Life and Writings of Ralph J. Gleason, The: Dispatches from the Front

by Don Armstrong

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.

302 pages, Hardcover

Published February 8, 2024

Reviews

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since this might possibly beconme the only biography ever written about him it's noteworthy it was written by an Arican American writer, as Gleason was responsible in a huge way for the success of numerousblack jazz artists, beside the rock and roll years, which was where I first encountered him. As a kid in the bay area you couldn't miss his collumn every week that ran in the Sunday 'pink section' of the Chronicle- I remember reading some notes from him about Yoki Ono and the Fluxus group in NYC, a conceert of the Grateful Dead's when Pigpen sang Lovelight, and a note about the Creedence Clearwater Revival band, which just happened to get signed to the label (Fantasy Records) Gleason had some hand in creating. You couldn't miss the articles and yet there were angles to Gleason which put friends of mine into thinking he was an old fuddy duddy himself. Far be it from me to argue with either- If it were not for both Bill Graham, or Ralph Gleason, the San Francisco rock and roll scene could never have had the momentum it had. So there's a great cultural debt people like myself owe to Ralph and it is cool there was at least one other person out there thought well enough of him to document his life in a biography for historical reference of the people of the future...

[Chris Ingalls · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating book about the man generally regarded as the father of music criticism. Armstrong has created a spellbinding portrait with plenty of details that span decades and make the reader feel transported to a variety of times and places. I loved this book!