Book Description

“One is struck . . . by how talented [Oates] was [and] how hard he worked at it. It took lots of effort to look that smooth to the tune of 80 million copies.” —Austin American-Statesman John Oates was born at the perfect time, paralleling the birth of rock ‘n roll. Raised in a small Pennsylvania town, he was exposed to folk, blues, soul, and R&B. Teaming up with Daryl Hall in the late 1960s, they developed a style of music that was uniquely their own. John uncovers the grit and struggle it took to secure a recording contract with the legendary Atlantic Records and chronicles the artistic twists and turns that resulted in a DJ discovering an obscure album track that would become their first hit record. This is not your typical rock and roll story. John was focused on creating great music. Along the way he achieved incredible success, battling the ever-changing pop music landscape and coming to terms with complex managerial, business, and personal challenges. Daryl Hall and John Oates have over 20 albums together, more than 60 million records sold, and 29 Top 40 hits. They are the most successful pop duo in the world and members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. And yet John’s story has never been told. Relying on his many hand-written journals, he brings to light many fascinating stories spanning his entire life with a journalist’s eye and a poet’s heart. “Fascinating. . . . Highly recommended for fans of Hall & Oates.” —Library Journal “Plenty of entertaining anecdotes.” —Publishers Weekly “An exceedingly entertaining, somewhat rueful chronicle of his life. . . . Andy Warhol, Michael Jackson, David Bowie, Lou Reed, Quincy Jones, Miles Davis, and Edgar Winter all make appearances.” —Booklist, starred review