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• Essential reading

  Brian Ward's book is probably the most valuable scholarly study of rock or closely-related music. The best-known works in this field are by music critics, which are often entertaining reads filled with fascinating inside information, but very light on evidence and argument. Some offer brilliant interpretation (e.g., Greil Marcus's _Mystery Train_), but they usually offer no evidence that the music has had any meaningful societal effects. Ward, in contrast, weaves a sophisticated argument about the interaction of rhythm and blues and racial consciousness. He also offers well-reasoned criticisms of the claims of a number of music critics (e.g., Nelson George). For those looking for lighter (but not entirely light-weight) reading, James Miller's _Flowers in the Dustbin_ is a better choice, but if you want a well-written but scholarly study, Ward's is the best yet. Glenn Altschuler's _All Shook Up_ and Michael Bertrand's _Race, Rock, and Elvis_ are also well worth reading, for those looking for scholarly studies that examine other aspects of the early rock era.

• Great information!

  I use this book to teach a protest class. Great information!

• One of the best!

  This is one of the best books about popular music and race I have read - it is thorough, well-researched, penetrating, well-written, thoughtful and thought-provoking. Highly, highly recommended!

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