What Count Basie Taught Me About Music, Mentorship, and Leadership
By Dennis Rowland with Marla Sheiner
What does it mean to keep the beat when the pressure is on—when the moment calls, the band is cooking, and there is no room for hesitation?
In Keeping the Beat, acclaimed jazz vocalist Dennis Rowland shares the lessons he learned during his years with the Count Basie Orchestra—lessons rooted in discipline, trust, mentorship, and the responsibility of carrying forward a musical legacy.
From his early years in Detroit to his rise as a featured vocalist with one of the most celebrated bands in jazz history, Rowland’s journey offers a powerful and deeply human account of growth, resilience, and artistic excellence.
Co-authored with Marla Sheiner, this memoir reveals how Basie’s quiet leadership and unwavering standards shaped not only the music—but the people who carried it forward.
Through stories both personal and universal, Keeping the Beat explores what it takes to be prepared, to adapt, and to deliver—when it matters most.