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Rockin' Down the Highway: The Cars and People That Made Rock Roll
Rockin' Down the Highway The Cars and People That Made Rock Roll Author:Paul Grushkin In the world of music, a car is a helluva lot more than a just another mode of transportation. Its inspiration, a symbol of freedom and style, and often a way to hit the road and get to the gig. From Robert Johnsons 1936 recording Terraplane Blues to rapper Xzibits hit MTV show, Pimp My Ride, from pink Cadillacs and Lil Deuce Coupes to T-birds a... more »nd Roadrunners, cars have been a constant theme in rock-n-roll and the blues. Perhaps its because references to cars in American song are so pervasive that no one has ever attempted the daunting task of exploring the connection . . . until now. In this beautifully produced volume, best-selling music writer Paul Grushkin draws on private collections, renowned photographers, lauded poster artists, and top private archives to present a thematic illustrated examination of the remarkable 50-plus-year synergy between rock music and motoring, from early R&B to surf to metal to punk to hip-hop. The result is astounding. Hundreds of rare 78s, 45s, LPs, sheet music, and more were photographed for the book. Dozens of prominent photographers (including Steve Coonan, Jim Marshall, Henry Diltz, Glen E. Friedman, and Pamela Springsteen), illustrators (Stanley Mouse, Ed Big Daddy Roth, Darrell Mayabb, and Coop, among them), and prominent poster artists (Emek, Justin Hampton, and Mike Martin, to name just a few) participate. Rockers like Elvis Presley, Eric Clapton, the Grateful Dead, Bruce Springsteen, Snoop Dogg, and Billy F Gibbons are just a few of the hundreds of artists whose associations with automobiles are celebrated here. The book is replete with lyrics, anecdotes, and commentary from famous musicians, as well as ordinary rock-n-rollers whove loved rock and cars equally with a passion.« less