Dark End of the Street - v4 (42 page)

While writing this book, the world lost three soul legends: Johnnie Taylor, James Carr, and Rufus Thomas. Without them and their inspiration, this book wouldn’t be in your hands.

Ace Atkins, author of
Crossroads Blues
and
Leavin' Trunk Blues
in the popular Nick Travers series, lives somewhere in Mississippi with his dog Elvis. As a football star at Auburn University he made it onto the cover of
Sports Illustrated
in 1993 for a perfect season. As a crime reporter for the
Tampa Tribune
Ace was short-listed for a Pulitzer Prize in 2000 and the Livingston Award for outstanding journalism in 1999 and 2000. Today he writes about music and murder and whatever else he finds on Highway 61. Visit www.aceatkins.com.

Crossroad Blues
Leavin' Trunk Blues

Jacket design by Marc Cohen

Grateful acknowledgment is made for permission to reprint from the following:

“The Dark End of the Street.” Words and music by Dan Penn and Chips Moman © 1967 (Renewed 1995) SCREEN GEMS-EMI MUSIC INC. All rights reserved. International copyright secured. Used by permission.

“Still Here” from The Collected Poems of Langston Hughes by Langston Hughes, copyright © 1994 by the estate of Langston Hughes. Used by permission of Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Random House, Inc.

“Polk Salad Annie.” Words and music by Tony Joe White © 1968 (Renewed 1996) temi combine inc. All rights controlled by combine music corp. and administered by emi blackwood music inc. All rights reserved. International copyright secured. Used by permission.