around the world are, I am sure. Conroy was a New York Times best-selling
author of eleven novels and memoirs, an amazing storyteller, and a writer synony- mous with the South Carolina lowcountry, in and around his home in Beaufort. Conroy’s writings were more often than
not, “faction,” that is, fictional tales based very closely on his own life. A prime example is the aforementioned Great Santini, a novel based upon his often overbearing military fa- ther, the enigmatic USMC fighter pilot Col. Don Conroy, and his Southern belle wife, Peggy. Conversations often seems like a therapy
session for the siblings, with great detailed in- sights into life with father, along with a vari- ety of other insights into the author’s life. This volume is truly a special treat for Con-
roy’s legions of devoted fans, and a fine trib- ute to the late author.
-Michael Buffalo Smith
An Encyclopedia of South Carolina Jazz and Blues Musicians By Benjamin Franklin V (University of South Carolina Press) When this book
came across my desk, I was sure I was going to love it. It was one
of those rare cases where you can judge a book by its cover. It’s a beautiful cover and the whole idea of a comprehensive guide to the men and women who contributed to and defined blues and jazz music in my home state of South Carolina had me at “hello.” In An Encyclopedia of South Carolina Jazz
and Blues Musicians, Benjamin Franklin V documents the careers of South Carolina jazz and blues musicians from the nineteenth cen- tury to the present. The musicians range from the renowned (James Brown, Dizzy Gille- spie), to the notable (Freddie Green, Josh White), to the largely forgotten (Fud Liv- ingston, Josie Miles), to the obscure (Lottie Frost Hightower, Horace "Spoons" Williams), to the unknown (Vince Arnold, Johnny Wil- son). Of course, I am happy to say that several of my personal friends and acquaintances are profiled, including the great Greenville based blues man Mac Arnold, Little Pink Anderson (and of course his dad, the legendary Car- olina blues man Pink Anderson) and my buddy from Buffalo, harp man Freddie Vanderford. The book is organized alphabetically, from
Johnny Acey to Webster Young, and the en- tries include basic biographical information, South Carolina residences, career details, compositions, recordings as leaders and as band members, films, awards, Web sites, and lists of resources for additional reading. Franklin really went all out on this project.
He dug deep to ensure biographical accuracy to the greatest degree possible by consulting multiple historical records and documents. The research enabled him to correct misinfor- mation surrounding South Carolina's musical history for generations. Bravo! This book is a “must own” for any fan or scholar of Southern music or South Carolina history. Benjamin Franklin V is Distinguished Pro-
fessor Emeritus of English at the University of South Carolina. He holds a PhD from Ohio University and is the author of several books including Jazz and Blues Musicians of South Carolina: Interviews with Jabbo, Dizzy, Drink, and Others published by the Univer- sity of South Carolina Press.
- Michael Buffalo Smith
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