#5 on Billboard Magazine's list of the Top Ten Music Books of 2018
New York, NY, January 1, 2019 - Celebrated music producer John Simon has produced some of the greatest rock 'n' roll ever recorded including The Band's Music From Big Pink, The Band, The Last Waltz; Janis Joplin's Cheap Thrills; Simon and Garfunkel's Bookends and the debut albums by Leonard Cohen and Blood, Sweat and Tears. His contributions to popular music have helped tell the story of a generation in the 1960s and 70s and now he is sharing his own.
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"WHEN JOHN SIMON JOINED THE BAND'S BROTHERHOOD HE FIT LIKE A GLOVE. I CAN'T IMAGINE ANOTHER RECORD PRODUCER IN THE WHOLE WORLD WHO COULD'VE MATCHED JOHN'S WORK ON MUSIC FROM BIG PINK AND THE BAND."
Robbie Robertson
In writing TRUTH, LIES & HEARSAY, Simon has created an invaluable memoir of the music revolution of the 1960s and 70s With his truly unique perspective on music and the music business, he has drawn on a lifetime of personal experiences including:
. On-the-spot accounts of the recording sessions for Music From Big Pink and The Band's 2nd album
. How his life changed after making a hit record of a song by Paul Simon that Paul didn't even like
. Witnessing the volatile personal dynamics while making Cheap Thrills by Big Brother & The Holding Company featuring their brand-new vocalist, Janis Joplin
. Life in Woodstock, before the Festival, when it was just a small town safe-haven for musicians
. Behind-the-scenes at The Last Waltz
. Writing ballet scores for legendary choreographer, Twyla Tharp
. On the road with Blues Master, Taj Mahal
More Praise:
"John Simon has always been one of our most musical producers, a mix of musical and social skills. Part arranger, part psychiatrist, part instrumentalist, part pure music lover, part camp counselor."
John Sebastian
"Simon's role with The Band was particularly crucial, and some of the most fascinating portions in his book detail its creation. Throughout, Simon strikes a tone that's droll and engaging."
Jim Farber
"In the late 1960s, John Simon may have had the keenest ear of any record producer. He also had the most open heart, the most self-deprecating ego. That is why, moving on from the fellowship of the Band, he was able to make his way through the music business without accusations of betrayal, manipulation, and theft trailing behind him, and why he could write a book without a hint of rancor, complaint, whine or resentment... He tells his stories as if you could have been right there with him"
Greil Marcus
And First Reports From Readers:
- "Imagine being stuck on the tarmac for six hours, you turn to the stranger next to you and he begins to tell you the most interesting tales you have ever heard... Time goes by and you never even realize it. That is this book. I couldn't put it down."
- "I chuckled, smiled and laughed out loud. I liked it so much I bought 2 copies to give as gifts."