SWEET SOUL MUSIC

RHYTHM AND BLUES AND THE SOUTHERN DREAM OF FREEDOM

by Peter Guralnick

Here, in a narrative that captures all the tumult and liberating energy of a nation in transition, is the story of the legendary performers -- Sam Cooke, Ray Charles, James Brown, Solomon Burke, Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, and Al Green among them -- who merged gospel and rhythm and blues to create Southern soul music.

"The best history of '60s soul music anyone has written or is likely to write, but it is much more that that." -- Robert Palmer, New York Times

"The definitive history... Guralnick makes his point without preaching... Sweet Soul Music is at once a scholarly work and a whole lotta fun." -- Daniel Brogan, Chicago Tribune

"Stunning... panoramic... a heartfelt history -- one of the best books ever written on American popular music." -- Jim Miller, Newsweek