What do Charlie Rich, Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan, Joe Cocker, Rod Stewart, Paul Simon, Burt Reynolds, Bob Seger, Liza Minelli, Donny Osmond, Jerry Lee Lewis, Steve Winwood, Paul Anka, Wayne Newton, Kris Kristofferson, Johnny Rivers, Cat Stevens, Boz Scaggs, Ronny and the Daytonas, The Hombres, Clarence Carter, The Osmonds, Wilson Pickett, J.J. Cale, Bobby Womack, Leon Russell, Luther Ingram, Jim Capaldi, Canned Heat, Percy Sledge, Candi Staton, Simon & Garfunkle, Blackfoot, Mary MacGregor, Kim Carnes, Dr. Hook, Foxy, Mac Davis, Rita Coolidge, Andy Williams, Peter Yarrow, Traffic, and Will McFarlane all have in common?
The answer is Jerry Masters! Jerry started his music career playing bass for the great Charlie Rich and before the first decade was over he had moved on touring with Ronny and the Daytonas supporting the hit song, Little GTO. From the musicians of that group he went on to form The Hombres who had the hit song, Let It All Hang Out, a song that has experienced a revival on You Tube and on the hit TV show, Cold Case.
With over 50 years in rock music, Jerry Masters went from sixties rock star to recording engineer, working with many of the most recognized performers in the world. He mixed and engineered some of the greatest songs and recordings of our time.
Jerry then moved on to make Rock and Roll history with the remarkably creative folks at Muscle Shoals Sound. Were it not for the incredible work at that North Alabama recording studio Rock Music would have a huge hole in its history. Jerry reinvented himself in the seventies and went from playing music to creating music with the greatest entertainers and musicians in the business. He quickly became one of the best recording engineers to sit at a console.
Jerry's new book is a fabulous and fun read. While the news and the music magazines may have told you what the publicists and the handlers of the stars wanted you to know, Jerry shares wonderful behind the scenes stories of working with the world's greatest stars. This is not a "dirt" book or "tell all." It is clear in every chapter that Jerry had great respect and became dear friends with most all of the people he worked with in music. In fact he rat's himself out more than anything and shares honestly how he made his way through the alley's of the rock scene and survived.
Hanging From A Tree By My Knees is a wonderful journey through the back door of Rock Music where we get to see how the people we don't know made success possible for the names we do recognize. Jerry Masters was just one of those hidden treasures and man what a ride he had.
