About the Author

"Jim O'Donnell has a reporter's curiosity, a rock 'n' roller's heart, and he writes like a lyrical Irish poet." --Michael Lydon, a Founding Editor of ROLLING STONE Jim O'Donnell is a longtime music writer whose work is in the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame library in Cleveland. He received his first professional newspaper byline for a sports story in 1969. Since that time, his features, profiles, columns and essays have focused mostly on rock 'n' roll. His work has been syndicated in newspapers ranging from the San Francisco Chronicle to the Cleveland Plain Dealer to the Boston Herald. O'Donnell has written several books, including Queen Magic: Freddie Mercury Tribute and Brian May Interview and The Day John Met Paul, which was published by Penguin in several languages, ranging from Japanese to Czech to French. The Day John Met Paul is also available in an audio edition read by Rod Davis, a personal friend of John Lennon. O'Donnell has appeared frequently on CNN Radio and has done many television interviews. His biggest TV moment came when he didn't appear on the screen at all, but rather had his name show up in a Jeopardy question. The contestant answered correctly for $400. He holds a Master's Degree from St. Peter's College and studied journalism under New Journalism pioneer Richard Goldstein at New York University. He has also completed graduate courses in Creative Writing and the Teaching of Writing at Harvard University. Whether sitting front-row-center at an Eric Clapton concert in New York City, or standing front-row-center at the gates of Strawberry Field in Liverpool, O'Donnell has traveled the globe as a journalist for many years, searching out stories. He is a member of the Authors Guild, the Society of Professional Journalists and the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. He lives in New Jersey with his wife and three children.