John Kruth

John Kruth is the author of three musical biographies to date including Bright Moments – The Life and Legacy of Rahsaan Roland Kirk (2000 - Welcome Rain), To Live’s To Fly – The Ballad of the Late, Great Townes Van Zandt (recipient of the ASCAP/Deems Taylor Award - 2007 – DaCapo Press), and Rhapsody in Black – The Life & Music of Roy Orbison (2013 – BackBeat/Hal Leonard Books). Music History books include: This Bird Has Flown – The Enduring Beauty of Rubber Soul 50 Years On – a history and analysis of the Beatles’ 6th ground-breaking album, published in November, 2015 by BackBeat/Hal Leonard Books. A Friend of the Devil – the Glorification of the Outlaw in Song from Robin Hood to Rap was published in September of 2017. More recently Kruth's books include: Lunacy: The Curious Phenomenon of Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon 50 Years On – published by BackBeat Books/ Rowman & Littlefield on March 1, 2023 – 264 pages. In 2022 Bright Moments II (the second edition) - The Life and Legacy of Rahsaan Roland Kirk was published by Jackalope Press – 400 pages.and 2021's Hold On World: The Lasting Impact of John Lennon & Yoko Ono's Plastic Ono Band, 50 Years On was published by BackBeat Books /Rowman & Littlefield Publishers - April 15, 2021 – 308 pages.
As a music journalist Kruth’s articles have appeared in The New York Times, Rolling Stone, The Progressive, Wire (UK), No Depression, Sing Out!, Wax Poetics, Folk Roots (UK), Rave (India) and So Jazz (Switzerland).