We are thrilled to welcome local author and friend, Robert Darden, into the shop to talk about his latest book Soon And Very Soon! He will be joining us for a conversation and book signing on Thursday, September 18th at 7PM.

About the Book:

The first biography of arguably the most influential gospel artist of the 20th century, brought to life through interviews with his collaborators, friends, and family

Gospel singer and seven-time Grammy winner Andrae Crouch (1942-2015) hardly needs introduction. His compositions-"The Blood Will Never Lose Its Power," "Through It All," "Jesus is the Answer," "Soon and Very Soon," and others-set the gold standard for gospel music and remain staples in modern hymnals today. He is often spoken of in the same "genius" pantheon as Mahalia Jackson, Thomas Dorsey, and the Rev. James Cleveland and was lauded as "the foremost gospel singer of his generation" by former President Barack and First Lady Michelle Obama upon his death in 2015.

In Soon and Very Soon, Authors Robert Darden and Stephen Newby celebrate the countless ways that Crouch indelibly changed the course of gospel and popular music.

To illuminate the vivid world in which Crouch lived, Darden and Newby include interviews with surviving musicians, collaborators, friends, and family members, complete with musical analysis of Crouch's compositions and lyrics. As a major intervention in gospel and popular music studies, Soon and Very Soon tells the fascinating and dynamic story of one of the true giants in American popular music.

About the Authors:

Robert F. Darden is Emeritus Professor of Journalism at Baylor University and the founder of the Black Gospel Music Preservation Project. He is the author of more than two dozen books and former Gospel Music Editor for Billboard magazine.

Stephen M. Newby holds the Lev H. Prichard III Endowed Chair in the Study of Black Worship as Professor of Music and serves as Ambassador for Black Gospel Music Preservation at Baylor University.