All Roads Lead to The Birchmere: America's Legendary Music Hall

by Gary Oelze and Stephen Moore

502 pages

The rousing, illustrated story of the Birchmere music hall by founder and operator Gary Oelze with music writer Stephen Moore. Performers, staff, journalists, and patrons share their stories of bluegrass, folk, blues, jazz, r&b, and more.

Paperback	$26.95	+ $10.93 shipping & handling (USA) (add $2.80 S&H per additional copy)
Hardcover	$38.95	+ $12.50 shipping & handling (USA) (add $3.20 S&H per additional copy)


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About the Book
The rousing, illustrated history of the Birchmere music hall by founder and operator Gary Oelze with music writer Stephen Moore. Hundreds of performers, including Ray Charles, Lyle Lovett, Buddy Guy, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Rosanne Cash, Arlo Guthrie, Tom Paxton, Vince Gill, Pete Seeger, Janis Ian, Townes Van Zandt, Steve Earle, Shawn Colvin, Daryl Davis, Joe Sample, Rodney Crowell and Johnny Cash are featured. The performers, staff, journalists, and patrons share their stories of bluegrass, folk, blues, jazz, rock, soul, and comedy shows both on and off the stage. With an index and over 250 previously unpublished photos. Foreword by Buzz McClain. Afterword by Bob Schieffer.
Reviews
“When you're a gypsy like me, you look forward to being around people who are like-minded. The Birchmere has the feel of a family. I smile when I see this booking appear on my tour calendar. I love their open mind and willingness to present all genres of great music.” - Vince Gill -- 22-time Grammy Award Winner “I’m so glad this book was done to summarize the Birchmere’s remarkable run and to honor the performers who “arrived” by playing the legendary hall. Again, I never did, and I regret it. If not on stage, my thanks for including me in the story.’ - Bob Schieffer -- Face the Nation moderator for 24 years during nearly five decades as a CBS News Correspondent. "A comprehensive history of one of America’s most storied concert venues by its owner and founder, Oelze, and music writer Moore… A wide-ranging but remarkably intimate account of a legendary music hall." - Kirkus Reviews "I highly recommend this book to anyone who has attended a show at the Birchmere. But this is also a book that anyone who is a fan of music of any genre can thoroughly enjoy because in the telling of the Birchmere’s story through the words of those who performed there, the authors allow you to learn things about your musical heroes that you probably did not know and will not learn from any other source." - Dan Miller, Bluegrass Unlimited
Related Titles
JOHN DUFFEY'S BLUEGRASS LIFE: FEATURING THE COUNTRY GENTLEMEN, SELDOM SCENE, AND WASHINGTON, D.C. - Second Edition by STEPHEN MOORE and G.T. KEPLINGER. Foreword by TOM GRAY John Duffey's Bluegrass Life: Featuring The Country Gentlemen, Seldom Scene and Washington, D.C. is the definitive biography of one of bluegrass music's most important artists in the history of the genre. His work as a founding member of these two pioneering bands, John Duffey urbanized bluegrass and introduced it to a broad new audience. Capital Acts: Washington DC Performing Arts by Stephen Moore with Johnny Holliday, Stephen Lorenz, and Charles David Young Capital Acts: Washington DC Performing Arts is a visually striking history that showcases the prominent and influential theater, music, film, TV, and media figures from the Nation’s Capital area from 1792 through today. 54 chapters. Index.

About the Author

Gary Oelze is founder and operator of the Birchmere music hall. A Washington Area Music Association award winner for producing the Seldom Scene’s Kennedy Center Anniversary concert in 1986, Gary estimates that three million people have enjoyed the diverse entertainment at his hall. He is proud to present this history.

Stephen Moore is a music writer, musician, and retired Georgetown University technologist. He has co-authored five books, including John Duffey’s Bluegrass Life, Cerphe’s Up, Johnny Holliday: From Rock to Jock, Hoop Tales: Maryland Men’s Basketball, and Helen Hayes: A Bio-bibliography.