You Can Make it If You Try

Book excerpt: Ted Jarrett has been a central figure in Music City's thriving rhythm & blues scene since the 1950s, working as a hit songwriter, musician, producer, label chief, artist manager, talent scout, and disc jockey. You Can Make It If You Try provides a fascinating and instructive look at one man's drive to succeed in the world of music. In rich and frank detail, Jarrett and co-writer Ruth White describe the circumstances under which he discovered and nurtured top R&B talent; introduce the numerous musicians, nightclubs, record labels, and radio stations on the scene; and explain the inspiration behind Jarrett's best known songs. Jarrett's autobiography also offers an insightful look into the interaction of white and black musical cultures in Nashville and shares the personal challenges one man faced in pursuing a life of music.