(Book). This comprehensive guide is a must-have for the legions of fans of the beloved and perennially popular music known as soul and rhythm & blues. A member of the definitive All Music Guide series, the All Music Guide to Soul offers nearly 8,500 entertaining and informative reviews that lead readers to the best recordings by more than 1,500 artists and help them find new music to explore. Informative biographies, essays and "music maps" trace R&B's growth from its roots in blues and gospel through its flowering in Memphis and Motown, to its many branches today. Complete discographies note bootlegs, important out-of-print albums, and import-only releases. "Extremely valuable and exhaustive." The Christian Science Monitor