Killing Me Softly
My Life in Music
Published on 27. August 2010
Book
Hardback
312 pages
978-0-8108-6991-2 (ISBN)
Description
Charles Fox has composed more than 100 motion picture and television scores, among them the themes of many iconic series, including Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley, Love, American Style, and Love Boat. Twice nominated for the Academy Award and a two-time Emmy winner, Fox has also written music for the concert hall and the ballet. Among the hundreds of songs he has written is the Grammy Award-winning "Killing Me Softly with His Song," a number one record in just about every country in the world, by two different artists: Roberta Flack in 1973 and the Fugees, 20 years later. In this memoir, Fox recounts his development as a musician, beginning with his formal music education in Paris. From letters he wrote home between 1959 and 1961, Fox recounts his studies under the tutelage of the most renowned music composition teacher of the 20th century, Nadia Boulanger, whose influence Fox carried throughout his entire professional career. Following his return to the states, Fox describes the cornerstone events of his musical and personal life.
He reflects on the highlights of his career, working with some of the greatest names in entertainment, film, television, and records, including Jim Croce, Barry Manilow, Lena Horne, and Fred Astaire. Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2004 and a recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Society of Composers & Lyricists, Fox's memoir is a compelling story of a musician and composer whose work continues to entertain and inspire listeners around the world.
He reflects on the highlights of his career, working with some of the greatest names in entertainment, film, television, and records, including Jim Croce, Barry Manilow, Lena Horne, and Fred Astaire. Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2004 and a recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Society of Composers & Lyricists, Fox's memoir is a compelling story of a musician and composer whose work continues to entertain and inspire listeners around the world.
Reviews / Votes
Fox's breezy writing style captures a man who seems grateful for his successes and the longevity of his career, and holds few, if any, grudges over the ups and downs of the film and music industries...Hopefully Fox's smart and charming autobiography will send readers back to their CDs, LPs, DVDs and Nick at Nite to rediscover the work of this underrated composer. Film Score Monthly A fascinating new memoir. Broadcast Music, Inc. Readers are taken into a world only an insider can share...Fox, a master of both drama and comedy, shares trade secrets simply by telling his story...Killing Me Softly is certainly a volume for both public and school libraries and for general readers with special interest in television and film scores. As this is a memoir and not a movie or TV textbook, one doesn't need to know musical nor film terminology to follow Fox's own education in how to merge compositional talent with the eccentricities of media production. After reading this memoir, most readers will find themselves appreciating not only the work of Fox but all those who labor to provide musical beds for the audio-visual arts. Simply stated, this is a book for anyone who loves music as much as Charles Fox himself. Bookpleasures.Com Television fans may want to pick up Killing Me Softly: My Life in Music by Charles Fox. In his memoir, Fox recounts his life from his formal music education in Paris through his career composing more than 100 movie and television scores, including the themes for 'Happy Days,' 'Love Boat,' and 'Monday Night Football.' Pasadena Star-News A sparkling memoir that details one of the most interesting and successful careers in American music history. Aol News Charles Fox's Killing Me Softly: My Life in Music is, quite simply, one of the finest composer autobiographies I have ever read. Fox is the Oscar-nominated, Grammy- and Emmy-winning composer of such songs as "Killing Me Softly With His Song" and "I Got a Name"; films including Goodbye Columbus, Foul Play and 9 to 5; and such iconic TV themes as Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley and The Love Boat. But this is not "And Then I Wrote..." Rather, Fox frames his career with the story of his youthful studies with famed French composition teacher Nadia Boulanger, who also taught Aaron Copland, Philip Glass, Quincy Jones and Michel Legrand. The Film Music SocietyMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
Lanham, MD
United States
Dimensions
Height: 241 mm
Width: 162 mm
Thickness: 27 mm
Weight
599 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-8108-6991-2 (9780810869912)
Copyright in bibliographic data is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or its licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
08/2010
1st Edition
Scarecrow Press
€28.49
Available for download
Persons
Charles Fox has composed the music for over 100 motion pictures and television films, including the themes for Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley and Love Boat. One of the most performed composers in the world, he has been nominated for two Academy Awards, has won two Emmys, and received the Best Song Grammy for "Killing Me Softly with His Song."