Book Description

"You Don't Know Me" is the fascinating memoir of Stormin' Norman Seldin, the influential musician, band leader, songwriter, arranger, producer, promoter and record label owner. Norman's music career transcends the genres of rhythm & blues, doo wop, soul, jazz, rock & roll, pop and rock music and his life stories go way beyond his involvement in music. Norman began playing piano at age three and fronted his first band by the age of twelve. Norman's strong influence helped shape the emerging Asbury Park rock scene of the 1960's that became known worldwide as the Jersey Sound. As a teenage dance and concert promoter he brought together many of the early bands like the Castiles, Motifs, DuCanes, Sonny & the Starfires and Jaywalkers that produced rock luminaries like Bruce Springsteen, Vini Lopez, Doc Holiday, Billy Ryan, Mickey Holiday, Vinnie Roslin and others. Norman hired and recorded Clarence Clemons prior to Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band. In doing so, he broke the color barrier in Jersey shore clubs. In soul music, Norman discovered Harry Ray before Ray Goodman & Brown. In doo wop music, Norman managed acts like Larry Chance & the Earls and produced numerous concerts by Nicky Addeo, Vito & the Salutations, Shells, Duprees, Danny & the Juniors, Belmonts, Olympics and countless others. He recorded doo wop groups like the Darchaes, Uniques and Shondelles. This barely scratches the surface of a career that went from New Jersey to Mississippi to Florida and back. But accomplishments alone don't make for a great read. There has to be a storyline to draws readers in. While music is woven through the fabric of every paragraph, this book is not really about music. It's about one man's determination to overcome adversity while living by his own terms. Whether racing horses, surviving health crises or fighting discrimination, Norman Seldin "stormed" his way through each situation. This book is the life story of Stormin' Norman Seldin. Music is just Norman's companion. Norman found early on that in an imperfect world, real music is pure. In a world full of discord, Norman found harmony.