The Big Picture – Rock, a musical experience / For Generations to Come

FYI – The history of the text “For Generations to Come.”

Hello There,

This document will give you an out-of-the-box look at what took over fifty years to complete: a three-act musical and the 137,000-word text. The only way we will ever get started working on this project is to present you with the big picture.

In 1969, while the author was still in high school, the first songs were composed, and the first handwritten text of the script, ROCK, a musical experience, was written.

Original 1969 handwritten copy

The author’s inspiration for starting to write this three-act musical for young persons is well documented in My Testimony, which can be read at:

https://ronnielee.rocks/my-testimony/

The written music for the show is not contrived, and much was written decades ago, giving it a realistic vibe that you cannot manufacture. The first song in the opera “12 to 21” was written in 1964 when the author was 13 years old. This is an experience that can be enjoyed by all generations – the decade and music change with the times, but the struggle is always the same. This wonderful multi-media show will be powerful on the stage and, perhaps ultimately, the screen. Ronnie Lee captured pure magic. DJ Perry CEO Collective Development Inc. Lansing, MI

ROCK, a musical experience, – 25 original songs, and the four-CD or album covers that go together to make a poster at this link:

https://ronnielee.rocks/rock-a-musical-experience-cd/

Rock CD covers & poster – GOT YOUR ROCK?

In 1974, Kevin Crossley introduced the script and music to Andrew Lloyd Webber. Kevin was a studio musician for some British acts, and he went to work for Studio Instrument Rentals in California, later starting up Studio Keyboard Rentals, working out of a GMC motorhome.

Kevin passed away this spring. His Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/kevin.crossley2

Kevin Crossley Studio Keyboard GMC

Mr. Webber loved the CD covers idea and liked the music, but having just finished with Jesus Christ Superstar, he wanted the author to remove all mention of Jesus from the script. That was not an option, and the project was put on the shelf for 40 years.

Ronnie Lee, Kevin Crossley Sana Barbara CA and Rocky Lake Recording Studio MI

In 1980, a private investor paid to have the first copies of the script printed. It was the first time the author saw his work in print.

1980 first printing ROCK, a musical experience

In 2014, this script and music were presented to Christian Faith Publishing, and their representative at that time, Haili, informed the author, “We only publish books, not plays.” So, I asked her, “If I write a book about how I wrote the play, would you look at it?” She asked for a sample of the work, and a “Letter to the Daughter I Never Had” was sent to her. After reading this text, she said it must be included in the book I was about to write, and I did.

Letter to the Daughter I Never Had, link:

https://ronnielee.rocks/to-the-daughter-i-never-had/

After three years of research and tracing the Knauss Family History at Ancestory.com back 500 years, the book started taking shape. Seven years later, the text was 137,000 words and over 500 pages long, with 14 chapters. Now, when I was in grade school, if any teacher presented a book this big and said that we would be reading it this semester, I would have had a word panic. So, I broke up the text into 14 different picture books that only use public domain pics or the author’s personal photos.

Ancestory.com 500-year Knauss Family Tree

For Generations to Come, picture books link:

https://ronnielee.rocks/for-generations-to-come-table-of-contents/

“For GENERATIONS to Come” is a historically accurate novel based on the Knauss family tree starting in 1546 Hessen, Germany, spanning almost 500 years to the present day in the United States of America. This digital book is written for grade school readers, and they can view it from any cell phone as easily as a video game. True life experiences and historical facts are blended together in a new way that can only be presented in a digital book format. The reader can follow the storyline as it is shaped by events that happened in history. “For Generations to Come” tries to encourage the young reader to learn more about their own personal history, and it has quickly been enjoyed by all ages.

“This story was written long ago by the people that lived it, I am just the storyteller.”

Ronnie Lee

For Generations to Come – Classroom Copy & the 14 picture books – Library-ready display.

In 2016 after seeing a performance of Carmina Burana at his old high school, the author spent 90 days re-writing the script for ROCK, a musical experience customizing it for a family-friendly high school audience.

Carmina Burana – GHS 2016 re-write of ROCK, a musical experience

In 2021, professional radio announcers and movie actors began work at Rocky Lake Recording Studio, recording the 14 different graphic audiobooks.

Books 1-3 narration by Steve Goff WGLM 106.3 Radio Greenville, MI

Books 4-11 narration by DJ Perry Collective Development Inc Lansing, MI

Shane Hagedorn and Ronnie Lee voice characterizations

Books 12-14 narration by the author

“These graphic audiobooks will raise the bar on quality and set new standards for all audiobooks forever.” Christian Faith Publishing 2023.

For Generations to Come – graphic audiobooks, this is not just someone reading. It is like a Movie Soundtrack!

https://ronnielee.rocks/for-generations-to-come-audio-books-table-of-contents/

Graphic audiobooks CDs & poster

So, what does all this mean? The author and the text still need professional help with final editing and publishing and, most importantly, with a marketing plan. Now, here is the big picture.

Rock, a musical experience, and the books For Generations to Come are directly connected. Remember, there are 137,000 words about how the play was written and composed. When the reader looks at the picture books at :
https://ronnielee.rocks/for-generations-to-come-table-of-contents/

The reader will be able to listen to music from ROCK, a musical experience. But wait, there’s more….For Generations to Come – graphic audiobooks also have the original music throughout the text.

These graphic audiobooks are broken up into one-hour of, eight-minute segments that are perfect for broadcasting on the radio. Here is a product you did not know you had available to you: a syndicated radio production already to publish on your own new website OR sell the package to a bigger network. It’s all there.

At this point, can you see beyond the horizon yet? The world is not flat, and book publishers are no longer restricted to just paper.

You have, at your feet,

1…A classroom copy of the complete 137,000-word text in black and white

2…An Author’s Copy of the complete text in full color

3…Fourteen picture books that you can re-print OR post on a new website.

4…Fourteen graphic audiobooks that you can post on a new website OR sell to a network like Trinity Broadcasting.

5…This text has supporting original music that is in both the play and the books, a marketing potential not limited to just text on paper.

Chapter 14 talks about the author’s time in the music business and paints a behind-the-scenes close look at the music business that so fascinates our young people today.

Eddie Money & Ronnie Lee – The Las Vegas Hitmen – The Five Platers Inc Studio

If you got this far in this document, thank you for your time. The pictures in this Word Doc can be blown up for more detail. I know this is a lot to digest at once, so let’s get started getting this information to the right people, please. This is the future. Grasp it with me.

For a quick reference page, go to:

https://ronnielee.rocks/pastor-teachers-information-page/

May the Lord bless you for your time looking at and listening to this project.

Ronnie Lee Knauss ronnieleerocks@gmail.com www.ronnielee.rocks

Rocky Lake Recording Studio 231-354-6308 Additional contact phone 616-302-1823