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Archive: 2015 (52 Posts)

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George M!

Posted by: Katie Rodda

“Over there! Over there!” “I’m a Yankee Doodle Dandy…” “You’re a grand old flag, you’re a high flying flag!” Do these songs seem familiar to you? Did you know that they were all written by the same composer, George M. Cohan? George M. Cohan (he’s usually referred to by his full name, middle initial and …

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Chicago Blues

Posted by: Amanda Smith

Chicago is on my mind. How is it that some places, more than others, capture your heart? Like many who dream of the mesmerizing hum of New York City, I am enamored with Chicago. In Chicago, railcars rumble just feet above your head on open air tracks; their squealing brakes are a reminder of earlier century steam …

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More Free Braille Music Scores #3

Posted by: John Hanson

This is the THIRD post announcing the availability of a selection of free braille scores. The response to our last offer was significantly better than the first. And we are gratified. In the new list we have many new listings and the total number is slightly greater than before. As before, these are scores that …

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So You’d Like to Be a Pop Superstar?

Posted by: Katie Rodda

Guitar, bass, vocals, drums, piano…the makings of any good pop record, right? For our patrons out there who are looking to rock out to some pop music, we’ve got you covered. In a post from last September, my colleague Mary Dell Jenkins discussed our series of “Popular Music Lead Sheets,” which offers popular music selections …

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Blind Lemon Jefferson

Posted by: Amanda Smith

Recently, I discovered that September is the birth month of Blind Lemon Jefferson, a tried and true guitar player and singer who is celebrated in the American folk-blues world. It’s been awhile since I’ve celebrated a musician’s birthday on this blog, by writing a post about their career and lasting accomplishments. I can’t resist the …

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A King and a (Fairy) Queen: Music by Henry Purcell in the NLS Collection

Posted by: Katie Rodda

Today (September 10th) we celebrate Henry Purcell’s 356th birthday [Note: this date is actually disputed as no official baptismal record has been found. However, we will use this commonly accepted date, as it gives us a chance to talk about his music!]. Purcell’s contribution to Western classical music is indispensable, as it has influenced numerous other …