Whistling in the Dark is the heartwarming story of Fred Lowery, a talented musician whose achievements are all the more remarkable because he is blind. The book recounts his courageous struggle to overcome the handicap of blindness, and describes the ups and downs of his adventurous life—from his sharecropping childhood in the Piney Woods of Texas; to his studies at the Texas School for the Blind, where he first used his talents as a human piccolo; to the triumph of national celebrity with one of the biggest of the big show bands.
You will enjoy Fred’s stories of his early days in radio, his escapades touring with the bands of Vincent Lopez and Horace Heidt (and rooming with a young impressionist named Art Carney), and his hit recordings of “The High and the Mighty,” “Indian Love Call,” and many other memorable songs. Glenn Miller, Harry James, Judy Garland, Betty Hutton, Larry Cotton, Frankie Carle, Mary Martin, Perry Como, Bing Crosby, Dale Evans, and many others are part of the life Fred Lowery shares in this candid and engaging autobiography.
About the Author
John R. McDowell was assistant Sunday editor of the Indianapolis Star for fourteen years prior to his death. Before joining the Star he worked as a columnist for several newspapers, including the Newhouse chain in Newark, New Jersey, the Flagstaff Daily Sun, the Washington, D.C., Evening Sun, and others. He also wrote numerous magazine articles and books on a wide variety of subjects. His friendship with Fred Lowery began while Fred was living and performing in Indianapolis.
WHISTLING IN THE DARK:
The Story of Fred Lowery, the Blind Whistler
By Fred Lowery as told to John R. McDowell
BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Personal Memoirs
304 pp. 6 x 9
ISBN: 9780882892986 hc