Legends, Icons & Rebels

Description

Music industry veterans Robbie Robertson, Jim Guerinot, Jared Levine, and Sebastian Robertson invite young readers to celebrate the lives of 27 musical legends. Short profiles chronicle personal stories and achievements of extraordinarily talented artists whose innovations changed the landscape of music for generations to come. From Ray Charles to Johnny Cash, Chuck Berry to Bob Dylan, Robertson shares anecdotes about these artists and the influence they had on his own musical journey.

Robbie Robertson is himself a musical legend. He has won a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and is a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee. He was the primary songwriter for the critically acclaimed group The Band, penning Americana classics like "The Weight" and "Up on Cripple Creek" and toured with Bob Dylan. After The Band bid farewell to performing in The Last Waltz concert, filmed by Martin Scorsese, Robertson followed his long-time fascination with film. He was a Creative Executive at DreamWorks and has scored and/or been an executive music producer on a number of Martin Scorsese's films. He has also acted in and written and produced other major motion pictures. Jim Guerinot owns and runs Rebel Waltz Management. He manages a client roster that includes No Doubt, Gwen Stefani, The Offspring, Nine Inch Nails, Trent Reznor, and Robbie Robertson. In addition to band management, Guerinot was the General Manager and the Sr. Vice-President of Marketing at A&M Records, supervising the Marketing, Promotion, Sales, Publicity, and Creative Services departments. His influence figured in the development and success of such A&M acts as Soundgarden, Sheryl Crow, and Blues Traveler. Guerinot is also the owner of indie label Time Bomb Records. Jared Levine played in bands throughout college. After, he moved to Los Angeles where he was hired by Geffen Records to coordinate the Robbie Robertson record Storyville. Since then Jared has worked in the music business as an artist manager and A&R man. He has managed such artists as Robbie Robertson and Fishbone, and has signed artists including Cracker, Soul Asylum, and Gin Blossoms. Music has always been central to Sebastian Robertson's life. He has played in several bands and appeared on the album Music For The Native Americans. He has composed over 3,000 pieces of music in television and film. He also served as the musical director on the acclaimed documentary series Playing For Change. Sebastian is currently writing a number of children's books and is developing a cable television series. The author lives in California, USA.

Selected, Amazon's list of Best Books of the Month, 2013 Selected, Booklist's list of Editor's Picks, 2013 Selected, Associated Press's list of 15 Gift-worthy Coffee Table Books for the Holidays, 2013 Selected, Rolling Stone's Gift Guide, 2013 "These admiring sketches offer a clear understanding of what made these musicians important and influential .... Readers may be inspired to explore their music and dig deeper into their lives and careers ...." - Kirkus Reviews "Written by the Band's Robbie Robertson, his son, and two music industry executives, this weighty tribute provides two-page biographies of 27 artists from Chuck Berry to Bob Dylan, placing each one in the context of music history .... Two CDs include a single hit from each musician, an impressive collection. An ideal gift for children whose parents have just discovered that they don't know who Otis Redding is." - Publishers Weekly "Wow, just wow! This book is big in every way .... A variety of illustrators have provided the pictures, and each one is so memorable you want to rip it out and frame it .... In a book so visually appealing, it's a treat that the words grab as much as the pictures .... All of the material feels fresh, and with backmatter aplenty, there are lots of ways that this could be used in schools-or kids could just kick back, read, and listen." - Starred Review, Booklist "The list is impeccable and daring .... The bios, accompanied by striking illustrations, are informative and atmospheric. Robertson gives a musician's perspective on the artists and studs the book with reminiscences like playing an early version of The Band for George Harrison, who previewed Abbey Road in return. This is a book that will touch you with the flame that earned these titans their place in the pantheon." - Four Stars, Rolling Stone Magazine "Aimed at young readers who have yet to be exposed to the greats, Legends, Icons & Rebels .... reads like a field guide to the most talented artists of all time." - PASTE Magazine