The Project

The Car Radio on the American Road
Dr. Phylis Johnson, Professor, Southern Illinois University 

Moving Sound: The Car Radio on the American Road will be the first book-length study exploring the relationship between the car and the radio.  While many books have been devoted to the general history of radio, overlooked has been radio’s unique relationship with the road. This planned tone is intended to be a social commentary on such American trends as growing convergence, individualism, and alienation.   


Designed as a social history, Moving Sound will be an account of car radio’s role in American life since its inception in the late 1920s. This book takes the reader on a road trip through the past (war years, economic hardships, good times, social unrest, and material excesses in America) to the present challenges the medium faces with such new audio technologies as satellite and web radio, digital recording options, and iPods – and even in virtual worlds where automobile owners revisit times gone by at drive-ins.


I have researched this topic extensively, but I would like this book to go beyond my perspective.  As an editor, I envision a curated project, one that includes multiple voices.  I will situate the contributions of many, from car historians and scholars to well-informed laypeople, within a cultural framework that tells the story of the car radio.  Unlike most edited volumes, I would like the individual pieces to connect to each other, so that the book flows seamlessly from one idea to the next to the benefit of the reader.


Additionally, I am producing a documentary series on this topic with independent producers.  I hope some of the stories shared might evolve into this production effort as well. 


Themes include:  early days of radio listening in the car, the invention of the car radio, road songs, Motown, Route 66 and other notable highways, roadside radio stations and transmitters, road dinners and gas stations, car shows and festivals, new technologies, cultural and international perspectives, and unique regional spins on car radio (to name only some).   Keep in mind that car radio should remain central to your contribution.


Abstracts due:  one page proposal accepted through August 1, 2012 for chapter/article contributions.   This book is under contract for completion by September 2013 (with a May 2014 publication, Peter Lang Int.).   Writing should be accessible to a general audience, and well-researched.  Creativity is encouraged.   Photographs considered. Feature articles should range from 1,000 to 4,000 words.  Chapters should range from 5,000 to 8,000.  APA Style.  Final chapters/writing must be submitted by October 1, 2012.    Only original works. 


Email inquiries and abstracts to phylisj@yahoo.com


Dr. Phylis Johnson
Department of Radio-Television
Southern Illinois University
Carbondale, IL 62901-6609
618.536.7555


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