DETROIT SOUND: A ROCK N’ ROLL SEMINAR

Join us at Book Beat bookstore on Saturday, May 24th at 6:30-7:30 PM for a mini-seminar on the early history of Detroit rock n’ roll.

We will have two local music experts that will each give a presentation followed by a group discussion. On hand will be James A. Mitchell, author of the newly published IT WAS ALL RIGHT: Mitch Ryder’s Life in Music and Marilyn Bond, author of The Birth of the Detroit Sound: 1940-1964 (paperback). A book autographing for the authors will follow the presentation. For any questions or to reserve autographed copies please call 248-968-1190. The Book Beat is located at 26010 Greenfield in Oak Park.

An epicenter of American music by the mid-1950s, Detroit built its reputation upon a wealth of talented singers and musicians, the vast amount of clubs and theaters available to them, and a multitude of enthusiastic industry professionals who helped bring their unique sound to the world. Many record labels, including Fortune and Fox, also thrived in the metro Detroit area in the days before Berry Gordy’s Motown Records gained international recognition.

The Birth of the Detroit Sound chronicles great talents like John Lee Hooker, Hank Ballard & the Midnighters, Jackie Wilson, Jack Scott, Andre Williams, and Nolan Strong. Featuring a rare collection of vintage photographs, the book also spotlights record industry personalities, deejays, and long-forgotten venues where the giants of Detroit music once performed. &&&&&&&&&&&&&

Songs performed by Detroit rocker Mitch Ryder, such as Devil with a Blue Dress On/Good Golly Miss Molly and Jenny Take a Ride are among the most well loved of the twentieth century, but his fascinating life story is unknown to many. It Was All Right is a portrait of Ryder built on firsthand road stories—a rock-and-roll travelogue that is also an insider’s look at fame and popular culture in America.

In all, Ryder’s abundant commentary and Mitchell’s easy narration combine to give readers a fast-paced tour of a turbulent musical journey that is still unfolding. Whether blending musical genres or dabbling in political activism, Ryder’s one-of-a-kind experiences will intrigue music fans and anyone interested in musical or cultural history.

“Whether the soundtrack of your early years included Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels or if you’re new to American pop culture of the volatile 1960s and 1970s, It Was All Right will galvanize you. It’s an intimate, spot-on look at the world of rock, celebrity, and Detroit’s continuing contribution to world culture.” — Loren D. Estleman

James A. Mitchell is a writer and community journalist based in southeast Michigan. He is also the author of Applegate: Freedom of the Press in a Small Town and the forthcoming But For the Grace: Profiles in Peace From a Nation at War, based on his travels to an orphanage in Sri Lanka’s war-torn northeast.

Marilyn Bond is a music industry insider and promoter who began working in the business in 1955. She currently coordinates shows featuring classic Detroit music throughout southeastern Michigan, and manages many artists as well.