Florida, Nashville, Tucson and Margaritaville: Next week’s music books are all over the map. Read all about ’em:
Good Day Sunshine State: How the Beatles Rocked Florida
By Bob Kealing
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: Beatlemania flooded the United States. The Beatles appeared live on The Ed Sullivan Show and embarked on their first tour of North America — and they spent more time in Florida than anywhere else. Good Day Sunshine State dives into this momentous time and place, exploring the band’s seismic influence on the people and culture of the state. Bob Kealing sets the historical stage for the band’s arrival — a nation dazed after the assassination of John F. Kennedy and on the precipice of the Vietnam War; a heavily segregated, conservative South; and in Florida, recent events that included the Cuban Missile Crisis and the arrest and imprisonment of Martin Luther King Jr. in St. Augustine. Kealing documents the culture clashes and unexpected affinities that emerged as the British rockers drew crowds, grew from fluff story to the subject of continual news coverage, and basked in the devotion of a young and idealistic generation. Through an abundance of letters, memorabilia, and interviews with journalists, fellow musicians, and fans, Kealing takes readers behind the scenes into The Beatles’ time in locations such as Miami Beach, where they wrote new songs and met Muhammad Ali. In the tropical environs of Key West, John Lennon and Paul McCartney experienced milestone moments in their friendship. And the band dodged the path of Hurricane Dora to play at the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, where they famously refused to perform until the city agreed to integrate the audience. Kealing highlights the hopeful futures that The Beatles helped inspire, including stories of iconic rock-and-rollers such as Tom Petty who followed the band’s lead in their own paths to stardom. This book offers a close look at an important part of the musical and cultural revolution that helped make The Fab Four a worldwide phenomenon.”
Nashville City Blues: My Journey as an American Songwriter
By James Talley
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “For many diehard music fans and critics, Oklahoma-born James Talley ranks among the finest of American singer-songwriters. Talley’s unique style — a blend of folk, country, blues, and social commentary — draws comparisons with the likes of Woody Guthrie, Merle Haggard and Johnny Cash. In this engaging, down-to-earth memoir, Talley recalls the highs and lows of his nearly 50-year career in country music. Talley’s story begins in the hardscrabble towns of eastern Oklahoma. As a young man, he witnessed poverty and despair and worked alongside ordinary Americans who struggled to make ends meet. He has never forgotten his Oklahoma roots. These experiences shaped Talley’s artistic vision and inspired him to write his own songs. Eventually Talley landed in Nashville, where his first years included exciting brushes with fame but also bitter disappointments. As an early champion of social justice causes, his ideals did not fit neatly into Nashville’s star-making machine. By his own admission, Talley at times made poor business decisions and trusted the wrong people. His relationship with the country music industry was — and still is —fraught, but he makes no apology for staying true to his core principles. Nashville City Blues offers hard-won wisdom for any aspiring artist motivated to work hard and handle whatever setbacks might follow. Readers will also gain valuable understanding about the country music industry and the inescapable links between commerce and artistry.”
The Downhome Sound: Diversity and Politics in Americana Music
By Mandi Bates Bailey
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “American roots music, also known as Americana music, can be challenging to categorize, spanning the genres of jazz, bluegrass, country, blues, rock and roll, and an assortment of variations in between. In The Downhome Sound, Mandi Bates Bailey explores the messages, artists, community, and appeal of this seemingly disparate musical collective. To understand the art form’s intended meanings and typical audiences, she analyzes lyrics and interviews Americana artists, journalists, and festival organizers to uncover a desire for inclusion and diversity. Bailey also conducts an experiment to assess listener reception relative to more commercial forms of music. The result is an in-depth study of the political and cultural influence of Americana and its implications for social justice.”
Find Others Like You: Tucson Hardcore In the 1980s
By Ed Arnaud
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Find Others Like You: Tucson Hardcore In The 1980s is a personal documentation of the ’80s punk scene there with unseen photos of some of the most influential punk and hardcore bands of the era — including Black Flag, Meat Puppets, The Vandals, Conflict (US) and Suicidal Tendencies. By 1982, hardcore shows in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington were getting large turnouts. It was becoming something that spoke to people, the freaks, the disaffected. Touring bands from all over would pass through Arizona on their way to or from somewhere. Word got out that Tucson had friendly floors to sleep on. A small, but meaningful scene. No barricades, bouncers or cops. Crowds of 40 people max. At 19 years old, Edwin Arnaud was there. He saw, experienced and photographed the bands and the people in this book. The sights, smells, sounds, the kinetic energy, all in a single shot. Though there are plenty of other books documenting the hardcore scene of the 1980s, Find Others Like You is different because it happened in Tucson. It’s a warm city in the Sonoran Desert that has a real passion, a real heart and a real scene that wasn’t concerned with a permanent legacy; they just liked what was finally happening for them. To quote Henry Rollins, “Most of the people who call me a sellout were seven when I was down in the pit.” This book has the energy only an insider can bring.”
The Little Guide To Jimmy Buffett
By Orange Hippo!
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Specializing in island escapism and feel-good vibes, beach bum Jimmy Buffett epitomizes the lifestyle of the Florida Keys. His No. 1 1977 hit Margaritaville spawned a merchandising bonanza with a resort, radio station, restaurant, margarita mix, tequila, bar snacks, seafood, footwear, bicycles, beach furniture and apparel.”
