Volume 1: Hello, I Must Be Going
ROCK & ROLL IS WASTED ON THE YOUNG. The year was 1970 and Zack Black & the Blues Attack was poised to be the hottest band in America. Radio loved them, demand for their record exceeded supply, and everywhere they played seats were sold-out. But when stardom seemed within their grasp, they let it slip away. Will Black thought that chapter of his life was closed forever. He had not been in touch with his former bandmates since he moved to New York some forty years ago. But now a mysterious woman has approached him with an unusual request: will he help her carry out her husband’s dying wish? Incredibly, Will finds himself tasked with putting the Blues Attack back together to prove to the world, and themselves, that they still have what it takes. But to do so means that the one-time friends will have to confront the secrets and lies that had contributed to their demise. Given a second chance, will they make the same mistakes? (Published by Black Opal Books)
Volume 2: Ball of Confusion
YOU THINK ROCK & ROLL NEVER FORGETS? TRY TELLING THAT TO WES KENNEDY, former bass player for Zack Black & the Blues Attack. Washed up at twenty-two, he found himself back in his hometown, wondering what became of his fifteen minutes of fame. For a few dizzying weeks, he had been a member of the hottest band in America. Now, they barely qualified as the answer to a question on Trivia Night at the Airport Lounge. But while Wes and his bandmates were reaching for the brass ring, their friends weren’t exactly standing still. And suddenly Wes felt like everybody he knew had it together except for him. Maybe the answer was the reinvent himself. And what better way for a middle class white kid to do that than to play black music. So move over James Brown, step aside Isaac Hayes, and make way Marvin Gaye... THERE’S A NEW SOUL BROTHER ON THE SCENE! (Published by Black Opal Books)
Volume 3: What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?
YOU CAN KICK THE BOY OUT OF THE BAND... Some fifty years after Zack Black & the Blues Attack broke-up, the surviving members still hadn't come to terms with it. For Wes Kennedy and Evan Bishop, it could have been yesterday. The wounds hadn't healed. Even their brief reunion hadn't turned out the way they had hoped, leaving them feeling more like has-beens than they did before. But things were different for Will Black ever since he met Audrey Taylor, Zack's beautiful and wealthy widow. You might say his life had landed "jelly side up." And now he was returning to his hometown after a long career as a working musician in New York City. While Evan saw it as another chance to hitch his wagon to Will's "star," Wes would never be satisfied standing in another man's shadow. The concluding volume in The Blues Attack Trilogy, What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life? answers all the questions they were raised in the previous two volumes. Like its predecessors, it is a mystery and a romance set in the world of music from the 1960s to the present. Rich in historic detail, it is a reminder of a time and scene that is unlikely to return. BUT YOU CAN'T KICK THE BAND OUT OF THE BOY! (Published by Exploding Stove Media)
Index
A novel doesn’t usually have an index. Nevertheless, here is a list of all the real people and bands I have woven into the story. Odds are you know many of them or may even be one Abbott, Martha Adams, Lee Alfred, Chuz Alwood, Bob Ayotte, John B&W Commonwealth, The Bartlett, Bill Battin, Clyde “Skip” Behm, Kenny Bendler, Bill Bergen, Polly Black, Marion Blackfoot, J.D. Bleak, Charlie Boerstler, John Bone, Bizzy Bradburn, Rich Brown, Frank “Hylo” Brown, Joel Brown, Sam Browne, Ivan Brunetto, Rick Bryant, Rusty Buckles, The Burgoon, Bill Burkey, Steve Caldwell, Benjamin “Pete” Capsoul Records Carey Family, The Carney, Gary Carroll, Billy Cars, The Cartier, Dwight Cataline, Glen Cavaliers, The Cavallaro, Carmen Chandlers, The Chatfield, Mark Chickadee Chickadoo Clapton, Eric Cody, Cliff Collura, Rick Corwin, Tim Cotton, Gene Cowan, “Yogi” Coyle Music Crowd Pleasers, The Cummins, Jeanne Curtis, Sonny D’Angelo, Beverly D’Angelo, Jeff Dailey, Chuck Daniels, Joe Dantes, The Darby, Susan Day, David Deffet, George DiCenzo, Derrick Dickess, Keith Donahue, Dane Douds, Terry Doycheff, Jim Dupree, Barbara (Lessler) Dyer, Marion Corey Ebb Tides, The Edicates, The Edmonds, Shepard N. Edwards, Teresa Ellis, Matt Epics, The Falcons, The Faulkner, Canaan Fedchock, John Fenholt, Jeff Ferneau, Frank Fifth Order, The Floyd, Bobby Flugge, Mark Foley Four Mints, The Four O’Clock Balloon, The Four Pharoahs, The Francis, Dean Francis, Fred Freed, Alan Fuller, Ray Garee, Jim Gargani, Joe Gawel, Colin Gears, The Gehrisch, Susie Georgia Crackers, The Getreu, Dave Gilbert, Billy Glover, Jim Godz, The Goldslager, Joe Graham, Billy Grayps, The Harewood, Dorian Harris, Jimmy Harrison, Herb Hawkins, Wendell Hayden, Barry Heisel, John Hickory Wind Hilditch, James “Jim” Hoon, Dave Horsefield-Carney, Michelle Howard, Arnett Hughes, Bob Hull, John Jeany, Pat Jenkins, Leroy Jesus Christ, Superstar Jesus Revolution, The John and Bill Johnson, Hawkins, Tatum & Durr Johnson, Susan Jones, Isham Kansas City Jammers Kesterson, Steve King, Joe Kirk, Rahsasan Roland Kluge, P.F. Kontras, Mike Lapse of Tyme, The Larson, Peter Lemon Pipers, The Lenker, Ted Lewis, David Linzell, Pete Longmire, Wilbert Loos, Jerry Luellen, Jim Lynch, Jim Lyons, Dave Lyrics, The Mabry, Kevin Mackey, Dick Marr, Hank Mather, Randy Maxted, Billy Mays, Marcy McGannon, Mike McIntosh, Ladd Michal, Scott Mobley, George Molland, Joey Moss, Bill Murphy, Tim Music Explosion, The Musicol Studios Newman, Matt Nichols (Ginnetti), Joey O’Shea, Shad Oberle, Pam Ocasek, Ric Ochs, Phil Ochsendorf, Bob Oestreich, Joe Ohio Express, The Orr (Orzechowski), Ben OSU Jazz Workshop, The Owen B Patterson, Don Payne, Bob Perry, Wayne PFFT Phoenix, Willie Pierce, Frank Poni-Tails, The Pooch, Willie Powell, Jim Powers (Ruggiero), Joey Powers, Dale Powers, Dave Price, Clem Primm, John Proctor, Yorke Rasor, Jerry Rebounds, The Revolvers, T.J. and the Robinson, George Andrew “Andy” Robinson, Teddy Rothrock, Deborah “Debbie” Royals, Sir Timothy and Rubin, Joseph Ruland, Brett & Amy Kesting Rupp, Jim Ryerson, Art Schoebelock, Dennis Schwab, John Scott, Helen & Billy Sears, Joe Selby, Chuck Sender, Jack C. Seymour, Mark & Clark Sharpnack, Ray Sheridan, John Shoaf, Mike Sidewinders, The Singing Socialists, The Sir Timothy and the Royals Skaggs, Ricky Smith, Al Smith, Andy Smith, Bob Smith, Jeff Smith, Sterling Snyder, Doug Soul Partners, The Soul Rockers, The Stickel, Mrs. Stine, H. William Stoltzman, Dick Strongbow Tatgenhorst, John Tatum, Art Tauber, Amber Ralls Taylor, G. Steve Taylor, Ronnie Thompson, Bob Toads, The Tonight Only Tooill, Mac Tremaine, Bill Twenty-One Pilots Ulrich, John Vadicans, The Van Auker, Terry Vanguards, The Wagner, Brady Waldo, Terry Walker, Gene Walmsley, Steve Walsh, Joe Watkins, Candice “Candy” Way, Pete Wayne, Dig Wayt, Phil Wehr, Lynn Wellman, Paul “Tiny Westside L.M.F. Whiteside, Norman Wiester, Vaughn Wilce, Jack Wildlife, The Wilkes, Terry William, Tommy Williams, Jeanette Wilson, Chuck Wilson, Mickey Wilson, Nancy Wogan, Mike Woods, Stevie Workman, Dave Yant, Martin Yer Lovin’ St. Bernard Yoakam, Dwight Young, Shelly Zinser, Tom