Black and white poster featuring vintage photos of African American musicians arranged in the shape of the state of Mississippi, with yellow text that reads 'BEFORE LOVE' and black text stating 'The African American Musicians Who Made The King.' The name 'Preston Lauterbach' is at the bottom left.

Preston Lauterbach has long since made a place for himself as the most valuable chronicler of African-American music as a fulcrum and a center of American culture. But here, with astonishingly detailed and serpentine storytelling, with no road of intellectual inquiry ever closed, he has outdone himself. And with humor, the cool eye of a hanging judge, and the flair of a dancer, he has lifted his ongoing argument to the realm of Mark Twain, Damon Runyon, Chester Himes, and Percival Everett.

―Greil Marcus, author of "Mystery Train," "Lipstick Traces," and "Folk Music"

Book cover titled "The Chitlin' Circuit and the Road to Rock 'N' Roll" by Preston Lauterbach. Features a vintage photo of a small roadside bar or restaurant with signs advertising beer, whiskey, and ice cream, surrounded by trees.
The book cover of "Bluff City" by Preston Lauterbach features a black and white photograph of a protest or rally with people holding signs that say "I AM A MAN." The title "Bluff City" is prominently displayed in large yellow and black text.
The book cover of "Bluff City" by Preston Lauterbach features a black and white photograph of a protest or rally with people holding signs that say "I AM A MAN." The title "Bluff City" is prominently displayed in large yellow and black text.
Book cover titled "Beale Street Dynasty: Sex, Song, and the Struggle for the Soul of Memphis" by Preston Lauterbach, featuring an illustration of an early 20th-century city street with brick buildings and vintage storefronts.
Book cover titled "Beale Street Dynasty: Sex, Song, and the Struggle for the Soul of Memphis" by Preston Lauterbach, featuring an illustration of an early 20th-century city street with brick buildings and vintage storefronts.
Book cover for 'Timekeeper: My Life in Rhythm' by Howard Grimes with Preston Lauterbach, featuring a black and white photo of a man playing drums and smiling.
Book cover for "Brother Robert: Growing Up with Robert Johnson" by Anny C. Anderson, featuring a black and white photo of a smiling young boy with a radio microphone in front of him.
Poster titled 'Spirit of the Century' featuring five men in suits standing beside a black car with a sign saying 'Our Own Story' and text at the bottom that reads 'The Blind Boys of Alabama with Preston Lauterbach.'