SWEET SOUL MUSIC profiles the legendary artists--among them Sam Cook, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, and Al Green--who merged gospel and rhythm and blues. "The best history of '60s soul music. . . . Sooner or later, it is going to be recognized as a classic; the time to read it is now".--Robert Palmer, NEW YORK TIMES. 175 photos....

Sam Cooke was the biggest star in gospel music before he crossed over into pop. His first single under his own name, "You Send Me," went to #1 on the charts and sold two million copies. At a time when record companies treated black artists like hired help, Sam Cooke demanded respect equal to that of top white artists. And he connected, in songs like "Wonderful World," "Chain Gang," and "Another Saturday Night"--seemingly effortless compositions that still sound fresh today. This resoundingly praised book captures a human essence so vital, so appealing, that it is impossible not to fall under its spell. At the same time, DREAM BOOGIE re-creates in rich detail the African American world from which Sam Cooke emerged, allowing us to feel both his trials and his triumphs....

"Here at last is the full, true, and mesmerizing story of Elvis Presley's last two decades, in the long-awaited second volume of Peter Guralnick's masterful two-part biography. Last Train to Memphis, the first part of Guralnick's two-volume life of Elvis Presley, was acclaimed by the New York Times as "a triumph of biographical art." This concluding volume recounts the second half of Elvis' life in rich and previously unimagined detail, and confirms Guralnick's status as one of the great biographers of our time. Beginning with Presley's army service in Germany in 1958 and ending with his death in Memphis in 1977, Careless Love chronicles the unraveling of the dream that once shone so brightly, homing in on the complex playing-out of Elvis' relationship with his Machiavellian manager, Colonel Tom Parker. It's a breathtaking, revelatory drama that for the first time places the events of a too-often mistold tale in a fresh, believable, and understandable context. Elvis' changes during these years form a tragic mystery that Careless Love unlocks for the first time. This is the quint essential American story, encompassing elements of race, class, wealth, sex, music, religion, and personal transformation. Written with grace, sensitivity, and passion, Careless Love is a unique contribution to our understanding of American popular culture and the nature of success, giving us true insight at last into one of the most misunderstood public figures of our times. "...

Robert Johnson, while probably the most influential of all blues guitarists, is also one of the most obscure. Recognized as an influence on musicians like Eric Clapton and the Rolling Stones, Johnson was poisoned by a jealous husband in 1938--at the age of twenty-seven. This untimely death, his supposed bargain with the devil that enabled him to play guitar, and the ferocity and tormented originality of his work have given rise to a legend that has inspired a Hollywood movie and numerous stories. Peter Guralnick's extended essay about the life of the man and the myth, and of the place and time that produced both, illuminates much of the obscurity around Johnson without forfeiting any of the mystery. ...

This slip-cased edition offers the two volumes of arguably the first serious biography of Elvis Presley that refuses to dwell on his myth. Aiming instead to portray in vivid, dramatic terms the life and career of this outstanding artistic and cultural phenomenon, they draw together a plethora of documentary and interview material to create a coherent and narrative. The first volume, "Last Train to Memphis", covers Presley's stunning rise and ended with his departure for Germany and his mother's unexpected death in 1958, while "Careless Love" covers the great years of the 60s and the difficult, decadent later part of Elvis's life, up to its untimely end in 1977....

LAST TRAIN TO MEMPHIS, the first part of Guralnick's two-volume life of Elvis Presley, received unprecedented accolades. This concluding volume recounts the second half of Elvis's life in rich and previously unimaginable detail, and confirms Guralnick's status as one of the great biographers of our time.

Beginning with Presley's army service in Germany in 1958 and ending with his death in Memphis in 1977, CARELESS LOVE chronicles the unraveling of the dream that once shone so brightly, homing in on the complex playing-out of Elvis's relationship with his Machiavellian manager, Colonel Tom Parker. It's a breathtaking drama that places the events of a too often mistold tale in a fresh, believable, and understandable context.

This is the quintessential American story, encompassing race, class, wealth, sex, music, religion, and personal transformation. Written with grace, sensitivity, and passion, CARELESS LOVE is a unique contribution to our understanding of American popular culture and the nature of success, giving us true insight at last into one of the most misunderstood public figure of our times....