Milt Okun doesn't look like he should be in the music business, he wears suits and he isn't flashy. He has a solid base in classical music. So why did he end up producing many classic songs during the important formative years of rock and roll that is based on folk music? Pure and simple: he has an ear for what sounds right together and the talent to get the best out of performers. And some of these performers needed a lot of help to get that performance on tape. The stories he tells about some of the greatest hits of the era are just so fascinating and illuminating that you will be surprised to find out just what was behind these hits. The Peter, Paul and Mary tales are worth the price of the book. You will just have to break down and buy the book to get the juicy details on how that group worked.

To be honest, I had never heard of Milt Okun, which shocked me since I knew most of his work with musicians like John Denver and Placido Domingo. That just shows how behind the scenes he is and not at all out for the fame. The interview format of the book really works for bringing out his stories since I got the feeling that he isn't a boastful person. I am glad for once the nice guy won and it seems a lot of it was accidental. He won over the hearts of many musicians just by his honesty. The music industry isn't exactly known for being forthright and fair, but that is exactly how Okun built his publishing business. This would make a perfect gift for that hard to please guy on your list. ( )