The Yacht Rock Book

The Oral History of the Soft, Smooth Sounds of the 70s and 80s

By: Greg Prato

Narrated by: Greg Prato

Length: 11 hrs and 2 mins

Publisher's summary

"It’s amazing that this style came to be. Can you imagine being a struggling musician back then? It must take an incredible amount of restraint to play that gently." (Fred Armisen, actor/comedian, from his foreword to this book)

Just what is "yacht rock", you ask? Perhaps the easiest description is music that would not sound out of place being played while carousing aboard a yacht back in the good old days. But these songs were also some of the top pop gems of the 1970s and '80s. And while some associate yacht rock’s biggest songs with one-hit wonder artists, several of rock’s most renowned artists fall under this category, too, including Fleetwood Mac, the Eagles, Steely Dan, Hall & Oates, The Doobie Brothers, Toto, and more.

Yacht rock seemed to have become extinct by the early 21st century…until a comedic video series, simply titled Yacht Rock, went viral and introduced captain’s hats and blazers to a whole new generation—as well as the emergence of a popular cover band, the Yacht Rock Revue, and of course, Jimmy Fallon’s on-air admiration of all things yacht rock.

Now, yacht rock is one of the most celebrated "yesteryear" styles of pop music, and has resonated with a new generation of musicians (including the Fred Armisen/Bill Hader-led Blue Jean Committee and soul/funk/electronica crossover act Thundercat). But despite all the hoopla, there has never been a book that told the entire story of the genre. Until now. Featuring interviews with many of the heavy hitters of the genre, including John Oates, Kenny Loggins, and Don Felder, The Yacht Rock Book leaves no sail unturned. This is the definitive story of the yacht rock’s creation, rise, chart-smashing success, fall, and stunning rebirth.

©2018 Greg Prato (P)2022 Greg Prato Writer, Corp.

Great content!

I found the Yacht Rock channel on Sirius XM about five years or so ago, and I listen to it all the time. I was really looking forward to this book when I saw it available. The content is great, and I love hearing input from so many of the heavy hitters of that era, and how the current revival came to be. My only critique albeit a small one would be for the author not to speak so quietly when pointing out reference material. I'm not sure if that is something one would normally do to portray a footnote or reference during an audiobook performance? I find this distracting. This is especially hard when I’m driving. When one of those sentences are spoken softly or with the turn of a head, it is difficult to hear for me. I don’t want to discourage others from selecting this title. It is possible that I’m being overly sensitive to this aspect. I’m just stating I would have enjoyed the performance more without that. Otherwise, this is very cool, and I would recommend checking it out!

Not What I Expected

Full disclosure: I didn’t listen to the entire book. I bought this to learn about Yacht Rock and it’s just not a good learning tool for someone who doesn’t know anything about Yacht Rock. This book is designed for fans who are already familiar with the artists, aesthetic, and sound of Yacht Rock. I couldn’t finish the book because the narrator’s voice, Greg Prato, was incredibly boring to listen to. He seemed really disconnected with the writing which is funny because he wrote it. Maybe if they got someone else to narrate, I could maybe give this book another chance.

Recognized voice

Love this guy Greg Prate.He can do grunge and yacht rock.Great author,narrator and music fan which matters.