The Gershwins and Me is Michael Feinstein's tribute to George and Ira Gershwin, those genius brothers of popular song. Feinstein places the pair in the forefront of America's cultural soundtrack, and in addition to masterworks like Porgy and Bess and "Rhapsody in Blue," he also focuses on a dozen ageless songs--including "Strike Up the Band," "The Man I Love," "I've Got a Crush on You" and "Someone to Watch Over Me"--which he also performs on an accompanying CD.
His connection to the subject is personal: at the tender age of 20, Feinstein landed a job as archivist to Ira Gershwin, where he had access to Ira's collections--and heard many personal reminiscences.
"This book is a celebration," Feinstein writes. "It's my attempt to capture and preserve the essence of an era... it was a time when the names George and Ira Gershwin were synonymous with everything that was fresh, exciting and vital about the creative arts." --Valerie Ryan, Cannon Beach Book Company, Cannon Beach, Ore.