country yarn, full of larger than life characters from the kin in Maces Springs to Nashville's country stars. On top of which the musical analysis enriches the story, rather than boring the casual reader. (How A.P. collected and copyrighted traditional songs, the way Maybelle developed her influential guitar playing.) I was fascinated by the chapters...more
The Carter Family are one of those groups I have much respect for but hardly listen to. I love many of the songs they brought to our attention but must admit that the warbly recordings and dented voices in those recordings never did it for me.
Nonetheless there innovation, craft, and blood permiates much of the music I enjoy listening to so me pulling Will You Miss Me off the shelf and reading it right away was never in doubt.
While the book is not at the top of literary biographies it gets the j...more
Nonetheless there innovation, craft, and blood permiates much of the music I enjoy listening to so me pulling Will You Miss Me off the shelf and reading it right away was never in doubt.
While the book is not at the top of literary biographies it gets the j...more
A first rate look at the wonderful Carter Family. The authors obviously did their homework, but it doesn't read like an encyclopedia. Tells of the struggles of rural life in Appalachia, and of how the Carters found a way to success by remaining true to themselves. Great story.
The Carter Family were among the founders of modern country music. They were stars in the 1930s via the relatively mediums of records and radio. A fascinating story for anyone interested in 20th century popular culture.
Dec 24, 2011
Halima
added it
مرحبا انا حليمة يمكني ان نعيش معكم لاني يكرهوني الوالدية انا اسكن الجزائر ولاية قالمة بلدية حمام دباغ
halima2009@live.com
halima2009@live.com
I must have read this 3 times. If you're a fan of their music, the music of their "descendants," or simply interested in the cultural history of the US in the middle of the 20th Century, this is for you.
Great job by Zwonitzer and Hirshberg in telling the story of Maybelle Carter and her family from the early days of the recording industry through border radio, the Grand Ole Opry, and the Johnny Cash Show.
This is a very insightful book about the Carter Family and how they started in music. What a great historical read on lots of insight in the start of country music. A lot of great detail.
More like 3.5, but edging toward 4. This book had some boring moments, especially at the beginning, when discussion of Carter relatives that had nothing to do with recording music seemed to dominate. But, then, I read this book primarily to get the dirt on A.P. and Sarah's divorce, Hank Williams, Elvis, and, of course, Johnny Cash, all of who showed up in the second half of the book, and provided lots of gossipy fun.
On a less salacious note, my admiration for Maybelle Carter is now officially b...more
On a less salacious note, my admiration for Maybelle Carter is now officially b...more
The first really in-depth study of the Carter Family. Even if you don't care for country music, it's a wonderful lookback in time and turns out things weren't so simple back then.
Not only is this a first-rate biography of the family who essentially invented country music, but it's also an entertaining look at Depression-era Appalachian living, and a heart-breaking love story. Author Mark Zwonitzer's writing style uses colloquialisms and phraseology common to the area, but is so skilled at it that it never condescends to the reader or the people about whom he is writing, but rather gives a real sense of place to the story. So many people in this book come across as ones y...more
Interesting not only for the story of the music but for a look at rural Appalachian life in the early to mid 20th century.
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