Rockin' Down the Highway: The Cars and People That Made Rock Roll

In the world of music, a car is inspiration, a symbol of freedom and style, and often a way to hit the road and get to the gig. From Robert Johnson’s “Terraplane Blues” to rapper Xzibit’s hit MTV show, “Pimp My Ride,” from pink Cadillacs and L’il Deuce Coupes and Roadrunners, cars have been a constant theme in rock-n-roll. Perhaps it’s because references to cars in American song are so pervasive that no one has ever attempted the daunting task of exploring the connection . . . until now.

In this beautifully produced volume, best-selling music writer Paul Grushkin draws on renowned photographers, lauded poster artists, and top private archives to present a thematic illustrated examination of the remarkable 50-plus-year synergy between rock music and motoring, from early R&B to surf to metal to punk to hip-hop. The result is astounding. Dozens of acclaimed photographers (including Steve Coonan, Jim Marshall, Henry Diltz, Glen E. Friedman, and Pamela Springsteen), illustrators (Stanley Mouse, Ed “Big Daddy” Roth, Darrell Mayabb, and Coop, among them), and poster artists (including Mark Arminski, Stainboy, and Kathleen Judge) have participated. Rockers like Elvis Presley, Eric Clapton, the Grateful Dead, Bruce Springsteen, Snoop Dogg, and Billy F Gibbons are just a few of the hundreds of artists whose associations with automobiles are celebrated here. The book is replete with anecdotes and commentary from famous musicians, as well as “ordinary” rock-n-rollers who’ve loved rock and cars equally with a passion.