The Band Pioneers of Americana Music [Hardcover]

In The Band: Pioneers of Americana Music, Harris traces the music back through the folk movement, the Civil Rights struggle, and into the rock era. He also takes readers through each of The Bands' albums and the historic performances at Woodstock, the Isle of Wight and Watkins Glen. In addition to the music, the author examines the factors that shaped society and helped form the counterculture. All of it plays a role in how The Band came to be the unique musical outfit it was.In this book, veteran music writer Craig Harris goes way beyond the basic facts, telling almost everything that happened each step off the way. Although Harris is a fan, this is not a fan book; he tells the truth about the band, the good and the bad. It's a fascinating read, if you love the work of The Band, as I do, and it's maybe the best introduction to the group you'll find if you're aren't already familiar with them and their work. . . .There's a lot of material out there on The Band. Craig Harris's book doesn't just join the parade, it leads it.Harris dissects each of The Bands albums, the individual members solo releases, others contributions and lists songs that showed up later in various places. His research is extensive, but the overall pace through these 200 pages is breezy and entertaining. I really loved The Band: Pioneers of Americana Music, but then again I love The Band. Their story surely needed to be told beyond just all that wonderful music they made. Harris tells it wonderfully.I love simple hard won stories like this, histories of groups that reveal as much about the musicians featured as it does the times they worked in. There are not many stones left un-turned heretheres particular good stuff on Dylan 'going electric'and lots about the individual members of this five piece as well as Harris really looking deeply into the individual songs. Craig Harris tells their story brilliantly in just about 200 pages of his book The Band: Pioneers of American Music.It is difficul*