Tattooed on Their Tongues: Journey Through the Backrooms of American Music [Paperback]

Colin Escott (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 22, 2000

During the '50s and '60s, hundreds of recording artists--from the well-known to the obscure--jumped on the country music bandwagon. Drawing on his years of research, personal interviews, and rare recordings and documents, Escott brings to life a score of musical innovators, telling their stories and reinstating their place in American musical history. 45 photos.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 243 pages
• Publisher: Schirmer Trade Books (December 22, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0825672317
• ISBN-13: 978-0825672316
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,434,898 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Groovy, down-to-earth look at early country history, August 9, 2001

By 

DJ Joe Sixpack (...in Middle America) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Tattooed on Their Tongues: Journey Through the Backrooms of American Music (Paperback)

Biographical essays of well-known as well as fairly obscure musicians and industry types. Escott has made a career out of telling outrageous, sometimes salacious, tales -- he gets to the rawer, visceral side of the story pretty quickly, which is relatively easy when you're talking to folks who worked in the scraggly, scruffy early years of country, rock and blues. He's an engaging, consersational writer, and this latest collection is a delight. Includes essays on artists such as Dale Hawkins, Don Everly, Johnny Horton, Tim Hardin and a particularly cruel skewering of Pat Boone. In one of the most fascinating sections, Escott profiles the founders of record labels such as Decca, King, Starday and Hi -- a fascinating and very illuminating appoach to presenting the history of popular music. Beautifully laid out, well written and highly recommended.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, and exhaustive, history of 1 of Soul's best., September 18, 1998

By 

harlo ([e-mail]) (Detroit (from Motown, but loves Stax :) )) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Soulsville U.S.A.: The Story Of Stax Records (Hardcover)

Bowman's love for the music and personnel of the Stax label is plainly clear as he weaves its exciting, sometimes turbulent, history into a story that is as entertaining as it is informative. The interviews with the involved parties is what makes the book what it is, elevating the history from what could be a dry textbook, to a feel of a story told over dinner. The demise of Stax is truly a heartbreaking story that reflects America's, and specifically the South's, experience of the time. Fantastic work!

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating read for C & W or Rockabilly Fans, December 18, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Tattooed on Their Tongues: A Journey Through the Backrooms of American Music (Hardcover)

This book is as raw and soulful as the greatest country and rockabilly music gets. Great essays on contemporay stars Dwight Yoakum and Marty Stuart (two of the few "real" artists in today's Garth-in-the-park, yuppiefied, mall rat Urban Country scene). Also, a look at Pat Boone (how could such a soulless singer come from Tennessee!), the great, but sadly forgotten Johnny Horton and an ex-country wannabe who became a segragationist candidate for Govenor of Mississippi.