Let a Smile Be Your Umbrella, But Don't Get a Mouthful of Rain : The Joey Reynolds Story (Hardcover)

by Joey Reynolds (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review
Joey is still one of the best personalities on radio, with a uniquely warm and humorous style. -- Claude Hall, former radio and TV editor, Billboard magazine

Joey's a great talent....This book is as exciting as his show is. -- Soupy Sales

These are the musings of a true radio star. -- Ben Fong-Torres, former senior editor, Rolling Stone

Product Description
Joey Reynolds is one of America's most beloved radio personalities. Spinning records as a teenager in Buffalo, Joey quickly became one of the trendsetters of early rock radio. From Miami to Philly to Detroit to New York, wherever Joey went his show was always at the top of the charts. After a detour to Hollywood and a long battle with the bottle, Joey's career went into a long, slow slide. Filled with humorous anecdotes and stories of the many celebrities and rock stars Joey has met, this is the story of a man whose rise, fall, and rise again was fueled by the power of laughter. After finding sobriety, Joey bounced back as always. He now has the number one rated overnight radio talk show in the country and his "stream of consciousness" style and sense of humor are winning new fans every day.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 190 pages
• Publisher: Hatherleigh Press (March 24, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1578260361
• ISBN-13: 978-1578260362
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.8 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,649,054 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of only Three DJ's in the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame!, February 5, 2001

By	Retired DEA Agent "DEA - Tom" (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews

About a year ago, I had the distinct pleasure of appearing on Joey's show. What was slated to be a half-hour interview evolved into five hours-I couldn't have been more pleased. Joey is a kind and generous professional who interviews a guest unlike any I've ever encountered. When you're on his show, you feel like family, as though you were a permanent fixture on his show. When I first arrived at the station for my interview, Kenny Kramer (the real Kramer from Seinfeld) popped in without warning and chatted with us on the air. It was as though we were all neighbors sitting on Joey's front porch and telling stories. At one point I asked Joey how Les Paul, a friend of his, came to invent the electric guitar. Damned if Joey didn't call him up and tell me to ask him. Mr. Paul said that it was the first time that anyone bothered to ask him on live radio or television, and then recounted a magnificent story that will stick with me till the day I die. But this is just the way a Joey Reynolds show evolves--naturally and without contrivance. When the show ended at about five that morning, Joey asked how I had gotten to the station and I told him that I had taken the subway from my hotel. He would have nothing to do with it-he drove me to the front door of my hotel in the middle of a downpour. But hey, what do you expect, that's just the way a friendship evolves when your with Joey Reynolds--naturally and without pretense. Buy this book and see for yourself.

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Joey Reynolds-A 20 Year Overnight Success, March 31, 2000

By	Lee K. Rudnick (New York, New York USA) - See all my reviews

I have known Joey for over 30 years.I saw him when he was up,when he was down and now when he is a 20 year "Overnight Sensation".This book is not a tell all bio but more of a series of great short stories about Joey.He has had 28 jobs so the book doesn't lack for funny and sad stories

His book reminds me of "Chicken soup for the Soul Not only is it fun reading but it makes a great gift.I believe it will be a sleeper hit

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Joey Reynolds is a comic genius!, July 21, 2001

By	Rebecca Bynum (United States) - See all my reviews

Joey Reynolds is a comic genius! His insights into the music business and life itself are profound and yet he delivers these with the deftness and gentleness of a man who has gained wisdom from all his wild experience. This is a man who has seen it all in the broadcasting business; the ego rivalries, corporate greed, the disintegration of formats, the pettiness and shear fear driving programing today; and yet he remains true to his deepest beliefs and respects his audience like no one else.

Joey is that rare type of entertainer who has remained true to himself while others have chased after fads. I understand he pioneered the kind of "shock jock" kind of approach that is rampant now by simply telling the truth and saying what was on his mind. Those who've come after have lowered the bar by using humiliation as a substitute for real humor or, heaven forbid, actual insight. This trend toward mediocrity may be inevitable for some, but Joey continues to uphold standards that are an example to all who listen to his show. In a world where he who yells the loudest seems to get all the attention, Joey speaks softly and thoughtfully, gradually building his appreciative audience.

If you love his show, you'll love this book. If you love this book, you'll love his show. Open and honest, without being exploitative or confessional, this book is a wonderful read. I only wish there was more of it!