Peter Oelrichs Duchin (b. 1937) is an American pianist and band leader. Duchin was born in New York City, the son of pianist and band leader Eddy Duchin. Duchin formed his first professional band, which played the St. Regis Hotel in New York City, in 1962 thanks in part to his family name and the networking it had made possible. The band's style and genres have been described as "a musical approach that incorporates big bands, swing and Broadway songs (and nowadays, old-fashioned rock 'n' roll)." For this book, a labor of love harking back to his childhood, Peter Duchin chose 61 of the great religious and secular songs of the season, including all the most popular Christmas carols as well as some beautiful but less familiar liturgical songs, and has arranged them for easy family play for both piano and guitar. His notes prefacing the songs bring out interesting points about their composers and lyricists, their origins and adaptations, as well as the customs they celebrate. Where a song's original-language lyrics are popularly familiar, they are included alongside the English words. And spotted throughout the book, there are choice examples of Christmas art - from paintings, lithographs, commercial illustrations, and early greeting cards. It is a book for many hours, many years of musical pleasure in the home, a celebration of the most beloved season of the year.

A Musical Christmas With Peter Duchin

Duchin, Peter

Holt; Rinehart; Winston

"A tale told with wit and charm . . . It is a sprightly, engaging, and at times hilarious look back at a life spent in music, show business, and what used to be called society." The Boston Globe "A bittersweet gem of a book . . . The story of Duchin's life has an elegiac aura of glamour and tragedy that might have come directly from the imagination of F. Scott Fitzgerald." The Philadelphia Inquirer "Peter Duchin's glamorous story is about absent fathers, surrogate mothers, and dwelling on the edges of money and power in a tuxedoed world." Gay Talese "A great read . . . This book brings back marvelous memories of a very special time." Frank Sinatra

Ghost of a Chance: A Memoir

Humor & Entertainment

Random House]

In this poignant memoir, the internationally celebrated bandleader reflects on family, illness, grief, and a bygone era of glamour, contemplating not just his career but the history of midcentury music and nightlife--and the enormously important role that the bandstand played in his life. &nbsp; The internationally-famous bandleader Peter Duchin's six decades of performing have taken him to the most exclusive dance floors and concert halls in the world. He has played for presidents, kings, and queens, as well as for civil rights and cultural organizations. But in 2013, Duchin suffered a stroke that left him with limited use of his left hand, severely impacting his career. Days of recuperating from his stroke--and later from a critical case of Covid-19--inspired Duchin to reconsider his complicated past. His father, the legendary bandleader Eddy Duchin, died when Peter was twelve; his mother, Marjorie Oelrichs Duchin, died when he was just six days old. In the succeeding decades, Duchin would follow his father to become the epitome of mid-20th Century glamour. But it was only half a century later, in the aftermath of his sudden illnesses, that he began to see his mother and father not just as the parents he never had, but as the people he never got to know; and at the same time, to reconsider the milieu in which he has been both a symbol and a participant. More than a memoir, Face the Music offers a window into the era of debutantes and white-tie balls, when such events made national headlines. Duchin explores what "glamour" and "society" once meant, and what they mean now. With sincerity and humor, Face the Music offers a moving portrait of an extraordinary life, its disruptions, and revitalization.

Face the Music: A Memoir

Beard, Patricia

DOUBLEDAY

Bandleader Philip Damon still hasn't recovered from the death of his wife-victim of a still-unsolved murder-when he arrives at a charity ball at San Francisco's Fairmont Hotel. So, understandably, he's quite shaken to meet Lenore Ashley there, as she uncannily resembles his late wife. But the belle of the ball becomes a suspect when her companion is found dead with an ice pick in his heart. Now, Philip must solve two murders-and discover why he is the one link between them.

Blue Moon

Literature & Fiction

Wilson, John Morgan

Literary

Berkley Hardcover

Heading for Los Angeles for their latest job, bandleader and amateur sleuth Philip Damon and his sax-playing friend, Hercules Platt, an ex-cop, confront the latest in a series of problems that have been plaguing them--including the murder of their substitute trumpet player and a lovely young lady who may be more than she seems. By the authors of Blue Moon.

Good Morning Heartache

United States

Still grieving over the death of his wife, the victim of an unsolved homicide, Philip Damon encounters Lenore Ashley, a woman who bears an uncanny resemblance to his late wife, and who is also the prime suspect in her companion's murder. Reprint.

Mystery, Thriller & Suspense

Mystery

BERKLEY

Damon and his orchestra are in L.A. for a gig at the Cocoanut Grove. But when the body of his trumpeter is found washed up on the shore, he sets out with Hercules Platt, ex-cop-turned-sax-player, to find the hidden truth behind Hollywood's facade.

Good Morning, Heartache

Ghost of a Chance

Biographies & Memoirs

Random House Value Publishing

Celebrated pianist, conductor, and composer Peter Duchin has been providing music for U.S. presidents, society galas, and charity events for more than 30 years. Now, in this compelling autobiography, Duchin offers both a poignant personal memoir and a fascinating account of life on the road with the band.

Ghost of a Chance:: A Memoir

Arts & Literature

Center Point Pub

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Duchin, Peter. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Duchin, Peter

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Duchin, Peter. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

A Musical Christmas With Peter Duchin

Ghost of a Chance: A Memoir

Face the Music: A Memoir

Blue Moon

Good Morning Heartache

Blue Moon

Good Morning, Heartache

Ghost of a Chance

Ghost of a Chance:: A Memoir

Face the Music: A Memoir