Browse audiobooks narrated by Ross Jenkins, listen to samples and when you're ready head over to Audiobooks.com where you can get 3 FREE audiobooks on us
7 audiobooks in our catalogue, every one with its narrator named.
Country Music Icons: The Lives and Careers of the Musicians Who Pioneered the Genre
"In the early 20th century, Westerns were one of the most popular genres in Hollywood, and one of the young stars at the forefront was Gene Autry, a Texan whose life story made him a natural to be the country’s most famous “singing cowboy”. Autry would become a symbol of masculinity and morality on screen during the 1930s, but it was effortless for someone who had already grown up riding horses to school. Autry came of age at a time when the “singing cowboy” was at the apex of his popularity, and like his most famous successor, Roy Rogers, Autry actually got his start in show business as a singer. Of course, the popularity of Autry’s music and country music in general was bolstered by the fact that he became one of the biggest stars in Hollywood. One of the most enduring and consistently popular singers and songwriters in the history of country music, Hank Williams is considered by many to be the first American superstar of the genre and the “father” of modern country music. In the post-World War II era, at a time when country music was an insulated and regionalized cottage industry, Williams reached his zenith in the late ‘40s and early ‘50s. By then, Nashville had begun to shake off its hillbilly image and orient itself toward becoming a more universal, commercialized industry, welcoming cross-over artists from other styles. Williams almost personally oversaw its transition into a national mania that would be later taken up by such figures as Johnny Cash, who emerged from the South and its blues and gospel traditions, and although his path to discovery took a more circuitous route, he came to join the biggest stars of his era, leaving a lasting mark on the industry and American culture. Few celebrities are as much a product of their native land as Dolly Parton. While many celebrities have desperately tried to get as far away as possible from their impoverished upbringings, Parton constructed her star persona around the image of Appalachian country music culture. "
Charles River Editors (Author), Ross Jenkins (Narrator)
Audiobook · 4 hrs 56 mins
The Influential Legends of Soul Music: The Lives and Careers of the Musicians Who Pioneered the Genre
"If Sam Cooke, one of the greatest African-American soul singers in the genre’s history, had been Irish, he might have kept company with the likes of the great balladeer and classical tenor John McCormack. If he had been born Italian, he might have starred in the refined, lyrical Mozart opera roles usually reserved for those with an extreme musical sensitivity. Such was the level of excellence in Cooke’s inner understanding of his own voice, which was capable of exquisite classical precision and a finesse in phrasing that lay far beyond the norm. He could have prospered and attained greatness in any genre of his choice, but considering the timing of the American audience, and his African-American heritage, Sam Cooke instead pioneered a new genre and became its greatest practitioner. Among the many stars gathered by Berry Gordy’s Motown Records during the latter half of the 20th century, one of the most famous and successful was Marvin Gaye, even though the rigidity of the studio’s operating procedures constantly collided with his capacity for stubbornness and insistence that he be given the independence to pursue his own artistic vision. That said, while What’s Going On bucked the trend so far as Motown was concerned, it can also be said that Gaye himself shaped Motown’s signature sound with hits like 'How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)' and 'I Heard It Through the Grapevine.' Of course, Gaye also influenced the music industry as a whole, particularly the R&B genre. As much as Aretha Franklin’s family upbringing prepared her for a career as a vocalist, her decision to break away from the musical tradition that defined her youth also positions her as something of a maverick. Further, while she certainly enjoyed a far greater audience than her father, this also carried its own challenges in a tumultuous era that saw first the Civil Rights Movement and then Second Wave Feminism. "
Audiobook · 5 hrs 22 mins
Colonial Virginia’s Capitals: The History of the Settlements that Led to the Rise of the Biggest Colony in North America
"Jamestown is fondly remembered today for being the first permanent English settlement in the colonies, but it was not fondly remembered by those who lived and died there. The English quickly learned it would be difficult to establish a permanent settlement because of the poor weather, the swampy terrain, the hostile natives living nearby, and the general inexperience and ineptitude of the English settlers. During their first winter, everyone nearly starved, and more than half of the settlers died. By the end of the winter of 1609-1610, known as the “starving time”, barely 10% of the settlers were still alive. Nevertheless, Jamestown is remembered today because the settlement did survive through the hardships and go on to serve as the capital of the English colony for much of the 17th century. At the same time, one of the biggest reasons for its survival and fame today can be attributed to the local Native Americans, particularly Pocahontas, who has added both a human and romanticized, mythological element to Jamestown. Along with Jamestown and Yorktown, Colonial Williamsburg is known today as part of the Historic Triangle of Virginia, but all three of these old Virginian sites are known for vastly different reasons. While Yorktown was the scene of the final climactic battle of the American Revolution and Jamestown is remembered for being the first English settlement to survive in Virginia, Colonial Williamsburg is now best known as a bridge to the past. Williamsburg got its start as a fortified site, which was vitally necessary for English settlers to heavily outnumbered by nearby Native Americans. The site served as the capital of the colony for much of the 18th century, and it bore witness to seminal events in the history of Revolutionary era America. However, once the capital was again moved, Williamsburg lost much of its prominence, and by the end of the 19th century it was best known for hosting the College of William and Mary. "
Audiobook · 2 hrs 48 mins
The Most Famous Monuments of Washington, D.C.: The History of the Capital’s Grandest Memorials
"People have always loved symbols and monuments. Even before there was any sort of written language, there were places and things considered sacred, whether it was the Mesopotamians’ ziggurats or the Egyptians’ pyramids. Thus, it had long been a practice to make some sort of memorial to those who had died as a way to remember and honor them, and given the importance of George Washington to the young United States of America, it’s no surprise that plans to build monuments to him began within months of his death. There are countless ways that Washington, remembered as 'first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen,' has been commemorated across America, but the most famous is the Washington Monument. Congress had actually called for establishing a monument to Washington as far back as 1783, but it would not be until the 1830s that work on the world’s tallest obelisk began in earnest. Given the importance of Abraham Lincoln to the country, it’s no surprise that plans to build monuments to him began within months of his death. There are countless ways that the Great Emancipator has been commemorated across America, but the most famous is the Lincoln Memorial, which would not be completed until well over half a century after his death. A tranquilly elegant neoclassical building fronted by slender pillars and topped by a gently domed roof, the Jefferson Memorial stands among other American monuments near the shores of the Tidal Basin in Washington, D.C. Housing a five-ton, 19 foot tall statue of Thomas Jefferson, the building looks as though it could be as long-established as the White House itself, but it is actually much newer. The Vietnam War is one of the most controversial events in American history, and it bitterly divided the nation, so it’s somewhat ironic that the most famous monument commemorating the war is also one of the most serene spots in the nation’s capital. Indeed, the famous Vietnam Wall is a place of almost eerie silence."
Audiobook · 4 hrs 27 mins
The Historic Triangle of Virginia: The History of the Settlements and Battles at Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Yorktown
"Jamestown is fondly remembered today for being the first permanent English settlement in the colonies, but it was not fondly remembered by those who lived and died there. The English quickly learned it would be difficult to establish a permanent settlement because of the poor weather, the swampy terrain, the hostile natives living nearby, and the general inexperience and ineptitude of the English settlers. During their first winter, everyone nearly starved, and more than half of the settlers died. By the end of the winter of 1609-1610, known as the “starving time”, barely 10% of the settlers were still alive. Nevertheless, Jamestown is remembered today because the settlement did survive through the hardships and go on to serve as the capital of the English colony for much of the 17th century. At the same time, one of the biggest reasons for its survival and fame today can be attributed to the local Native Americans, particularly Pocahontas, who has added both a human and romanticized, mythological element to Jamestown. Along with Jamestown and Yorktown, Colonial Williamsburg is known today as part of the Historic Triangle of Virginia, but all three of these old Virginian sites are known for vastly different reasons. While Yorktown was the scene of the final climactic battle of the American Revolution and Jamestown is remembered for being the first English settlement to survive in Virginia, Colonial Williamsburg is now best known as a bridge to the past. Williamsburg got its start as a fortified site, which was vitally necessary for English settlers to heavily outnumbered by nearby Native Americans, many of which were at times hostile. Known originally as Middle Plantation, the site served as the capital of the colony for much of the 18th century, and it bore witness to seminal events in the history of Revolutionary era America."
Audiobook · 4 hrs 3 mins
History's Famous Women Pirates
"The people who have lived outside the boundaries of normal societies and refused to play by the rules have long fascinated the world, and nowhere is this more evident than the continuing interest in the pirates of centuries past. As the subjects of books, movies, and even theme park rides, people continue to let their imaginations go when it comes to pirates, with buried treasure, parrots, and walking the plank all ingrained in pop culture’s perception of them. While that explains some of the reasons Grace O'Malley's life and legacy continue to resonate, she was clearly a different kind of woman altogether. Far from being a member of an unprivileged class seeking to steal booty from any ship she could, she was both a queen and a rebel who defiantly fought to protect her home and way of life against the English. Naturally, while foreigners might remember her as a pirate and one of many famous rebels opposing the English over the centuries, Ireland has remembered her as a folk hero, and she has become the subject of all the poetry, songs, plays, and movies that come along with such a standing. 19th century writer James Hardiman may have summed up her legacy the best when he wrote, “Her name has been frequently used by our Bards, to designate Ireland. Hence our Countrymen have been often called ‘Sons of old Grana Weal.’” One of the most famous pirates of all time, and possibly the most famous woman to ever become one, was Anne Bonny. The Irish-born girl moved with her family to the Bahamas at a young age in the early 18th century, which at that time was a hotbed for piracy by the likes of Blackbeard, but the redhead with a fiery temper would go on to forge her own reputation. Like Anne, Mary Read was an illegitimate child who spent some of her childhood dressed up as and disguised as a little boy through incredibly strange circumstances."
Audiobook · 2 hrs 28 mins
Real Pirates of the Caribbean
"The Golden Age of Piracy generally refers to the era when history’s most famous pirates roamed the seas of the West Indies from 1670-1720, engaging in colorfully daring and oftentimes murderous attacks on any ship they felt emboldened enough to take on. And it is no coincidence that while the end of the Golden Age was marked by the death of Blackbeard, the beginning of it was marked by the rise of Henry Every. Though Every is no longer as well-remembered as the likes of Blackbeard or Black Bart, in his day he was the “King of Pirates”, and he is recognized as blazing the trail and setting the gold standard for the pirates that followed him. Although Captain Morgan has become somewhat synonymous with spiced rum in the 21st century, Henry Morgan has been one of the best known pirates and privateers for centuries, long before an alcohol was named after him. The swashbuckling captain, who fought nearly as hard as he drank, has long been a favorite among authors looking to write exciting novels about pirates. It would be an understatement to say that pop culture’s perception of piracy and pirates has been primarily influenced by Captain Edward Teach, known to the world as Blackbeard, the most famous pirate of all time. An English pirate who terrorized the high seas near the Carolinas in the early 18th century, a period often referred to as the Golden Age of Piracy, Blackbeard was the gold standard, and in the 300 years since his death he has inspired legends that have spanned books like Treasure Island, movies, and even theme park rides. Black Bart may not be as well known today as other pirates of the era, but he was truly the gold standard during the Golden Age of Piracy. Despite the fact he was initially reluctant to become a pirate and had to be talked into it, Roberts and his crew captured nearly 500 ships in just a few years, making him the most successful pirate in history. "
Audiobook · 7 hrs 13 mins
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