Big Joe Turner: Shouter of Early Rock

A Definitive Musical Biography Tracing Big Joe Turner's Journey from Jazz Age Bars to Global R&B's Legend

De: Kevin S.W. Baxter

Narrado por: Virtual Voice

Born in Kansas City in 1911, Big Joe Turner transformed the pulse of American music. From the smoky bars of Twelfth Street to Carnegie Hall and Atlantic Records, his thunderous voice carried the rhythm of the blues into the age of rock and roll. This definitive biography follows his life in full—his early gospel roots, his partnership with pianist Pete Johnson, and his explosive performances that bridged swing, jump blues, and the emerging language of modern popular sound.

Drawing from archival interviews, recording notes, and eyewitness accounts, Big Joe Turner: Shouter of Early Rock chronicles the evolution of a singer whose timing and power set new standards for musical expression. The book traces Turner’s rise from singing bartender to national star, his iconic performance at John Hammond’s From Spirituals to Swing concert, and his groundbreaking Atlantic sessions that birthed “Shake, Rattle and Roll.” Through changing eras—jazz’s golden age, wartime dance halls, R&B’s ascent, and the rock explosion—Turner’s booming delivery remained the unshakable heartbeat of American rhythm.

Beyond the music, this biography captures Turner’s humanity: his friendships with Count Basie and Ruth Brown, his humor and humility, his resilience through health struggles and shifting cultural tides. It situates his art within the broader history of Black creativity and labor, revealing how his voice carried both the exuberance and endurance of his time.

This book restores Turner’s rightful place among America’s most influential artists. His life mirrors the transformation of the nation’s sound—from segregated clubs to international stages—and reminds readers that the roots of rock, soul, and rhythm still echo in one man’s shout. A story of artistry, survival, and cultural legacy, it is the definitive portrait of the voice that shook the world.