Stories of Music: Volume 2 is officially underway, and while I had to narrow down so many great works to just over 40, once again, I am overwhelmed with excitement as I begin to piece it all together. While I’m at it, I thought I would share a few teasers of the stories you can expect to find when the book is released this fall.

As I read through submissions, I was blown away to find so many more surprising stories about the power of music. I couldn’t help but (mentally) place them into three categories, beginning with “origins”—from the sounds we hear in the wind and from animals and a story about one of the oldest instruments in the world, the mouth harp, to the way our ancestors defined the planet by song.

The second theme I saw in the stories was “against all odds”—people who have unexpectedly healed, survived, or overcome challenges through and with music, including the story of a musician who has pushed passed muscle weakness, caused by multiple sclerosis, and now, he says, he plays guitar better than he ever did before he was diagnosed with MS.

A third theme that arose from submissions was “ghosts”—stories of musicians or musical experiences of the past, and how they continue to either haunt or inspire us today. One such story is centered on Serge Gainsbourg, remembered by the author during his trip to Paris. Another story recounts a night when John Coltrane performed in Seattle (in 1965) and pushed afro-futurism forward.

In its final form, Volume 2 may be organized slightly differently, but I thought sharing these themes and story teasers with you would be a great way to introduce this exciting new book. As the publication progresses, I will be sharing more extensive story previews through the Stories of Music newsletter. If you aren’t already a subscriber, you can sign up here to make sure you don’t miss anything. In the meantime, you can pre-order Stories of Music: Volume 2 here, plus keep an eye on the Volume 2 Contributors page to learn more about the authors and artists whose works will appear in the book. Their bios will be posted soon.

Stay tuned for more!

Holly E. Tripp
Publisher & Editor
Stories of Music