Way Down: Jerry Scheff’s Autobiography Released

It would be near impossible to top the stories Jerry Scheff can tell from his 45-year career in music. Being Elvis’ bassist alone would be worthy of a book. Add to that his time with Bob Dylan, the Doors, Roy Orbison, Elvis Costello, the Association, Neil Diamond, Johnny Mathis, the Everly Brothers, John Denver, Nancy Sinatra and many many others, and you’d be hard pressed to condense it to one volume.

But Scheff has done just that in his new autobiography, Way Down: Playing Bass with Elvis, Dylan, the Doors, and More. This 250+ page memoir gives an inside look into the Scheff’s incredible career, opening up with the TCB band learning about Elvis’ death, and taking on what’s described as a “non-linear journey” covering his roots in San Francisco to world tours, his love for bass and music, and even some tales of flying in the King’s private jet.

Scheff’s publisher, Backbeat Books describes the book as “…a tale of a man who has truly grown a career from a genuine love of music and of his instrument, proving how following that gift can bring a person to places beyond his wildest dreams. It is an exciting inside view of the evolution and craft and work of making rock and roll…”