Peter Lee Neff, author of the first book on Fred Neil (songwriter for Harry Nilsson's "Everybody's Talkin'" and Jefferson Airplane's "Other Side Of This Life", among others) will be appearing at The Great Escape's West Nashville location at 5400 Charlotte Avenue to discuss Fred Neil's career, play unreleased music, and share ephemera from his archives on Thursday, August 22nd, 2019 from 7:00 p.m. – 9 :00 p.m.
Signed as a rockabilly artist in 1957, Neil recorded several singles while becoming a songwriter at New York's Brill Building. During this time, he became a formative figure in the emerging Greenwich Village folk music scene.Although not well known in the commercial sense as an artist, his influence on other artists was extensive, with artists like Stephen Stills, David Crosby, Joni Mitchell, Gram Parsons, John Sebastian (Lovin' Spoonful), Paul Kantner (Jefferson Airplane), Jerry Jeff Walker and many more citing him as an influence. Although he recorded three albums as a solo act between 1964 and 1970, he was reluctant to tour- and following his success as a songwriter with "Everybody's Talkin'" by Harry Nilsson, took up the cause of saving dolphins, and founded the Dolphin Research Project to further his interest in preventing the capture, trafficking and exploitation of dolphins worldwide. His third best-known song, "The Dolphins" focused on this subject, and was recorded by Linda Ronstadt, The Jefferson Airplane, Billy Bragg and It's A Beautiful Day, among others. As his interest in dolphins increased, his musical activities dropped off drastically, until he retired from music completely (except to play benefits for the cause that was his passion).
Neff's book, "That's The Bag I'm In: The Life, Music and Mystery Of Fred Neil" was released on August 8th. The book is a product of ten years worth of research and travel with close to two hundred interviews logged. It's the story of American popular music in what many consider it's most formative period—the late fifties, through the sixties and into the seventies. It's also the story of the human spirit . . . of rare talent, ambition, disillusionment, addiction, activism, tragedy, withdrawal and seclusion, and finally generosity and courage. Fred Neil is more than a footnote in music history, he was as important as Dylan and The Beatles in his time.
A musician for twenty-five years, author Peter Lee Neff grew up in South Florida, where he followed the burgeoning folk music scene in the mid-sixties, seeing Fred Neil perform, and eventually playing on the same stages that Fred did. Moving to Nashville in 1979, Peter continued playing music while writing movie reviews and presenting them as an on-air personality for WPLN, the NPR affiliate in Music City. As a filmmaker, several of his short films have won awards and been presented at numerous film festivals and fine art venues throughout the country. He and his wife, Dr. Anne Neff are bi-city residents, who split their time between Cleveland, Ohio, and Nashville, Tennessee.
WHO: The Great Escape Nashville Superstore
WHAT: Author Talk & Book Signing by Fred Neil book author Peter Lee Neff
WHERE: 5400 Charlotte Avenue in West Nashville (by Pep Boys & Burger King)
WHEN: THURS, 8/22 (7 p.m. – 9 p.m.)
THE GREAT ESCAPE CHARLOTTE AVENUE SUPERSTORE
(Buying-Selling-Trading: DVDs, CDs, Video Games, Comics, Toys, CCG, Gaming, Books, Magazines, Memorabilia & more!)
5400 Charlotte Ave. (Across from New Life Record Store, by Pep Boys, Burger King, Goodwill & Sir Pizza.)
615-385-2116
contactus@thegreatescapeonline.com
Open Monday-Saturday 10 a.m. - 9 p.m., Sunday 12 p.m. - 7 p.m.
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