In the 1960s, the electric guitar became for boys what Barbie was for girls. Legions of bands formed, composed of teens making a ruckus in the garage. But who could have guessed how many world-renowned greats would arise from the clangor? Guitar gods came forth from Los Angeles, London, Chicago and Nashville. But there is a southern city often overlooked, an unlikely incubator that produced more than a dozen greats. Legends such as Dickey Betts, Dave Hlubek, Duane Allman, Jeff Carlisi, Mike Campbell and Derek Trucks emerged from Jacksonville, a far-flung city detached from the music hubs. Why did Jacksonville give rise to so many greats? Author Michael Ray FitzGerald explores the origins of this rocking story while paying tribute to the youngsters from Jax who joined the ranks of the guitar gods.
Michael Ray FitzGerald is a musician, media scholar and former university instructor from Jacksonville. He is the author of four books, including the award-winning Jacksonville and the Roots of Southern Rock, as well as Swamp Music, both of which examine the music and culture of North Florida. He has a master’s degree in media history from University of Florida and a doctoral degree in film and television from University of Reading (UK). He started writing music criticism in the mid-1980s for Jacksonville’s Southeast Entertainer and went on to write for more than thirty local, national and international publications, including the UK-based Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television. The president of Mighty Mackerel Media (www.mightymackerel.com), he is currently working in television development.