DeWitt, Howard A.

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DeWitt, Howard A.

PERSONAL:

Education: Earned Ph.D.

ADDRESSES:

CAREER:

Academic and popular music scholar. Ohlone College, Fremont, CA, became professor of history, 1968-69, 1975-2005, professor emeritus of history, 2005—.

WRITINGS:

Images of Ethnic and Radical Violence in California Politics, 1917-1930: A Survey, R. and E. Research Associates (San Francisco, CA), 1975.

Anti-Filipino Movements in California: A History, Bibliography, and Study Guide, R. and E. Research Associates (San Francisco, CA), 1976.

California Civilization: An Interpretation, Kendall/Hunt (Dubuque, IA), 1979, 2nd edition, 1997.

Violence in the Fields: California Filipino Farm Labor Unionization during the Great Depression, Century Twenty One (Saratoga, CA), 1980.

(Compiler) Readings in California Civilization: Interpretative Issues, Kendall/Hunt (Dubuque, IA), 1981, 4th edition, 1998.

(With Morten Reff) Chuck Berry, Rock 'n' Roll Music, original photos by Joe Silva, Horizon Books (Fremont, CA), 1981, 2nd edition, Pierian Press (Ann Arbor, MI), 1985.

(With Alan M. Kirshner) In the Course of Human Events: American Government, Kendall/Hunt (Dubuque, IA), 1983.

(With Lee Cotten) Jailhouse Rock: The Bootleg Records of Elvis Presley, 1970-1983, Pierian Press (Ann Arbor, MI), 1983.

Van Morrison: The Mystic's Music, Bookpeople, 1983.

Beatle Poems, Horizon Books (Fremont, CA), 1987.

Paul McCartney: From Liverpool to Let It Be, Horizon Books (Fremont, CA), 1992.

Elvis, the Sun Years: The Story of Elvis Presley in the Fifties, Popular Culture (Ann Arbor, MI), 1993.

The Fragmented Dream: Multicultural California, Kendall/Hunt (Dubuque, IA), 1996.

Jose Rizal: Philippine Nationalist as Political Scientist, Kendall/Hunt (Dubuque, IA), 1997, 2nd edition, 1998.

The Beatles: Untold Tales, Kendall/Hunt (Dubuque, IA), 2000.

Stranger in Town: The Musica1 Life of Del Shannon, Kendall/Hunt (Dubuque, IA), 2001.

(With Darin D. DeWitt) A Blow to America's Heart: September 11, 2001, the View from England, Kendall/Hunt (Dubuque, IA), 2002.

The Road to Baghdad, Kendall/Hunt (Dubuque, IA), 2003.

SIDELIGHTS:

Howard A. DeWitt is an academic and popular music scholar. DeWitt began lecturing at Fremont, California's Ohlone College in 1968, but left the following year to earn a Ph.D. In 1975, he returned to Ohlone College and eventually became a professor of history. He retired from the university in 2005 and was subsequently named professor emeritus of history.

DeWitt began his publishing career writing on social and racial issues in California. DeWitt published his first book, Images of Ethnic and Radical Violence in California Politics, 1917-1930: A Survey, in 1975. This was followed in 1976 with Anti-Filipino Movements in California: A History, Bibliography, and Study Guide.

In 1979, DeWitt published California Civilization: An Interpretation, releasing its second edition in 1997. The book acts as a biography of the land itself. DeWitt starts with the geographic makeup of the state and how it has played a significant role in its history, throughout the Spanish- and Mexican-controlled periods of the state. DeWitt then covers the state's American history, noting in particular its Gold Rush period. Brad Luckingham, writing in the Journal of San Diego History, found that "an appealing aspect of the book is the author's treatment of the period from World War II to the present." Luckingham observed that the book is "written in a lively, concise style," has "a useful appendix and a good index," and remarked that the bibliographical essay is "handy." Luckingham stated: "Overall, DeWitt has written an excellent survey of California history, and it should receive an enthusiastic reception."

DeWitt continued his California commentaries in 1980 by publishing Violence in the Fields: California Filipino Farm Labor Unionization during the Great Depression. In 1981, he compiled Readings in California Civilization: Interpretative Issues, also compiling the book's fourth edition in 1998. Also in 1981, DeWitt began publishing books on popular music topics, beginning with Chuck Berry, Rock 'n' Roll Music, with the assistance of Morten Reff and original photographs by Joe Silva. DeWitt moved on to another rock legend in 1983 by publishing Jailhouse Rock: The Bootleg Records of Elvis Presley, 1970-1983 with Lee Cotten. The book had a second edition released in 1985. In 1983, DeWitt also published In the Course of Human Events: American Government, with Alan M. Kirshner.

DeWitt published Van Morrison: The Mystic's Music in 1983. The biography covers the life of this Irish music icon on a year-by-year basis, covering his years in Belfast, his discovery as a blues artist, his association with Sputniks, Thunderbolts, Monarchs, and Them, the way certain literary figures influenced his music lyrics, the difficulties he had with his record labels, and the opinions and perspectives of artists in and around his personal circle. Popular Music and Society contributor B. Lee Cooper observed that "DeWitt appears constantly amazed and enthralled by the musings, music, mysticism, madness, and manipulation that engulf his subject." Cooper conceded that "this hefty biographical compilation, speckled with rare black-and-white photos of the artist, should spark interest and debate about Van Morrison." Cooper also warned, however, that due to some statements in the text, "there's likely to be a brouhaha over this interpretation" of Van Morrison.

Among other popular music topics, DeWitt wrote books about the Beatles. He published Beatle Poems in 1987. In 1992, DeWitt published Paul McCartney: From Liverpool to Let It Be.

DeWitt published Elvis, the Sun Years: The Story of Elvis Presley in the Fifties in 1993. This biography of Elvis Presley focuses primarily on the years (1954-55) he recorded with Sun Records in Memphis, Tennessee. However, the account also discusses the year-and-a-half lead-up to getting this contract. DeWitt traces the artist's ancestry to early-nineteenth-century Mississippi and Memphis itself. The book also covers the early performances Elvis gave, and gives profiles of his managers, including Colonel Tom Parker and Sam Phillips. Booklist contributor Gordon Flagg described the subtitle of the book as "a misnomer." Flagg commented that "the fannish obsessiveness that led DeWitt to undertake this project is matched by some an- noying editorializing, particularly in the introductory chapter … but the primary audience for this biography-cum-tribute undoubtedly shares DeWitt's biases."

In 1996, DeWitt published The Fragmented Dream: Multicultural California. This was followed in 1997 with the publishing of Jose Rizal: Philippine Nationalist as Political Scientist, which had a second edition released in 1998.

DeWitt returned to popular music once again, publishing The Beatles: Untold Tales in 2000. In 2001, he published Stranger in Town: The Musica1 Life of Del Shannon. The following year DeWitt returned to American social commentary, publishing A Blow to America's Heart: September 11, 2001, the View from England with the assistance of Darin D. DeWitt. In 2003, DeWitt published The Road to Baghdad.

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Booklist, March 15, 1994, Gordon Flagg, review of Elvis, the Sun Years: The Story of Elvis Presley in the Fifties, p. 1317.

Choice: Current Reviews for Academic Libraries, July 1, 1993, H.A. Keesing, review of Paul McCartney: From Liverpool to Let It Be, p. 1779; June, 1994, R.D. Cohen, review of Elvis, the Sun Years, p. 1590.

Country Music, May 1, 1993, Rich Kienzle, review of Jailhouse Rock: The Bootleg Records of Elvis Presley, 1970-1983, p. 86.

Journal of San Diego History, fall, 1980, Brad Luckingham, review of California Civilization: An Interpretation.

Popular Music and Society, winter, 1992, B. Lee Cooper, review of Paul McCartney; winter, 1993, review of Elvis, the Sun Years; May, 2006, B. Lee Cooper, review of Van Morrison: The Mystic's Music, p. 268.

Reference & Research Book News, May, 1994, review of Elvis, the Sun Years, p. 40.

School Library Journal, January, 1986, review of The Beatles: Untold Tales, p. 84.