The Third and Forgotten King of the Blues
Now that music has gone digital, I really miss the days of thumbing through my record collection and finding that album I’d forgotten about. Just recently, I was recently sorting through my dusty CDs and ran across my beloved copy of “The Best of Freddie King.” The only reason this had gone to the back […]
90 Years Ago, Roscoe Arbuckle Should Have Stayed Home
This Labor Day weekend marks the 90th Anniversary of the fateful trip to San Francisco that led to the downfall of one of Hollywood’s first major stars. Silent film comedian Roscoe Arbuckle booked three rooms at the St. Francis Hotel, where he threw a grand party full of beautiful girls and bootleg whiskey. Sometime during the […]
Honey Boy Edwards Was the Real Deal
Honey Boy Edwards died Monday at the age of 96. He toured and played up until the end. I got to meet and see him play numerous times in Mississippi. I was even featured in a documentary on his life — “Honey Boy” — about ten years ago. He traveled with Robert Johnson and played […]
Paul Newman Drinks Coffee and Tries on Mustaches
A few weeks ago, I posted an advertisement with one of my favorite actors — Steve McQueen — selling cigarettes. A few people asked me about my other favorite actors doing commercials. Here’s Paul Newman selling Maxwell coffee in Japan. For some reason coffee goes really good with a nice mustache on the side.
Johnny Cash 1963
Nick Travers Returns
Earlier this month, we released CROSSROAD BLUES on kindle to see who’d be interested in following the adventures of Nick Travers on these crazy devices. Well, the month isn’t even over and the response has been pretty incredible. We’re looking forward to releasing the second Nick Travers story — LEAVIN’ TRUNK BLUES — in September, […]
Elmore Leonard in Rare Photos
I’ve long considered Elmore Leonard one of the greatest American writers. At 85, he’s still the hippest writer working today. I just stumbled upon this photo slide show of key moment’s Elmore’s life. His newest novel — RAYLAN — will be out this spring and I hear a new Western is in the works.
Author Walks Tall
Much thanks to Associated Press writer Chris Talbott for taking time out from interviewing country music superstars Glenn Campbell and Jamey Johnson, to spend time with me in Adamsville, Tennessee. Chris and I met up at the Buford Pusser Museum there to talk a little about The Ranger, Burt Reynolds movies, and Spenser, too. A […]
Steve McQueen Unaware Cigarettes Aren’t Cool
Since I’m hard at work on the sequel to The Ranger, I don’t have a lot of extra time to blog. As I continue to write, please enjoy this collection of ads Steve McQueen did for Viceroy cigarettes during his Wanted: Dead or Alive days. I still don’t know what a thinking man’s filter means […]
Nick Travers Goes Electric!
Muddy did it in ’45.Dylan did it in ’65.And now Nick Travers has gone electric. For the first time, all the Nick Travers’ novels will be available on kindle. You might have seen those funny Etch A Sketch looking things on planes. Now all four Nick Travers’ books will be available for download at amazon.com. […]