Okay, this will be a bit of self promo here, but I think this will make a very good, and inexpensive, stocking stuffer for your Christmas gift giving. So please check this out.

Back in 2012, I began working on a book idea I had wanted to do for a long time. It was a labor of love and had a good story to tell. Whether I could get it published was the big question. On December 3, 2014 I suffered a “widow maker” heart attack and thankfully recovered from that. I took it as a sign to finish that book and find a way to get it published. One year later my book “When Swing Was King” was published through Richter Publishing and became available through Barbes & Noble and Amazon. It was also added to some of the Hillsborough County libraries which was a pleasant surprise. Since it’s release in December 2015, it has sold some and the reviews have all been positive. Matter of fact, the last royalty check was enough to get lunch at McDonalds!

The book is a complete retrospective of the depression years, WWII and the big band/swing era and how it all blended together to bring plenty of great music to the masses during a very tough time in America. Each chapter in the book covers the years from the mid thirties when the big band era began through the late forties when it came to an end. I profile the different bands, their music, the players, the songs and also what was going on in the world at that time. There are over a hundred classic photos in the book to help tell the story. For trivia buffs, there are lot of bits and pieces and anecdotes you’ll love. There is also an interesting chapter about the licensed Glenn Miller bands that are performing today all over the world. Now the best part of this is that the book sells for less than $15 and you can have it in a matter of days through Amazon. Just go to amazon.com, enter the book title and there it is to order. Same goes for Barnes & Noble.

If you, or someone you know, family or friend, young or old, who loves history and music this will be a great read and offer up a lot of things you may not have known that helped shape the future of this country in a number of ways. While this period was right before, and during, the horrors of WW II, it was this great music that helped keep America alive. It was definitely a time “When Swing Was King”! I hope you will order a copy of the book today and help make someone’s Christmas a little brighter. Thank you, enjoy the book and Merry Christmas.

Art Koch, National Features & DVD Editor, NightMoves Magazine and AAN