Stanley Booth, born on January 5, 1942, in Waycross, Georgia, was a distinguished American music journalist renowned for his in-depth chronicles of Southern musicians and the rock ‘n’ roll scene. He earned a degree in English and art history from Memphis State University in 1963, where he developed a lifelong friendship with fellow student Jim Dickinson1.
After briefly attending a graduate program at Tulane University, Booth began his journalistic career while working for the Tennessee Department of Welfare. Booth’s early work included notable articles on Memphis musicians such as Elvis Presley and Otis Redding.
His 1967 article on Presley for Esquire is regarded as “the first serious article” written about the singer. He also witnessed Redding composing “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay” with Steve Cropper at Stax Studios shortly before Redding’s untimely death2. In 1968, while covering the trial of Rolling Stones member Brian Jones,
Booth befriended Keith Richards and became part of the band’s inner circle. He accompanied them on their 1969 American tour and was present at the infamous Altamont Music Festival3. During this period, Booth also connected with fellow Waycross native Gram Parsons of The Flying Burrito Brothers. Booth’s career faced challenges following a 1971 drug conviction, leading him to retreat to a cabin in the Boston Mountains of Arkansas.
Despite personal struggles, he completed his acclaimed book, Dance with the Devil: The Rolling Stones and Their Times, in 1984, later republished as The True Adventures of the Rolling Stones. The book received praise for its authentic portrayal of the band, with Richards noting it was “the only one I can read and say, ‘Yeah, that’s how it was…'” In addition to his work on the Rolling Stones, Booth authored Rythm Oil: A Journey Through the Music of the American South
and a biography of Keith Richards titled Keith: Standing in the Shadows. His articles appeared in publications such as Rolling Stone, GQ, Esquire, and Playboy. Booth also featured in documentaries on Southern music and the Rolling Stones. Booth resided in Memphis, Tennessee, where he continued to write until his passing on Thursday, December 19, 2024, at the age of 82.
Footnotes
- Jim Dickinson (1941–2009) was a legendary American musician, producer, and session player deeply rooted in Memphis music. Known for his eclectic style and passion for Southern sounds, Dickinson played a pivotal role in shaping the careers of artists like Big Star, The Replacements, and Ry Cooder. As a session musician, he contributed piano to The Rolling Stones’ “Wild Horses” and Bob Dylan’s Time Out of Mind. Dickinson also led his own band, Mudboy and the Neutrons, which explored unconventional blends of blues, gospel, and experimental rock. As a producer, he worked on iconic albums such as Big Star’s Third/Sister Lovers and The Replacements’ Pleased to Meet Me. Beyond his own contributions, he left a legacy through his sons, Luther and Cody Dickinson, who formed the Grammy-nominated North Mississippi Allstars. His passion for preserving authentic Southern music made him a beloved figure in American music history. ↩︎
- Otis Redding, one of the most influential soul singers of the 1960s, tragically died on December 10, 1967, at the age of 26 in a plane crash near Madison, Wisconsin. Redding, along with members of his backing band, The Bar-Kays, was traveling to a performance when their Beechcraft H18 aircraft plunged into Lake Monona during inclement weather. Redding and six others perished, with only Bar-Kays member Ben Cauley surviving the crash. Just days prior to the accident, Redding had recorded “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay,” which would posthumously become his biggest hit and the first song to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 after the artist’s death. His passing marked a profound loss in music, cutting short a career that had already significantly shaped soul and R&B. ↩︎
- The Altamont Music Festival, held on December 6, 1969, at the Altamont Speedway in Northern California, was intended as a “Woodstock West” but became infamous for violence and chaos. Organized by The Rolling Stones as a free concert, it featured performances by Santana, Jefferson Airplane, The Flying Burrito Brothers, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, and others. However, the event spiraled into disaster when the Stones hired the Hells Angels motorcycle club as security. The Angels, paid in beer, clashed with the crowd, leading to multiple injuries and the stabbing death of 18-year-old Meredith Hunter during the Stones’ performance. Captured in the documentary Gimme Shelter, the festival marked the end of the 1960s’ idealistic counterculture movement and is often cited as a cautionary tale of poor planning and escalating tensions. ↩︎
Further Reading
Sources
- Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanley_Booth
- Kevin EG Perry “Stanley Booth on life on the road with the Rolling Stones” https://kevinegperry.com/2012/07/10/stanley-booth-on-life-on-the-road-with-the-rolling-stones/
- Esquire “Searching For Elvis by Stanley Booth” https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/music/a40218722/elvis-presley-stanley-booth-profile-1968/
- The Guardian “Rock’n’roll adventures of the Rolling Stones” https://www.theguardian.com/music/2012/apr/06/rolling-stones-rocknroll-adventures-booth
- Amazon Prime https://www.amazon.com/stores/Stanley%20Booth/author/B000APL5IG?ccs_id=5853758b-9652-4a89-a843-6cb53a7e8fc1
- Blues Blast Magazine “Stanley Booth – Red Hot And Blue | Book Review” https://www.bluesblastmagazine.com/stanley-booth-red-hot-and-blue-book-review/
- HiloBrow https://www.hilobrow.com/2016/01/05/stanley-booth/
- Mempis Flyer “Lion in Winter: The True Adventures of Stanley Booth” https://www.memphisflyer.com/lion-in-winter-the-true-adventures-of-stanley-booth
- The Vinyl Press “The True Adventures of Stanley Booth: Dancing with the Devil” https://thevinylpress.com/the-true-adventures-of-stanley-booth-dancing-with-the-devil/
