Rock Is Lit Rock is Lit Bonus Episode: Tribute to Peter Cooper (Grammy-Nominated Producer, Journalist & Historian), with Frye Gaillard
Episode 14 of Rock is Lit features Michael Amos Cody’s novel ‘Gabriel’s Songbook’, a story that follows starry-eyed Gabriel Tanner on his quest to strike it big as a singer-songwriter in Nashville in the 1980s.
In the final segment of that episode, Peter Cooper and Frye Gaillard join me to talk about the real Nashville music scene in the 1980s to add real-world context to Michael's novel. Frye is an historian and author of such books as ‘A Hard Rain: America in the 1960s’, ‘The Southernization of America’, which he co-wrote with Pulitzer Prize-winner Cynthia Tucker, and ‘Watermelon Wine: The Spirit of Country Music’.
On a sad note, the morning Episode 14 first aired, I received a message from Frye Gaillard, giving me the tragic news that Peter Cooper had passed away just two days prior—on Tues, Dec 6, 2022.
Peter was the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s senior director, producer, and writer. As one of Nashville’s most respected music journalists, he wrote for the ‘Tennessean’, ‘American Songwriter’, ‘Esquire’ and numerous other publications His insight was deepened by his experiences as a Grammy-nominated producer, a singer, a songwriter and a touring musician. His songs were recorded by luminaries including John Prine, Todd Snider, and Country Music Hall of Fame members Bobby Bare and Mac Wiseman. Country Music Hall of Fame member Kris Kristofferson said, “Peter Cooper looks at the world with an artist’s eye and a human heart and soul.”
What you’re about to hear is the full interview I recorded with Frye Gaillard and Peter Cooper on Tues, Oct 18, 2022, less than two months before Peter’s death. I offer it to you now as a tribute to Peter—in honor of his life and in gratitude for the insight he and Frye brought to Episode 14 of Rock is Lit about Michael Amos Cody’s novel ‘Gabriel’s Songbook,’ a book Peter so enjoyed. I wish all of Peter’s friends and family peace and healing.
Listen to this bonus interview, then check out Episode 14 of Rock is Lit.
For more information and photos on this bonus interview, see https://www.christyalexanderhallberg.com/podcast-vault-feed/petercoopertribute
You can also access the interview on YouTube.
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LINKS:
Michael Amos Cody’s website: https://michaelamoscody.com/
Michael on Twitter, @DrMacOde
Michael on Instagram, @michaelamoscody
Frye Gaillard’s website: https://fryegaillardauthor.com/
Frye on Facebook, @FryeGaillard
Christy Alexander Hallberg’s website: https://www.christyalexanderhallberg.com/
Christy Alexander Hallberg on Twitter, @ChristyHallberg
Christy Alexander Hallberg on Instagram, @christyhallberg
Christy Alexander Hallberg’s YouTube channel, https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfSnRmlL5moSQYi6EjSvqag
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