"Scottsbluff in ‘62" demonstrates how rock 'n' roll music helped to shape the popular culture of the 1960s, a volatile yet revolutionary period in U.S. History. The author portrays the 1960s as a magical time when simple rock 'n' roll melodies helped a nation endure a war and accept the rapid sociological and political changes that characterized this decade.

The book begins in Scottsbluff, Nebraska, the cruisin' capital of western Nebraska and the prototype or starting point for memoirs and stories about local bands. The ‘60s music scene is quickly expanded to reflect rock 'n' roll on a regional and a national basis. All chapters are interspersed with historical information that reminds the reader of the unpredictable nature of these times.  Much of this change is framed by the appearance of the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show, February 9, 1964, and the Woodstock Music Festival, August 15-18, 1969. The Beatles' appearance, dubbed the greatest event in rock 'n' roll history, ushered in the "British Invasion" of America when all aspects of popular culture looked to England to set the standard.

The book is illustrated with black and white photos of early ‘60s rock bands and color posters of popular show bands that toured the Midwest. This book is not only for those wanting a dose of ‘60s nostalgia but for anyone interested in the true history of rock 'n' roll in small-town America. This could also include children and grandchildren who did not experience the music first-hand. The author does not hesitate to label the 1960s as the greatest musical decade of all time. "Scottsbluff in ’62: A Rock ‘n’ Roll Retrospective of Small Town America" is an admirable attempt to explain "why." 

Author: Steve Rothenberger