Devil's Music, Holy Rollers and Hillbillies

Attorney James A. Cosby is a regular contributor on pop culture matters for PopMatters.com and other outlets. He lives in Philadelphia.

• Table of ContentsAcknowledgmentsviiiPrefaceIntroduction: Rock in the Free World1. “What Is Wrong with Us?”2. Boom Time—and Cracks in the Foundation3. The Oral Tradition4. Being Black5. The Early Blues6. The Delta and the Devil—and Freedom7. The American Hillbilly and Country Music8. A Prelude and a Melting Pot9. The Church and Rock10. Memphis, Sun, and the Dawn of Rock11. Mr. Presley12. Mr. Berry and the First Wave of Rock13. A Changed WorldConclusionChapter NotesBibliographyIndex

“James A. Cosby’s book on the roots of rock and roll is a fascinating look at the historical aspect of this comprehensive music. He carefully traces some of the earliest examples of what later evolved into what we recognize as rock and roll, and the journey on which this book takes us is consistently informative and enlightening. The author covers the music’s history with careful, accurate details, and also adds an appreciation for its aesthetics. It allows even those who already have some understanding of the music’s roots to learn more details and obtain a deeper understanding. Highly recommended. It is one of the quintessential books on rock music’s roots.”—Examiner.com; “thoughtfully written and meticulously footnoted”—Broad Street Review; “chapter after chapter, it will have you reaching for your record player”—The Current; “a lot of useful, thoughtful, and engaging information throughout the work...provides an illuminating and intriguing look at how the genre became a cultural touchstone”—Kirkus Reviews; “you can read a hundred histories of early rock and roll, and still not understand exactly how the spark of a century was generated. History can be messy, but is there any way to tell the story concisely? James A. Cosby does a more than creditable job of that in his new book”—Minnesota Public Radio; “informative and entertaining and likely to appeal to anyone with an interest in popular music”—Penniless Press; “The wealth of information [Cosby] shares, and the way it is presented, makes this book worth owning”—102.9 WMGK Classic Rock; “well researched, well organized, and well thought-out...those who are just starting out their research on the history of rock and roll will find this book useful, while even the more seasoned rock and roll scholar will glean some new information”—ARSC Journal.