It Aint Easy: Long John Baldry and the Birth of the British Blues

Long John Baldry is considered the father of the ''60s British blues movement. Drawing on intimate anecdotes from Baldry''s legendary friends, lovers, and peers, author Paul Myers uncovers the man behind the mythic persona. An entire generation of British rock legends flourished under Baldry''s tutelage, and "It Ain''t Easy" features exclusive personal recollections from artists such as Sir Elton John, Rod Stewart, Eric Clapton, Sir Paul McCartney, John Mayall, and Mick Fleetwood, as well as interviews with renowned music industry insiders like songwriter/producer Tony Macaulay, Yardbirds manager Giorgio Gomelsky, ex-Rolling Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham, filmmaker Cameron Crowe, and others. Extensively researched, "It Ain''t Easy" traces Baldry''s extraordinary life from his birth during the London Blitz, to his discovery of black American music, to the sexual revolution, to the musical and social upheaval of the 1960s and ''70s, and to his eventual happy retreat to the tranquility of Canada''s Pacific Coast.

Paul Myers is a journalist, broadcaster, and musician whose work has appeared in a wide variety of publications. He is the author of Barenaked Ladies: Public Stunts, Private Stories. An accomplished songwriter, guitarist, and music producer, he is also the former leader of the Gravelberrys. He lives in Berkeley, California.