The Band that Played On: The Extraordinary Story of the 8 Musicians Who Went Down with the Titanic

By Steve Turner

The movies, the documentaries, the museum exhibits. They often tell the same story about the "unsinkable" Titanic, her wealthy passengers, the families torn apart, and the unthinkable end. But never before has "that glorious band," the group of eight musicians who played on as the Titanic slipped deeper and deeper into the Atlantic Ocean, been explored in such depth--until now.

Join renowned biographer Steve Turner as he shares an extraordinary portrait of eight men who were thrown together on a maiden voyage, never having played together as a band, and whose names will be forever linked because of an extraordinary act of courage in the face of death.

In The Band that Played On, Turner asks and answers key questions, including:

• How did the faith of the band members allow them to react with grace under pressure?
• Why does the story of the Titanic continue to fascinate?
• How does the legacy of that glorious band live on today?

Praise for The Band that Played On:

"The Band that Played On is, surprisingly, the first book since the great ship went down to examine the lives of the eight musicians who were employed by the Titanic. What these men did--standing calmly on deck playing throughout the disaster--achieved global recognition. But their individual stories, until now, have been largely unknown. What Turner has uncovered is a narrow but unique slice of history--one more chapter of compelling Titanic lore."

--Marjorie Kehe, Book Editor, Christian Science Monitor

• Language: English
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson
• Release date: Sep 26, 2012
• ISBN: 9781595553874

Steve Turner

STEVE TURNER is a performance poet and journalist. Author of several anthologies of adult verse, children's poetry and many rock biographies.

Book preview

Reviews for The Band that Played On

[senorag163 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I have read a lot about the Titanic but this is the first book that I've read devoted to the musicians. W. Hartley, C. Krins, R. Bricoux, W.T. Brailey,J. Woodward, J.F. Clarke, J.L. Hume, P.C. TaylorI learned some things that shocked me. Families actually had to pay to get their family member back. If they were lucky enough to be found and identified! Families had to pay for embalming and transportation of the body home. Since the Titanic did not finish it's voyage, full pay was not sent, deductions were made for the remaining days. This is sickening. We learn about each member if the band, their background, the way they wound up onboard and where their families are today. Did they play voluntarily or was it under the order of their band leader or the captain? That is a question that will never be answered. Did they really play Nearer My God to thee as so many reported? My question.....does it really matter?Tor me, regardless of the what's and whys, these men gave their lives while trying to help others. Their playing of music no matter what kind or what songs, helped people to feel calmer in the midst of chaos. They, like the captain,went down with the ship. Only three of their bodies were recovered. They are heros. I especially liked the photos. They tell their own story about the people and places in them. The book was well researched and includes lots of interesting trivia. Recommended for any one who has an interest in the Titanic.

[blehner_4 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Who hasn't heard of the Titanic's tragic fate? Most of us will have seen one of the many movies or even read one of the various books about this event. While there is plenty of literature available, only little is know about the band that played on board until the bitter end.With The Band That Played On Steve Turner presents a fascinating look at the lives of these eight men, starting with their early careers, how they became musicians and were then ultimately hired to play on the maiden voyage of the Titanic. The reader will also learn about what survivors remember about those last hours on the Titanic and, ultimately, a lot of questions will forever remain unanswered – whether or not "Nearer My God to Thee" was played in the final moments or whether these men played voluntarily or under orders.As far as biographies go this is certainly one of the best researched books I've ever read, with a good balance of facts and speculations on the events. Yet at the same time it is so highly detailed that it ends up being a little, pardon my expression, dry. For everyone interested in history and fans of the Titanic surly a must-read, the book did drag a bit during some chapters, but was nonetheless a worthwhile read.In short: A highly comprehensive biography of the lives of the eight musicians that went down with the Titanic.

[tammyphillips · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

The Band that Played On, by Steve Turner, is a recounting of the tragedy of the Titanic, focusing on the lives of the eight musicians who went down with the ship. Each of the eight musicians’ lives, prior to their voyage on the Titanic, is chronicled in their own chapter. They were all young, respectable men, leading relatively uneventful lives, who were passionate about their craft. Their deaths were hailed as heroic by surviving witnesses. This is the first biography to focus on the lives of these men, and for connoisseurs of Titanic history, it will be well received. Regrettably, The Band that Played On, was not well received by me. Most of the tale was written in the style of a monotone history book. These men did not have noteworthy lives prior to their experience on the Titanic, and as such, did not make for interesting reading material. The interesting parts of the book were near the end, and unfortunately, contained much speculation as to what the musicians must have been doing during the sinking. Granted, there were many accounts reported of witnesses hearing the band’s music while disembarking to the lifeboats, but they are very contradictory. The author attempts to sort through these accounts and come up with a best case scenario as to the actual occurrences, but in truth, just overstated the possibilities. I felt like if I read the phrase, “Nearer my God to thee” again, I was going to have to throw in the towel. Ultimately, Turner ends the book with a sort of obituary tribute to each of the men. Ironically enough, this is the part I found most interesting. Contrary to the relatively uneventful lives of the men before the Titanic, some of their surviving family members went on to have some entertaining experiences. So, while I will not recommend this book to my friends as an entertaining biography, I do recognize it’s merit as a worthy historical compilation. Steve Turner was very thorough in his research and retelling of a familiar tragic tale, with a unique perspective.

[wakela_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Everyone knows the story of the Titanic sinking. The tale has been told in several movies and countless books. However, there is one aspect of the story that has not been told, that of the musicians who chose to play as the ship sank.The book starts out recounting the tale of that fateful night that the ship sank. There were a few details in there that I hadn’t known about. I guess that was because most of what I knew was from the movies.For instance, did you know that the reason for the media black out was not because they were afraid for public panic. It was because The New York Times had struck a deal with Mr. Marconi in order to get an inside scoop. This media black out even prevented President Taft from finding out if his military aide, Major Archibald Butt, had even survived.However, the most interesting part was learning about the humble beginnings of these men. Before reading this book, I had no clue that it was actually two different bands that had ended up playing together on that fateful day. The ship had commissioned two bands. One band had five musicians and the other band had three. So there were a total of eight musicians. There were interconnections between the eight musicians, but before that night, they had never all come together to play as a group.I found out that one of them actually lived not too far from my great grandfather in Burnley, England. I doubt that they would have known each other since they were from different backgrounds. But it was just interesting to read about a life and time from when some of my family were.This book was extremely riveting. Those men’s lives were ripped away from them when they were just starting to really live them.In conjunction with the Wakela's World Disclosure Statement, I received a product in order to enable my review. No other compensation has been received. My statements are an honest account of my experience with the brand. The opinions stated here are mine alone.