This is so much more than a historical look at the 'juke joint'/'drink house' culture that existed in the South. It is a joyous romp through these places by musicians who actually experienced them. Bars, Blues, and Booze brings to life one of the most sought-after experiences blues fans seek out. With the diminishing number of these establishments today, we are treated to a bar seat on the front line of live music and the blues. Many of us may never be able to visit a drink house or a juke joint, but we have this book. Lovingly assembled by Emily D. Edwards, we can see and hear the events almost firsthand. There are stories here that will open your eyes and ears, and more importantly, teach us the way it was from the people who lived it.

--Chef Jimi Patricola, Blues411: Where Blues Thrives

Emily Edwards provides the reader with a glimpse into the social world of 'drink houses, ' the unlicensed (and hence illegal) drinking establishments that serve as alternative sites for alcohol and popular music-driven 'house parties.' These drink houses served as nexus points for 'fellow travelers' in the late twentieth century, for individuals who were driven by their love of authentic American music, which, by virtue of it being performed mostly by African Americans, was not readily accessible in mainstream racist and race-conscious America during that period. Through a collection of in-depth interviews with drink house musicians, drawn primarily from the Piedmont region of North Carolina, from which the term 'Piedmont Blues' originated, patrons, and other key people in the drink house subculture, Edwards provides an intimate and intriguing portrait of an important part of the American popular music tapestry.

--Jonathon S. Epstein, Greensboro College