Most Popular Books by Holly George-Warren

From Bill Haley and His Comets to James Brown and his Famous Flames, this fun and fact-filled introduction to the pioneers of rock they influenced a generation of teenagers and inspired many of today's most important musicians.

This extraordinarily intimate and “gripping” (Vanity Fair) biography of Janis Joplin establishes the Queen of Rock & Roll as the rule-breaking musical trailblazer and complicated, gender-bending rebel she was. Janis Joplin’s first transgressive act was to be a white girl who gained an early sense of the power of the blues, music you could only find on obscure records and in roadhouses along the Texas and Louisiana Gulf Coast. But even before that, she stood out in her conservative oil town. She was a tomboy who was also intellectually curious and artistic. By the time she reached high school, she had drawn the scorn of her peers for her embrace of the Beats and her racially progressive views. Her parents doted on her in many ways, but were ultimately put off by her repeated acts of defiance. Janis Joplin has become a legend known as a brash, impassioned soul doomed by the pain that produced one of the most extraordinary voices in rock history. But in these pages, Holly George-Warren provides a revelatory and deeply satisfying portrait of a woman who wasn’t all about suffering. Janis was a perfectionist: a passionate, erudite musician who was born with talent but also worked exceptionally hard to develop it. She was a woman who pushed the boundaries of gender and sexuality long before it was socially acceptable. She was a sensitive seeker who wanted to marry and settle down—but couldn’t, or wouldn’t. She was a Texan who yearned to flee Texas but could never quite get away—even after becoming a countercultural icon in San Francisco. Written by one of the most highly regarded chroniclers of American music history, and based on unprecedented access to Janis Joplin’s family, friends, band mates, archives, and long-lost interviews, Janis is the “significance-establishing project Joplin appreciators have been waiting for” (The New York Times Book Review).

George-Warren offers the first serious biography in which Gene Autry the legend becomes a flesh-and-blood man--with all the passions, triumphs, and tragedies of a flawed icon.

Describes the skills, savvy and bravery needed by women in the mid-19th century when they helped trailblaze and settle the American West, and the types of jobs these cowgirls earned, such as sharpshooters, wranglers, equestriennes and more. By the author of Honky-Tonk Heroes and Hillbilly Angels.

The companion volume to the four-part PBS series airing in September, this book digs down deep into blues, folk, gospel and country music to uncover the real roots. With essays, sidebars, first-person narratives and photos. 200 illustrations.

Discover the surprising beginnings and humble origins of the charismatic pioneers who helped shape the country-and-western scene into the influential musical empire it is today. Included among this collection of legends are Hank Williams, Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, Johnny Cash, and more unforgettable people who changed the face of music forever!

Overzicht van 25 jaar geschiedenis van musici en muziekprijzen tijdens de jaarlijkse Rock and Roll Hall of Fame muziekhuldiging in New York in de periode 1986-2010.

A vivid profile of the legendary jam band celebrates decades in the history of the Grateful Dead, from their 1965 birth in the heart of San Francisco's hippie counterculture to the twenty-first century, with a compilation of intimate portraits, candid backstage shots, and iconic performance images, in a volume that includes a tribute to the late founding member, Jerry Garcia.

Women in Country celebrates the biggest female musicians and key players who changed the face of country music over the last 100 years Women in Country is a beautifully illustrated book highlighting women who contributed greatly to the growth of country music artistically and commercially over the last 100 years. Each chapter chronicles contextual overview of each decade in country music, followed by biographical portraits of each Opry inductee, with as many quotes as possible from the women—letting the women speak for themselves about being an Opry member, their love of country music, career breakthroughs, and female artists who inspired them. Featured women include some of the biggest female names in country, including Kitty Cora Cline, the Lakeland Sisters, Minnie Pearl, Norma Jean, Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, Reba McEntire, Carrie Underwood, Ashley McBryde, and many more. Women in Country celebrates the biggest female country musicians as well as the women behind-the-scenes who shaped Grand Ole Opry into the behemoth institution it is today.

In John Varvatos, the legendary designer reveals his perspective on how rock & roll music and style have influenced his own designs and fashion worldwide. Varvatos’s personally curated collection of more than 250 images are some of the most provocative ever shot by top rock photographers from the late 1960s to today, from the Rolling Stones to the Kings of Leon. The featured photographers are among the world’s finest, including Mick Rock, Bob Gruen, Elliott Landy, Danny Clinch, Lynn Goldsmith, and more. Also included are select images from Varvatos’s own advertising campaigns, featuring artists such as Slash, Iggy Pop, Scott Weiland, and Miles Kane. Varvatos’s captions and incisive commentary on the artist and his or her look accompany each image. Every chapter also contains numerous quotes from the musicians themselves, including Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Iggy Pop, Jack White, Pete Townshend, Robert Plant, Steven Tyler, and Patti Smith. An extraordinary anthology of some of the finest images in rock & roll and the most influential rock looks in fashion and popular culture, this volume will delight music lovers, and fans of music photography, fashion, and fashion history.

A companion book to the PBS documentary series exploring the history of the blues and its contribution to American culture and music worldwide. A companion to the groundbreaking documentary series, this volume is a unique and timeless celebration of the blues, from writers and artists as esteemed and revered as the music that moved them. Included in this stunning collection are: Essays by David Halberstam, Hilton Als, Suzan-Lori Parks, Elmore Leonard, Luc Sante, John Edgar Wideman, and many others Timeless archival pieces by writers such as Stanley Booth, Paul Oliver, and Mack McCormick Evocative color illustrations and rare vintage photography Illuminating and in-depth conversations and portraits of musicians, ranging from Robert Johnson and Bessie Smith to John Lee Hooker and Eric Clapton Lyrics of legendary blues compositions Personal essays by the series directors Martin Scorsese, Charles Burnett, Richard Pearce, Wim Wenders, Marc Levin, Mike Figgis, and Clint Eastwood Excerpts from literary masters James Baldwin, Ralph Ellison, Eudora Welty, Zora Neale Hurston, Langston Hughes, and William Faulkner Tracing the art form's path from juke joints, house parties, and recording studios to musicians such as Elvis Presley, The Rolling Stones, and The Beatles, Martin Scorsese Presents The Blues proves, in the words of Willie Dixon, "The blues are the roots; every-thing else is the fruits." Praise for Martin Scorsese Presents The Blues "Richly detailed . . . the book has a wealth of material with a lot of riffs and personal takes by talented writers." — USA Today "A must-read for any blues fans." — Chicago Tribune "Essential . . . for anyone who cares about American history, black culture, and current music." — Miami Herald "Even if you're a blues hound with hundreds of discs in your collection, this book is a learning experience, and richly enjoyable." — Kansas City Star

The first biography of the artist who “essentially invented indie and alternative rock” (Spin) A brilliant and influential songwriter, vocalist, and guitarist, the charismatic Alex Chilton was more than a rock star—he was a true cult icon. Awardwinning music writer Holly George-Warren’s A Man Called Destruction is the first biography of this enigmatic artist, who died in 2010. Covering Chilton’s life from his early work with the charttopping Box Tops and the seminal power-pop band Big Star to his experiments with punk and roots music and his sprawling solo career, A Man Called Destruction is the story of a musical icon and a richly detailed chronicle of pop music’s evolution, from the mid-1960s through today’s indie rock.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is the most famous rock and roll institution in the world. In 2009, the Hall of Fame celebrated its twenty-fifth year with numerous events in Cleveland and a two-day anniversary filmed concert on October 29 and 30, 2009 at Madison Square Garden. A four-hour edited version appeared on HBO. An illustrated, vibrant book commemorating the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s twenty-fifth anniversary through colorful profiles of its inductees over the years, this volume includes a wealth of historical photography, archival memorabilia, and the low-down on the musicians and their contributions to the genre. It is published with the full support of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, allowing full access to their archives. Jann Wenner, co-founder and publishier of Rolling Stone magazine, has contributed the foreword. It is an essential volume that completes every rock lover's bookshelf. Every inductee in the Hall of Fame is included--from musicians to producers--in an engaging visual format that features great vintage and contemporary photography, memorabilia from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, first-person quotes and anecdotes, encapsulated biographies, statistics on top-selling records, hits, awards, influences and influencers. Often hilarious, sometimes sentimental and sometimes very serious, the book answers questions like: What did Sheryl Crow say when she inducted Fleetwood Mac? What did the Edge say when he inducted the Clash? What did Bono say when he inducted Bruce Springsteen in 1999--and six years later, what did Springsteen say about U2? It is a seminal book for rock and roll fans around the world.

"How do you get 80,000 fans to spend four days camping in the Tennessee sun? By offering the kind of moments this coffee-table photo book captures." — Rolling Stone Set on 700 acres of rolling farm hills in Manchester, Tennessee, Bonnaroo is a four-day music and camping festival that draws in over 80,000 fans every summer. Featuring over 120 musical performances, along with comedy, cinema, sustainability workshops, and more, the grounds are converted into a virtual city of music and art. With over 200 photographs of some of the most legendary musical acts of all time, and numerous personal contributions by musicians and patrons, Bonnaroo: What, Which, This, That, The Other celebrates 10 years of this beloved music festival and the impact it has made on American culture. Whether fans of the Dave Matthews Band, Eminem, Radiohead, or Metallica, all music lovers unite to experience the magic of Bonnaroo.

Profiles important and influential performers of country and western music, including the Carter Family, Roy Acuff, Gene Autry, Bill Monroe, Patsy Cline, and Loretta Lynn.

An illustrated history of the American West combines period photographs and historical accounts in a study that assesses the discrepancies between Hollywood's portrayal of the West and the real-life world of frontier pioneers.

"In 1983, Rolling Stone Press introduced its first Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll. Almost two decades later, it has become the premier guide to the history of rock & roll and has been selected by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame & Museum as its official source of information. Giving full coverage to all aspects of the rock scene, it tells the story of rock & roll in a clear and easy reference format, including complete discographies, personnel changes for every band, and backstage information like date and place of birth, from Elvis Presley to Eminem.". "Since the last edition, the music scene has exploded in every area, from boy-bands to hip-hop, electronica to indie rock. The Encyclopedia explores them all - 'N Sync, Notorious B. I. G., Ricky Martin, Radiohead, Britney Spears, Blink-182, Sean Combs, Portishead, Fatboy Slim, Fiona Apple, Lil' Kim, Limp Bizkit, Oasis, Outkast, Yo La Tengo, TLC, and many, many more. The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll, Third Edition includes all the facts, phenomena, and flukes that make up the history of rock.". "Accompanying the biographical and discographical information on the nearly 2,000 artists included in this edition are incisive essays that reveal the performers' musical influences, first breaks, and critical and commercial hits and misses, as well as evaluations of their place in rock history. Filled with hundreds of historical photos, The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia is more than just a reference book, it is the bible of rock & roll."--BOOK JACKET.