Preston Lauterbach

A thought-provoking exploration of the Black musicians who inspired Elvis Presley's music, primarily through the lens of four overlooked artists: Little Junior Parker, Big Mama Thornton, Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup, and Calvin Newborn. In Before Elvis, author Preston Lauterbach delves into the captivating stories and contributions of these artists, whose musical genius laid the groundwork for what would become known...

Between Reconstruction and Prohibition, Beale Street in Memphis thrived as a strip with a unique soul that reshaped American culture. Preston Lauterbach recounts the rise and fall of Beale Street through the life of the South's first black millionaire, an ex-slave who built an underworld dynasty in the booming river town and created a space for black culture to flourish....

For generations, the term chitlin' circuit has meant second-tier, brash performers in raucous nightspots far from the big-city limelight. Now, music journalist Preston Lauterbach combines terrific firsthand reportage with deep historical research to offer a groundbreaking account of the birth of rock 'n' roll in black America.

An insider history of the Blind Boys of Alabama, the longest running group in American music, and the untold story of their world, written with band members and key musical colleagues, drawing from the group's private archive. The Blind Boys of Alabama are the quintessential Gospel vocal group, and the longest-running musical institution in America. Their story intersects with pivotal...