Florida Soul

John Capouya ’79, associate professor of journalism and writing at the University of Tampa, published Florida Soul: From Ray Charles to KC and the Sunshine Band (University Press of Florida, Sept. 2017). When recalling the roots of soul music, most people are likely to name Memphis, Detroit, New Orleans, Muscle Shoals, or Macon. But Florida also has a rich soul music history — an important cultural legacy that has often gone unrecognized. Capouya draws on extensive interviews with surviving musicians to re-create the excitement and honor the achievements of soul’s golden age, establishing Florida as one of the great soul music capitals of the United States.

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