Voices of the Independent Rock 'n' Roll Pioneers
John Broven| Pub Date: | 2009 |
| Pages: | 592 pages |
| Dimensions: | 7 x 10 in. |
| Illustrations: | 92 Photographs |
An authoritative history of the trailblazers of the independent rock 'n' roll record industry
This engaging history of the independent rock 'n' roll record industry from its raw regional beginnings in the 1940s with R & B and hillbilly music through its decline in the 1960s combines narrative history with extensive oral history material from numerous recording pioneers. The rich oral histories provide abundant on-the-ground information about nurturing new artists such as Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, and B. B. King and then losing them to the bigger labels; developing pressing plants, distribution centers, jukebox circuits, and disk jockey networks; financing these operations, often on shoestring budgets; and creating innovative approaches (including payola) to developing an audience for the records.
This exceptional volume contains the author's interviews with major players in the independent music scene, including Joe Bihari of Modern Records; Marshall Chess of Chess Records; Jerry Wexler, Ahmet Ertegun, and Miriam Bienstock of Atlantic Records; Sam Phillips of Sun Records; Art Rupe of Specialty Records; and many more. Behind-the-scenes sources include London Records' remarkable Mimi Trepel; music publishers Gene Goodman and Freddy Bienstock; The Cash Box trade magazine editors Ira Howard, Irv Lichtman, and Marty Ostrow; disc jockey Bill "Hoss" Allen of Radio WLAC, Nashville; teen star-songwriter Paul Evans; recording studio/label owner and erstwhile teenage jukebox operator Cosimo Matassa; and many, many others.
"A treasure. John Broven has given the academic world a good dose of old-fashioned shoe leather journalism. This book will be invaluable to scholars studying the music industry and particularly the rock 'n' roll era."--Don Cusic, author of Johnny Cash: The Songs
"Record Makers and Breakers is replete with groundbreaking research that more than any other single book explains how the popular music industry worked. A must read about the record industry."--Robert Pruter, author of Doowop: The Chicago Scene and Chicago Soul
John Broven is a renowned expert on the rock 'n' roll era and has served as a consultant at Ace Records in the United Kingdom. A one-time coeditor of Blues Unlimited and cofounder of Juke Blues Magazine, he is the author of Rhythm and Blues in New Orleans and South to Louisiana: The Music of the Cajun Bayous.
Series:
Music in American Life
Subjects:
Music / Biography & Personal Papers / Reference & Bibliography