Samuel Ramey, American Bass Book

From Colby, Kansas, where a coach once tried to convince his father that his son should concentrate on sports, Samuel Ramey found his way to Grand Opera. Starting out in secondary roles at the New York City Opera Company, Sam rose from its ranks and went on to stardom in the major opera houses of the world. He dominated the European stages with his unique blend of masculinity, musicality, and dramatic virtuosity.

From the preface by Marilyn Horne: "... it is my opinion that Assur's made scene, which runs nearly twenty-five minutes, contains the opera's greatest music. Everything is packed into it including exciting coloratura, dramatic recitative, and gorgeous cantilena. I loved the way Sam did it. I loved it so much that whenever we performed Semiramide, I would stand in the wings during his mad scene just to hear him."