An innovative, debut memoir from
Greg Allen Morgoglione,
offering fresh and unique perspective on what it means to be a musician, while building a case for musicians to reconsider their value to society.
Play Something Pretty That You Like to Play showcases the therapeutic and developmental effects of music on America’s Access Limited demographic, while arguing that musicians must evolve their perspective to view this substantial demographic as a professional opportunity, and not “charity work”. Morgoglione presents a new model for community centered musical engagement that specifically and pointedly values musicians as paid professionals, not volunteers.
About Greg
Greg is the Founder and Director of the Accessible Music Project, a 501c(3) non-profit organization based in Charlottesville, Virginia. He has raced really fast motorcycles and taught motorcycle safety courses. As a singer-songwriter, he has recorded two albums of original music.
His professional life has been dedicated to making the therapeutic and developmental benefits of live, contemporary music more accessible to music lovers of all ages whose access to traditional listening and learning opportunities is limited. He lives near Charlottesville with his miniature pinschers Veronica and Gianni.
“There’s one choice thing about changing the world I can say
But whenever I do blame gets in the way
Well, all I can sing is all I can say,
and all I can play is my part
If change is the end I would have, maybe it’s also the start”
“Play Something Pretty That You Like to Play encourages all creatives to think outside the box and work toward the world they desire. Music artists who wish for steady gigs and hope to exit the struggle stage will find the answers they seek in this groundbreaking book. If you want a successful music career, don't miss out on this masterpiece.”
— Foluso Falaye for Readers’ Favorite
What People Are Saying
“I’d like to share with you what a truly amazing impact [the Accessible Music Project] has had on the people we serve here at the Medowcreek Center…they have truly made a difference in our lives.”
— The Meadowcreek Center
“[Morgoglione] shares his stories musically, and each song he writes is a story in itself. The stories are written from the heart and will have readers enthralled and, hopefully, inspired to share music everywhere. A powerful and enjoyable narrative.”
— Emily-Jane Hills Orford for Readers’ Favorite
“The music and entertainment you provided was very well received…I have received multiple positive comments…about how soothing the music was, as well as how it calmed down some of the more anxious children…”
— the UVA Children’s Medical Center
An excerpt from Play Something Pretty:
Page 23, first print edition
“And that is precisely what [musicians] are doing as a profession. That is the sentence that we hand out every day to the Access Limited. I’m not saying it’s conscious, or intentionally mean-spirited. I hope it’s not. But long ago, we musicians seem to have collectively judged them as not being worthy of professional consideration, and we have sentenced them since to life without music. Life without music’s developmental and therapeutic benefits. Millions of Americans. They came before us and built this great nation for us. You know, the ones who fought the wars and defended your freedoms and rights before you were even born. And now, we say to hell with them. Let them fend for themselves because they’re old and not hip. We don’t play their music.
Except at Christmas, of course. At Christmas, when Jesus and Santa Claus are watching, we’ll be sure to toss them a musical crumb or two — to make ourselves feel better, you know.
I stared at them, shaking my head slowly. “Dudes, that sucks.”…
The Accessible Music Project
Dedicated to Making Music More Accessible™, A.M.P. books and pays local musicians to bring their music to Access Limited residents, performing at local Community Venues in series such as the Coffee Hour Concerts at Cedars Healthcare Center, the Happy Hour Concerts at Morningside of Charlottesville, and our 2020 Local Music Flash Mob Concert series response to Covid-19.*
We do this because we believe that America’s professional musicians are best qualified to bring the powerful experience of live music to our Access Limited community members.
A.M.P. also believes that America’s professional musicians are best qualified to provide appropriate and engaging musical education opportunities to Access Limited young people in and beyond the schools and should be well and fairly compensated for their efforts.
The Accessible Music Project operates as
a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation because we believe that America’s vital social values are best brought to life by passionate professionals who know that for this grand experiment in equality, freedom, and self-government to survive we must give back and pay forward with our work.