Joy Ride! The Stars and Stories of Philly's Famous Uptown Theater

About the Book

"Joy Ride! The Stars and Stories of Philly’s Famous Uptown Theater" is the exclusive, behind-the-scenes, inside story of iconic disc jockey Georgie Woods" spectacular R&B shows at Philadelphia’s Uptown Theater, and how the controlled creative chaos at the majestic movie house inspired "The Philly Sound." Told by the people who actually lived it, "Joy Ride!" is the fi rst comprehensive history on the Uptown, which was once a mandatory stop on the legendary "chitlin' circuit." It features the intimate, amusing, outrageous and sometimes scandalous stories of dozens of decorated entertainers, including 11 Rock and Roll Hall of Famers. All agree that like Georgie Woods' soulful theme song that opened his R&B extravaganzas, every show at the Uptown Theater was a "Joy Ride!"

About the Author

Kimberly C. Roberts is the award-winning Arts & Entertainment Reporter for the Philadelphia Tribune, the nation’s oldest, continuously published African- American newspaper. She has also written for television, and was the principal scriptwriter for the original documentary, “Black Philadelphia Memories,” which aired on Philadelphia’s PBS affi liate, WHYY. Kimberly has a broad-ranging knowledge of entertainment and the arts, and is profoundly profi cient in the areas of rhythm & blues and classic soul music. She is a passionate ambassador of the celebrated genre known as “The Sound of Philadelphia,” and has instructed college courses on the Uptown Theater. Her journalistic contributions to the city’s musical legacy have been recognized by the Pennsylvania State Senate, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and the Uptown Entertainment & Development Corporation.