'Darryl Bullock's timely biography - delightfully cheering' Alexander McCall Smith, Guardian Madame Jenkins couldn't carry a tune in a bucket: despite that, in 1944 at the age of 76, she played Carnegie Hall to a capacity audience and had celebrity fans by the score. Her infamous 1940s recordings are still highly-prized today. In his well-researched and thoroughly entertaining biography, Darryl W. Bullock tells of Florence Foster Jenkins meteoric rise to success and the man who stood beside her, through every sharp note. Florence was ridiculed for her poor control of timing, pitch, and tone, and terrible pronunciation of foreign lyrics, but the sheer entertainment value of her caterwauling packed out theatres around the United States, with the 'singer' firmly convinced of her own talent, partly thanks to the devoted attention from her husband and manager St Clair Bayfield. Her story is one of triumph in the face of adversity, of courage, conviction and of the belief that with dedication and commitment a true artist can achieve anything. With a major Hollywood movie about her life out now (starring Meryl Streep, Hugh Grant and Simon Helberg), the genius of Florence Foster Jenkins is about to be discovered by a whole new audience. 'The first full biography of Foster Jenkins' Clemency Burton-Hill, BBC 'Listening to her pathetic bleating is something like eavesdropping on a padded cell inmate' Billboard magazine
‘Lovingly detailed and exhaustively researched – easily the most readable and comprehensive guide I've seen to this fascinating hidden history’ Tom Robinson, musician, broadcaster and long-time LGBT rights activist From Sia to Elton John, Dusty Springfield to Little Richard, LGBT voices have changed the course of modern music. But in a world before they gained understanding and a place in the mainstream, how did the queer musicians of yesteryear fight to build foundations for those who came after? Pulling back the curtain on the colourful world that shaped our musical and cultural landscape, Darryl W. Bullock reveals the inspiring and often heartbreaking stories of internationally renowned stars, as well as lesser-known names, who have led the revolution from all corners of the globe. David Bowie Made Me Gay is a treasure trove of moving and provocative stories that emphasise the right to be heard and the need to keep up the fight for equality in the spotlight.
‘Lovingly detailed and exhaustively researched – easily the most readable and comprehensive guide I've seen to this fascinating hidden history’ Tom Robinson, musician, broadcaster and long-time LGBT rights activist From Sia to Elton John, Dusty Springfield to Little Richard, LGBT voices have changed the course of modern music. But in a world before they gained understanding and a place in the mainstream, how did the queer musicians of yesteryear fight to build foundations for those who came after? Pulling back the curtain on the colourful world that shaped our musical and cultural landscape, Darryl W. Bullock reveals the inspiring and often heartbreaking stories of internationally renowned stars, as well as lesser-known names, who have led the revolution from all corners of the globe. David Bowie Made Me Gay is a treasure trove of moving and provocative stories that emphasise the right to be heard and the need to keep up the fight for equality in the spotlight.
From Sia to Elton John, from Billie Holiday to David Bowie, LGBT musicians have changed the course of modern music. But before their music--and the messages behind it--gained understanding and a place in the mainstream, how did the queer musicians of yesteryear fight to build foundations for those who would follow them? David Bowie Made Me Gay is the first book to cover the breadth of history of recorded music by and for the LGBT community.Darryl W. Bullock reveals the stories of both famous and lesser-known LGBT musicians, whose perseverance against the threat of persecution during decades of political and historical turmoil--including two world wars, Stonewall, and the AIDS crisis--has led to some of the most significant and soul-searching music of the last century. Bullock chronicles these struggles through new interviews and archival reports, dating from the birth of jazz in the red-light district of New Orleans, through the rock 'n' roll years, Swinging Sixties, and disco days of the '70s, right up to modern pop, electronica, and reggae. An entertaining treasure-trove of untold history for all music lovers, David Bowie Made Me Gay is an inspiring, nostalgic, and provocative story of right to be heard and the need to keep the fight for equality in the spotlight.
Raised in poverty on an Iowa farm, the Cherry Sisters had little education and no training. But they possessed a burning desire to take to the stage and show the world what they could do--and what they could do was awful. Their unique act was "so bad it was good." When the sisters took the stage, they were met with rotten fruit and vegetables, festering meat, dead cats… Riots often broke out after (and sometimes during) their concerts, but they carried on, changing attitudes--and laws--along the way. This book follows the five women through their forty-year career in vaudeville theaters across the U.S. Proud, fearless and fiercely independent in a time when women were treated as second-class citizens, the Cherry Sisters insisted that their voices be heard.
Winner of the prestigious Penderyn Music Book Prize 2022 In the fifties and sixties, in the period leading up to the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality and the founding of the Gay Liberation movement, a group of gay men behind the scenes of rock'n'roll was changing pop, politics and society for good. Through a mix of new interviews and contemporary reports, Darryl W. Bullock shines a light on the lives of the so-called 'Velvet Mafia', including impresario Larry Parnes, Beatles manager Brian Epstein, songwriter Lionel Bart, record producer Joe Meek, and Bee Gees and Cream manager Robert Stigwood. Compelling and enlightening, The Velvet Mafia explores how the LGBT professionals at the heart of the music industry were working together and supporting each other at a time when being homosexual could mean the end of your career - or much worse.
Author of the Penderyn Prize-winning The Velvet Mafia Fifty years on from Britain's first Pride march, the long road to LGBT equality continues. Through protest songs and gay club nights, street theatre activism and fundraising concerts, the performing arts have played an influential role in each great stride made. With new interviews with musicians and DJs, performers and activists, including Andy Bell, Jayne County, John Grant, Horse McDonald and Peter Tachell, Pride, Pop and Politics hears from those whose art has been influenced by the campaign for LGBT rights - and helped push it forward. This informative, eye-opening book is the first to focus on the relationship between gay nightlife and political activism in Britain.
From the very beginning, the blues has had a close connection with the LGBTQ community. There is a long and decorated history of so-called 'dirty blues' songs, stretching back beyond the earliest attempts to capture the blues on record. The 1920s and 30s saw the release of dozens of raunchy, bawdy blues recordings aimed at a knowing LGBTQ audience. Queer Blues tells the story of the pioneering LGBTQ composers and entertainers that wrote, performed and recorded these wonderfully outlandish, life-affirming songs and chronicles, including: Bessie Smith, Ma Rainey, Josephine Baker to Frankie 'Half-Pint' Jaxon and many more. This is the definitive account of the LGBTQ trailblazers of early blues and a fascinating consideration of the intersection between music and LGBTQ history, from the award-winning Darryl W. Bullock.
Joe Meek. Wayward genius; the British Phil Spector, the first producer to treat the recording studio as an instrument; head of one of the earliest independent record labels; creator of some of the most incredibly influential pop music ever, including 'Telstar', the first American number one single by a British band; and a man tormented by mental health issues and financial battles. He was all these and more, as author Darryl W. Bullock reveals through numerous original interviews with friends and colleagues in his compelling biography of the legendary producer. Love and Fury takes readers on a guided tour of Meek's fabled Holloway Road studio, examines the recordings issued during his lifetime, looks at the wealth of unreleased material he left behind - the legendary Tea Chest tapes, rumoured to include recordings by David Bowie, Marc Bolan, Ray Davies of the Kinks and others - and examines that events which ultimately led to murder and suicide.
Darryl W. Stephens suggests that human dignity and equality under God can be used to address the most intractable moral problems of our time: war, sexual abuse, racism, environmental degradation, and more. This work examines Christian ethics sensitive to the trauma histories that are already present individually and collectively in and among our faith communities. Stephens encourages us to see that Christian ethics is real, perspectival, dialogical, participatory and purposeful – he reconceives the entirety of Christian ethics through trauma-informed lens, recognizing that many people wrestle with significant trauma histories every day. He explores the theological implications of trauma-informed approach to a wide range of social issues, and engages with Wesleyan, feminist and liberationist perspectives.Designed for classroom use, it includes a number of pedagogical features, such as case studies and questions for discussion, engaging with key areas of contemporary concern.
Darryl W. Stephens suggests that human dignity and equality under God can be used to address the most intractable moral problems of our time: war, sexual abuse, racism, environmental degradation, and more. This work examines Christian ethics sensitive to the trauma histories that are already present individually and collectively in and among our faith communities. Stephens encourages us to see that Christian ethics is real, perspectival, dialogical, participatory and purposeful – he reconceives the entirety of Christian ethics through trauma-informed lens, recognizing that many people wrestle with significant trauma histories every day. He explores the theological implications of trauma-informed approach to a wide range of social issues, and engages with Wesleyan, feminist and liberationist perspectives.Designed for classroom use, it includes a number of pedagogical features, such as case studies and questions for discussion, engaging with key areas of contemporary concern.
Sexual health is an essential part of maintaining professional relationships in ministry. Focusing on implications for the practice of ministry, this book engages all dimensions of theological education and academic disciplines. Each chapter includes an analysis of common ministry situations, discussion questions, practical guidelines, and resources for further study. The volume is ideal for use in courses on professional ethics for ministry, advanced leadership training, and continuing education for clergy. The book includes generous use of case studies throughout and addresses major issues such as power, pornography, and social media as they relate to sexual ethics in congregations.
The Anarcho Teaching of Yeshua aims to dispel some of the myths regarding the teachings of Yeshua; namely the myths that those who follow His teaching (Christians) should be subservient to the government and/or use governmental force to impose their beliefs/convictions on others. The Anarcho Teachings of Yeshua was named 2010 Book of the Year by Freedom Book Club & 1st Annual LAVA Awards Charles Angrand (Artwork) Award Winner
Biblical and progressive. Mainline and charismatic. Faithful and questioning. This book is not what you think it is. The story of the Exodus is told in parallel with testimonies, sermons, and personal reflections from a congregation in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, challenging the reader to a journey of faith. Along the way, it becomes clear that open and affirming ministry transcends LGBTQIA+ inclusion. It is also about race relations, poverty, generational change, divorce, immigration, and any other human-created barrier to loving God and neighbor. Tools for the journey. Finding a new voice amid profound social change is a difficult and vitally important task. Many congregations and entire denominations are in the process of figuring out how to express a new voice of faith, particularly in our understanding of sexuality and gender. Christians are experiencing nothing less than a holy disruption caused by the Spirit among us. The book concludes with a discussion of challenges to community and ministry. Helpful appendices provide congregational resources and discussion questions for group study. The stories in this book include experiences of and with persons in many denominational settings: Roman Catholic, Unitarian-Universalist, Presbyterian Church in Taiwan, Metropolitan Community Church, United Church of Christ, United Brethren, Church of the Brethren, Society of Friends (Quakers), and United Methodist. This is truly an ecumenical journey.
Biblical and progressive. Mainline and charismatic. Faithful and questioning. This book is not what you think it is. The story of the Exodus is told in parallel with testimonies, sermons, and personal reflections from a congregation in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, challenging the reader to a journey of faith. Along the way, it becomes clear that open and affirming ministry transcends LGBTQIA+ inclusion. It is also about race relations, poverty, generational change, divorce, immigration, and any other human-created barrier to loving God and neighbor. Tools for the journey. Finding a new voice amid profound social change is a difficult and vitally important task. Many congregations and entire denominations are in the process of figuring out how to express a new voice of faith, particularly in our understanding of sexuality and gender. Christians are experiencing nothing less than a holy disruption caused by the Spirit among us. The book concludes with a discussion of challenges to community and ministry. Helpful appendices provide congregational resources and discussion questions for group study. The stories in this book include experiences of and with persons in many denominational settings: Roman Catholic, Unitarian-Universalist, Presbyterian Church in Taiwan, Metropolitan Community Church, United Church of Christ, United Brethren, Church of the Brethren, Society of Friends (Quakers), and United Methodist. This is truly an ecumenical journey. ""In this book Darryl Stephens not only explains the relevancy of the Book of Exodus to the realities that many churches face as they become 'welcoming and affirming, ' but he also inspires congregations that choose to take this journey through what can be a traumatic transition."" --Tony Campolo, Eastern University ""The biblical story of Exodus is one of movement: from Egypt to Sinai, from slavery under Pharaoh to relationship with God, and from degrading oppression to true freedom. This volume wonderfully works and unpacks these texts to show how we, ourselves, can move: from hardness of heart to compassion, from rigid ways of thinking to openness of heart and mind, from exclusion to invitation, . . . and eventually onward to respect and love. It should be on every Christian's bookshelf, both those who are working for full inclusion and those who are struggling along the way. A wonderful resource for the church "" --Roy L. Heller, Associate Professor, Perkins School of Theology ""This is such an important work. In Out of Exodus, Stephens challenges our narrow notions of what the Bible teaches about our LGBTQIA+ family. He reminds us that we are all precious, anointed, and beloved children created in the image of the Divine. This book teaches us that we are all on the journey together and that we must stay in this struggle together, in the name of God."" --M. Garlinda Burton, Executive Director, Nashville Freedom School Partnership ""Out of Exodus is an engaging spiritual journey about Christians seeking to be in ministry with people of diverse sexual orientations and perspectives. Darryl Stephens, a person of deep faith and scholarly intellect, has written a book that includes Biblical groundings, pastoral reflections and personal stories . . . As a pastor who has been engaged in this journey for over 40 years, I believe Out of Exodus will be a helpful tool for assisting churches in their desire to be in ministry with people of diverse sexual orientations."" --Jim Bankston, Retired Clergy, St. Paul's United Methodist Church, Houston, Texas ""Out of Exodus offers poignant insight into the various perspectives of those with whom we worship. These personal stories offer opportunities for the reader's self-reflection, and I would recommend this work to those wishing to explore issues of faith and inclusion within the congregation of believers."" --Michelle Daniels, Christ Servant Minister, The United Methodist Church ""In a time when entire denominations are threatening to split o
Methodist Morals offers keen insight into the public church, interpreting the United Methodist Social Principles as a dynamic discourse about morality and human rights in light of faith. Revised every four years by the General Conference of the United Methodist Church, the Social Principles exposes the moral deliberations of this distinctly American and increasingly “worldwide” church as it struggles to achieve community across multiple languages and cultures. Perhaps no other document provides as rich a depiction of Protestants participating in the moral argument of public life. This is the first full-length study of Methodist social teachings in over fifty years. Examining official Methodist teachings from institutional, historical, and cross-cultural perspectives, Darryl Stephens provides a rich analysis of this case study of Protestant social witness, drawing on his expertise in church polity, Methodist history, and Christian social ethics. A wide range of comparisons— with documents of the United Nations, with moral debate in Germany and Zimbabwe, and with historical Methodist statements of social witness—shows the Social Principles to be a unique form of social witness. The issues of war,abortion, human sexuality, and marriage illustrate the messiness of democratic deliberation in an ecclesial context and the evolution of a people ever concerned with the sin of “worldliness” even as they become more attuned to transforming social structures. Stephens also contrasts this conception of the public church with the ecclesiologies of prominent Methodist ethicists Stanley Hauerwas and Paul Ramsey.Intended for students of Methodism, ecumenical church leaders, and scholars of Christian social ethics and contemporary US mainline religion, this work reveals the challenges to and possibilities for achieving moral community in an increasingly global and diverse world.
“The daily roller coaster for an entrepreneur can include both terror and exhilaration. Small Business Big Pressure reminds us success does not come from luck, wishes, or dreams, but from careful planning directed by godly wisdom.” - Dan Miller, New York Times bestselling author of 48 Days to the Work You Love Your small business is controlling you; take back what you rightfully own. Small businesses make our country great. However, the challenges facing entrepreneurs and small business owners can be overwhelming. Business schools don’t prepare owners for the real world. As a result, entrepreneurs may experience worry, pressure, and confusion. It is then just a matter of time before the entrepreneur suffers a breakdown. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Small Business Big Pressure is a collision of wisdom and knowledge designed for the 20-year business veteran or the soon-to-be entrepreneur. When a business owner aligns all facets of his company with God, something special happens. In the context of aligning with God’s will, with Small Business Big Pressure you will be able to: Build a mission and vision statementAccomplish personal and professional goalsRead and apply financial statementsHire, train, and fire employees effectivelyBuild a company identity and inspire your team Not only will this book give you solid principles, a real tested-in-the trenches entrepreneur shows you how to put these principles into practice immediately! You will be compelled to keep the book close by through your entire career, both as a unique reference and a source of inspiration. DARRYL W. LYONS, ChFC, CFP®, is one of America’s most successful and respected financial advisors and cofounder and CEO of PAX Financial Group, which has been recognized multiple times as one of the fastest-growing and best places to work by the San Antonio Business Journal . Lyons, recipient of numerous awards from Fortune 100 Companies for production and recruiting, is also cofounder of the Financial Mythbusters radio show and is considered one of San Antonio’s “40 Under 40 Rising Stars.” He and his wife, Caresse, have four children.
