John Broven

John Broven (born 1942)[1] is a British music historian, author, and reissue producer who has written about blues and R&B music history in the United States.[2] He was inducted into the Louisiana Hall of Fame in 1995.[3]

John Broven
Born1942
Maidstone, Kent, England
OccupationMusic historian, author

He was born in Maidstone, Kent, England and attended Bexhill Grammar School in Sussex, where he became friendly with Mike Leadbitter.[1][4] After leaving school, he worked for the Midland Bank, a career that he maintained for over thirty years.[1] He began writing for Blues Unlimited in 1963, maintaining his input to the magazine as a hobby until about 1978.[1][4] In the 1970s and 1980s, he wrote many liner notes for blues CD reissues.[3] In 1985, he co-founded Juke Blues magazine with Cilla Huggins and Bez Turner.[1] From 1991 until about 2006, he worked for reissue company Ace Records.[3]

Broven made his first trip to Louisiana in 1970,[1] when he met musicians Archibald, Professor Longhair and Huey "Piano" Smith.[4] His first book, Walking to New Orleans (issued in the U.S. as Rhythm & Blues in New Orleans) was published in 1974. It was followed in 1983 by South to Louisiana.[3] An article in The Advocate described his books on Louisiana music history as definitive.[5] His book was featured on New Orleans radio station WMNO.[6] American Songwriter[7] and Pop Matters also gave Record Makers and Breakers, which was published in 2008, favourable reviews.[2]

Broven has also lectured and made radio broadcasts covering the history of R&B music.[3]

Bibliography
  • Rhythm and Blues in New Orleans, Pelican Publishing 1977 (original version published as Walking to New Orleans in 1974. It was updated in 2015)[8]
  • South to Louisiana: The Music of the Cajun Bayous, Pelican Publishing, 1983
  • Record Makers and Breakers, University of Illinois Press, 2009[9]

References
  1. Steve Cushing, Pioneers of the Blues Revival, University of Illinois Press, ISBN 0252096207, 2014, p.166
  2. "Record Makers and Breakers by John Broven". PopMatters. 2009-06-07. Retrieved 2020-01-21.
  3. John Broven: Biography. Retrieved 4 February 2020
  4. Wirt, John. "Soundcheck: Five Questions with John Broven, author of Rhythm & Blues in New Orleans". OffBeat Magazine. Retrieved 2020-01-21.
  5. Wirt, John. "'South to Louisiana,' definitive book on state music history, receives updated second edition". The Advocate. Retrieved 2020-01-21.
  6. "John Broven". www.wwno.org. WWNO. Retrieved 2020-01-21.
  7. "Record Makers and Breakers: Voices of the Independent Rock 'N' Roll Pioneers > John Broven « American Songwriter". American Songwriter. 2009-07-01. Retrieved 2020-01-21.
  8. Fensterstock, Alison. "Seminal music text 'Rhythm & Blues in New Orleans' to get update, after nearly 40 years". NOLA.com. Times-Picayune. Retrieved 2020-01-21.
  9. Broven, John. "UI Press | John Broven | Record Makers and Breakers: Voices of the Independent Rock 'n' Roll Pioneers". www.press.uillinois.edu. Retrieved 2020-01-21.
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