The Life and Writings of Ralph J. Gleason

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.