I was born in Brooklyn, NY, grew up in Los Angeles, CA, and have lived in the San Francisco Bay Area since attending UC Berkeley (class of '68).

My most recent book is "George Gershwin: An Intimate Portrait" (University of Illinois Press, 2009). On September 17, 2009 I was interviewed about Gershwin on NPR station WILL. That interview can be heard at:

http://will.uiuc.edu/media/aftmag090917.mp3

My other books include "A Gershwin Companion" (Popular Culture Ink, 1991), and "Not Fade Away: A Comparison of Jazz Age with Rock Era Pop Song Composers" (Pierian Press, 1984). I have also written articles and fiction for Midstream, Prism International and other periodicals.

I live with my wife in Walnut Creek, CA and we have three grown children who live in Berkeley, CA.