By the time of "Good Old Boy"�s release on September 10, 1974, Randy Newman had established
himself as a revered cult figure and critical favorite. But fueled by its controversial opening track,
�Rednecks,� his ambitious concept album about the American South became Newman�s first hit -
and over the following decades, its reputation has only continued to expand.
Song of the South: Randy Newman�s Good Old Boys traces the evolution of Newman�s album from
its roots in an abandoned project titled, Johnny Cutler�s Birthday;� recounts his arduous journey to
bring his reimagined concept to fruition; catalogs its cast of misfits and misanthropes; and explores
its central themes in the context of Newman�s half-century-long career.
It�s a compelling story enhanced by the author�s personal interviews with the key members of Newman�s production team, as well as by his unique access to previously unavailable material.
