Saturday Review: “Philip Gerard, American Anthem” a review by Bland Simpson of the memoir
Philip Gerard. Words & Music: An Album of a Life in Story and Song (2023) in NCLR Online Spring 2024
North Carolina’s author community mourned the passing of Philip Gerard in late 2022. This review of his posthumously published memoir reads more eulogy than book review. Fitting, though, as it’s written by long-time friend, fellow teacher/writer/musician Bland Simpson.
“Words & Music is Philip Gerard’s musician’s-musician memoir about the writing, recording, and
launching of his fifteen-song album American Anthem – a true, paired tour de force.” Simpson begins. By mentioning much of Gerard’s body of work–both on the page and in the classroom–one gets a clearer picture of how much not only Gerard the artist but Gerard the person meant both to Simpson and to North Carolina.
Readers are lucky to have the voice of Gerard in books and in music. Simpson posits, “Though there is nothing intentionally valedictory about Words & Music, still there it stands, at the close of this remarkable man’s grand career and life, showing us such dedication and commitment and striving.”
Read the entire review in the Online Spring 2024 issue out now! And order the book from the publisher.
