From Almeda to Zilphia
From Almeda to Zilphia
From Almeda to Zilphia: Arkansas Women Who Transformed American Popular Song
Written by Stephen Koch, Illustrated by Katherine Strause.
Available in 8.5 x 9 Color Paperback. 110 pages. $28.95 (ISBN: 978-1-944528-31-7)
From Almeda To Zilphia: Arkansas Women Who Transformed American Popular Song profiles artists who've influenced music around the world in ways we're still discovering. Despite their collective cultural impact, these women's stories have too often been overlooked, forgotten, or never told.
ABOUT
Part history, part art, and part music, the book features a wide cross-section of inspirational creatives across the decades. With surprises like Maya Angelou's side career as a calypso singer and Carrie Cash, who recognized that her son, Johnny, had "the gift," From Almeda To Zilphia covers a wide variety of musical styles:
Gospel-Rosetta Tharpe
Opera-Marjorie Lawrence
Blues-Sippie Wallace
Folk Ballads-Almeda Riddle
Dance-Pop -Beth Ditto
Classical-Florence Price, and
Country-K.T. Oslin
Working from often hard-to-find historic photographs, vivid portraits by renowned artist Katherine Strause of the women profiled make plain the strength and artistry of these cultural pioneers. With a thoughtful forward by professor Dr. Cherisse Jones-Branch and a heart-wrenching afterword by acclaimed country music songwriter Erin Enderlin, From Almeda To Zilphia is written by musician and award-winning journalist Stephen Koch, writer and host of the syndicated public radio program Arkansongs.
“Having a collection of varied women’s stories adds rich dimension to the archetypal story of success and music stardom. Sharing such powerful stories will no doubt allow more of us to see ourselves reflected and therefore more easily see the path forward.”
