Gamble Rogers: A Troubadour's Life

by Bruce Horovitz

Florida Book Awards, Bronze Medal for Florida Nonfiction Florida Historical Society Charlton Tebeau Award Beloved raconteur, environmentalist, and down-home philosopher, Gamble Rogers (1937–1991) ushered in a renaissance of folk music to a place and time that desperately needed it. In this book, Bruce Horovitz tells the story of how Rogers infused Florida's rapidly commercializing landscape with a refreshing dose of homegrown authenticity and how his distinctive music and personality touched the nation. As a college student, motivated by personal advice from William Faulkner to stay true to himself, Rogers broke away from his family's prestigious architecture business. Rogers was a skilled guitar player and storyteller who soon began performing extensively on the national folk music circuit alongside Pete Seeger, Doc Watson, and Jimmy Buffett. He discovered a special knack for public radio, appearing frequently as a guest commentator on NPR’s All Things Considered. Rogers was known across the country for his intricate fingerpicking guitar style and rapid-fire stage act. Audiences welcomed his humorous homespun tales set in the fictitious Oklawaha County, which was based on places from his own upbringing and populated by a cast of unforgettable characters. His stories evoked rural life in Florida, celebrated the state's natural resources, and called attention to life's many small ironies. As Florida was experiencing colossal growth embodied by the new Kennedy Space Center and Disney World, Rogers's folksy style cheered and reassured listeners in the state who worried that their traditional livelihoods and locales were disappearing. Horovitz shows that even beyond his genius as a performing artist, Rogers was loved for his compassion, integrity, connection with people, and courage. Rogers displayed these widely admired traits for the last time when―on a camping trip to the beach―he tried to save a drowning stranger despite back problems that made it almost impossible for him to swim. This heroic effort led to his untimely death. The life of Gamble Rogers is a window into an important creative subculture that continues to flourish today as contemporary folk artists take on roles similar to the one Rogers established for himself. A modern-day troubadour, Rogers delighted in entertaining audiences with what was familiar and real―by championing the ordinary people of his home community who were closest to his heart.

240 pages, Hardcover

Published September 11, 2018

Reviews

[Chris Wise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every time I pick up my guitar or work on crafting a story or try to explain my own relationship to words and music, I think of Gamble Rogers. I'm surprised to realize that it's almost 60 years since I first met him (then going by his first name) in a dorm room at Stetson University. Ours paths crossed a good bit early on, less so as time went by into the 70's and 80's. So I am very, very grateful for this biography by Bruce Horovitz even if I'm puzzled why it took 27 years for someone to take up the task. Thank you!
However, this book is not quite what I hoped for when I heard of it at a song swap in Raleigh, North Carolina last week. Most importantly, I hoped to learn why his music and stories remain almost inaccessible for our times. As far as I can tell none of his recordings are available through conventional means — imagine in 2018 that the only access to Gamble Roger's legacy is printing out a form and mailing a check! There must be a reason for this unwillingness to enter the digital world. It seems to me that Mr. Horovitz should have explored that issue.
Nevertheless, we have here an otherwise very diligent effort that attempts to capture this unique man's life. We are better for it. Along with so many, many others I took his loss personally. It is a gift to be able to learn more about Gamble and his life.

[Mike Stewart · Rating 3 out of 5]

I saw Gamble Rogers perform at Applejack's in Jacksonville and at Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center back in the 70's. Both were memorable occasions. I especially recall his one-man guitar rendition of "The Orange Blossom Special" and his story of "The Honey Dipper." I really didn't know anything about him except for his tragic and heroic death and Jimmy Buffet's dedication of his album "Fruitcakes" to Gamble.
Bruce Horovitz's book is a suitable tribute to an exemplary man and a Florida legend - talented, erudite, kind, honest. In the words of a friend, "a gentleman and a gentle man." I wish I had met him.