Seduced: The Life and Times of a One Hit Wonder (1995) by Nelson George The chronicle of a twenty-year stint in the high stakes music industry. “George’s style is, well, seductive, luring the reader into a world that takes in the range of black experience funneled through the music industry.” — St. Petersburg Times Nelson …continue…
Pink Cadillac (2001) by Robert Dunn Talented blues musicians come together to cut a successful record, which then gets stolen from them, launching a major effort to recover it. “[T]he pervasive passion for music [provides] the novel with a steady heat.” — Kirkus Reviews Robert Dunn’s Wikipedia page Robert Dunn’s Site BUY FROM AMAZON (Coral …continue…
Music from Big Pink (2005) by John Niven Witness the birth of the iconic record through the eyes of a fictional character by the name of Greg Keltner. “This well-written first novel captures not just some of the dreams of that bygone era, but the way those dreams died.” – Gary Kamiya for …continue…
The Exes (1998) by Pagan Kennedy A songwriter and guitarist form a band a week after they break up. “[The Exes] offers a basic 4/4 beat, something you can groove to, but underneath is a lovely swirl of countermelodies and sounds that are unfamiliar, but engaging.” — Salon Magazine “Kennedy combines the skill of an …continue…
A & R (2000) by Bill Flanagan A music exec struggles to fulfill his job description while remaining fair to the artists he represents. “Is there a better, funnier, truer novel about the contemporary music business? I don’t think so. A&R is that extremely rare, satisfying thing-ferocious satire with a moral compass.” — Kurt Andersen, …continue…
The Life of Byron Jaynes (1983) by James Howard Kunstler A story of the 1960s rock music scene. “Kuntsler’s knowledge of rock’n’roll comes through on every page. I’ve read it more than once. And I’m always sorry that it ends…” — customer on Amazon James Howard Kunstler’s site BUY FROM AMAZON (Coral Press gets credit)
The Painted Drum (2005) by Louise Erdrich A Native American antiquities dealer comes across a magical drum from the Ojibwe reservation. “Erdrich draws us into her exquisitely detailed world effortlessly . . . Hard to believe, but Erdrich just keeps getting better.” — Kirkus Reviews, starred “Erdrich’s compassion is coupled with her skill and her …continue…
Killer Diller (1991) by Clyde Edgerton An ex-con convinces a university to let him start a gospel band as an outreach ministry. “Wonderful…Clyde Edgerton tells us another of his lovely tall tales.” — Los Angeles Times Book Review “I read “Killer Diller” years ago and had forgotten how great it was until I saw it …continue…
A Slipping-Down Life (1970) by Anne Tyler A teenager becomes obsessed with a rock musician and decides to get his attention at all costs. “Tyler’s characters have character: quirks, odd angles of vision, colorful mean streaks and harmonic longings.” — Time Magazine “While set in the unique surrounds of small town America of the 1960s, …continue…
Crossroad Blues (1998) by Ace Atkins Blues historian Nick Travers investigates the mysterious death of a colleague in this first book of the Nick Travers mystery series. “CROSSROAD BLUES is like a classic song–the right feeling, the right note, at the right time.” —B.B. King, Blues Legend and author of BLUES ALL AROUND ME Ace …continue…