Music Industry Legend Alan Walden On His New Book “Southern Man,” Otis Redding, Lynyrd Skynyrd & More
Southern Man: Music & Mayhem In The American South is the story of Alan Walden, who helped to forge — along with his brother Phil and best friend Otis Redding — the foundation of a musical renaissance that emerged from the American South. As a manager, publisher, promoter and producer, Walden brought scores of artists into the world’s consciousness, from Percy Sledge to Lynyrd Skynyrd. In turn, Southern Man is the memoir of a life in music during a racially-turbulent time in American history.
Simply put, Alan Walden’s passion for R&B and rock helped to shape a musical renaissance, at a time when it took wits and a Southern persistence to overcome the obstacles on the road to success. In turn, Southern Man helps to document the tragedy of loss, disappointment and betrayal he experienced and observed, along with the joy of victory, optimism and hope that came with taking a dream right over the mountain. It is no secret that the music business is tough, and Walden was as tough as can be. He helped to lay the musical foundation so that creativity can more freely flow today.
I had the pleasure of speaking with Alan Walden this month via Zoom, as embedded below. Beyond discussing the process of writing Southern Man: Music & Mayhem In The American South, Walden told me some little-known stories related to his work with Otis Redding, Lynyrd Skynyrd and The Outlaws. More on Walden and Southern Man can be found online by clicking here, here, here and here.
About the Author
Darren Paltrowitz Darren Paltrowitz is a New York resident with over 20 years of entertainment industry experience. He began working around the music business as a teenager, interning for the manager of his then-favorite band Superdrag. Since then, he has worked with a wide array of artists including OK Go, They Might Be Giants, Mike Viola, Tracy Bonham, Loudness, Rachael Yamagata, and Amanda Palmer. Darren's writing has appeared in dozens of outlets including the New York Daily News, Inquisitr, The Daily Meal, The Hype Magazine, All Music Guide, Guitar World, TheStreet.com, Businessweek, Chicago Tribune, L.A. Times, and the Jewish Journal.Beyond being "Editor At Large" for The Hype Magazine, Darren is also the host of weekly "Paltrocast With Darren Paltrowitz" series, which airs on dozens on television and digital networks. He has also co-authored 2 published books, 2018's "Pocket Change: Your Happy Money" (Book Web Publishing) and 2019's "Good Advice From Professional Wrestling" (6623 Press), and co-hosts the world's only known podcast about David Lee Roth, "The DLR Cast."
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