American Troubadours: Groundbreaking Singer-Songwriters of the 60s (Paperback)

~ (Author) "By 1975 David Ackles was without a record deal, and would never make another LP..." (more)
Key Phrases: black sheep boy, washtub bass, folk revival, Tim Hardin, Phil Ochs, Greenwich Village (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

This book shows how nine talented artists - David Ackles, David Blue, Tim Buckley, Tim Hardin, Fred Neil, Phil Ochs, Tom Rapp, Tim Rose and Tom Rush - each expanded the standard pop blueprint of the day and made a significant contribution to rockÕs coming of age, with songs like "If I Were a Carpenter," "EverybodyÕs TalkinÕ" and "Hey Joe." Features photos throughout, discographies, and a great 32-page color section.

About the Author

Mark Brend has contributed to Record Collector and other music magazines. He lives in London.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Backbeat Books; 1st edition (July 10, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0879306416
• ISBN-13: 978-0879306410
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 7.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,372,602 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars worth reading, June 25, 2001

By	Stephen F Mulcahy (United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

this book has chapters on some of the best songwriters of the era, ranging from the, more or less anyway, fairly well known ( like tim buckley and phil ochs)to the undeservedly obscure, like david ackles. these artists do vary in quality, but the stories are always at least interesting, and often fascinating. there are lots of fine pictures of the performers in the book as well,if anything the work is a little short. people who enjoy the writings of richie unterberger and vernon joynson probably will like this as well

4.0 out of 5 stars Obscure (sort of) performers that made a difference, October 3, 2005

By	James Kellum (Boulder Creek, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I'm pleased to see this book still available. These performers, although not well known by the general public, changed the direction of pop music. By most accounts, for the better too. The good news is that their recordings are more easily available now than for many years in the past. These folks were story-tellers. Too bad that most country and pop performers now are so boring. This group definitely were not.

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent introduction to artists who shouldn't be forgotten, April 13, 2005

By	William Timothy Lukeman - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Some of the artists showcased in this slim volume have devoted cult followings now; others are still unjustly in the shadows. All are uniquely gifted songwriters & performers whose work deserves to be better known. I knew very little about some of them, even though I was a young teenager during their prime; but after finishing this book, I sought out several of their CDs & was not disappointed. For example, I was already somewhat familiar with Tim Buckley's music, but Tim Hardin & Fred Neil were little more than legendary names to me, with just a couple of songs each known only through cover versions ... now their music is a vital part of my life. Brend does a fine job of giving the reader a basic biography & artistic overview of each man, as well as a feel for the times that shaped them, and which they helped to shape. Well worth reading! And be sure to investigate the music when you're done, via the samples available here at Amazon.com. You'll be buying a few new CDs yourself!