Book: Country: The Twisted Roots Of Rock & Roll
Written By Nick Tosches (Dacapo) (Published Sept. 1996)
Reviewed by John Sekerka

---

For this, an apparent historic thesis tracing rock music back through its country origins and well beyond, Nick Tosches manages to drudge up some outlandish dirt. Not much of a stretch with runaway trains like Jerry Lee Lewis, but the heart of this exploration lies with covered up discoveries like Jimmie Rodgers performing in black face. Ouch. Blistering testimonials presented in cold hard factual blurbs, with enough of an edge to avoid a journalism tag. Tosches is a crazed trivia nut, hounding a certain Emmett Miller throughout the book as if he was the lost grail of music, and after sifting through his meticulous arguments, you might start believing 'tis so. As in all grand reads, it's not necessarily the facts but the trip taken to get them that makes it worthy. And this is one worthy trek.

© 2003 - John Sekerka