Rashod Ollison
The University of Central Arkansas will host a book reading for Rashod Ollison, an award-winning pop music critic and culture journalist, on Wednesday, Feb. 10 at 6 pm in the College of Business auditorium.
Ollison’s literary debut, “Soul Serenade: Rhythm, Blues & Coming of Age Through Vinyl,” is a memoir that describes how soul music sustained him during his formative years growing up in central Arkansas in the 1980s and 1990s. “Soul Serenade” explores his search for his father and himself via music by artists who forever changed American pop. Set in central Arkansas between 1983 and 1996, the memoir also tells the story of a gloriously earthy, working-class black family whose trials and triumphs were shaped and informed by the blues, gospel, funk and hip-hop.
A native of Little Rock, Ollison currently lives in Virginia Beach, Virginia. He covers entertainment, music, pop culture and other feature topics at The Virginian-Pilot. Ollison has been a staff critic and feature writer for The Dallas Morning News, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Baltimore Sun, and The Journal News in Westchester, New York. He also has written a music column for Jet magazine.
The community is invited to attend the book reading followed by a reception and book signing. Attendees will be able to purchase books at the event. For more information, contact Shaneil Ealy, UCA Director of Programs and Services, at sealy@uca.edu or 501-450-5275.
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