Bøger af Ben Wynne

"Ben Wynne's "A Hound Dog Tale" is a detailed history of the rock-and-roll standard "Hound Dog." Citing its original release and reception as a turning point in American popular culture, he reveals how the song reflected American society through issues of race, gender, and generational conflict. The story is compelling. Two white Jewish teenagers from New York and Baltimore who fantasized about being Black wrote "Hound Dog." They gave it to Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton, a three-hundred-pound African American female blues belter from Alabama who was as talented as she was intimidating. "Big Mama" made the song a hit in the Black entertainment marketplace. After that, a white Las Vegas lounge singer from Philadelphia rewrote many of the lyrics and recorded an updated version. Not long afterward, an aspiring white Mississippi singer and guitar player named Elvis Presley recorded that version of the song and turned "Hound Dog" (and himself) into a global phenomenon. As Wynne points out, "Hound Dog" crossed the color line repeatedly: Black and white artists who grew up in a rigidly segregated society performed and recorded it. His history of the song includes treatments of the artists who recorded its most well-known versions-"Big Mama" Thornton and Elvis-along with the comings and goings of many others involved in the tune's story. The cast of characters is large and eclectic, including singers, songwriters, and musicians from the worlds of R&B, rock-and-roll, and country music, both honest and unscrupulous record producers and managers, famous television hosts, a couple of lawyers, and even a gangster or two. "Hound Dog" ties all these people together against dramatically changing times during the 1950s. "A Hound Dog Tale" is sure to be of interest to historians who study American cultural history, the 1950s, R&B, and rock-and-roll, or the role of race in American popular music. In addition, R&B, blues, and rock-and-roll music enthusiasts in the United States and abroad will be interested, as will many of the countless fans of Elvis Presley"--

Born into poverty in Mississippi at the close of the nineteenth century, Charley Patton and Jimmie Rodgers established themselves among the most influential musicians of their era. In Tune tells the story of the parallel careers of these two pioneering recording artists -- one white, one black -- who moved beyond their humble origins to change the face of American music. At a time when segregation formed impassable lines of demarcation in most areas of southern life, music transcended racial boundaries. Jimmie Rodgers and Charley Patton drew inspiration from musical traditions on both sides of the racial divide, and their songs about hard lives, raising hell, and the hope of better days ahead spoke to white and black audiences alike. Their music reflected the era in which they lived but evoked a range of timeless human emotions. As the invention of the phonograph disseminated traditional forms of music to a wider audience, Jimmie Rodgers gained fame as the "Father of Country Music," while Patton's work eventually earned him the title "King of the Delta Blues." Patton and Rodgers both died young, leaving behind a relatively small number of recordings. Though neither remains well known to mainstream audiences, the impact of their contributions echoes in the songs of today. The first book to compare the careers of these two musicians, In Tune is a vital addition to the history of American music.

Regarded as one of the most vocal and controversial statesmen of the nineteenth century, Henry Stuart Foote played a central role in a vast array of pivotal events. Despite Foote's unique mark on history, until now no comprehensive biography existed. Ben Wynne fills this gap in his examination of the life of this gifted and volatile public figure.

Born into poverty in Mississippi at the close of the nineteenth century, Charley Patton and Jimmie Rodgers established themselves among the most influential musicians of their era. This book tells the story of the parallel careers of these two pioneering recording artists who moved beyond their humble origins to change the face of American music.