A soul singer from georgia who had found success mostly on the chitlin circuit, redding had never really played before. Some say its peak was in the 30s, some say it was after world war ii, and others say it was the time of the blues. Blacks had to work together to travel and vacation across the us with the help of the historic negro motorist green book, a collection of motels, gas stations, restaurants, and more. Now, music journalist preston lauterbach combines terrific firsthand reportage with deep historical research to offer a. The chitlin circuit was almost an entirely africanamerican phenomenon, says the author of the chitlin circuit and the road to rock n roll, preston lauterbach.
Leeds continues to inspire generations of musicians and music fans with his insights and innate hipness. The chitlin circuit was more than just music it nurtured comedians and was championed in the plays of august wilson but preston lauterbachs focus is on how the chitlin circuit. Its a surprising story by which i mean a littleknown one and memphis journalist preston lauterbach tells it with verve in the chitlin circuit. From the 1930s until the 1960s, the chitlin circuit had its heyday. Chitlins have become closely associated with black culture in the united states, although in fact they are. Highly recommended to anyone interested in the seedy history of american popular music. During the 1920s and 30s, tampa was a stop on the chitlin circuit. It is a rare look into a world little known to white america immediately following the civil rights movement. Chitlin circuit news newspapers books scholar jstor may 2008 learn how and when to remove this template message. The story of the chitlin circuits great performers before the civil rights movement, segregated american cities helped give birth to the chitlin circuit, a touring revue that provided employment. There was a time book by alan leeds, ahmir questlove. Chitterlings and chitlins recipe, whats cooking america.
Lauterbachs first book is a rocking read and a deserving tribute to the. His book is damned entertaining, a true page turner. The story of the chitlin circuits great performers before the civil rights movement, segregated american cities helped give birth to the chitlin circuit, a touring revue that provided. It is a wellresearched history of, well, of the road leading to what we know and love as rock n roll, but dont let wellresearched and history scare you away. In the late 50s and early 60s these tours were crucial to black artists. This started me thinking that, just as there is a circuit of venues today, perhaps there was the same in the early years of jazz, especially for africanamerican musicians in the days of segregation. The chitlin circuit referred to the grand tour of ever changing southern bars, taverns, holes in the wall, barbeque joints, and makeshift venues for dancing or simply those to showcase new black artists, while turning a substantial buck on the booze sold. The chitlin circuit was considered to be by, for, and about black people. Preston lauterbachs book the chitlin circuit and the road to rock n roll claims that the 1956 federal highway act, which led to blackowned businesses giving ground to americas first interstates, was a key element in its decline. Were talking about the black music businessblack performers, black audiencesrun by predominantly black businesspeople with a few whites in the mix. Comedian and professor wayne federman has spent his life studying the art and history of standup comedy. Jonathan yardley, washington post, the chitlin circuit, and the road to rock n roll, preston.
The chitlin circuit grew out of a time when black people were not allowed to perform at white establishments. Rock n roll a factstudded and exhaustively researched book does. Combining terrific firsthand reporting with deep historical research, preston lauterbach uncovers characters like chicago defender columnist walter barnes, who pioneered the circuit in the. Preston lauterbachs book the chitlin circuit and the road to rock n roll is a meticulously researched exploration of africanamerican night clubs and performance halls that began to form in the south during the 1930s. The chitlin circuit began to emerge in the 1930s, when touring dance bands, called territory bands, were filling the entertainment gap that had opened in the south after the great depression shuttered vaudeville theaters catering to people of color. Today, rock historian ed ward looks at two books, preston lauterbachs the chitlin circuit and the road to rock n roll and fever, susan whitalls biography of little willie john, one of the. In this riveting bookpart memoir, part history leeds weaves a wholly new and remarkable portrait of brown as an idiosyncratic iconoclast, determined artist, and forceful businessman. Book summary combining firsthand reporting with historical research, a music journalist provides a musical history of the birth of rock n roll in the black juke joints where james brown and b. The chitlin circuit a connected string of music venues, diners, juke joints, and theaters throughout the eastern and southern united states that catered primarily to african american audiences was created. An onion av club best book of 2011 the first history of the network of black juke joints that spawned rock n roll through an unholy alliance between vice and entertainment.
A conversation with chitlin circuit author preston. The chop suey circuit of chinese nightclubsprimarily in san francisco. Chitlin circuit preservation society museum dade city. This is a really good book on the history of the chitlin circuit, a collection of nightclubs throughout the south eastern and south central united states which featured africanamerican musicians and which, as the title suggests, played a major role in the development of rock n roll. The first history of the network of black juke joints that spawned rock n roll through an unholy alliance between vice and entertainment.
The chitlin circuit and the road to rock n roll, by preston lauterbach. A definitive account of the birth of rock n roll in black america, this book establishes the chitlin circuit as a major force in american musical history. The chitlin circuit was more than just music it nurtured comedians and was championed in the plays of august wilson but preston lauterbachs focus is on how the chitlin circuit for live music developed from the late 1930s and nurtured rock n roll from the early 1940s to the mid1950s. It shows how the early strolls and their black entrepreneurs really laid the groundwork for the infrastructure that would bring, first swing, then blues, then rock and roll, to. There is debate as to when the chitlin circuit peaked. Browns story is just one stop on music journalists lauterbachs rollicking history of forgotten promoters and performers on the loosely organized chain of dance halls, juke joints, and night clubs catering to black audiencesit became known as the chitlin circuit because chitterlings, the intestines of pigs, were a popular delicacy. The chitlin circuit was a collection of performance venues throughout the eastern, southern. Preston lauterbachs the chitlin circuit is about black music that was a. Chitlin circuit preservation society, dade city, florida. The author writes well and his research is very good. Today, rock historian ed ward looks at two books, preston lauterbachs the chitlin circuit and the road to rock n roll and fever, susan.
The chitlin circuit, by preston lauterbach, about pre. And the road to rock n roll from the worlds largest community of readers. Nightclubs black entertainers in the chitlin circuit venues that catered to black audiences. Before the civil rights movement, segregated american cities helped give birth to the chitlin circuit, a touring revue that provided employment for hundreds of black musicians. A tennessee author wants the world to know about the chitlin circuit and the importance it played in the history of american music today. The chitlin circuit, named for the hog intestines eaten by slaves for survival and considered a soulfood staple by some, was the network of mostly southern dance halls, nightclubs and movie theaters that made up a booming entertainment industry for the artists, audiences and promoters who had been shut out of the american mainstream by jim crow segregation. Chitlin circuit and the road to rock n roll youtube. This name also comes from the culinary history of black people, where they were. The chitlin circuit and the road to rock n roll, by preston.
Alan was a witness to the vibrant black music scene of the 60s and 70swhose book is both a memoir and a document of a lost world of sound. The era described extended from about 1930 to the mid 1980s. Chitterlings, also called chitlins, are pig intestines which are meticulously cleaned and then stewed or fried. James brown, the chitlin circuit, and me, documents this transitional era of american history. The chitlin circuit was a string of music venues in the south that sold chitlins and other soul food dishes. Lauterbachs rollicking history of forgotten promoters and performers on the loosely organized chain of dance halls, juke joints, and night. Of course, the chitlin circuit offered a platform for people who became famous, too, and one of them, little willie john, is the subject of a fine recent biography. The story of the chitlin circuits great performers. The chitlin circuit was a network of african american. Toba nurtured such performers as leonard reed and willie bryant, creators of the shim sham shimmy c.
By the late 1950s, chitlin circuit performers were breaking the barriers of segregation, and their muscular form of rock and roll became a national phenomenon. The informal circuit of juke joints and clubs patronized by african americans has long been called the chitlin circuit. The chitlin circuit, like tin pan alley and motown and other legendary music locations, is both a real and symbolic term for the onandoffagain venuesshoeboxsized bars, clubs, cafes and increasingly in the 21st century, casinos that support traditional rhythm and blues in a tenuous but tenacious thread through americas mostly. The story of the chitlin circuits great performers wfsu. James brown, the chitlin circuit and me is one of the most entertaining, informative and gripping memoirs ive ever read. Tampa bays musical history thrived during the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s, especially in the central avenue district.
Code switch this network of performance venues nightclubs, bars, juke joints and theaters formed during jim crow because black performers in the u. If youre interested in the history and origins of modern american music, this book. And the road to rock n roll in new york journal of books. The chitlin circuit by preston lauterbach, 9780393076523, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Preston lauterbachs the chitlin circuit and the road to rock n roll absolutely knocked me out.
Join him and fellow student, andrew steven, as they look back at some of standups most interesting moments, places, and people. Code switch this network of performance venues nightclubs, bars, juke joints and theaters. A behindthescenes look at the chitlin circuit during americans most vital period of soul musicfrom the eyes and ears of a young, jewish kid from queens who joined the team of the hardest working man in show business and learned the art of the music business at the hand of the performer who mastered it. A groundbreaking history of the black juke joints that birthed rock n roll. Listen to the history of standup on apple podcasts, stitcher, spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. According to national public radio, the chitlin circuit was a group of performance venues located mostly in the south that were safe and acceptable places for africanamerican musicians and entertainers to. Topics of plays were often farcical and overdramatic. The chitlin circuit, by preston lauterbach, about prerock black.
Walter barnes and the royal creolians, the first kings of the chitlin circuit most music critics, writers, historians, and aficianados in houston dont think this city has ever gotten. Little willie john really did have, as the subtitle of susan whitalls book has it, a fast life, mysterious death, and. The term chitlin circuit is derived from a popular item which appears on many southern soul food menus. Several cities and states would still find a way to discriminate against the negro traveler although it was made illegal in the civil rights act of 1875. The first history of the network of black juke joints that spa. Nelson george, an american author, columnist, music and culture critic, journalist, and filmmaker a behindthescenes look at the chitlin circuit during americans most vital period of soul music.