Florida Book Awards, Bronze Medal for Florida Nonfiction
Florida Historical Society Charlton Tebeau Award
 
“The man who gave so much to others has now been properly documented in Bruce Horovitz’s insightful and, yes, loving biography.”—Folio Weekly Magazine
 
“This book is long overdue.”—Elmore Magazine
 
“Provides readers with a comprehensive biographical account of an important, yet relatively unknown, figure in Florida history.”—Florida Historical Quarterly
 
“It was lovely to be in a radio control room watching Gamble Rogers record music and talk segments. He always sent a smile right through the glass.”—Noah Adams, former cohost, NPR’s All Things Considered  
 
“A work of profound insight, hypnotic storytelling, and poetic style. It is the story of one artist’s commitment to his craft and passion but also a glimpse into a creative, alternative America. It offers indispensable clues into the mysteries of Rogers’s life, his art and all art, and the indefinable spirit of his country.”—David Masciotra, author of Mellencamp: American Troubadour  
 
“The music, magic, rapture, courage, compassion, and humor: Horovitz tells the whole story of Florida’s greatest troubadour.”—Bob Patterson, author of Forgotten Tales of Florida  
 
“A book like this should have been written long ago. Horovitz shows why Florida’s greatest troubadour remains so revered more than a quarter century after his untimely and tragic passing.”—Bob Kealing, author of Elvis Ignited: The Rise of an Icon in Florida  
 
“Preserves the legacy of Gamble Rogers. An important addition to the chronicles of folk music in the United States.”—Diane Diekman, author of Live Fast, Love Hard: The Faron Young Story  
 
Beloved raconteur, environmentalist, and down-home philosopher, Gamble Rogers (1937–1991) ushered in a renaissance of folk music to a place and time that desperately needed it. In this book, Bruce Horovitz tells the story of how Rogers infused Florida’s rapidly commercializing landscape with a refreshing dose of homegrown authenticity and how his distinctive music and personality touched the nation.  
 
As a college student, motivated by personal advice from William Faulkner to stay true to himself, Rogers broke away from his family’s prestigious architecture business. Rogers was a skilled guitar player and storyteller who soon began performing extensively on the national folk music circuit alongside Pete Seeger, Doc Watson, and Jimmy Buffett. He discovered a special knack for public radio, appearing frequently as a guest commentator on NPR’s All Things Considered.
 
Rogers was known across the country for his intricate fingerpicking guitar style and rapid-fire stage act. Audiences welcomed his humorous homespun tales set in the fictitious Oklawaha County, which was based on places from his own upbringing and populated by a cast of unforgettable characters. His stories evoked rural life in Florida, celebrated the state’s natural resources, and called attention to life’s many small ironies. As Florida was experiencing colossal growth embodied by the new Kennedy Space Center and Disney World, Rogers’s folksy style cheered and reassured listeners in the state who worried that their traditional livelihoods and locales were disappearing.
 
Horovitz shows that even beyond his genius as a performing artist, Rogers was loved for his compassion, integrity, connection with people, and courage. Rogers displayed these widely admired traits for the last time when—on a camping trip to the beach—he tried to save a drowning stranger despite back problems that made it almost impossible for him to swim. This heroic effort led to his untimely death.
 
The life of Gamble Rogers is a window into an important creative subculture that continues to flourish today as contemporary folk artists take on roles similar to the one Rogers established for himself. A modern-day troubadour, Rogers delighted in entertaining audiences with what was familiar and real—by championing the ordinary people of his home community who were closest to his heart.  
 
Bruce Horovitz is an award-winning journalist and entrepreneur with extensive experience in the nonprofit and business communities of Jacksonville, Florida.

Sample Chapter(s):

Table of Contents

Press Kit

Excerpt

Awards
Florida Book Award for Florida Nonfiction, Bronze - 2019
Florida Historical Society Charlton Tebeau Award -

There are currently no reviews available