Don Rhodes

Brenda Lee

Augusta, Georgia, and the surrounding towns in the Central Savannah River Area boast more than 200 years of entertainment history, including performances by late 18th-century musicians and many of the nation's first superstars. Some of the most memorable moments in the history of the Garden City are captured in the pages of this unique volume. Entertainment in Augusta and the CSRA reveals many famous faces that have made appearances-either for a short time or for life-in the CSRA. Captured in striking vintage images, most of which were culled from the archives of The Augusta Chronicle, are unforgettable visitors ranging from Charlie Chaplin to Elvis Presley. In addition to nationally recognized celebrities-such as Amy Grant, Jayne Mansfield, Hulk Hogan, Jessye Norman, Butterfly McQueen, and The Godfather of Soul, James Brown-this collection pays tribute to local and regional talents, from singers and dancers to athletes and politicians.

Entertainment in Augusta and the Csra

Entertainment in Augusta and the CSRA

Distantly related to a Confederate general, Ty Cobb was a strapping Augusta youth who became a star for the Detroit Tigers. Long revered as a great hitter and an incredibly fast baserunner, Cobb often has been remembered as a hated athlete, a bitter man who died nearly 50 years ago. No biographer has explored the complex personality as deeply and meticulously as Don Rhodes in his new comprehensive biography. Rhodes reveals the man as Cobb was in Augusta: in the off season and as a retiree. For the first time, a biographer includes interviews with Cobb's two daughters (whom Rhodes met before they died), his granddaughter, and close friends, who offer insight and photos of Cobb's private life never seen before. Many of Cobb's emotional troubles started early in life, and no doubt were compounded during his early seasons with the Tigers, when his mother went on trial for murdering his father. The ugly side of this phenomenal athlete is not defended or explained away, but readers learn to better understand a man who seemed so miserable, when he had so much. Don Rhodes is an editor at Morris Communications in Augusta. He has written “Ramblin' Rhodes,” a music column, for more than 37 years, and his byline appears in many magazines and newspapers. He lives in North Augusta, South Carolina.

Safe At Home

Ty Cobb

Jeff Barnes

Georgia Icons celebrates the Peach State through photographs and essays highlighting 50 of the best places, inventions, foods, buildings, and institutions the state has to offer..

Don Rhodes

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