The All Music Guide contains a comprehensive discography, statistics on recordings in and out-of-print, biographies of musicians both prominent and obscure, critical rankings, reviews, and much more.
Organizations representing musicians and string teachers:
American Federation of Musicians (AFM) -- The union represents its members in all facets of the industry. It establishes scales and working conditions, negotiating with companies large and small on its members' behalf. The union's role is especially crucial in the recording industries, where new mediums are being invented every day. The AFM provides information, support, payroll, monitoring, collection services -- and a united front for the community of professional musicians.
American String Teachers Association (ASTA) -- a valuable resource for string teachers, ASTA offers excellent publications, programs, activities, and services. Advocates for string teaching and education. www.astaweb.com