Sideman: In Pursuit of the Next Gig

"Narrative & Biography" winnner in the 2023 Porchlight Business Book Awards While most successful sidemen are lucky to spend a decade in the music business, multi-instrumentalist Mark Rivera is working on his fifth. "Narrative & Biography" winnner in the 2023 Porchlight Business Book Awards While most successful sidemen are lucky to spend a decade in the music business, multi-instrumentalist Mark Rivera is working on his fifth. Best known as Billy Joel's saxophonist as well as Musical Director for Ringo Starr and his All Starr Band, Rivera has shared the stage with some of Rock 'n' Roll's greatest performers, including John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Elton John, Simon & Garfunkel, Foreigner, Peter Frampton, Tony Bennett, Sheila E., Joe Walsh, Hall & Oates, and Peter Gabriel. How does he do it while avoiding the typical pitfalls-falling out of favor with the band, burnout, depression? A devoted father and husband for nearly forty years, Rivera's recollections in Sideman demonstrate that while he struggled to balance the two worlds-a rock 'n' roller circling the globe and a regular guy worried about putting food on the table-his body's compulsion to always be playing music kept him in constant pursuit of "the next gig." The sideman is put to the test as he recounts his past from the confines of a global pandemic, and the man accustomed to "keeping up with the music" is forced to put down his instruments and reflect. Full of optimism, humor, and candor, Rivera turns the spotlight on the sideman's life, revealing not only what it takes to climb the industry ladder (and stay there), but something more surprising- a bit of ourselves rocking out amongst all those superstars.

About the Author :
Mark Rivera is best known as Billy Joel's saxophonist, as well as Musical Director for Ringo Starr and his All Starr Band. Rivera is a multi-instrumentalist and vocalist who over the past 50 years has shared the stage and supported some of Rock 'n' Roll's greatest performers, including John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Elton John, Simon & Garfunkel, Foreigner, Peter Frampton, Tony Bennett, Sheila E., Joe Walsh, Hall & Oates, and Peter Gabriel. Mike Poncy is a writer and musician living in central Virginia with his wife, Amanda, and their two children. The last book he co-developed was the New York Times bestseller I'm Keith Hernandez.

Review :
"""Mark Rivera is one of the most accomplished support musicians in rock history . . . Sideman takes readers behind the scenes of his incredible journey. I couldn't put it down."" —Andy Greene, Senior Writer, Rolling Stone ""You can see why so many of rock's greatest musicians have come to rely on Mark Rivera.As his new book demonstrates time and again, the man is smart, extraordinarily empathetic, and can tell a fantastic story . . . Sideman is a delight."" —Nathaniel Philbrick, National Book Award–winning author of In the Heart of the Sea ""Mark Riviera's insane talent is a given; what makes him special is the joy he brings—whether it's creating in the studio or rocking Madison Square Garden, artists know they're in good hands. They trust him, they love him, and the audience feels it, too.That's the secret sauce you'll find in this book: the other side of the Sideman."" —Ken Dashow,Host of Q104.3 Afternoon Drive andSunday Morning Breakfast with The Beatles, iHeartMedia, New York, NY ""There isn't an instrument Mark Rivera can't play . . . but alongside all that talent and hustle is Mark's greatest gift: his humanity. He sounds like one of us because he is one of us.If you're readyto beinspired by the real people shaping the music we all love, read this book cover to cover."" —Scott Shannon, Radio Disk Jockey, New York, NY, and Host of the nationally syndicated Scott Shannon Presents America's Greatest Hits ""They don't makethem anymore like theymadeMark Rivera.He's a human jukebox—the music just comes straight away . . . The only thing left for him to do—because he'sdone everything and played with everyone—isshare that experience on the page, especially with the future generations."" —Steve Cohen, Lighting and Production Design for Billy Joel, Elton John, Daryl Hall and John Oates ""That guy you see dancing around with that smile and saxophone—it's not bullshit. He's got more energy than God. Offstage, he's as real as they come . . . You're gonna love these pages, becausewhen Mark gives you something, it's always the genuinearticle."" —Brian Ruggles, Front of House Sound for Simon and Garfunkel, Billy Joel, and Foreigner"