Larry, the King of Rock and Roll

Larry, the King of Rock and Roll
Author: Iris Rainer Dart
Publisher: Penguin
Total Pages: 178
Release: 2007
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 9780399245466

Not only can Larry the dog talk, he can also sing , but when these unusual talents come to the attention of his family, the public, and dogdom, Larry is faced with problems he never imagined.

Larry: The King of Rock and Roll

Larry: The King of Rock and Roll
Author: Iris Rainer Dart
Publisher: Penguin
Total Pages: 176
Release: 2007-01-18
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 1101042818

Did you know dogs can talk? Well, neither did Cathy and her father, Tom, a songwriter struggling with a new tune—that is, until their pet dog Larry opened his mouth and helped Tom finish the song! Once Larry reveals he can not only talk but sing, there’s no stopping him. In no time, he’s on stage singing for sold-out audiences. Even the President of the United States is a fan of Larry. But soon enough, fame goes to Larry’s head: he drops Tom from his act, abandons Cathy and moves in with his agent. By the time of his showcase gig at the Hollywood Bowl, it’s clear he’s the king of rock and roll—but at what cost? A fun-filled, tongue-in-cheek romp through the world of music stardom, Larry: The King of Rock and Roll is sure to win this lovable pooch a whole new legion of fans—young readers everywhere!

Before Elvis

Before Elvis
Author: Larry Birnbaum
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
Total Pages: 475
Release: 2013
Genre: Music
ISBN: 0810886383

An essential work for rock fans and scholars, Before Elvis: The Prehistory of Rock 'n' Roll surveys the origins of rock 'n' roll from the minstrel era to the emergence of Bill Haley and Elvis Presley. Unlike other histories of rock, Before Elvis offers a far broader and deeper analysis of the influences on rock music. Dispelling common misconceptions, it examines rock's origins in hokum songs and big-band boogies as well as Delta blues, detailing the embrace by white artists of African-American styles long before rock 'n' roll appeared. This unique study ranges far and wide, highlighting not only the contributions of obscure but key precursors like Hardrock Gunter and Sam Theard but also the influence of celebrity performers like Gene Autry and Ella Fitzgerald. Too often, rock historians treat the genesis of rock 'n' roll as a bolt from the blue, an overnight revolution provoked by the bland pop music that immediately preceded it and created through the white appropriation of music till then played only by and for black audiences. In Before Elvis, Birnbaum daringly argues a more complicated history of rock's evolution from a heady mix of ragtime, boogie-woogie, swing, country music, mainstream pop, and rhythm-and-blues--a melange that influenced one another along the way, from the absorption of blues and boogies into jazz and pop to the integration of country and Caribbean music into rhythm-and-blues. Written in an easy style, Before Elvis presents a bold argument about rock's origins and required reading for fans and scholars of rock 'n' roll history.

Why Should the Devil Have All the Good Music?

Why Should the Devil Have All the Good Music?
Author: Gregory Thornbury
Publisher: Convergent Books
Total Pages: 314
Release: 2018-03-20
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 110190707X

The riveting, untold story of the “Father of Christian Rock” and the conflicts that launched a billion-dollar industry at the dawn of America’s culture wars. In 1969, in Capitol Records' Hollywood studio, a blonde-haired troubadour named Larry Norman laid track for an album that would launch a new genre of music and one of the strangest, most interesting careers in modern rock. Having spent the bulk of the 1960s playing on bills with acts like the Who, Janis Joplin, and the Doors, Norman decided that he wanted to sing about the most countercultural subject of all: Jesus. Billboard called Norman “the most important songwriter since Paul Simon,” and his music would go on to inspire members of bands as diverse as U2, The Pixies, Guns ‘N Roses, and more. To a young generation of Christians who wanted a way to be different in the American cultural scene, Larry was a godsend—spinning songs about one’s eternal soul as deftly as he did ones critiquing consumerism, middle-class values, and the Vietnam War. To the religious establishment, however, he was a thorn in the side; and to secular music fans, he was an enigma, constantly offering up Jesus to problems they didn’t think were problems. Paul McCartney himself once told Larry, “You could be famous if you’d just drop the God stuff,” a statement that would foreshadow Norman’s ultimate demise. In Why Should the Devil Have all the Good Music?, Gregory Alan Thornbury draws on unparalleled access to Norman’s personal papers and archives to narrate the conflicts that defined the singer’s life, as he crisscrossed the developing fault lines between Evangelicals and mainstream American culture—friction that continues to this day. What emerges is a twisting, engrossing story about ambition, art, friendship, betrayal, and the turns one’s life can take when you believe God is on your side.

Before Elvis

Before Elvis
Author: Larry Birnbaum
Publisher: Scarecrow Press
Total Pages: 475
Release: 2012-12-14
Genre: Music
ISBN: 0810886294

An essential work for rock fans and scholars, Before Elvis: The Prehistory of Rock ‘n’ Roll surveys the origins of rock ’n’ roll from the minstrel era to the emergence of Bill Haley and Elvis Presley. Unlike other histories of rock, Before Elvis offers a far broader and deeper analysis of the influences on rock music. Dispelling common misconceptions, it examines rock’s origins in hokum songs and big-band boogies as well as Delta blues, detailing the embrace by white artists of African-American styles long before rock ’n’ roll appeared. This unique study ranges far and wide, highlighting not only the contributions of obscure but key precursors like Hardrock Gunter and Sam Theard but also the influence of celebrity performers like Gene Autry and Ella Fitzgerald. Too often, rock historians treat the genesis of rock ’n’ roll as a bolt from the blue, an overnight revolution provoked by the bland pop music that immediately preceded it and created through the white appropriation of music till then played only by and for black audiences. In Before Elvis, Birnbaum daringly argues a more complicated history of rock’s evolution from a heady mix of ragtime, boogie-woogie, swing, country music, mainstream pop, and rhythm-and-blues—a melange that influenced one another along the way, from the absorption of blues and boogies into jazz and pop to the integration of country and Caribbean music into rhythm-and-blues. Written in an easy style, Before Elvis presents a bold argument about rock’s origins and required reading for fans and scholars of rock ’n’ roll history.

Elvis

Elvis
Author: Frank R D'Onofrio
Publisher: Independently Published
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2023-04-24
Genre:
ISBN:

Did you see the Laz Buhrmann movie "Elvis"? This Book focuses on things the film should have addressed. It answers the question, Is Elvis, The King of Rock & Roll? Yes, he is! There is no reason for debate, it is a fact, without Elvis, there could be no Rock and Roll music as we know it. Elvis' impact on culture, music and the societal implications point to something no one has ever considered. Who else could have done it? Why is Elvis: The King of Rock & Roll? The distinction becomes more blurred by only looking at the definition from today's perspective. History was never meant to be told from today's perspective. It must be experienced in the context of the time it happened. You cannot decide based on "Elvis the end result." Talking about this 60 years later illustrates a culture seeking to rewrite the history of what happened. Believing people at the time should have today's perspective and could do it better. Why Elvis was given, the title harbors fierce debate, and racial tensons. Some take it personally, believing he should not have it and never earned it. This book seeks to end the debate once and for all. Starting with the premise: Music /artists of the time bear little resemblance to the music/artists playing today. After Elvis stepped into the future on July 5th, 1954, accidentally singing "That's Allright Mama." everything changed. Elvis "The End Result" happened after his coronation on September 9th, 1956. Prior to that, Rock and Roll did not exist. Elvis sold America Rock and Roll Music. He started in 1954. The answer is in the facts of what happened between 1954 - 1956. It is why John Lennon said, "Before Elvis, there was nothing."; Leonard Bernstein said: "Elvis is the greatest cultural force in the twentieth century. He introduced the beat to everything, music, language, clothes; it's a whole new social revolution - the '60s comes from it." Elvis Presley unwittingly altered a trajectory of history in a single moment the night of July 5th, 1954. Igniting a spark and starting a firestorm. This Book illustrates what happened. Steps Elvis Presley took to move from obscurity and poverty to superstardom. This could never be explained in today's context or terms.1954 is different compared to today. Destiny was no accident! The world was a different place. The firestorm Elvis caused, transformed the definition of what popular music represented. Elvis went on to transform the music/entertainment industry landscape; along with it, changed our culture. He transformed the world, and how we see one another. Elvis and Rock and Roll Music became a catalyst for change. My objective: place the reader in the shoes of a young 19-Year-old Truck driver from Memphis. Recreating and describing people and moments defining a young Elvis. His audition failing, the moment, he and Rock and Roll Music became his destiny. The Baz Luhrmann film "Elvis" was an important, Like Elvis himself, it was an exciting visual and musical film experience. But it left out his whole story. The people and environment that defined him. The initial stir was not Elvis' shaking. That came a year later. It was THE MUSIC he created causing a revolution. People reacted initially to his music. His effect on music and pop culture occurred before the world had ever seen him perform! The film focused only on Elvis' physical attributes, leaving out his contribution of creating Rock and Roll music experience. Not showing his true genius as the man who virtually transformed Rhythm and Blues into Rock and Roll. With Television catapulting him to international stardom. Within two years, Elvis went from the brink of a failed audition to the largest-selling recording artist in the world. He sold Rock and Roll Music to mainstream America. This is Elvis' journey from local Truck driver to his coronation as The King of Rock and Roll. I Hope you will experience the journey again with me as your gui...

Larry King

Larry King
Author: Larry King
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Total Pages: 218
Release: 1982
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 9780671411381

If I Can Dream

If I Can Dream
Author: Larry Geller
Publisher: Avon Books
Total Pages: 346
Release: 1990
Genre: Music
ISBN: 9780380710423

A long-time confidante of Elvis Presley reveals intimate details of the legendary performer's dreams and disillusionments, showing his disintegration due to drugs and the harm he inflicted on himself