Scott B. Bomar – författare

From Memphis grit to Philly smooth, The Story of Soul in 50 Songs takes readers inside the grooves that transformed American music from 1959 to 1974. The Story of Soul in 50 Songs is a richly illustrated, rhythmic journey through some of the most powerful and influential music of the twentieth century. Spanning the period 1957 to 1974, it brings together pioneering, gospel-inspired early releases by Sam Cooke and Ray Charles with era-defining anthems by Aretha Franklin and Otis Redding. It delves into the social consciousness of James Brown, Marvin Gaye, and Curtis Mayfield, while exploring a range of sounds that covers everything from Etta James’s funky grit to the Spinners’ smooth urban grooves. Blending musical insight with social history, award-winning author Scott B. Bomar guides readers through a carefully curated selection of tracks that define the sound and the spirit—the passion, protest, heartbreak, and celebration—of soul, revealing how these songs transcended the charts to help shape the culture of the time, and why they still resonate so powerfully today. Learn the stories behind such seminal, generational recordings as “Dancing in the Street,” “A Change Is Gonna Come,” “In the Midnight Hour,” “I Heard It Through the Grapevine,” and “Respect Yourself.” Meet the artists, producers, songwriters, and musicians whose songs gave voice to joy and struggle, and whose records changed the landscape of popular music. Explore the world of soul through more than 250 vivid images, including record label artwork, vintage concert posters, and archival photographs.

Wanda Jackson's debut single, "You Can't Have My Love," reached the Top 10 while she was still a sixteen-year-old high school student. She hit the road after graduation, playing package shows with Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Elvis Presley, who gave Wanda his ring and asked her to be "his girl." With Presley's encouragement, the Oklahoma native began recording rock music, often releasing singles with country on one side and rock on the other during her decade-and-a-half tenure on Capitol Records. Known for her energetic stage shows and pioneering presence as a female artist, Wanda stormed the charts with a series of hit singles, including "Let's Have a Party," "Right or Wrong," and "In the Middle of a Heartache." With more than 40 albums to her credit, Wanda has proven to be an enduring and genre-defying legend of American music. In Every Night is Saturday Night, Wanda tells her own story of getting discovered by Country Music Hall of Famer Hank Thompson; shy she refused to return to The Grand Ole Opry for more than fifty years; the challenges she and her integrated band, The Party Timers, faced in the early 1960s; finding the love of her life; her recent work with rock luminaries Jack White and Joan Jett; and how her deep faith has sustained her over more than seven decades of rocking, shocking, and thrilling audiences around the globe.