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Isaac Watts: Father of Hymns (Step 3)
ReadOasis Step 3 By Maria Sonora A hymn is a song of praise to God. In many cultures, people sing hymns at church services and on special celebrations like Christmas. Many prominent musicians today, such as Beyonce Knowles, Aretha Franklin, Johnny Cash, and Carrie Underwood mastered singing and performing... Read more
W.C. Handy: Father of the Blues (Step 3)
ReadOasis Step 3 "Then I saw the beauty of primitive music." W.C. Handy, Father of the Blues W.C. Handy at Age 19 W.C. Handy grew up in a small town in Alabama in the southern part of the US. His father was the pastor of a church, and Handy... Read more
A Force for Good in Music
ReadOasis Step 3(Part 1) U2 in Concert It was a cool winter night in January 2002 in New York. The city that never sleeps was wide-awake and full of movement. Even in the cold, you could feel the energy of arts, entertainment, culture, and money. That week, top business,... Read more
A Musical Money-Making Machine
ReadOasis Step 3 Carrie Underwood by Eva Rinaldi (Creative Commons) Carrie was a country girl from Checotah, Oklahoma. She lived on a farm, and in the mornings, she would help her father feed the cows. Carrie loved to sing. She started singing at church when she was 3 years... Read more
The Heaviest Band: Led Zeppelin
By Douglas ForsterReadOasis Step 3(Part 1) Good evening. My name is James Patrick Page. But most everyone knows me as Jimmy Page. I am the lead guitarist for the greatest rock and roll band of all time, Led Zeppelin. This is our story through my eyes. I hope you... Read more
Country Music Icon: Hank Williams
ReadOasis Step 3 It was the middle of America’s Great Economic Depression. Hank Williams was just seven when his father left. The stress from World War I still burned in his father’s brain, and he committed himself into Veteran’s hospital. Hank’s mother worked. She played organ at church, and... Read more
Songs of Survival
ReadOasis Step 3 It was my twentieth birthday. I was sitting in the family piano room when my father opened the door. He had a big smile on his face, and he said, "Happy Birthday!" Then he handed me a big box. Inside was a new guitar. It was... Read more
The Most Famous Not a Protest Song (Step 3)
ReadOasis Step 3 The little boy didn't want to eat chicken. He did not like the flavor and smell, so he protested. He said, "I hate chicken! It tastes bad! I will never eat it -- ever! His mother looked at him and smiled. And she said, "Jimmy, that's... Read more
The Biggest Band (Step 3)
ReadOasis Step 3 It was a hot August night in New York City, 1965. Two thousand policemen in charge of security watched anxiously as 55,000 fans filled Shea Stadium. But this was not for a baseball game; it was for the first ever stadium concert in the history of... Read more
Music as Medicine (Part 1)
ReadOasis Step 3 You are watching TV. On the screen, you see the two strong hands of a man. In his left hand, he holds a book of matches. In his right hand, he holds a single match. With his right hand, he strikes the match on the match... Read more