Say It with a Beautiful Song: The Art and Craft of the Great American Songbook

Working within the limits of a popular song, the songwriters of the Great American Songbook wrote with a combination of familiarity and freshness--sentiment and wit. The songwriters were masters of craft who created a distinctively American popular music that still resonates strongly today.

This book looks at the Great American Songbook’s craft and its mastery. Michael Lasser and Harmon Greenblatt uncover the essential elements of these beloved songs and investigate the qualities that make the songbook a unique staple of American culture. Filled with interesting anecdotes, each chapter looks at a variety of songs thematically and dives into the lives of songwriters. Ultimately, Lasser and Greenblatt reveal the genius behind this body of music and show us why the Great American Songbook has stood the test of time.

Michael Lasser is the author of three previous books on the Great American Songbook. His nationally syndicated public radio show won a George Foster Peabody Award and was on the air for over forty years. He has appeared at hundreds of museums and performing arts centers from New York to Los Angeles. He is a graduate of Dartmouth College.

Harmon Greenblatt has spent his entire career teaching and working in the arts. He has worked as a presenter, agent/manager, and educator and as CEO of two arts councils. Harmon is most proud of his time teaching arts management at three universities: Columbia College Chicago, the University of Hartford, and the University of New Orleans.