Legendary folk-rocker Peter Case is documenting his trailblazing life in a full-length memoir. Case's bands The Nerves and The Plimsouls helped define the LA punk and alternative rock scenes, and his solo work helped usher in the Americana music phenomenon. The beginning of Cases story is As Far...  more

Legendary folk-rocker Peter Case is documenting his trailblazing life in a full-length memoir. Case's bands The Nerves and The Plimsouls helped define the LA punk and alternative rock scenes, and his solo work helped usher in the Americana music phenomenon. The beginning of Cases story is As Far As You Can Get Without a Passport, which will be published in December 2006 by Everthemore Books' new imprint For Now. The Grammy-nominated musician has written and recorded with such artists as John Prine, John Hiatt, T-Bone Burnett and members of Los Lobos. Whether hes addressing the political or the personal, Cases searing and intensely visual songs deliver a punch that is rare in todays coffee bar-crowded world of singer-songwriters. Now hes taken his talents for words and translated them into a powerful piece of prose. These are stories I've been carrying in my head for a long time," said Case. "When the time was right to set them down, they just poured out. Some people think it's my version of Bob Dylan's Chronicles, but it's really the anti-Chronicles--a tale of the streets." As Far As You Can Get Without a Passport covers Cases very early days playing music from the time he left his native upstate New York and wound up singing and playing on the streets of North Beach in San Francisco. Case fans know about this period of his life through such well-loved songs as "Entella Hotel" and "Travellin' Light", among others. John Doe, co-leader of the legendary LA punk band X, who wrote the introduction, sums up the book well here: "Perhaps the most appealing aspect of this story is that it isnt some glorified nostalgia trip starring the bohemian hero striking out to find his version of On the Road. There is simplicity of style and purposeful avoidance of artifice in his writing, so that the reader can just sit back and listen as Case and his confreres roll across the country."

This professional biography of Ramblin' Jack Elliott (1931- ) examines the music and milestones of the American folksinger's half-century career, detailing his role in the preservation of the music of Woody Guthrie and his mentoring of and influence on Bob Dylan. The book also provides a...  more

This professional biography of Ramblin' Jack Elliott (1931- ) examines the music and milestones of the American folksinger's half-century career, detailing his role in the preservation of the music of Woody Guthrie and his mentoring of and influence on Bob Dylan. The book also provides a comprehensive discography of recordings, as well as a bibliography, index, and over 30 photographs.

Dylan has secured the status of a cultural icon who appeals as much to the generation of today as to his contemporaries. EARLY DYLAN presents rare pictures of Dylan's early years by three leading rock photographers. Barry Feinstein, Daniel Kramer, and Jim Marshall were alongside Dylan from the...  more

Dylan has secured the status of a cultural icon who appeals as much to the generation of today as to his contemporaries. EARLY DYLAN presents rare pictures of Dylan's early years by three leading rock photographers. Barry Feinstein, Daniel Kramer, and Jim Marshall were alongside Dylan from the beginning and were given unique and personal access to the artist and his life behind the scenes. The conversational and personal captions by the authors explain each photograph and shed light on Dylan's life during those times--recording, playing pinball, grabbing breakfast, hamming for the camera, or simply lost in thought.

An entire generation fondly remembers Arlo Guthrie's song “Alice's Restaurant” and director Arthur Penn's film of the same name. In the song's mixture of whimsy and anger, moral outrage and absurdist humor, disaffected and disillusioned young people recognized themselves and their own...  more

An entire generation fondly remembers Arlo Guthrie's song “Alice's Restaurant” and director Arthur Penn's film of the same name. In the song's mixture of whimsy and anger, moral outrage and absurdist humor, disaffected and disillusioned young people recognized themselves and their own responses to American life -- Arlo was their collective voice and the church-home of Alice was the setting. Arlo, Alice, & Anglicans: The Lives of a New England Church is the first book to recount the story of the simple wooden structure that went on to Woodstock-era fame after its deconsecration and what that building meant to the communities it served. On the surface, it may seem that an Episcopalian congregation from turn of the century New England has little in common with the rebellious youths in the movie Alice's Restaurant. Yet there is much they share. Each group had its dream of the future, a dream that, for a time, drew people to this same sacred place. Then, all too suddenly, times changed; the communities disbanded; the building remained an empty shell for a new community to give it a new life. There are few churches that have so many distinct and fascinating rebirths. Assisted by first-hand accounts from Arlo, Alice, director Arthur Penn, friends, neighbors and former church members, Laura Lee relates the real and poignant story of the church where it all happened and in so doing reveals the complete story behind the song and film "Alice's Restaurant." The book offers Arlo's fans an intimate glimpse of his life and work today, both musically and with the non-profit organization and interfaith spiritual center that are now housed in the famous church that he "had to buy."

Living in the Woods in a Tree is an intimate glimpse into the turbulent life of Texas music legend Blaze Foley (1949-1989), seen through the eyes of Sybil Rosen, the woman for whom he wrote his most widely known song, "If I Could Only Fly." It captures the exuberance of their fleeting idyll in a...  more

Living in the Woods in a Tree is an intimate glimpse into the turbulent life of Texas music legend Blaze Foley (1949-1989), seen through the eyes of Sybil Rosen, the woman for whom he wrote his most widely known song, "If I Could Only Fly." It captures the exuberance of their fleeting idyll in a tree house in the Georgia woods during the countercultural 1970s. Rosen offers a firsthand witnessing of Foley's transformation from a reticent hippie musician to the enigmatic singer/songwriter who would live and die outside society's rules. While Foley's own performances are only recently being released, his songs have been covered by Merle Haggard, Lyle Lovett, and John Prine. When he first encountered "If I Could Only Fly," Merle Haggard called it "the best country song I've heard in fifteen years." In a work that is part-memoir, part-biography, Rosen struggles to finally come to terms with Foley's myth and her role in its creation. Her tracing of his impact on her life navigates a lovers' roadmap along the permeable boundary between life and death. A must-read for all Blaze Foley and Texas music fans, as well as romantics of all ages, Living in the Woods in a Tree is an honest and compassionate portrait of the troubled artist and his reluctant muse. "Living in the Woods in a Tree comes at a time when music fans are hungry to know more about Blaze Foley. There are no books that compete with Rosen's, and it's quite unlikely that any ever will. Rosen's time with him (and her deft telling of that time) reveals so much about the man and the music."--Peter Cooper, The Tennessean "Poetic and gripping, this beautifully written book ends up being about Blaze, the author, the times, and the creative journey. This book will appeal to anyone who enjoys strong writing and great story telling, who is interested in Blaze Foley or Texas music. An impressive work in every way!"--Louis Black, editor, Austin Chronicle and executive producer of Be Here to Love Me: A Film About Townes Van Zandt

Bluegrass and Ballads. Chicken Scratch and Gospel. Polka and Powwows. Perhaps Mike Seeger summed it up best: when asked what genres come under the rubric of American Folk he said, "All the music that fits between the cracks." And all that music is in this unique volume. THE PERFORMERS,...  more

Bluegrass and Ballads. Chicken Scratch and Gospel. Polka and Powwows. Perhaps Mike Seeger summed it up best: when asked what genres come under the rubric of American Folk he said, "All the music that fits between the cracks." And all that music is in this unique volume. THE PERFORMERS, including: Woody and Arlo Guthrie, Burl Ives, Mike Seeger, Alan Lomax, Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, The Mamas and the Papas, The Kingston Trio, Robert Johnson, Leadbelly, Muddy Waters, and Peter, Paul, and Mary THE SONGS, including: Barbara Allen, Frankie and Johnny, Hallelujah I'm a Bum, John Henry, This Land is Your Land, We Shall Overcome, All My Trials, River of Jordan, Peace in the Valley, and Corrina, Corrina

Good morning, America, how are you? Said don't you know me? I'm your native son. I'm the train they call the city of New Orleans. I'll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done. This classic tune captured the timeless soul of the American countryside and the golden era when people crossed...  more

Good morning, America, how are you? Said don't you know me? I'm your native son. I'm the train they call the city of New Orleans. I'll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done. This classic tune captured the timeless soul of the American countryside and the golden era when people crossed it by train. Immortalized by the magical voice of Arlo Guthrie and sung around campfires by millions, "City of New Orleans" narrates the journey of the train with that name as it runs from snowy, industrial Chicago through small Midwestern towns to lush Louisiana. Michael McCurdy's striking scratchboard-and-watercolor illustrations capture the change in landscapes seen out the windows and the lively events inside the cars, including a young adventurer exploring the entire train during his trip. Illustrated by Michael McCurdy.

He's been described as funny, sober, and irreverant, and this collection of songs shows you why. Includes: Your Flag Decal Won't Get You into Heaven Anymore * Sam Stone * Illegal Smile * Angel from Montgomery and ten others.

At last, the authorized biography of Townes Van Zandt (1944-1997), who wrote such unforgettable songs as "Pancho & Lefty" and "If I Needed You." Born to a wealthy oil family in Ft. Worth, Texas, hounded by alcoholism and depression, Van Zandt pursued a nomadic existence following his muse,...  more

At last, the authorized biography of Townes Van Zandt (1944-1997), who wrote such unforgettable songs as "Pancho & Lefty" and "If I Needed You." Born to a wealthy oil family in Ft. Worth, Texas, hounded by alcoholism and depression, Van Zandt pursued a nomadic existence following his muse, whatever the cost to himself, friends, and relatives. Based on exclusive interviews with those close to Van Zandt, including his best friend Guy Clark and colleagues like Steve Earle and John Prine, To Live's to Fly captures all the humor, hijinks, poetry, and heartbreak of this revered, genuinely outlaw country artist.

Folk and blues remain vibrant and alive today and have been enjoying a new boom as audiences rediscover such blues performers as Robert Johnson, John Lee Hooker, and Bessie Smith, and folk artists like Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, and Bob Dylan. The excitement and impact of these musical forms...  more

Folk and blues remain vibrant and alive today and have been enjoying a new boom as audiences rediscover such blues performers as Robert Johnson, John Lee Hooker, and Bessie Smith, and folk artists like Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, and Bob Dylan. The excitement and impact of these musical forms are the focus of this extensively revised and updated third edition of Folk and Blues: The Encyclopedia. It covers a spectrum of artists, from the pioneers at the turn of the twentieth century to the stars of today: Keb' Mo', Altan the Chieftains, Ani DiFranco, Ry Cooder, Sarah McLachlan, Wilco, John Prine, and Los Lobos, to name a few. Folk and Blues: the Encyclopedia contains:-Interviews with many of today's top artists-Extensive awards information from the Grammys, the Folk Alliance, and the Blues Foundation-Photos of the most important folk and blues artists of the twentieth century-The first comprehensive index of folk and blues musicUnlike any other book currently on the market, Folk and Blues: The Encyclopedia covers the rich roots of American music, as pioneered by African Americans and European immigrants, and its influence on almost every facet of today's popular music around the globe. This encyclopedia provides insight into why folk and blues are distinct fields of their own but interact in many ways to provide important additions to America's musical heritage. This is a unique and highly readable reference that belongs on the desks of music critics and music lovers everywhere.

In 1932 Florence Reece, the wife of a Kentucky coal miner, wrote one of the classic topical songs preserved in the folk musical revival. The song, "Which Side Are You On?," contrasts the lot of the working class and the bosses, and asks the listener to choose. This politically charged song was...  more

In 1932 Florence Reece, the wife of a Kentucky coal miner, wrote one of the classic topical songs preserved in the folk musical revival. The song, "Which Side Are You On?," contrasts the lot of the working class and the bosses, and asks the listener to choose. This politically charged song was performed again during the Civil Rights Movement, with its lyrics appropriate to the 1960s. It was recorded more recently by Billy Bragg. Indeed, the story of this song might serve as a microcosm of the entire history of the folk music revival. Dick Weissman, former member of the Journeymen and a musician still releasing CDs of his original compositions, brings his personal and professional involvement to this definitive history. Which Side Are You On? includes chapters and sections on the Lomaxes, Harry Smith, the little known Lawrence Gellert, Woody Guthrie, Josh White, Leadbelly, Pete Seeger, groups such as the Weavers and the Kingston Trio, Dave Van Ronk, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Paul Simon, Joni Mitchell, Judy Collins, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Natalie Merchant, Ani Difranco, Bela Fleck, Nickel Creek, the Indigo Girls, and many others. Which Side Are You On? also explores the folk music business in depth: how it all works, where the power really lies, how the artists have been manipulated and often exploited, the dynamic between artist and audience. Though he writes as a historian, Weissman also has seen it all from the inside, and includes anecdotes that are both funny and poignant: My friend and guitarist-singer Artie Traum took care of one of two houses that Bob Dylan owned in Woodstock, some thirty five years ago. The house had thirty seven rooms! Artie was instructed not to give out Dylan?s phone number to any caller. The first caller was Joan Baez, and Artie followed instructions, calling Dylan at the other house to relay the call. During Artie?s house-sitting chores, I visited him. He took me on a brief tour of the house. In one room were sacks of mail. We randomly opened a half-dozen letters. The one that I remember was by a female fan in North Dakota. She had been to a Dylan concert and reminded him that they had met. There was something touching though pathetic about the letter.

Nanci Griffith's distinct blend of pop, rockabilly, and folk has made her one of the most respected, popular, and loved singer-songwriters working today. Having released fourteen of her own critically acclaimed albums as well as recording countless guest appearances on other artists' albums and...  more

Nanci Griffith's distinct blend of pop, rockabilly, and folk has made her one of the most respected, popular, and loved singer-songwriters working today. Having released fourteen of her own critically acclaimed albums as well as recording countless guest appearances on other artists' albums and contributing to film scores, Nanci creates music that has taken root all over the world--her melodies and lyrics resonating wherever they are heard. The Grammy award-winning album Other Voices, Other Rooms--one of the most successful albums of contemporary folk music ever--marked a watershed moment in Nanci Griffith's career. Not only is it her sole album of cover songs, but it is also a seamless blend of tradition, collaboration, and innovation. The follow-up album, Other Voices, Too: A Trip Back to Bountiful, continues that tradition of passing on other writers' work and presenting folk music as a vital force in today's music.        Go behind the scenes with Nanci Griffith and listen in on a very special conversation with Joe Jackson, an acclaimed music journalist, as they explore the roots and inspiration for Nanci's extraordinary career and trace the history of the folk music movement.         This book is a guide to Nanci's trip back to bountiful--to the place where inspiration springs freely. With more than one hundred behind-the-scenes photographs and candid interviews with Nanci and her collaborators, including John Lomax III, Emmylou Harris, Dave Van Ronk, Pete Seeger, Odetta, the members of the Blue Moon Orchestra, and many, many others, this book offers a rare glimpse into the artistic heart and soul of one of this country's greatest musical treasures: Nanci Griffith.

For a brief period from the late 1950s to the mid-1960s, folk music captured a mass audience in the United States, as college students and others swarmed to concerts by the likes of Peter, Paul & Mary, Joan Baez, and Bob Dylan. In this comprehensive study, Ronald D. Cohen reconstructs the...  more

For a brief period from the late 1950s to the mid-1960s, folk music captured a mass audience in the United States, as college students and others swarmed to concerts by the likes of Peter, Paul & Mary, Joan Baez, and Bob Dylan. In this comprehensive study, Ronald D. Cohen reconstructs the history of this singular cultural moment, tracing its origins to the early decades of the twentieth century. Drawing on scores of interviews and numerous manuscript collections, as well as his own extensive files, Cohen shows how a broad range of traditions -- from hillbilly, gospel, blues, and sea shanties to cowboy, ethnic, and political protest music -- all contributed to the genre known as folk. He documents the crucial work of John Lomax and other collectors who, with the assistance of recording companies, preserved and distributed folk music in the 1920s. During the 1930s and 1940s, the emergence of left-wing politics and the rise of the commercial music marketplace helped to stimulate wider interest in folk music. Stars emerged, such as Woody Guthrie, Leadbelly, Pete Seeger, Burl Ives, and Josh White. With the success of the Weavers and the Kingston Trio in the 1950s, the stage was set for the full-blown "folk revival" of the early 1960s. Centered in New York's Greenwich Village and sustained by a flourishing record industry, the revival spread to college campuses and communities across the country. It included a wide array of performers and a supporting cast of journalists, club owners, record company executives, political activists, managers, and organizers. By 1965 the boom had passed its peak, as rock and roll came to dominate the marketplace, but the folk revival left an enduring musical legacy in American culture.

1925. This work consists of a list of references in the New York Public Library with regard to the folk music of the American continents. The compiler endeavored to make the material represented in the Library available to its readers and to offer the student a bibliographical basis for the...  more

1925. This work consists of a list of references in the New York Public Library with regard to the folk music of the American continents. The compiler endeavored to make the material represented in the Library available to its readers and to offer the student a bibliographical basis for the study of American folk music in its various departments. The departments found within are: Canadian; Cowboy; Creole; Eskimo; Indian, North American, not including Mexican; Indian, Central and South American, including Mexican; Latin American; Negro (North American); Negro (Central and South American); United States; with an appendix on musical instruments.

Among the first and finest studies of African-American folk music, this book focuses primarily on the origins and musical qualities of typical genres ranging from simple cries and calls to anthems and spirituals, ballads and the blues. Traditional dances and musical instruments are examined as...  more

Among the first and finest studies of African-American folk music, this book focuses primarily on the origins and musical qualities of typical genres ranging from simple cries and calls to anthems and spirituals, ballads and the blues. Traditional dances and musical instruments are examined as well. Authentic versions of 43 songs are presented, along with a valuable bibliography and discography.

The Woodstock festival of 1969, which featured such groups and artists as the Who, Country Joe and the Fish, Ten Years After, Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix, is remembered as much for its 'bringing together' of the counter-cultural generation as for the music performed. The event represented a...  more

The Woodstock festival of 1969, which featured such groups and artists as the Who, Country Joe and the Fish, Ten Years After, Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix, is remembered as much for its 'bringing together' of the counter-cultural generation as for the music performed. The event represented a milestone in the use of music as a medium for political expression while simultaneously acting as a springboard for the more expressly commercial of rock and pop events which were to follow. In the thirty years since the festival took place, Woodstock has become the subject of many books, magazine articles and documentaries which have served to mythologise the event in the public imagination. These different aspects of the Woodstock festival will be discussed in this wide ranging book which brings together a number of established and new writers in the fields of sociology, media studies and popular music studies. Each of the five chapters which will focus on a specific aspect of the Woodstock festival and its continuing significance in relation to the music industry, the rock festival 'tradition', sixties nostalgia and the cultural impact of popular music.

Darling's journey involved the formation of the Tarriers, with actor Alan Arkin, and creating the massive hit The Banana Boat Song, making the Tarriers the first group after the famous Weavers to gain worldwide fame through the singing of folk music, thus preparing the way for the Kingston Trio...  more

Darling's journey involved the formation of the Tarriers, with actor Alan Arkin, and creating the massive hit The Banana Boat Song, making the Tarriers the first group after the famous Weavers to gain worldwide fame through the singing of folk music, thus preparing the way for the Kingston Trio and all who would follow. Having been inspired by Pete Seeger and the original Weavers, life's typical twists had him taking Seeger's place in that group. Not finding the answers to his internal quest, however, he found himself leaving the Weavers, forming the Rooftop Singers and introducing the 12-string guitar to popular music through their number one hit, Walk Right In. Darling's journey was a perilous one, as anyone's journey in the arts is likely to be, given the twists of fate that can affect the art world, along with the confusion of becoming a political person, but not of the left or the right. He ended up thinking that our political answers lie in the realm of psychology, and in the idea of (just as it sounds): a University for Becoming More Fully Human. Includes a CD with 24 songs.

Music, Space and Place examines the urban and rural spaces in which music is experienced, produced and consumed. The editors of this collection have brought together new and exciting perspectives by international researchers and scholars working in the field of popular music studies....  more

Music, Space and Place examines the urban and rural spaces in which music is experienced, produced and consumed. The editors of this collection have brought together new and exciting perspectives by international researchers and scholars working in the field of popular music studies. Underpinning all of the contributions is the recognition that musical processes take place within a particular space and place, where these processes are shaped both by specific musical practices and by the pressures and dynamics of political and economic circumstances. Important discourses are explored concerning national culture and identity, as well as how identity is constructed through the exchanges that occur between displaced peoples of the world's many diasporas. Music helps to articulate a shared sense of community among these dispersed people, carving out spaces of freedom which are integral to personal and group consciousness. A specific focal point is the rap and hip hop music that has contributed towards a particular sense of identity as indigenous resistance vernaculars for otherwise socially marginalized minorities in Cuba, France, Italy, New Zealand and South Africa. New research is also presented on the authorial presence in production within the domain of the commercially driven Anglo-American music industry. The issue of authorship and creativity is tackled alongside matters relating to the production of musical texts themselves, and demonstrates the gender politics in pop. Underlying Music, Space and Place, is the question of how the disciplines informing popular music studies - sociology, musicology, cultural studies, media studies and feminism - have developed within a changing intellectual climate. The book therefore covers a wide range of subject matter in relation to space and place, including community and identity, gender, race, 'vernaculars', power, performance and production.

Twenty years after the release of her first album, Madonna remains one of the most consistently transgressive and self-transforming artists of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. The release of three albums and two sold-out world tours since 2000 alone have renewed media and academic...  more

Twenty years after the release of her first album, Madonna remains one of the most consistently transgressive and self-transforming artists of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. The release of three albums and two sold-out world tours since 2000 alone have renewed media and academic interest in the artist. Madonna's recent work presents a set of strikingly new challenges to cultural analysis, and new developments in gender, queer and ethnic studies have shed more light on her entire œuvre. While the contributors refer to classic cultural theorists such as Baudrillard, Žižek, Foucault and Barthes, new theoretical trends feature prominently. The present volume offers new perspectives on Madonna's work to date, addressing her configurations of race, gender and sex(uality), with special emphasis on her resurrection after the Sex backlash in the early 1990s. The collection focuses on new Madonna-related topics such as Hinduism, Judaism, Japanese culture, all-American culture, queer culture, motherhood and her influence on newer 'girl acts' such as the Spice Girls and Britney Spears. The book explores the themes of gender, sexuality, ethnicity and celebrity consumption through the lens of Madonna's songs, videos and shows. An international array of scholars portrays Madonna's popularization of the notion that identity is not fixed and can be continuously rearranged and revamped. The book will have wide appeal for all those concerned with gender studies, cultural studies, ethnic studies, lesbian and gay musicology as well as popular music studies.

Matching folio to Tom Morello's solo release featuring his brand of political folksongs. 13 tracks, including: Battle Hymns * Let Freedom Ring * One Man Revolution * The Road I Must Travel * and more.

Tom Morello. Rolling Stone, Lock Up (American band), Rage Against the Machine, Audioslave, The Nightwatchman, Rage Against the Machine reunion tour, Street Sweeper Social Club, Axis of Justice, Tom Morello discography.

In 1975, four teenagers from Mount Temple School in Dublin gathered in a crowded kitchen to discuss forming a band. The drum kit just about fit into the room, the lead guitarist was playing a homemade guitar, the bassist could barely play at all and nobody wanted to sing. Over thirty years...  more

In 1975, four teenagers from Mount Temple School in Dublin gathered in a crowded kitchen to discuss forming a band. The drum kit just about fit into the room, the lead guitarist was playing a homemade guitar, the bassist could barely play at all and nobody wanted to sing. Over thirty years later, Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr. are still together, bound by intense loyalty, passionate idealism and a relentless belief in the power of rock and roll to change the world. In an epic journey that has taken them from the clubs of Dublin to the stadiums of the world, U2 have sold over 130 million albums, been number one all over the world, revolutionized live performance, spearheaded political campaigns and made music that defines the age we live in. From the anarchic days of their Seventies punk origins through their Eighties ascent to superstardom with the epic rock of The Joshua Tree, the dark post-modern ironies of Achtung Baby in the Nineties and their 21st-Century resurgence as rock's biggest and boldest band, this is a tale of faith, love, drama, family, birth, death, survival, conflict, crises, creativity . . . and a lot of laughter. Told with wit, insight and astonishing candor by the band themselves and manager Paul McGuinness, with pictures from their own archives, U2 by U2 allows unprecedented access into the inner life of the greatest rock band of our times.

He was the "Man in Black," a country music legend, and the quintessential American troubadour. He was an icon of rugged individualism who had been to hell and back, telling the tale as never before. In his unforgettable autobiography, Johnny Cash tells the truth about the highs and lows, the...  more

He was the "Man in Black," a country music legend, and the quintessential American troubadour. He was an icon of rugged individualism who had been to hell and back, telling the tale as never before. In his unforgettable autobiography, Johnny Cash tells the truth about the highs and lows, the struggles and hard-won triumphs, and the people who shaped him. In his own words, Cash set the record straight -- and dispelled a few myths -- as he looked unsparingly at his remarkable life: from the joys of his boyhood in Dyess, Arkansas to superstardom in Nashville, Tennessee, the road of Cash's life has been anything but smooth. Cash writes of the thrill of playing with Elvis, the comfort of praying with Billy Graham; of his battles with addiction and of the devotion of his wife, June; of his gratitude for life, and of his thoughts on what the afterlife may bring. Here, too, are the friends of a lifetime, including Willie Nelson, Roy Orbison, Bob Dylan, and Kris Kristofferson. As powerful and memorable as one of his classic songs, Cash is filled with the candor, wit, and wisdom of a man who truly "walked the line."