Waiting for a Train: Jimmie Rodgers's America edited by Mary E. Davis and Warren Zanes

In a brief and brilliant career that lasted barely seven years, Jimmie Rodgers reigned as one of America's first music superstars. From the summer of 1927, when he made his initial recordings with Ralph Peer in Bristol, Tennessee, to May 1933, when, fighting tuberculosis, he cut his last records in New York City, Rodgers created a string of hits that define American music. Blending white country, black blues, Tin Pan Alley song, traditional ballads and his signature yodels, he captured the spirit and sound of his generation while heralding the musical styles and genres that would prevail long after his death.

This book grows from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum's American Music Masters series, which honored Rodgers in a week of events focused on his life and legacy. With contributions from a range of scholars, critics, and musical artists, it offers new perspectives on Rodgers, his music, and his influence, bringing "America's Blue Yodeler" and his uniquely American gifts into fresh relief.

Contributions by: Dave Alvin; John Biguenet; Rodney Crowell; Mary Davis; Bob Dylan; Steve Forbert; Holly George-Warren; Joe Henry; John Langford; Bill Malone; Barry Mazor; Jocelyn Neal; Diane Pecknold; Tom Piazza; bart plantenga; Nolan Porterfield; Tom Russell; David Sanjek; Marty Stuart; Nick Tosches; Charles Wolfe; Ben Yagoda; Warren Zanes