Ever wonder what we at Classic Urban Harmony do in our spare
time when we're not researching and giving multimedia presentations,
interviewing vocal group members, attending and reviewing concerts, writing
articles, updating the website and listening to records? Well, we read
books about our music. Our library at the CUH World Headquarters has more
than 500 books on topics from Spirituals to R&B to Doo Wop to Soul music.
We recently donated more than 200+ books on Jazz to the Harlem Jazz Museum
to make room for all the new books being published.
As fans of group harmony music we thought you'd like to
know what books we're reading. On this page, we'll spotlight those
books that have been interesting enough for us to purchase and read.
We're not going to write lengthy reviews but we will give you an idea of
what's in each book and the audience it hopes to reach - casual music
history fan, serious researcher/historian, reference use only, etc.
We'll be adding to this page frequently, so check back often.
Should you wish to obtain a copy of any of these books for
yourself, you can click on the book's photo and be sent to Amazon.com
to purchase one -
that's completely up to you.
What We're Reading Now
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"The
Last Sultan: The Life and Times of Ahmet Ertegun" by Robert Greenfield,
Simon & Schuster, (2011), Hardback, 354 pages.
Atlantic Records
is unquestionably the greatest Rhythm & Blues record label of all time.
After all, this is the independent record company that made us aware of
the Clovers, Drifters, Cardinals, Chords, Coasters and Sensations as well
as single artists like Ray Charles, Ruth Brown, Lavern Baker, Chuck Willis
and Ivory Joe Hunter. While the bios of these major artists are well
known, until now we’ve been missing a behind the scenes look at how R&B
came about.
Robert Greenfield’s biography of Atlantic’s cofounder, Ahmet
Ertegun, is a very detailed romp through music history as well as the
personal life of Ahmet. Atlantic Records is the house that Ahmet
built with help from Herb Abramson and Jerry Wexler. Greenfield brings us
a look at the music business as it was in the 1950’s and beyond when
Atlantic moved into Rock music.
Ahmet Ertegun was a writer, producer, talent scout and businessman. Among
numerous other awards, he’s been inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of
Fame. This is a fascinating read. For a very detailed look at Amhet
Ertegun’s life, don’t miss The Last Sultan. – Pamela Horner
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"Fever:
Little Willie John, A Fast Life, A Mysterious Death and the Birth of Soul"
by Susan Whitall with Kevin John. Titan Books, (2011), Hardback, 214 pages
with great discography.
This book is an absorbing story of the life of Little
Willie John! I was immersed in John's life story from the first page.
It's a book that was long overdue. Sue Whitall tells of his rise to
stardom and his distressed later years when he died at the age of 30.
Sue interviews his family and contemporaries. This book is not to be
missed. It is a captivating easy read that is packed with information
on Willie John's personality, recordings, stage appearances and friends in
the music business. Little Willie John was a huge influence on R&B and
soul music. - Pamela Horner
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“Etta
James: Rage to Survive” by Etta James & David Ritz, Villard Press, (1995)/Da
Capo Press (2003). Paperback, 271 pages.
A great read on this well written, honest and detailed
autobiography of Etta James, who just passed away, January 20, 2012.
Covers her troubled childhood, her singing with the Peaches in her early
teens and her discovery by Johnny Otis who recorded her and her group
singing Etta's composition, "Roll With Me Henry". Etta is very
forthcoming about her struggles with drug addiction, a topic covered in part
in the film "Cadillac Records". Known for songs like "At Last," "All I
Could Do Was Cry" and "Tell Mama," Etta's singing career in R&B, jazz and
soul music spanned more than 50 years. This book is also valuable for
the insights it gives into the lives of those around her, such as Johnny
Otis, Jesse Belvin, Leonard Chess, Sam Cooke, etc.
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“Midnight
At The Barrelhouse: The Johnny Otis Story” by George Lipsitz, University of
Minnesota Press, (2010). Hardback, 235 pages.
Johnny Otis, was a legendary West Coast radio personality,
musician, band leader, record producer and civil rights advocate, who died
January 17, 2012 at the age of 91. Johnny Otis was to the West Coast
what Alan Freed was to the East Coast and so much more. The list of
singers Johnny Otis discovered and assisted with their careers is staggering:
the Robins, Little Ester, Johnny Ace, the Royals/Midnighters, Mel Williams,
Arthur Lee Maye, Little Julian Herrera, and dozens more. Johnny Otis
owned the Dig label and produced scores of great vocal group songs. His
Johnny Otis Show led to hits like "Willie and The Hand Jive". This is
the most detailed source of info on Johnny Otis yet published. For
casual readers and music historians alike.
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“Only
Human: Tommy Hunt” by Tommy Hunt with Jan Warburton, Bank House Books
(2008). Paperback, 310 pages.
Autobiography of the life of Tommy Hunt, one of the more important members
of R&B vocal group harmony as well as a solo soul recording artist. Group
harmony enthusiasts will be most interested in Tommy’s memories of the
Five Echoes and Flamingos, though those these go fast and are completed
the first 71 pages. Of course, who can forget Tommy’s stirring version of
“Human”. An easy read covering Tommy’s struggles in life and in the
entertainment industry, much of the later years being spent in the UK.
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Ain't
Too Proud To Beg: The Troubled Lives and Enduring Soul of The
Temptations, by Mark Ribowsky, John Wiley & Sons, Inc (2010).
- Hardback - 326 pages.
Everything you ever wanted to know about the legendary
Motown vocal group, the Temptations, plus a few things about them you may
not have wanted to know. A lot's been written about the Temptations in
the past, but never in such detail. A no holds barred, tell all, bio
that should captivate the casual fan as well as the fact-hungry music
historian. Well researched and written. Nice discography at the
end. - CH
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Recorded
In Hollywood: The John Dolphin Story, by Jamelle Baruck Dolphin,
CreateSpace, (2011). - Paperback - 198 pages.
John Dolphin was one of the key figures in the rise of R&B
music in the 1950's, and this book is a welcomed addition to our bank of
knowledge, especially since Dolphin was murdered in 1958, long before
researchers began documenting group harmony history. John Dolphin's
legendary record store in South Central Los Angeles quickly became a
phenomenon in the 1950's, with crowds of teenagers surrounding the store
24/7 to hear the radio broadcasts of Huggie Boy and Hunter Handcock, live
from the store's window. Dolphin also recorded many of Los Angeles'
most important 1950's vocal groups on his record labels like Recorded In
Hollywood, Cash, Money, etc. This book is an easy read.
There are a few factual errors that will annoy historians, (ie., the Turbans
on the Money label are not the "When You Dance" group), but the book
clearly makes up for that by giving us the feel for what it was like on
Central Avenue in the 1950's. - CH
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Past Selections
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