There Was a Time: James Brown, The Chitlin’ Circuit, and Me

“Alan Leeds used to be a protegé of James Brown and a real historian of the arena that nurtured the nice entertainer. Alan used to be a witness to the colourful black song scene of the ’60s and ’70s—whose e-book is each a memoir and a record of a misplaced international of sound.”—Nelson George, an American creator, columnist, song and tradition critic, journalist, and filmmaker

A in the back of-the-scenes have a look at the Chitlin’ Circuit all the way through American’s such a lot necessary length of soul song—from the eyes and ears of a tender, Jewish child from Queens who joined the workforce of the toughest operating guy in display trade and discovered the artwork of the song trade on the hand of the performer who mastered it.

Within the mid-’60s, Alan Leeds used to be a tender DJ in search of his method into the song trade. An interview with James Brown to advertise an area display in Virginia ended in a chance to advertise certainly one of Brown’s concert events, which then ended in Brown hiring him to lend a hand run his excursions. Quickly Leeds used to be dressed in many hats and touring across the usa as Brown battled a sophisticated internet of native promoters and executives, all too prepared to check out to tear him off.

On this riveting e-book—phase memoir, phase historical past—Leeds weaves a completely new and noteworthy portrait of Brown as an idiosyncratic iconoclast, decided artist, and forceful businessman. This can be a uncommon glance into an international little recognized to white The usa in an instant following the Civil Rights Motion. Leeds discovers that Brown is a fascinatingly complicated guy and their reports, each trade and private, vary from emotional to funny. The entire whilst, they navigate the sophisticated international of standard Black song in The usa, advised by way of any person who in truth lived it.

“Over the process his lengthy lifestyles in song as a excursion supervisor, archivist, author, and fan, Alan Leeds had a ringside seat for one of the largest moments in soul and funk historical past—from James Brown Within the sixties to Prince Within the eighties to D’Angelo Within the first years of the twenty first century. His eye for element and his abiding love for the song shine via On this affectionate, inspirational memoir. Alan is certainly one of my all-time heroes!”—Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson

“Alan Leeds is a type of cats that absorbs the placement & can recite it again to u phrase for phrase, at all times on aspect with main points & pictures. That may be what drew me nearer to staring at him, instead of his massive crimson Afro! All of us began with James Brown round the similar time. I did not realize what all Alan used to be doing on the time, however I knew if JB employed him he needed to be on Heel & Toe in any other case u were given to Blow! That used to be certainly one of JB’s well-known expressions to me whilst he used to be guffawing, however u knew he used to be critical. To these days, while Alan speaks approximately one thing that came about again in our JB days u can as regards to take it to the Financial institution! Thxs Mr. Leeds for serving to to maintain that funky & occasionally funked up historical past.”—Bootsy Collins