"A universal reference book."

Includes bibliographical references and index.

1880-1889 Introduction -- 1891Profile: Joshua Hamilton, barbershop quartet member -- 1898 Profile: Amy Marcy Cheney Beach, child prodigy composer -- Recorded popular songs: 1898 -- 1899 Profile: Albert Gustoff, clarinetist in John Philip Sousa's marching band -- Development of the clarinet -- John Philip Sousa quotations -- 1899 News feature: the vaudeville theater -- 1900-1909 Introduction -- 1903 Profile: Floyd Morioka, Methodist choirmaster -- 1905 Profile: Monty Mandell, journeyman piano player -- Recorded popular songs, 1905 -- 1909 Profile: Arthur Farwell, composed Native American music -- 1909 News feature: the world's music after five decades -- 1910-1919 Introduction -- 1913 Profile: Sarah Washington, African-American spiritual singer -- Booker T. Washington quotations -- 1916 Profile: Geraldine Farrar, New York Metropolitan Opera singer -- 1918 Profile: Alonzo "Zo" Elliott, wrote famous WWI song -- Recorded popular songs from WWI era: 1914-1918 -- 1919 News feature: with the allies on the Rhine -- 1920-1929 Introduction -- 1925 Profile: Leo Kunstadt, successfully marketed victrola phonographs -- Timeline of the Victor phonograph company -- 1927 Profile: Florence Mills, jazz singer & dancer -- 1928 News feature: the debut of Yehudi Menuhin, the musical event of the month -- 1929 Profile: Dock Boggs, banjo-picker & singer -- 1930-1939 Introduction -- 1931 News feature: the art of singing for the radio -- 1934 Profile: Russ Columbo, "Romeo of song" -- 1936 Profile: Mark Strahorn, fiddler with the empty road band -- 1939 Profile: Mary Lou Williams, pianist, arranger & musical inspiration -- Recorded popular songs: 1939 -- 1940-1949 Introduction -- 1942 Profile: Charlie Christian, perfected the single-string technique on guitar -- 1945 Profile: Helen Elizabeth Jones, trombonist in the all-girl traveling band -- 1945 News feature: the music of the North American Indians -- 1949 Profile: Martin Block, radio broadcaster turned popular disc jockey -- Recorded popular songs: 1949 -- 1950-1959 Introduction -- 1951 News feature: the grass roots of opera in America -- 1957 Profile: Carol Lawrence, Maria in West Side Story -- 1958 Profile: Gil Evans, jazz arranger -- 1959 Profile: Johnny Bragg, rock 'n' roll pioneer -- Recorded popular songs: 1950s -- Music trivia -- 1960-1969 Introduction -- 1964 Profile: Estelle Stewart Axton, premier record producer for black artists -- 1966 Profile: Artist Reid Miles, created hip look for Blue note records -- The history of Blue note records -- Music trivia -- 1968 Profile: Marshall Borowitz, started teenage band "One night stand" at 16 -- Billboard's top songs: 1968 -- 1968 News feature: Jefferson Airplane, after bathing at Baxter's -- 1970-1979 Introduction -- 1972 Profile: Melissa Goldberg, Grateful Dead deadhead -- 1973 News feature: The Sherrill sound -- 1976 Profile: Danny Goldberg, writer; Billboard magazine, promoter -- 1979 Profile: Eduardo "Lalo" Guerrero, "father of Chicano music" -- Musical events of 1979 -- 1980-1989 Introduction -- 1981 News feature: purveying hard-core funk -- 1982 Profile: Brad Lawson, sound assistant for Austin City Limits TV show -- 1983 Profile: George Clinton, "The prince of funk" -- 1985 Profile: Carleen Cahill, classical music singer -- Top singles: 1985 -- 1990-1999 Introduction -- 1993 Profile: Anwar X. Holliday, music promoter -- 1995 Profile: Jim "Soul" Sonefeld, Hootie & the Blowfish member -- 1996 News feature: new music -- 1995 Profile: Zachary Alexander, French hornist -- Top songs: 1998 -- 2000-2011 Introduction -- 2006 Profile: William Bartlett Barret IV, music copyright lawyer -- 2007 Profile: Ryland Edwards, jazz saxophonist & recording engineer -- 2011 Profile: Wayne C. Henderson, master guitar builder -- 2011 News feature: Me and Brian McGee, leaving his roots behind.