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The Great American Songbook Foundation
Formation2007
FounderMichael Feinstein
TypeNon-profit organization
PurposeThe mission of the Great American Songbook Foundation is to inspire & educate by celebrating the Great American Songbook.
HeadquartersThe Palladium at the Center for the Performing Arts
Location
Executive Director
Christopher Lewis
AffiliationsAllied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts; Grammy Museum
Websitethesongbook.org
Formerly called
Feinstein Foundation for the Education and Preservation of the Great American Songbook; Michael Feinstein Great American Songbook Initiative

The Great American Songbook Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the music of the Great American Songbook. The Songbook Foundation's administrative offices and Songbook Exhibit Gallery are located on the Gallery level of The Palladium at Allied Solutions Center for Performing Arts, a 1,600-seat concert hall in Carmel, Indiana, that opened in January 2011. The Songbook Library & Archives are housed offsite nearby.

Previously known as the Feinstein Foundation for the Education and Preservation of the Great American Songbook and as the Michael Feinstein Great American Songbook Initiative, the organization took its current name in 2014.[1]

The Songbook Foundation's mission is "to inspire and educate by celebrating the music of the Great American Songbook."[2]

History and operation

[edit]
The Palladium at Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts

Michael Feinstein founded the organization in 2007. Upon Feinstein's appointment as artistic director of Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts in 2009, the organization made a commitment to move its headquarters and archives on the Center's campus in Carmel, Indiana.[3]

The Great American Songbook Foundation's administrative headquarters houses a reference library, study and listening rooms for researchers, archival storage space, and the Songbook Exhibit Gallery, an exhibit space featuring rotating interactive presentations about the music, its creators and the performers of the Great American Songbook.[4]

In 2023, the Songbook Foundation announced its agreement with the City of Carmel to open a stand-alone music museum.[5]

Education and outreach

[edit]
[edit]
The Songbook Exhibit Gallery is located in the Songbook Foundation's administrative headquarters in Carmel, Indiana.

The Songbook Exhibit Gallery features rotating exhibits. These exhibits helps guests to place the music of this era in context with the events that occurred in the 20th-century United States. The Songbook Foundation offers corresponding educational programs and guided tours for school groups, civic and professional organizations, and members of the general public.

Since 2011, the Songbook Foundation has presented the following exhibits: "G.I. Jive: The Music and Entertainers of World War II" (2011), "The Great American Songbook" (2012),[6] "Blast from the Past: Roaring Hot '20s Jazz" (2013),[7] "A Change Is Gonna Come: 1960s Broadway Musicals" (2014),[8] "Gus Kahn: The Man Behind the Music" (2015),[9] "The Great Indiana Songbook: Two Centuries of Hoosier Music" (2016),[10] "Ella Sings the Songbook" (2017),[11] "The Andrews Sisters: Queens of the Jukebox" (2019)[12] "Of Thee I Sing: Politics on Stage" (2019-2021).[13] The current display, "From the Jazz Age to Streaming: The Soundtrack of the 20s-20s," was first installed in 2021.[14] Additionally, the Songbook Foundation lends traveling exhibits and provides adapted online exhibits and Songbook Library & Archives collections highlights.[15]

These exhibits focus on different time periods, styles, and artists.[16] In addition to the interactive display which houses clips and short biographies of several decades of singers and songwriters, each exhibit displays artifacts from the Songbook Library & Archives that relate to the music and musicians being highlighted in the Songbook Gallery exhibits.[17]

The Songbook Academy Summer Intensive Program

[edit]
Songbook Academy founder Michael Feinstein and Grammy-winner Cheryl Bentyne of The Manhattan Transfer coaching participants in the 2014 Songbook Academy

The Songbook Academy is an educational summer music intensive held by the Great American Songbook Foundation. Formerly known as the High School Vocal Academy and Competition, the program originated in 2009 and trains cohorts of up to 40 high school vocalists annually.[18] The Songbook Foundation states on its website, "At the Songbook Academy, we believe that every young singer has a unique story to tell through music."

The Songbook Academy has undergone significant evolution since its founding. During its inception, the program invited high school students to compete in regional competitions to culminate in a final competition at the Songbook Foundation's headquarters.[19] The program changed in 2015 to accommodate 40 students in a single location at Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts.[20] In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the program temporarily transitioned to an online format in 2020, eliminating its competitive element.[21] Since resuming in-person programming in 2022, the summer intensive has maintained a non-competitive focus on education.[22]

In June 2016, Maddie Baillio was cast as Tracy Turnblad in NBC's production of Hairspray Live![23]

Winners of the earlier competition format were commemorated as Great American Songbook Youth Ambassadors. Each Youth Ambassador won a $3,000 scholarship and a trip to New York City to perform alongside Michael Feinstein.[19] Today, the Songbook Foundation celebrates the professional growth of each student by providing alumni avenues to share achievements and coordinating additional networking and performance opportunities.

Great American Songbook Youth Ambassadors (2009-2019)
Winner Hometown Year Ref.
Julia Bonnett Carmel, Indiana 2009 [24][25]
Annie Yokom Naperville, Illinois 2010 [26][27]
event on hiatus 2011
Nick Ziobro Manlius, New York 2012 [28]
Julia Goodwin Baldwinsville, New York 2013 [29]
Maddie Baillio League City, Texas 2014 [30]
Lucas DeBard Lebanon, Indiana 2015 [31][32]
Brighton Thomas Burbank, California 2016 [33]
Finn Sagal La Cañada Flintridge, California 2017 [34]
Lily Rasmussen Lexington, Kentucky 2018 [35]
Sadie Fridley Syracuse, New York 2019 [36]

Songbook Hall of Fame

[edit]
The Great American Songbook Hall of Fame exhibit is housed in the Shiel Sexton Songbook Lounge at The Palladium.

The Great American Songbook Hall of Fame is a tribute to people who have contributed to the genre, memorializing composers, performers, and lyricists who have added to the history of the Songbook.[37] Artists are nominated and selected based on the following criteria:

  • Legend Award: Artists who made a significant contribution to the Golden Age of American popular music, typically defined as the period from the early years of the Twentieth century through the 1960s;
  • Songbook Award: Living songwriters, both lyricists and composers, who have made a significant impact on American pop culture by creating the most beloved songs from the American popular songbook; and
  • New Standard Award: Artists, songwriters and/or performers who continues to create the soundtrack of our lives by writing and/or performing music that will become the pop standards of tomorrow."[38][39]

In the past, the Songbook Foundation and Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts hosted live performances in celebration of the lives and careers of the artists selected for induction into the Great American Songbook Hall of Fame. Nominees, or their representatives, were invited to Carmel and honored with tribute performances celebrating their achievements.[40][41] In recent years, the Songbook Hall of Fame has evolved into an online educational resource for fans around the world with programming to celebrate inductees hosted virtually and in-person year round.[42]

Songbook Hall of Fame Honorees
Artist(s) Years Active Award Year Area of Achievement Ref.
Barry Manilow 1964–present New Standard Award 2012 Creator of ten chart-topping singles and five best-selling albums in the 1970s, while simultaneously producing albums for Bette Midler, Nancy Wilson (jazz singer), and Dionne Warwick. [43]
Cole Porter 1920s–1958 Legend Award 2012 Composer and lyricist of several successful Broadway shows and films, such as Paris (1928) and Kiss Me, Kate (1948) [44]
Rita Moreno 1943–present New Standard Award 2013 [45]
Liza Minnelli 1949–present New Standard Award 2013 [46]
Jimmy Webb 1965–present Songbook Award 2013 [47]
Frank Sinatra 1935–1995 Legend Award 2013 [48]
Alan and Marilyn Bergman 1950s–2017 Songbook Award 2014 Longstanding career of more than 50 years. Recipients of sixteen Academy Awards, two Grammy Awards, three Emmy Awards, and one Ace Award. [49]
Johnny Mathis 1956–present Songbook Award 2014 [50]
Shirley Jones 1950–present New Standard Award 2014 [51]
Linda Ronstadt 1965–2011 New Standard Award 2014 [52]
Nat King Cole 1934–1965 Legend Award 2014 [53]
Steve Lawrence & Eydie Gormé 1950–2019 New Standard Award 2015 [54]
Chita Rivera 1950–2024 New Standard Award 2015 [55]
George Gershwin & Ira Gershwin 1910s–1950s Legend Award 2015 [56]
Diahann Carroll 1950–2016 New Standard Award 2016 [57]
Dionne Warwick 1955–present New Standard Award 2016 [58]
Hoagy Carmichael 1918–1981 Legend Award 2016 [59]
Ray Gilbert 1940s–1960s Legend Award 2017 [60]
Mitzi Gaynor 1944–2021 New Standard Award 2017 [61]
Ella Fitzgerald 1934–1993 Legend Award 2017 [62]
Marilyn Maye 1946–present New Standard Award 2018 [63]
Jimmy Van Heusen 1930s–1970s Legend Award 2018 [64]
Rosemary Clooney 1946–2002 Legend Award 2018 [65]
Paul Williams 1964–present Songbook Award 2019 [66]
Duke Ellington 1914–1974 Legend Award 2019 [67]
Doris Day 1939–2012 Legend Award 2019 [68]
Tony Bennett 1936–2021 New Standard Award 2019 [69]
Meredith Willson 1921−1982 Songbook Award 2020 [70]
Peggy Lee 1936–2000 Songbook Award 2020 [71]
Billy Strayhorn 1934–1964 Legend Award 2021 [42]
Melissa Manchester 1971–present New Standard Award 2021 [72]
Sammy Cahn 1935–1982 Legend Award 2021 [73]
Straight No Chaser 1996–2000

2008–present

New Standard Award 2022 [74]
The Manhattan Transfer 1969–2023 New Standard Award 2022 [75]
The Lennon Sisters 1955–present New Standard Award 2022 [76]
Judy Garland 1924–1969 Legend Award 2023 [40][77]

GRAMMY Museum Cultural Affiliation

[edit]

In July 2017, the Los Angeles-based Grammy Museum announced that the Great American Songbook Foundation has been designated as a Cultural Affiliate, joining four other institutions worldwide: the Bob Marley Museum in Kingston, Jamaica; the Woody Guthrie Center in Tulsa, OH; The Beatles Story in Liverpool, UK; and the National Blues Museum in St. Louis, MO.[78] The relationships allows for collaboration between the organizations on exhibits and educational and research programs, among other amenities.

Perfect Harmony Music Program

[edit]

Founded in 2015, the Songbook Foundation's Perfect Harmony program offers music activities to people with Alzheimer's, dementia and other neurodegenerative diseases. This program was initially launched in collaboration with the Greater Indiana Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association,.[79] and has since evolved to independently offer monthly resources online.[80] Each Perfect Harmony resource is designed for participants and caregivers to become involved in social singing, discussions, and low-impact movement exercises to a thematic selection of popular music. As a group, people share experiences related to memorable songs and the monthly theme.[81]

Songbook Film Series

[edit]

The Great American Songbook Foundation partnered with Indianapolis-based Heartland International Film Festival to present classic movie musicals to the public, cultivating a new generation of movie lovers. Some screenings included guest speakers, who enlightened audiences on the nature and creation of the movies shown.[82]

Archives, library, and preservation

[edit]
A group of high school students tours the Songbook Archives, which are adjacent to the Songbook Foundation's administrative headquarters.

The Songbook Library & Archives serves as a repository for the papers of significant Songbook figures including Meredith Willson, Hy Zaret, and Gus Kahn, as well as special collections covering such artists as The Andrews Sisters in the following formats: sheet music, photos, scrapbooks, posters, music magazines, books, LPs, 45s, lacquer disc, personal papers, theatre playbills, film, video, analog tape, and recordings. Many of these items are currently approaching one hundred years of age.

The Songbook Foundation's non-circulating research library houses a wide variety of reference materials. In addition, students, teachers and researchers from around the world visit the Songbook Foundation's website to view and research selections from the Archives, which contains over one hundred collections, 35,000 pieces of sheet music, and 3,000 reference books.[83]

Several tiems housed in the Songbook Foundation's Archives include:

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Foundation History". Great American Songbook Foundation.
  2. ^ "Home Page". Great American Songbook Foundation. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  3. ^ Jay Handelman, "Behind the Scenes: Feinstein Works to Preserve Classic Music", Herald-Tribune Sunday, March 31, 2013, retrieved from http://arts.heraldtribune.com/2013-03-31/featured/behind-the-scenes-feinstein-works-to-preserve-classic-music/ Archived 2013-07-02 at the Wayback Machine.
  4. ^ Henning, Joel (2 February 2012). "A Cultural Conversation / With Michael Feinstein: Saving the Songbook". Wall Street Journal. p. D.4. ProQuest 919205138.
  5. ^ "Songbook Foundation reaches agreement for museum site". Great American Songbook Foundation. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  6. ^ "Past Exhibit History". The Songbook Exhibit Blog. Archived from the original on 3 December 2024. Retrieved 2 December 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  7. ^ "Jazz exhibit opens at Palladium". Current Publishing. Retrieved 13 March 2013.
  8. ^ Kennedy, Karen (7 January 2014). "New Palladium exhibit chronicles '60s theatre changes". Current Publishing. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  9. ^ "2015 Exhibit – Gus Kahn: The Man Behind The Music". The Songbook Exhibit Blog. Archived from the original on 28 November 2022. Retrieved 2 December 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  10. ^ "The Great Indiana Songbook exhibit celebrates two centuries of Hoosier Music". Current Publishing. 19 February 2016. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  11. ^ Lindquist, David (January 19, 2017). "Carmel exhibit celebrates Ella Fitzgerald centennial". Indianapolis Star. Retrieved 2017-02-22.
  12. ^ "Andrews Sisters exhibit on display at Palladium". Current Publishing. 18 January 2019. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  13. ^ Ambrogi, Mark (25 November 2019). "Exhibit examines mix of theater and politics". Current Publishing. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  14. ^ "Current Exhibit". Great American Songbook Foundation. Archived from the original on 17 June 2024. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  15. ^ "Exhibits". Great American Songbook Foundation. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  16. ^ Jay Handelman, "Behind the Scenes", 2013.
  17. ^ Michael Grossberg, "Archive Promotes Classic American Songs", The Columbus Dispatch Sunday April 21, 2013, retrieved from http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/travel/2013/04/21/1-archive-promotes-classic-american-songs.html.
  18. ^ Joel Henning, "A Cultural Conversation", 2012.
  19. ^ a b "Know + Tell: Sngbook Academy Launches Search". The Indianapolis Star. 19 January 2012. p. 10. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  20. ^ Chen, Wei-Huan (25 July 2015). "American Songbook lessons". The Indianapolis Star. pp. A3–A6.
  21. ^ "Songbook Academy® Online 2021". Great American Songbook Foundation. Archived from the original on 18 May 2021.
  22. ^ "Songbook Academy changes final concert format • Current Publishing". youarecurrent.com. 2022-07-14. Retrieved 2024-12-02.
  23. ^ "See Who Hairspray Live! Chose as the New Tracy Turnblad". 7 June 2016.
  24. ^ Henning, Joel (2 February 2012). "Saving the Songbook". Wall Street Journal.
  25. ^ Harvey, Jay (2 June 2009). "Carmel student sings her way to a performance in NYC". The Indianapolis Star. pp. A11. Retrieved 2 December 2009.
  26. ^ "Teen queen of cabaret: Annie Yokom makes NYC debut after beating cancer". New York Daily News.
  27. ^ Harvey, Jay (8 June 2010). "Illinois singer, 17, wins vocal competition". The Indianapolis Star. pp. A11. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  28. ^ "Manlius teen Nick Ziobro wins national singing competition". 16 June 2012.
  29. ^ Vlasáková, Anna. "The Great American Songbook High School Vocal Academy & Competition - Everything Old is New and Alive Again!", July 27, 2013, retrieved from http://stardust-melodies.blogspot.cz/2013/07/the-great-american-songbook-high-school.html.
  30. ^ "Texas Singer Maddie Baillio Wins Michael Feinstein's 2014 Great American Songbook Competition".
  31. ^ Knoop, Joseph (1 August 2015). "Songbook competition winner continues family legacy of music". Current Publishing. Archived from the original on 5 August 2015.
  32. ^ Jacobs, Justin (8 October 2015). "Mr. Romance". The Indianapolis Star. pp. S1. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  33. ^ "California teen wins top honor at national Songbook Academy {Press Release]". Great American Songbook Foundation Blog. 24 July 2016. Archived from the original on 3 December 2024.
  34. ^ Cardine, Sara (2 August 2017). "Local teen hits a high note, named Great American Songbook Youth Ambassador". Los Angeles Times.
  35. ^ "Kentucky teen claims top honors in Songbook Academy Finals". Great American Songbook Foundation. 14 August 2018. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  36. ^ "New York teen claims top honors in Songbook Academy Finals". Great American Songbook Foundation. 22 July 2019. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  37. ^ "Songbook Hall of Fame Names 2013 Honorees", The Indianapolis Recorder May 14, 2013, retrieved from http://www.indianapolisrecorder.com/aroundtown/article_76b47d2a-bcb9-11e2-bd51-0019bb2963f4.html.
  38. ^ "Songbook Hall of Fame Names 2013 Honorees", 2013.
  39. ^ "Songbook Hall of Fame Award Categories". Great American Songbook Foundation. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  40. ^ a b "Judy Garland named to Songbook Hall of Fame [Press Release]". Great American Songbook Foundation. 8 June 2023. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  41. ^ Pauszek, Amy (17 October 2016). "Where's Amy attends Songbook Celebration Gala". Current Publishing. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  42. ^ a b "William Thomas Strayhorn: 2021 LEGEND AWARD". Great American Songbook Foundation. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  43. ^ "Barry Manilow: 2012 New Standard Award". Great American Songbook Foundation. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  44. ^ "Cole Porter: 2012 legend Award". Great American Songbook Foundation. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  45. ^ "Rita Moreno: 2013 new standard Award". Great American Songbook Foundation.
  46. ^ "Liza Minnelli: 2013 new standard Award". Great American Songbook Foundation. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  47. ^ "Jimmy Webb: 2013 Songbook Award". Great American Songbook Foundation. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  48. ^ "Frank Sinatra: 2013 legend Award". Great American Songbook Foundation. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  49. ^ "Alan & Marilyn Bergman: 2014 Songbook Award". Great American Songbook Foundation. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  50. ^ "Johnny Mathis: 2014 Songbook Award". Great American Songbook Foundation. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  51. ^ "Shirley Jones: 2014 new standard Award". Great American Songbook Foundation. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  52. ^ "Linda Ronstadt: 2014 new standard Award". Great American Songbook Foundation. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  53. ^ "Nat King Cole: 2014 Legend Award". Great American Songbook Foundation. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  54. ^ "Steve Lawrence & Eydie Gormé: 2015 new standard Award". Great American Songbook Foundation. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  55. ^ "Chita Rivera: 2015 New standard Award". Great American Songbook Foundation. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  56. ^ "George Gershwin & Ira Gershwin: 2015 Legend Award". Great American Songbook Foundation. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  57. ^ "Diahann Carroll: 2016 New Standard Award". Great American Songbook Foundation. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  58. ^ "Dionne Warwick: 2016 new standard award". Great American Songbook Foundation. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  59. ^ "Hoagy Carmichael: 2016 Legend Award". Great American Songbook Foundation. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  60. ^ "Ray Gilbert: 2017 Legend Award". Great American Songbook Foundation. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  61. ^ "Mitzi Gaynor: 2017 New Standard Award". Great American Songbook Foundation. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  62. ^ "Ella Fitzgerald: 2017 Legend Award". Great American Songbook Foundation. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  63. ^ "Marilyn Maye: 2018 New standard award". Great American Songbook Foundation. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  64. ^ "Jimmy Van Heusen: 2018 LEGEND Award". Great American Songbook Foundation. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  65. ^ "Rosemary Clooney: 2018 LEGEND Award". Great American Songbook Foundation. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  66. ^ "Paul Williams: 2019 SONGBOOK AWARD". Great American Songbook Foundation. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  67. ^ "Duke Ellington: 2019 LEGEND Award". Great American Songbook Foundation. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  68. ^ "Doris Day: 2019 LEGEND Award". Great American Songbook Foundation. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  69. ^ "Tony Bennett: 2019 NEW STANDARD AWARD". Great American Songbook Foundation. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  70. ^ "Meredith Willson: 2020 SONGBOOK HALL OF FAME HONOREE". Great American Songbook Foundation. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  71. ^ "Peggy Lee: 2020 SONGBOOK HALL OF FAME HONOREE". Great American Songbook Foundation. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  72. ^ "Melissa Manchester: 2021 new standard AWARD". Great American Songbook Foundation. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  73. ^ "Sammy Cahn: 2021 LEGEND AWARD". Great American Songbook Foundation. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  74. ^ "Straight No Chaser: 2022 NEW STANDARD Award". Great American Songbook Foundation. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  75. ^ "The Manhattan Transfer: 2022 NEW STANDARD Award". Great American Songbook Foundation. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  76. ^ "The Lennon Sisters: 2022 NEW STANDARD Award". Great American Songbook Foundation. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  77. ^ "Judy Garland: 2023 LEGEND AWARD". Great American Songbook Foundation. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  78. ^ "Grammy Museum adds Carmel's Great American Songbook Foundation to an elite group".
  79. ^ "Applegate Elder Law signs on as sponsor of Songbook Foundation's 'Perfect Harmony'". https://youarecurrent.com/2017/05/26/applegate-elder-law-signs-on-as-sponsor-of-songbook-foundations-perfect-harmony/. 26 May 2017. Retrieved 2 December 2024. {{cite news}}: External link in |work= (help)
  80. ^ "What is Perfect Harmony?". Great American Songbook Foundation. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  81. ^ "5 Reasons Why Music Boosts Brain Activity". 21 July 2014.
  82. ^ Disis, Jill (27 September 2012). "Heartland Pictures Launches the Great American Songbook Movie Series at the Palladium". Indianapolis Star. Archived from the original on 23 December 2015.
  83. ^ "Library & Archives". Great American Songbook Foundation. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  84. ^ Tyler, Don (2007). Hit songs, 1900-1955 : American popular music of the pre-rock era. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland. p. 338. ISBN 978-0-7864-2946-2. OCLC 76961274.
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