Rock 'N' Roll and the Cleveland Connection [Paperback]

Deanna R. Adams (Author)

Book Description

Series: Music of the Great Lakes | Publication Date: January 2002

A useful resource for people of all ages who want to know more about rock history, Rock 'n' Roll and the Cleveland Connection links national and international events in music and the world, though the primary focus is on Cleveland.

Rock 'n' Roll and the Cleveland Connection is the first in-depth look at the people, venues and artists that made Cleveland the "Rock 'n' Roll Capital of the World." Author Deanna Adams conducted personal interviews with more than 150 musicians, managers, DJ's, promoters, record executives, journalists, and club owners--all pioneers of this new musical movement--to compile these chapters of musical history.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Cleveland-area freelance writer Adams has left out little in this musical history of the port city, home of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. Her aptly titled book opens with rock's roots in the 1950s and chronicles how Cleveland's North Coast radio stations have been making and breaking national and regional artists for decades. Of course, it was Cleveland jock Alan Freed who played rhythm and blues on his Moondog program and renamed it rock'n'roll. Adams also documents the prominent Cleveland clubs of the past 40 years, where bands rose to national status and/or evaporated. Profiled are both the winners (e.g., Trent Reznor, Joe Walsh, David Allen Coe, and the Dead Boys) and the losers, who are always more fun to read about. The best case is local sensation Michael Stanley (he wrote the foreword), who had all the makings of a Bruce Springsteen but could never break out nationally despite selling hundreds of thousands of records on the North Coast. At 612 pages, the book will lag for readers with no interest in radio. But if considered as a reference (no other works have this focus), it provides ample lessons on why Cleveland rocks. Recommended for larger libraries, voracious rock readers, and major Joe Walsh fans. Eric Hahn, Fargo, ND
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From the Publisher

Deanna Adams spent hundreds of hours researching recollections of the musicians, deejays, journalists, and fans who made up the Cleveland rock scene from the 1950s to the 1990s. The Kent State University Press is pleased to be the publisher of this excellent book.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 624 pages
• Publisher: Kent State Univ Pr (January 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0873386914
• ISBN-13: 978-0873386913
• Product Dimensions: 10.5 x 8 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #869,359 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Like most baby boomers, Deanna Adams remembers where she was when the Beatles played on Ed Sullivan. She recalls when "flares" were called "bell-bottoms," when hitchhiking was a typical means of transportation, and when nothing was more exciting than seeing your favorite band perform live. Now a Cleveland-area writer, essayist, and author, she writes on that, and more. Her work has been published in a variety of publications. Her books include Rock 'n' Roll and the Cleveland Connection (Kent State University Press, 2002), Confessions of a Not-So-Good Catholic Girl (Infinity Publishing, 2008) and "Cleveland's Rock and Roll Roots" (Arcadia Publishing, 2010). Her web site is www.deannaadams.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome Book!, October 19, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Rock 'N' Roll and the Cleveland Connection (Paperback)

Just got this book for my birthday and read it in a couple of days (not easy considering it's length). But being a former Clevelander, I was able to relive many great moments in music history-the bands, the deejays, the clubs. What indepth research this author did. All the quotes & the behind- the- scenes stories of all the important musicians & people that made Cleveland such a fun town(honest!) makes it a must have for anyone interested in rock 'n' roll. It's now on my coffee table & friends who have never been to Cleveland pick it up & suddenly we're talking about all the concerts & times we lived through, proving you don't have to be from Ohio to really enjoy this book. And great photo's! Highly recommended. N from Florida

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thanks for getting it right., May 25, 2002

By 

William H. Bass (Cleveland, OH United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Rock 'N' Roll and the Cleveland Connection (Paperback)

When I first spoke to author Deanna Adams nearly 4 years ago, I knew from that initial conversation that she was honest and sincere about telling it like it really happened. She asked hard questions, she made me check my dates, she challenged me if I gave her a fact that contridicted her notes. She poked, she prodded, she checked and she rechecked, she must have called me 10 times ... just to get it right. She got it right. The book is amazing. My only complaint, John Gorman got more mentions than I did.

Great book, Deanna. Thank you.

Billy Bass

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Accurate Account!, May 20, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Rock 'N' Roll and the Cleveland Connection (Paperback)

I couldn't get enough of the info in this book!I was in many bands from the 60's and knew of many of the venues and musicians mentioned. Cleveland is not longer(unfortunately) like that,as is radio or TV anywhere.This book not only captures a great moment in rock and roll's birth,but also a glimpse of a time that Cleveland musicians should embrace!