The life and writings of Ralph J. Gleason : dispatches from the front

Discover the enthralling world of Ralph J. Gleason, a pioneering music journalist who expanded the possibilities of the newspaper music column, sparked the San Francisco jazz and rock scenes, and co-founded Rolling Stone magazine. Gleason not only reported on but influenced the trajectory of popular music. He alone chronicled the unparalleled evolution of popular music from the 1930s into the 1970s, and while doing so, interviewed and befriended many trailblazers such as Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Bob Dylan, and the Beatles. A true iconoclast, he dismantled the barriers between popular and highbrow music, and barriers separating the musical genres. He played a crucial role in shaping postwar music criticism by covering all genres and analyzing music's social, political, and historical meanings. This book uncovers never-before-seen letters, anecdotes, family accounts, and exclusive interviews to reveal one of the most intriguing personalities of the 20th century. "Ralph J. Gleason worked behind the scenes as well as in print. From John Coltrane and Dizzy Gillespi to Bob Dylan and the Fillmore's Bill Graham, Gleason acted as their confidant and advisor. This book tells the story of Ralph J. Gleason, the trailblazing music writer who created the first popular music newspaper column, and cofounded Rolling Stone magazine. Gleason covered the remarkable succession of musicians who innovated popular music from the 1930s to the 1970s. It draws on never-before-published letters, anecdotes, family accounts and exclusive interviews to reveal one of the 20th century's most fascinating individuals; one who not only reported on but shaped the direction of popular music."-- Provided by publisher