About

Your curator here at So Many Songbooks is an enthusiastic, untrained, self-taught pianist of voracious temperament, an admittedly lazy counter who has a soft spot for Seventies songbooks.

Many is the time I’ve listened to a pleasing piece of music and thought, “I hope there’s sheet music for this.” Sometimes it’s a straightforward business to find an arrangement that suits the piano. Other times an extensive, meandering search will ensue — often in fits and starts. Contrary to that old saw, you cannot really find everything on the internet. There are pieces I’m still hoping to come across — holy grails, if you will. Whenever I manage to track down a holy grail, it’s a glorious glad moment.

It’s true, I would do well to learn more music theory, to figure out some of these arrangements myself and to get comfortable playing from fake books and lead sheets. I haven’t managed that yet, though, so it remains a thrill and a delight when I find notation for music I’m longing to play.

In the midst of all this browsing I sometimes happen upon a curiosity, a notable songbook or music sheet. Some are delightful, some are peculiar, some reveal stories about a different time or circumstance, and some just make me laugh. Posts about these items have begun making their way here as well. It’s the librarian in me, I suppose.

So, in the simple spirit of “Hey, look at this,” consider these blog posts a series of offerings to kindred musical spirits. Like a conversation we might have if we crossed paths at a library sale or a used bookstore. And if any of these posts connects or reconnects you with music you love (or would love) to listen to or to play, so much the better!