Disappointed to learn that Hotel California isn’t actually in the phone book, radio producers Chris and Joe resolve to seek out the true spirit of rock and roll America. Roof down and stereo up, they drive coast to coast on a mission to ‘live the music’. It’s a tale of friendship tested to the limit, great melodies, and noble myths.

Roadtripping across the country has been a rite of passage for generations. From Jack Kerouac and Neal Cassady’s On the Road, to Easy Rider to Thelma and Louise, the journey is the destination, and in Frommer’s MTV US Roadtrips, the old school travel guides and cutting edge authors combine their talents and resources for 10 eclectic rides. Maya Kroth pursues the ‘cue from Austin to Charlotte in a Southern BBQ Roadtrip Ethan Wolff visits the Desert Southwest, on the trail of the first Americans Ashley Marinaccio stays at haunted hotels in search of the unexplained and paranormal, in the Weird Northeast. Our other authors go everywhere from Down the Shore, through the Urban Heartland, and on a tour of West Coast Underground Rock Clubs.

“A lighthearted, entertaining trip down Memory Lane” (Kirkus Reviews), Don’t Make Me Pull Over! offers a nostalgic look at the golden age of family road trips—before portable DVD players, smartphones, and Google Maps. The birth of America’s first interstate highways in the 1950s hit the gas pedal on the road trip phenomenon and families were soon streaming—sans seatbelts!—to a range of sometimes stirring, sometimes wacky locations. In the days before cheap air travel, families didn’t so much take vacations as survive them. Between home and destination lay thousands of miles and dozens of annoyances, and with his family Richard Ratay experienced all of them—from being crowded into the backseat with noogie-happy older brothers, to picking out a souvenir only to find that a better one might have been had at the next attraction, to dealing with a dad who didn’t believe in bathroom breaks. Now, decades later, Ratay offers “an amiable guide…fun and informative” (New York Newsday) that “goes down like a cold lemonade on a hot summer’s day” (The Wall Street Journal). In hundreds of amusing ways, he reminds us of what once made the Great American Family Road Trip so great, including twenty-foot “land yachts,” oasis-like Holiday Inn “Holidomes,” “Smokey”-spotting Fuzzbusters, twenty-eight glorious flavors of Howard Johnson’s ice cream, and the thrill of finding a “good buddy” on the CB radio. An “informative, often hilarious family narrative [that] perfectly captures the love-hate relationship many have with road trips” (Publishers Weekly), Don’t Make Me Pull Over! reveals how the family road trip came to be, how its evolution mirrored the country’s, and why those magical journeys that once brought families together—for better and worse—have largely disappeared.

In the fall of 1999, 23-year-old Simon hit the road on a journey that took her across the United States. Her inspired interviews with other young men and women suffering from manic depression comprise the heart and soul of this remarkable memoir.

(Book). In 1957, Buzz Cason formed The Casuals, one of the first rock bands in Nashville. Over the next four decades, he worked successfully as a performer, songwriter, producer, actor and recording studio pioneer. He wrote the hit song "Everlasting Love," published the award-winning songs "Honey" and "Little Green Apples," sang with Roy Orbison, Kenny Rogers, Brenda Lee and Jimmy Buffet, and recorded with such artists as Olivia Newton-John, Emmylou Harris, Merle Haggard and The Gatlin Brothers. This book is about freedom, adventure and, above all, music and the fun Buzz Cason has had being an integral part of it for almost 50 years. This book is an insider's view of the early days of rock'n'roll, from a man whose experiences influenced music history. Buzz's story is for everyone, from the aspiring young musician looking to break into the business as a performer or songwriter, to the fan, reflecting on life, music and dreams. Endorsed by Kris Kristofferson!

(Book). Foreword by Neil Peart. Talent, energy, dedication, discipline, passion, innovation, education, drive, mind, body, spirit, vision, honor, truth, and drums make the man: Kenny Aronoff. Voted by Rolling Stone magazine as one of the greatest drummers of all time, Aronoff is arguably the most sought-after recording and touring beat master ever. Ignited by the Beatles' appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1964, Aronoff's passion for drumming fervently grew and carried him from the kit in his childhood living room in the Berkshires to Bernstein at Tanglewood to Mellencamp, Etheridge, Fogerty, Smashing Pumpkins, the Rolling Stones, the Beatles his heroes and beyond. But none of this would have been possible without his fierce work ethic and unique approach to drumming an integration of all parts of his being, along with meticulous attention to note-for-note detail, feel, and what the song needs . Both a leader and a team player in the mission to realize a greater good an unforgettable recording, a riveting show Aronoff brings it every time. Through any setbacks heartaches, failures, injuries, or plain fatigue from the rigors of the biz Aronoff has stayed the arduous and wild rock 'n' roll course. His tale of what is possible with unrelenting dedication to one's bliss is an inspiration to all. Sex, Drums, Rock 'n' Roll! details Aronoff's youth in the Berkshires and the Midwest, from his early inspirations to his serious classical and jazz study, which gave him the foundation to be able to play anything. The failure of a first rock band in his early twenties had a silver lining: it freed him up for an audition that would change his life John Mellencamp. His work with Mellencamp catapulted Aronoff to the top of the charts with such hits as "Hurt So Good," "Little Pink Houses," and "Jack and Diane" and paved the way for session and recording work with droves of remarkable artists: Melissa Etheridge, John Fogerty, Bon Jovi, Stevie Nicks, Smashing Pumpkins, the BoDeans, Paul Westerberg, Celine Dion, Iggy Pop, Elton John, Bob Dylan, Alice Cooper, Brian Wilson, Meat Loaf, Joe Cocker, and countless others. In addition to his work as a world-famous recording and touring drummer, Aronoff finds time to be a dedicated teacher and has shared his expertise with students all over the world, teaching clinics for Tama and Zildjian. Heading into his fourth decade of rocking hard, Aronoff shows no signs of slowing down. Featuring rare photos, testimonials from major artists and from those who know him best, a chronology of live performances, a discography, and a foreword by Neil Peart, this book is the story of one of the greatest musicians of all time.

Some adventurous folks climb mountains, swim the English Channel, run the bulls at Pamplona, walk the Appalachian Trail, or sail around the world. Douglas Jewell found adventure through long-distance hitchhiking. This book chronicles three hitchhiking trips. Two coast to coast and back trips, in 1976 and 1994, lasted two months and covered 8,000 miles apiece. The 1989-'90 journey to the U.S. Virgin Islands and back included hitchhiking by yacht and sailboat. Douglas' exploits have had amusing, even comical moments, mixed with heartwarming interactions with downhome people and nature. There were threatening incidents, too, including gun-packing rednecks, sailing through a Perfect Storm, and getting trapped in a mountainous box canyon. Through perseverance, this Baby Boomer wrapped good and bad into life-altering experiences. Standing with thumb out and backpack on his back, the array of interesting characters he encounters in his travels is an intriguing cross section of real life Americana. DOUGLAS JEWELL realized at an early age that he was not one to follow the crowd. The status quo would not do. Despite excelling in school, the thought of a traditional 9 to 5 corporate existence had no appeal. Thus, at age 20, the creation of 'The List'. The list was 10 things to accomplish in life - live in a North Woods cabin, Florida, California and the Caribbean, work on a dairy farm, experience an extended visit to Australia and India or China, hitchhike across America, start and own a business, and find a women who would be a kindred spirit, best friend, and companion to the end of their days. Eight of those goals have been realized. The basis of his life has been "A man has only two things in life - his word and his work." His unshakable belief in that pledge has led him to adventures and accomplishments, as well as disappointment and hardships.