Shane Brown

Bobby Darin Shane Brown

During a career of seventeen years, cut short at the age of thirty-seven, Bobby Darin did it all. He recorded well over five-hundred songs ranging from jazz and swing through to folk, rock 'n' roll, and virtually everything in between; was a composer of dozens of songs and film scores; played piano, guitar, harmonica, drums, and the vibraphone; was a record producer; made over two-hundred television appearances; was an Oscar-nominated actor; hosted his own variety show; and was hailed as one of the greatest live performers of his time. "Bobby Darin: Directions" covers all of these facets of Darin's career, but tells its story through his recordings, taking the reader session by session, song by song, on a journey from his first tentative session in 1956 through to his final one in 1973. This significantly expanded and revised edition of 2015's "A Listener's Guide" provides a commentary on Darin's vast and varied body of work, while also examining in detail how he, his recordings, films, and television and live performances were discussed in newspapers, magazines, and trade publications from the 1950s through to the 1970s. The text draws on nearly 600 contemporary articles and reviews, telling for the first time how Bobby's life and career played out in the printed media, and often forces us to question our understanding of both the man and his music. Perfect for both dedicated fans and those approaching Darin's work for the first time, this is the ultimate book on the career of one of the most electrifying performers of his time, and includes over one hundred black and white illustrations. Shane Brown has a PhD in Film, Television and Media, and is the author of Reconsider Baby - Elvis Presley: A Listener's Guide, Queer Sexualities in Early Film, and three novels.