By the time of Good Old Boy's release on September 10, 1974, Randy Newman had established himself as a revered cult figure and critical favorite. But fueled by its controversial opening track, “Rednecks,” his ambitious concept album about the American South became Newman’s first hit — and over the following decades, its reputation has only continued to expand.
Song of the South: Randy Newman’s Good Old Boys traces the evolution of Newman’s album from its roots in an abandoned project titled, "Johnny Cutler’s Birthday,” recounts his arduous journey to bring his reimagined concept to fruition; catalogs its cast of misfits and misanthropes; and explores its central themes in the context of Newman’s half-century-long career.
It’s a compelling story enhanced by the author’s personal interviews with the key members of Newman’s production team, as well as by his unique access to previously unavailable material.
