Revealing the warm and astonishing story of an influential jazz legend, this personal narrative tells the story of a man's journey from a Southern upbringing to a career touring the world to play for adoring fans. It tells how James Brown first discovered the Parker brothers-Melvin, the drummer, and Maceo on sax-in a band at a small North Carolina nightclub in 1963. Brown hired them both, but it was Maceo's signature style that helped define Brown's brand of funk, and the phrase "Maceo, I want you to blow!" became part of the lexicon of black music. A riveting story of musical education with frank and revelatory insights about George Clinton and others, this definitive autobiography arrives just in time to celebrate the 70th birthday of the author-one of the funkiest musicians alive-and will be enjoyed by jazz and funk aficionados alike.