Country Music Digital Book

An Innovative First

On November 18, 2008 we launched the first of our enhanced digital books. These are innovative digital products that allow the reader an immersion experience in the book—a digital book that delivers an enhanced reader experience, a book that integrates audio, video, and images into the text and creates for the reader a greater theater of the mind.

Our first title was Country Music: The Masters—a photographic love letter to the founders and legends of country music by four time Grammy winner, master musician and storyteller Marty Stuart.

On November 14th, 2008 the p-book (physical book) went on sale. Here is a description of that version of Country Music: The Masters:

• Across this revolutionary photography and history experience of nearly 400 photos, country music's renaissance man Marty Stuart opens the vaults of his studio and his private collection of more than 20,000 items of memorabilia.
• A born storyteller and host of XM Radio's "Marty Stuart's American Odyssey," Stuart recalls nearly an hour of eye-opening, heart-warming, often hilarious stories behind the photos, included on one audio CD.
• In this unique book-and-CD pairing, Stuart's enhanced CD—available only with this book—also includes the first release of the song and video of "Dark Bird," his tribute to Johnny Cash. This new recording may well be the first time that a song has been released first in a book.
• An incredible gift that retails for $49.95

On November 18th, 2008 we launched the digital version of Country Music: The Masters, which integrates and expands the experience. The book will have:

• All of the nearly 400 photographs—many available to enlarge
• Marty Stuart telling the story behind the photographs on 21 audio tracks—one full audio CD. But now the audio is integrated into the pages of the photographs
• Plus the never-before released song “Dark Bird,” Marty Stuart’s poignant tribute to Johnny Cash integrated into the book along with the music video.
• Plus a 13-minute video on the making of Country Music: The Masters, evoking the mood, rhythm, and ambience of the country music experience. This video is not available in the physical book.
• You can experience this innovative enhanced digital experience for $19.95.

Images from Country Music: The Masters. Click on any image to view larger version:

Listen to excerpts from the Country Music: The Masters CD:

Connie Smith

JR

King of the Road

View an excerpt from the music video of "Dark Bird":

  Dim lights

About the Author
Marty Stuart has scored six top-ten hits, one platinum and five gold albums, and four Grammy Awards. He has collaborated with artists ranging from Lester Flatt to Bob Dylan. Stuart has delivered impressive work as a photographer, writer, and collector, and hosts “Marty Stuart’s American Odyssey” on XM radio.

Sourcebooks, a Leader in Mixed Media Books

Sourcebooks and its Sourcebooks MediaFusion imprint pioneered a new form of print book in 1998 with We Interrupt This Broadcast, the first book to truly integrate audio content with the printed work. With tracks on accompanying compact discs, the audio, text, and photos were intended to work together, rather than being supplemental or merely complimentary.

The full, true experience of the book was only obtained by using both media--and it was a goosebump-inducing, New York Times bestselling experience at that. Since then, Sourcebooks has innovated numerous mixed-media projects in the areas of poetry,