Goin' Back to Memphis: A Century of Blues, Rock 'n' Roll, and Glorious Soul

by James L. Dickerson

Book Overview

This is a survey of Memphis - the town and its characters. The book covers such characters as blues bandleader W.C. Handy, Fiddling Abe Fortas, harmonica wizard Sonny Boy Williamson and not forgetting... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0028645065
• ISBN13: 9780028645063
• Release Date: September 1996
• Publisher: Schirmer Trade Books
• Length: 279 Pages
• Weight: 1.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.3" x 9.5"

Customer Reviews

Very interesting stories about Memphis musicians and the City.

I found this to be an interesting inside look at various Memphis recording figures, the city itself and its racial and political history. Producer Chips Moman is discussed in detail. I would like to correct one statistic (hopefully corrected in the paperback edition which I haven't seen) - in the back of the book, the author lists "Top Twenty" pop hits recorded in Memphis or by Memphis based recording artists. He lists only one hit by Charlie Rich who lived in Memphis and recorded in Memphis and Nashville ("The Most Beautiful Girl") but, in fact, according to the "Billboard Book of Top Forty Hits," Charlie Rich had five Top Twenty hits. The other four are: Behind Closed Doors; There Won't Be Anymore; A Very Special Love Song; Every Time You Touch Me I Get High. Rich also just missed with "Mohair Sam" at # 21 and "Lonely Weekends" at # 22.

Definitive Memphis Music Book

I don't write many reviews, but when I read the May 27 review on this page, I knew I would have to say something. Anyone with half a brain knows that James Dickerson is the foremost expert on Memphis music. He has written more music books on Memphis than anyone else and he has done it with more depth and authority than anyone else.Goin Back to Memphis was nominated for the Gleason Award, and it is the only book about Memphis music that offers a complete history. The two writers the previous reviewer mentions, Gordon and Guralnick, have written some interesting books, but neither writer has ever written a history of Memphis music. Gordon's book is mostly about the people who failed to make it in music, and Guralnick's books have either been about soul music or Elvis Presley, who recorded most of his records in Nashville, not Memphis.I recommend this book to anyone who cares about blues, soul and rock n roll music.