# Songs of America: Patriotism, Protest, and the Music That Made a Nation - Hardcover

by **Jon Meacham** (Author), **Tim McGraw** (Author)

**_NEW YORK TIMES_ BESTSELLER - A celebration of American history through the music that helped to shape a nation, by Pulitzer Prize winner Jon Meacham and music superstar Tim McGraw**

**"Jon Meacham and Tim McGraw form an irresistible duo--connecting us to music as an unsung force in our nation's history."--Doris Kearns Goodwin**

Through all the years of strife and triumph, America has been shaped not just by our elected leaders and our formal politics but also by our music--by the lyrics, performers, and instrumentals that have helped to carry us through the dark days and to celebrate the bright ones.

From "The Star-Spangled Banner" to "Born in the U.S.A.," Jon Meacham and Tim McGraw take readers on a moving and insightful journey through eras in American history and the songs and performers that inspired us. Meacham chronicles our history, exploring the stories behind the songs, and Tim McGraw reflects on them as an artist and performer. Their perspectives combine to create a unique view of the role music has played in uniting and shaping a nation.

Beginning with the battle hymns of the revolution, and taking us through songs from the defining events of the Civil War, the fight for women's suffrage, the two world wars, the Great Depression, the civil rights movement, the Vietnam War, and into the twenty-first century, Meacham and McGraw explore the songs that defined generations, and the cultural and political climates that produced them. Readers will discover the power of music in the lives of figures such as Harriet Tubman, Franklin Roosevelt, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Martin Luther King, Jr., and will learn more about some of our most beloved musicians and performers, including Marian Anderson, Elvis Presley, Sam Cooke, Aretha Franklin, Bob Dylan, Duke Ellington, Carole King, Bruce Springsteen, and more.

_Songs of America_ explores both famous songs and lesser-known ones, expanding our understanding of the scope of American music and lending deeper meaning to the historical context of such songs as "My Country, 'Tis of Thee," "God Bless America," "Over There," "We Shall Overcome," and "Blowin' in the Wind." As Quincy Jones says, Meacham and McGraw have "convened a concert in _Songs of America_," one that reminds us of who we are, where we've been, and what we, at our best, can be.

### Author Biography

**Jon Meacham** is a Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer. The author of the _New York Times_ bestsellers _Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power_, _American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House_, _Franklin and Winston_, _Destiny and Power: The American Odyssey of George Herbert Walker Bush,_ and _The Soul of America_, Meacham holds the Carolyn T. and Robert M. Rogers Chair in the American Presidency and is a distinguished visiting professor at Vanderbilt University. He is a contributing writer to _The New York Times Book Review_, a contributing editor to _Time_, and a fellow of the Society of American Historians.

**Tim McGraw** is a Grammy Award-winning entertainer, author, and actor who has sold more than fifty million records worldwide and dominated the charts with forty-three number one singles. He is the most played country artist since his debut in 1992, has two _New York Times_ bestselling books to his credit, and has acted in such movies as _Friday Night Lights_ and _The Blind Side_. McGraw is considered one of the most successful touring acts in the history of country music. His last solo project spawned one of the biggest hit singles of all time, "Humble and Kind," whose message continues to impact fans around the world.

**Number of Pages:** 320

**Dimensions:** 1.2 x 9.3 x 7.4 IN

**Illustrated:** Yes

**Publication Date:** June 11, 2019

## Details

- **Price:** 30.0 USD
- **Vendor:** Books by splitShops
- **Type:** Books
- **Tags:** Books by splitShops, Shopify Collective

## Variants

| Variant | Price | Available |
|---------|-------|-----------|
| Default Title | 30.00 USD | In stock |

## Images

- Songs of America: Patriotism, Protest, and the Music That Made a Nation - Hardcover

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