The first history of the network of black juke joints that spawned rock 'n' roll through an unholy alliance between vice and entertainment.

The first history of the network of black juke joints that spawned rock 'n' roll through an unholy alliance between vice and entertainment.

For generations, chitlin' circuit has meant second tier--brash performers in raucous nightspots far from the big-city limelight. Now, music journalist Preston Lauterbach combines terrific firsthand reportage with deep historical research to offer a groundbreaking account of the birth of rock 'n' roll in black America.