“Joy Riggs is a wonderful writer whose humor, grace, and careful research will make any reader care deeply about this family. The book illustrates what each of us can learn about ourselves by understanding those who came before us. It’s also a testament to the power of music to create community, connect people to one another, and make ‘time and place dissolve.’”

“Joy Riggs has pulled from the folds of Minnesota history the remarkable story of a man who changed the musical landscape of the state. With warmth, intelligence, and insight, she describes his profound impact on the musicians he taught and the grace and happiness he brought to countless audiences in an era when the highlight of a week’s entertainment might be an afternoon concert in the park.”

“Joy Riggs offers not only an intriguing family story, but one that reveals something about the world we live in today. Through impeccable research and engaging writing, Riggs has crafted a riveting history of her great-grandfather, G. Oliver Riggs, a real-life ‘music man’ bandleader in Minnesota and points beyond. Riggs’s own story serves as the harmony to G. Oliver’s melody, and I was fascinated by the people and places she discovered on her journey into the past.”

“Impeccably researched and told with heart, Joy Riggs illuminates how one musician’s lifelong passion for teaching and performing inspired generations of young musicians.”