Description
Book SynopsisTrade Review[P]rint resources on Whiteman’s career have concurrently lagged behind; Don Rayno’s work in both this book and it predecessor, Paul Whiteman: Pioneer in American Music, 1890-1930, helps in a big way to bring Whiteman’s life and output into crisper focus. ... Rayno pulls all of the elements that made up Whiteman’s career together in a scrupulous and comprehensive way. ... Rayno does include a day by day Chronology of Whiteman’s activities which include all of the individual airdates of Whiteman’s radio programs, and this should serve as a “bible” for those who are out seeking transcriptions and home recorded discs of Whiteman’s radio work. * ARSC Journal *
This is more than just a biography or a discography. There are 346 pages of test, followed by 110 pages of “notes” and nearly half the book is the “Appendix”, which not only has a complete discography for the years covered, but 36 pages of bios of the musicians who played in Whiteman’s orchestra. Owners of Volume 1 will certainly want this one, and it belongs in every research library. * In The Groove *
I predict that this present volume and the first will be the definitive work on the life of Paul Whiteman. What more could be done except a socio-psychological analysis of Whiteman’s personality? * Jazz Society of Pensacola *
Don Rayno’s account is exhaustive, long, well written, should be the last word on Whiteman and, more importantly, should help to right some of the critical wrongs perpetrated in the past. * Jazz Journal *
Rayno’s work is admirably thorough, the official record of one of the 20th century’s key musical figures. * Raleigh News and Observer *
Very readable and remarkably detailed. * L.A. Jazz Scene *
Picking up the Whiteman story from the early years of the Great Depression, Don Rayno carries it through the decades to the great orchestra leader’s death at seventy-seven in 1967…. Paul Whiteman: Pioneer in American Music, 1930-1967 Volume 2 (and its earlier volume 1) is a major work of scholarship and a grand and spectacular contribution to American biographical letters. -- W. Royal Stokes
