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Sweet Soul Music Paperback – Illustrated, July 1, 1999

4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 158 ratings

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Renowned music writer Peter Guralnick takes on rhythm and blues in “the best history of ’60s soul music anyone has written or is likely to write” (New York Times).

A gripping narrative that captures the tumult and liberating energy of a nation in transition,
Sweet Soul Music is an intimate portrait of the legendary performers—Sam Cooke, Ray Charles, James Brown, Solomon Burke, Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, and Al Green among them—who merged gospel and rhythm and blues to create Southern soul music. Through rare interviews and with unique insight, Peter Guralnick tells the definitive story of the songs that inspired a generation and forever changed the sound of American music.

“One of the ten books [I] couldn’t live without.”—Ta-Nehisi Coates
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Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

"A definitive chronicle of one of the great creative periods in American pop history," said LJ's reviewer of this 1986 volume, which tracks the rise and fall of a collaboration of white and black musicians, songwriters, and singers from the 1950s to its peak and disintegration a decade later.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Back Bay Books; 6.1.1999 edition (July 1, 1999)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 448 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0316332739
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0316332736
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 1.12 x 9.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 158 ratings

About the author

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Peter Guralnick
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"Peter Guralnick is widely regarded as the nation's preeminent writer on twentieth-century American popular music. His books include Feel Like Going Home, Lost Highway, Sweet Soul Music, Searching for Robert Johnson, the novel Nighthawk Blues, and a highly acclaimed two-volume biography of Elvis Presley, Last Train to Memphis and Careless Love."

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
158 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers praise the book for its passionate storytelling and well-researched content. They find it an insightful review of southern soul music, early rock n' roll, and Memphis 1960s music. The book provides great source information and finely drawn profiles of artists. Overall, customers describe it as an interesting and insightful read.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

11 customers mention "Storytelling"11 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's storytelling. They find it comprehensive and well-written, with great essays on artists who shaped R&B. Readers appreciate the respectful treatment of each person's story. The book chronicles the roots of soul music from gospel beginnings with Sam Cooke. It is described as rich and full of life, weaving biographical profiles and social history into a printed tapestry.

"...stories in their own words, and remains content to use his own fine writing to direct and bind together the narrative...." Read more

"...However the very best book ever written about R&B remains Nowhere To Run by Gerri Hirshey. That book should be available as an e- book." Read more

"...If not, it sure comes close. Peter Guralnick chronicles the roots of soul from its gospel beginnings with Sam Cooke as an upstart gospel singer to..." Read more

"...He writes like an unbiased observer; never judgmental nor sanguine about his subject. Just the 'way it was"...." Read more

10 customers mention "Music"10 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's review of southern soul music. They find it a deep dive into early rock 'n' soul, Stax-Volt, Muscle Shoals, and Memphis '60s music. The musical cross-fertilization is a notable point, one not often brought into considerations of the era. The book is home to some of the greatest musicians in soul music, from Otis Redding to the greats like Little Jimmy Dickens. It was a great time for music and artists in America in the 1960s.

"...developed into a powerhouse that was home to some of the greatest musicians in soul music, from Otis Redding to William Bell to Carla Thomas to Sam..." Read more

"A deep dive into early rock n' soul, stax-volt, muscle shoals and Memphis '60s music!..." Read more

"...These studios along with Atlantic were the factories of true blue soul recordings...." Read more

"...of anecdotes, but the book is rooted in careful research and a love for the music. It's well-written too" Read more

6 customers mention "Research quality"6 positive0 negative

Customers find the book well-researched and well-written. They appreciate the great source information, especially discographies of artists. The book provides an interesting and insightful overview with great storytelling skills. It's considered a must-read for music enthusiasts.

"...Meticulously researched, the book shows its author's deep love of the music without sacrificing objectivity...." Read more

"...It also contains a lot of great source info especially discographies of the artists spotlighted." Read more

"...people involved: there are plenty of anecdotes, but the book is rooted in careful research and a love for the music. It's well-written too" Read more

"This book is very well researched and well written. The book is very interesting and insightful. Great storytelling skills...." Read more

4 customers mention "Style"4 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's style. They find the illustrations engaging and appreciate the finely drawn profiles.

"...Wilson Pickett and James Brown, to name a few, are given finely drawn profiles by Guralnick, and he treats their contributions to American music..." Read more

"...His piece on Charlie Rich was so moving and illustrates his style. You leave with a feeling of understanding that life and it's ups and downs...." Read more

"Another extraordinary work of art by Peter Guralnick. Can't put it down and don't want it to end! Each person's story told with respect and kindness...." Read more

"Looks great! Thanks!" Read more

Digital Content Unavailable - Don't Waste Your Money
1 out of 5 stars
Digital Content Unavailable - Don't Waste Your Money
The digital content is completely unavailable. I've tried it on my tablet, phone, the cloud reader, and on the PC app. What a waste of money - and time. I could have purchased a used paper back copy but thought the additional digital content would enhance my understanding of the topic. What a disappointment. Don't waste your time.
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on April 2, 2004
    Like Robert Palmer's superb "Deep Blues," Guralnick's extensive look back at the roots of R&B and soul music combines criticism, biographical profiles and social history into one rich, printed tapestry. Meticulously researched, the book shows its author's deep love of the music without sacrificing objectivity.
    Guralnick provides plenty of background on the "race music" that spawned R&B and the great soul music of the sixties and early seventies, on which much of the book concentrates. Like most, if not all, of the great blues musicians, the early pioneers of soul came from humble, mostly southern beginnings, and made little or no money from their work, which was liberally sampled by white musicians.
    A good portion of the narrative revolves around the fascinating rise and fall of Stax Records, the tiny Memphis-based label that brought together white executive leadership and musicians with raw black talent from the South. Despite initially primitive recording conditions, Stax developed into a powerhouse that was home to some of the greatest musicians in soul music, from Otis Redding to William Bell to Carla Thomas to Sam and Dave to Johnny Taylor. The label became representative of the growing sense of black pride that defined the era, one in which civil rights, of course, moved to the forefront of America's consciousness.
    All of these musicians and many more, including Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett and James Brown, to name a few, are given finely drawn profiles by Guralnick, and he treats their contributions to American music with the respect that they deserve. Throughout, he is intent on letting the artists tell their stories in their own words, and remains content to use his own fine writing to direct and bind together the narrative.
    Another great accomplishment of the book, for me, was Guralnick's successful effort to illuminate the ties between white and black musicians during this period. Yes, many of the most successful producers, notably Atlantic's Jerry Wexler, were white, but so were many of the musicians. Most had grown up in the south around blacks and were intimately familiar with African-American music. The Stax house band, which included Steve Cropper and Donald Dunn, was white, and they performed on many songs penned by great black songwriters such as David Porter and Isaac Hayes. Think of the great, ominous organ introduction to Aretha Franklin's "I Ain't Never Loved a Man." The white player is Spooner Oldham. This musical cross-fertilization is a notable point, one not often brought into considerations of the era.
    As a young kid coming up in the mid-60s, I loved the music that Guralnick writes about here, and I could tell -- even if he hadn't said so -- that he did too. He goes beyond that love to really dig into its roots and understand it, and succeeds admirably.
    42 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on July 9, 2024
    A deep dive into early rock n' soul, stax-volt, muscle shoals and Memphis '60s music!

    This book was recommended to me by the Reverend Billy C Wirtz, and he wasn't wrong!
  • Reviewed in the United States on April 10, 2013
    I'm not finished yet but I love this book. If you like reading abut the story behind the music, then this is the book for you. However the very best book ever written about R&B remains Nowhere To Run by Gerri Hirshey. That book should be available as an e- book.
    6 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on December 25, 2022
    This may be the 'bible' on the rise and fall of Soul music. If not, it sure comes close. Peter Guralnick chronicles the roots of soul from its gospel beginnings with Sam Cooke as an upstart gospel singer to Ray Charles blatant co-opting of the gospel style in his smash "I Got A Woman" to the formation of Stax and Fame Studios. These studios along with Atlantic were the factories of true blue soul recordings. There are so many great essays on the artists that simply changed the face of R&B and the pop music landscape. (Solomon Burke, Don Covay, Wilson Pickett, Percy Sledge and Arthur Alexander are just some of the subjects in this book.) If you are a fan of gospel and southern soul this is simply a must read. It also contains a lot of great source info especially discographies of the artists spotlighted.
    3 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on February 22, 2014
    I own every Guralnick music book in print and I don't lend them out. I'll buy a copy for a friend but never give up custody of my copy. He's that good. If you love reading about the icons of R&R,R&B etc you have found your author. From Elvis to Sam Cooke to his work on different genres you will put the book down feeling satisfied. He writes like an unbiased observer; never judgmental nor sanguine about his subject. Just the 'way it was". His piece on Charlie Rich was so moving and illustrates his style. You leave with a feeling of understanding that life and it's ups and downs. Think no one could put a new spin on Elvis? Well he does. He will take you into the nitty gritty of the process and avoid the puff and plunder. He's so good he becomes transparent in the writing.
    11 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on November 3, 2022
    Book itself is great. But, was sold to me as "new" by Amazon, and there's a page missing right in the middle of the book. Unfortunately, I bought a whole bunch of books at the same time, and by the time I got around to reading it, it was too late to return the book.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on March 1, 2014
    Mr. Guralnick's "Last Train to Memphis" and "Careless love" are my Elvis 'Bibles" so of course, I trust his opinion on all other realms of musical history. Sweet Soul Music is another book I will treasure!
  • Reviewed in the United States on March 12, 2023
    This book was so rich, so full of life, the stories so wonderfully told. 10 out of 10. Highly recommended.
    One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
  • Giur
    5.0 out of 5 stars Sweet Soul Music in inglese
    Reviewed in Italy on January 12, 2019
    Arrivato prima del previsto. Acquistato da regalare, ne sono rimasti entusiasti! Molto soddisfatta.
  • babyboomer67
    5.0 out of 5 stars Autor que nunca falla: Peter Guralnick
    Reviewed in Spain on June 11, 2018
    Autor enciclopédico sobre la música negra norteamericana del siglo XX
  • MR J N CARRINGTON
    5.0 out of 5 stars Superb account of the origins of R&B
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 15, 2013
    wanna know the story when Gospel met blues and consequently shaped just about everything we know as popular music today?
    Look no further.
    Stax, Mussel Shoals, Chess... man it's all here.
    A very human account of the characters that dance off the pages, wooing you with their sweet music.
    A smattering of studio techniques and business deals... but not bogged down in minuscule details that may disrupt the narrative.
    Tragedy is rife as you learn about the poor country boy genius' that got messed up by fame and explains the background to the sound that were the sublime pain of their spirits.
    Big O was no angel, neither was Sam Cooke... but who is?
    Read all about it here!
    A compelling and superbly researched work.
    I loved it
  • superfry
    5.0 out of 5 stars 名著中の名著Sweet Soul Music
    Reviewed in Japan on March 31, 2011
    ソウルとは一体何だったのかを真摯に追及した名著。本書は86年に出版されているが、これを書き始めたのはソウルの終焉となった80年代に入ってからである。音楽好きの白人青年だったピーターは、音楽的観点からソウルを追求するが、インタビューしていった各関係者から意外な事実を知らされる。

    『ソウル』とは、60年代のザワザワした米国社会と無関係ではありえず、あの時代に生き残りを賭けたルーザー(負け犬たち)の起死回生の手段に過ぎなかったというのだ。それが結果的に素晴らしい『ソウル』として結実していった過程が非常によく書かれている。膨大な資料と時間をかけてp400を超える大書だが、貴重な写真も豊富で楽しめる。

    中には、地名や人名などに間違いがあるとの指摘もあるようだが、それは些細なことに過ぎない。これだけのものを書いたエネルギーに脱帽する。
    One person found this helpful
    Report
  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars An unbelievable read, has me going crazy for new ...
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 14, 2016
    An unbelievable read , has me going crazy for new soul artists to find and listen to ... a must have book , 5 stars .
    One person found this helpful
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