| Today, Norm Goldman, Publisher & Editor of is | | | | work of these four musicians, I needed to be |
| excited have as his guest Frank McGee, author of | | | | certain that I let the story speak for itself. |
| A Song for the World: The Amazing Story of the | | | | They've never made claims, and neither should I. |
| Colwell Brothers and Herb Allen: Musical Diplomats. | | | | The other challenge turned into a very great plus. |
| Frank has built a distinguished career as a writer | | | | Initially I wanted the book to include story-telling |
| and journalist over half a century. In the | | | | pictures throughout, as we had unearthed great |
| tumultuous 1960s he covered stories as far a | | | | photography from around the world. But an |
| field as Brazil, Indonesia, and Viet Nam. As | | | | important New York publishing company we were |
| managing editor of Pace magazine, a | | | | in contract negotiations with made it a condition |
| contemporary of Life, Look, and Holiday, he | | | | that they would control the design and format, |
| worked with thought leaders from around the | | | | much to my unhappiness. That contract was not |
| world. | | | | finalized, fortunately, and Many Roads Publishing in |
| Norm: | | | | Santa Barbara, California produced a picture-rich |
| Will you share a little bit about A Song for the | | | | design and format that greatly enhances the |
| World: The Amazing Story of the Colwell Brothers | | | | effectiveness of the book. |
| and Herb Allen: Musical Diplomats with us? | | | | Norm: |
| Frank: | | | | What's the most difficult thing for you about being |
| Glad to Norm. This is a book about the power of | | | | a writer and journalist? |
| music. It tells the story of four musicians, The | | | | Frank: |
| Colwell Brothers and Herb Allen. The Colwells were | | | | Well, you've probably heard the old saying: "There |
| already country and western instrumental and | | | | comes a time in the life of every decision when |
| singing stars in their teens, on TV and national | | | | it's got to be made." I translate that to mean that |
| radio in the Tex Williams shows that originated at | | | | if you're a writer and journalist you need deadlines. |
| Knott's Berry Farm, the first theme park in | | | | I've never relished them, something to do with |
| America. They were the youngest group under | | | | my temperament I suppose, but it's obvious that |
| contract with a major label, Columbia Records. | | | | until there's a deadline, nothing happens. |
| Herb Allen of Seattle, a true music prodigy, | | | | But deadlines are insignificant compared to the |
| conducted the Seattle Baby Orchestra at age | | | | satisfaction, intense at times, of creating |
| four. He was a xylophone maestro performing | | | | something that you know has significance and |
| weekly on radio from age five to sixteen, a | | | | value. I'm very lucky to be in this profession. I |
| student of classical piano scheduled to enter | | | | became a photographer in Brazil, moved on to |
| Oberlin School of Music, and in high school, | | | | creating magazine photo essays, and then to |
| conductor of his own dance band, "Herbie Allen | | | | editing, writing, and publishing. |
| and his Orchestra." | | | | Norm: |
| In their teens these four musicians made a choice | | | | Do you feel that writers, regardless of genre owe |
| that startled everyone who knew them: they | | | | something to readers, if not, why not, if so, why |
| committed their lives to public service. The | | | | and what would that be? |
| remarkable story of how this happened, and what | | | | Frank: |
| their decisions led to, is told in the book. | | | | I definitely feel writers owe something to readers. |
| Here's a quick rundown: The Colwells went on to | | | | Some books have been hinges on which doors of |
| perform in 37 languages and dialects, including | | | | enlightenment have opened. Whatever we read |
| songs written with locals in the scores of | | | | remains forever in the mental landscape of our |
| countries they visited. They sang in African | | | | lives. Whether the contribution grows or withers is |
| villages, the Diet of Japan, and Carnegie Hall. They | | | | up to each individual, but putting it there in the |
| worked for a full year in the Congo as the | | | | first place is a considerable responsibility, I would |
| country gained independence, lived through | | | | say. |
| revolution and invasion, and made 400 broadcasts | | | | Norm: |
| on Radio Congo (there's a quite dramatic chapter, | | | | As a follow up, what does it mean to tell the |
| if I may be permitted to say so, about that | | | | truth? And what does it mean to tell stories in a |
| tumultuous year). They walked through Indian | | | | work of non-fiction? |
| villages with Gandhi's disciple Vinoba Bhave seeking | | | | Frank: |
| land for landless peasants. | | | | What a great question, Norm! A wise family friend |
| The Colwell Brothers and Herb Allen began | | | | once told us of an exchange she'd had with her |
| collaborating from their first meeting in | | | | professor at Vassar College. Apparently she had |
| Switzerland in 1953. In 1965 they were the | | | | submitted a paper in which she'd stated some |
| musical founders of Up with People, and a decade | | | | opinion as fact. So her professor asked her, "And |
| later literally invented the modern Super Bowl | | | | what else is also true?" The topic of truth has |
| Halftime Show format during America's | | | | filled countless volumes and will fill countless more. |
| Bicentennial Year, 1976. They performed in three | | | | What is truth to one might seem lies to another. |
| more Super Bowl shows, more times than | | | | But if writers portray what they sincerely believe, |
| anyone else on record. That's how many people | | | | we should regard their writing as ethical, even if |
| came to know of them: through television | | | | we are diametrically opposed to what they're |
| audiences of 90 million at those games. In 1978, | | | | saying. Sounds like we're describing the religious |
| at the end of Mao's Cultural Revolution, their Up | | | | and political divides of the world here, doesn't it? |
| with People cast was the first performing | | | | About stories, I think they can make non-fiction |
| company to visit China. And in 1988, before the | | | | immensely readable. My wife Helen, who was an |
| Berlin Wall came down, the first in the Soviet | | | | English major, has insisted for years that history |
| Union, where they returned three more times. | | | | should be taught through literature; it would be |
| There's lots to tell. | | | | better absorbed and understood. Currently we've |
| Norm: | | | | been reading historical novels, and I've become |
| What motivated you to write your book and | | | | intrigued with things I never thought I'd care |
| whom do you think will benefit from reading it? | | | | about, as I tended to fall asleep in history class. In |
| What are your hopes for this book? | | | | A Song for the World, I've been fortunate, as |
| Frank: | | | | there was a wealth of first person information in |
| The seed was planted in 2003. At a gathering of | | | | the letters retained and in the interviews. |
| longtime friends a prosecuting attorney from | | | | Norm: |
| California told us about terrible things youth in her | | | | In the past few years or so have you seen any |
| city were facing. "There ought to be a book | | | | changes in the way publishers publish and/or |
| about what the Colwells and Herb have done," she | | | | distribute books? Are there any emerging trends |
| declared. That resonated instantly with all of us. | | | | developing? |
| We knew the adventures of these amazing | | | | Frank: |
| musicians were not only history making but | | | | Many changes, Norm, and all of them contributing |
| topical. Of course I only realized after the | | | | to the accessibility of information. Conventional |
| research just how profound the story was, an | | | | publishing channels still run the Olympic games for |
| intensely relevant story of courage, and doing | | | | writers, but the initial selection process can |
| something of value with your life. | | | | overlook significant manuscripts. A friend recently |
| Who will benefit from reading the book? I think | | | | sent me an article that appeared in The Guardian. |
| what a great English headmaster said in 1862 | | | | It seems that a writer, puzzled by continuing |
| would answer that: "Music is the only thing which | | | | rejections of his masterpiece, submitted to eight |
| all nations, all ages, all ranks, and both sexes do | | | | major publishers the first chapters, with surnames |
| equally well. It is sooner or later the great world | | | | and locations only slightly modified, of several Jane |
| bond." Music has the power to connect people | | | | Austin novels. He received seven rejections, with |
| whether they're musicians or not. Some read the | | | | standard not the type of book for us explanation |
| book as an adventure story, not a Harry Potter | | | | and keep writing and good luck best wishes. Only |
| sort of one of course, but a story from real life | | | | one responder mentioned the plagiarism, which he |
| that also intrigues the imagination. | | | | seemed to find amusing. |
| Here are my hopes for the book. The Colwell | | | | I think writers, now as always, need to catch the |
| Brothers and Herb Allen have been called musical | | | | attention and spark the enthusiasm of someone |
| diplomats. Doors have opened to them wherever | | | | who will carry the writer's banner, and will wave it |
| they've gone, because they've gone to listen and | | | | where it can be seen. You've heard the axiom: |
| to learn, to appreciate instead of compare. That | | | | "You can promote anyone but yourself." But the |
| sort of diplomacy is needed in the polarized | | | | writer may have to work to find that third |
| environment of our times. Many NGOs operate on | | | | person, whether enthusiast, agent, or publisher. |
| that basis. But if official diplomacy also did, think | | | | Publishers have long probed distribution channels |
| what a giant step that would be toward building a | | | | and are expert at exploiting book clubs, bestseller |
| better world. That's why I hope to see this book | | | | lists, teacher assignments, library |
| utilized by schools and universities that train public | | | | recommendations and more. Of course now the |
| servants and candidates for Foreign Service. | | | | apparently limitless possibilities of the digital world |
| Norm: | | | | are changing everything from bottom to top. |
| Can you explain some of your research | | | | Norm: |
| techniques, and how you found sources for your | | | | What do you think of the new Internet market |
| book? | | | | for writers? |
| Frank: | | | | Frank: |
| With this book I was really lucky. The families of | | | | Well just look at us, Norm. Here we are having |
| these guys kept the letters and photos they'd | | | | this conversation online! Our kids think it's |
| received from their globetrotting sons. Among | | | | perfectly natural, and it is today, but I grew up |
| hundreds of letters were the personal stories of | | | | before you could say something like that, and I |
| the struggles they'd faced operating for years in | | | | still find it pretty amazing. Someone might read |
| crisis areas around the world, of the sheer grit | | | | your interview tomorrow in Berlin, or Bangkok, or |
| and sacrifice involved. Then when it got out that a | | | | Budapest. Of course A Song for the World is all |
| book was in the works, people from other | | | | about that, isn't it? Connecting? |
| countries began sending photos and documents | | | | Norm: |
| they'd squirreled away about some historic event. | | | | Is there anything else you wish to add that we |
| I received emails, letters, photos, publications, and | | | | have not covered and what is next for Frank |
| record albums from across the world, Zurich to | | | | McGee? |
| Anchorage, London to Cape Town, Hollywood to | | | | Frank: |
| Helsinki. And of course the color of the story and | | | | Most of all I hope a lot of people will read the |
| much of the dialogue developed through hours of | | | | book, because what these musicians have done |
| interviews with the artists, and with music | | | | offers real hope for the future. There's an |
| industry people with whom they've worked. | | | | engaging glimpse of the story at and the book |
| Norm: | | | | can be purchased there. |
| What challenges or obstacles did you encounter | | | | We're in the midst of a book tour now and there |
| while writing your book? How did you overcome | | | | is information about that on the website. Special |
| these challenges? | | | | appearances by the Colwell Brothers and Herb |
| Frank: | | | | Allen in connection with the tour have caused a |
| I'll mention just a couple. The first challenge | | | | buzz in cities across the country. |
| shouldn't have existed: biographers should portray | | | | Next for me is a novel I was working on and set |
| their subjects with complete objectivity; I was a | | | | aside to write A Song for the World. I'll be |
| journalist long before I put on the hat of "author" | | | | expecting a bidding war for the publishing rights |
| and well aware of that. As the story unfolded | | | | for that, of course. Many thanks for inviting me |
| though, with its unparalled global connections, and I | | | | today, Norm. |
| became increasingly impacted by the lives and | | | | |