John Philip Sousa's America The Patriot's Life in Images and Words

John Philip Sousa was the Beatles of his day--America's first big superstar: conductor of more than 14,000 concerts, composer of a hundred hit tunes, and author of three Broadway musicals...running at the same time! In 1900, he was the best-known musician in the world, living among presidents, corporate giants, and movie stars. Even today, millions hear and love his music. Schools, stages, highways, statues, and events are named after him. "The Stars and Stripes Forever" is the National March of the United States of America. Yet there was also a mystery about him: although he was the first to attempt a world tour with a 65-piece band, he never spoke to his audience. Just who was John Philip Sousa? This book tells the story about what made Sousa, SOUSA--a story that his great-grandson John Philip Sousa IV is uniquely qualified to tell. This intimate portrait brings Sousa to life--who he was, why he was driven to succeed, his love of country--and explores his life and times through hundreds of photos, cartoons, short stories, news clippings, quotes, sheet music covers, and magazine ads, collected in family scrapbooks, the Sousa Archive in the Library of Congress, and U.S. Marines archives. This book also includes a bonus compact disc recording featuring The March King's most beloved works performed by his successors with "The President's Own" U.S. Marine Band and a rare archival track of Sousa's own voice, introducing his band and playing his beloved "The Stars and Stripes Forever." This book reveals a quintessentially American story: It is the story of being born to poor immigrant parents and through immeasurable hard work, talent, and self-motivated drive, succeeding beyond dreams. But it is also a very personal story of a man with a vision: a man who saw great music ultimately as being from the heart and who sought to bring this music--not just his own--to the world. John Philip Sousa's America is a compelling portrait of a great American: a heartfelt story that will resonate for generations to come.

Loras John Schissel is a senior musicologist at the Library of Congress. He is a composer and conductor who has traveled throughout North America, Europe, and Asia, leading orchestras, bands, and choral ensembles in a broad range of musical styles and programs. He is a leading scholar on the life and work of John Philip Sousa. John Philip Sousa IV is the only living direct descendent of John Philip Sousa. He served in the Air Force for four years and currently serves as honorary chairman and board member of the Enduring Freedom, Killed in Action Fund. They both live in Chicago.