Ever since I was a little boy in the mid-’50s, I’ve been listening to music—religiously, fanatically, constantly. In countless ways, music has colored, even defined and given meaning to my life. I bought my first 45s at age seven, made weekly lists of my favorite songs when I was 11 or 12, sang in choirs and choruses and informal doo-wop gatherings with friends as I grew into adolescence. When I bought my first $8 guitar from Woolworth’s, I learned to play (badly) and in no time I was singing and strumming in a teenage band, then later in parks, on beaches, and street corners, caring not for the coins or occasional bills that came my way but only for the love of singing and sharing song. Never parlaying the occasional coffee house, recording session, or church gig into a career, I grew instead into an award-winning classroom history teacher but never left the world of music behind. My first book, MUSIC TITANS – 250 GREATEST RECORDING ARTISTS OF THE PAST 100 YEARS, brings together these three lifelong loves– music, history, and education.

This, my blog, recordingartistsblog.com, will give you, the reader, a small taste of what I have tried to do as a writer and historian. Thanks for reading. Steve Williams