Ed Ward has been the "rock & roll historian" for Terry Gross and Fresh Air since that show's inception, and has contributed over 500 stories to it. He is also a founding director of the South by Southwest Music and Media Conference; wrote one-third of Rock of Ages: The Rolling Stone History of Rock & Roll, in 1986; was the Central European cultural correspondent for the Wall Street Journal for seven years; and was on one of the early staffs at Rolling Stone. He lives in Austin, Texas. Billy F. Gibbons is the guitarist and lead vocalist of ZZ Top. He lives in Los Angeles.
"A riveting tale of a restless spirit." Rolling Stone
"In this chronicle of a life found and lost, Ed Ward writes with
deep empathy, and also with a hard-boiled patience that burns off
all sentiment. It is the perfect tone for a story Ward never tries
to make bigger than it is, so that finally it makes terrible and
final sense." Greil Marcus, author of The History of Rock 'n' Roll
in Ten Songs and Mystery Train
"Michael Bloomfield was brilliant, troubled, flawed, charming, and
dauntingly influential, and Ed Ward adeptly balances his strengths
and weaknesses, creating a picture of a man who was all too in tune
with a complicated time." Elijah Wald, author of Dylan Goes
Electric! and Escaping the Delta
"With all due respect to Eric Clapton, B.B. King, Albert King,
Buddy Guy, Johnny Winter, and so many others who are in the
pantheon of blues greats, in this white Jew's opinion, Michael
Bloomfield was simply the best blues guitarist I've ever heard."
Rob Reiner, filmmaker and actor
"Michael Bloomfield was such a unique and mercurial character is
was like handling hot coals in your mind. You should get to know
him because the people that knew him, loved him. His guitar playing
was beautiful. His heart and soul were as big as it gets. This
remembrance brings to life the amazing story of a young Jewish kid
from Chicago's North Side whose unique style of improvisational
guitar led the world into the modern age of blues and rock. Hey,
folks, he was historic." Nick Gravenites, singer and songwriter
"A brilliant biography of the ethereal Chicago blues guitar giant
who shook the walls down in the '60s and '70s with his soaring art.
There is a mother lode of fresh rock 'n' roll history in these
pages. The discography alone is worth the price of admission.
Highly recommended!" Douglas Brinkley, author of Rightful Heritage
and The Wilderness Warrior
"[A] terrific book, which charts the course of Bloomfield's life
and career with style, detail and insight." Chicago Tribune
"Ed Ward tells Bloomfield's story in compelling fashion, often
pointing to the great tracks people may not know about." Counter
Punch
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