American Popular Music and Its Business

"An astonishing work of discovery. Its wealth of research has been crafted into a lucid, continuously absorbing narrative. There is nothing else like it in the literature. Russ has left a resounding legacy."--Nat Hentoff "Nobody knew the commercial music world better than Russ Sanjek--every facet historically and pragmatically; songwriters, song plugging, classical and jazz composers, publishing, record producers, performers, performing rights, public relations, music journalism, copyrights, even graphic arts. His thoroughly documented disclosures will surprize and inform contemporary music people whose awareness goes back only to the advent of rock and roll. Russ's love of the business permeates the pages of this readable definitive reference work. Anyone now or henceforth involved in music business can be grateful that he lived long enough to complete it."--William L. Simon, Reader's Digest (Retired) "Russell Sanjek witnessed at firsthand many of the events that helped shape the music industry in the past half century. He relates the often complex story with uncommon clarity."--Is Horowitz, Billboard Magazine "Only Russ Sanjek had the requisite love, the diligence, and most especially, the arcane information that informs this colossal work of research and writing. How grievous it is that he lived long enough to complete the job but not long enough to see it in print."--Jerry Wexler "There is no one to replace Russell Sanjek. His years of dedicated participation and scholarly research in the music industry made his the most well-informed mind in his field. There was virtually nothing lacking in his accumlulated knowledge of American popular music. Much of it was first hand and the balance acquired through continuous reading and questioning. That he was a Vice President of BMI affords stature and pride to our organization. His death was a great professional and personal loss. His work will take its rightful place on all library shelves and become the definitive source for information in its field. It was a great honor for me to have worked with him for 25 eventful years in which he presented himself always with grace and wit--a legacy which I am proud to share."--Frances W. Preston, President and CEO, Broadcast Music Incorporated