Upon digging into Cincinnati's rich musical past, it becomes apparent that chronicling "the show" is and always will be a little blurry (much like what happens after a couple of libations). Often this history is a more oral tradition, passed down from musician to music lover, than academic research. There are always at least two sides to every story, sometimes more. The relationship between artist and label is one that sends almost every aspiring musician into a tornado of licensing and publishing, versus the creative freedom of the artist. Cheers to those who learned how to ride the wave of popular music! Whether it be by standing their ground and holding true to their art 100%, or those who found a way to wind their funk into the very breath of the tracks put forth on the label.

In this book, Kristen Kreft and Mayalou Banatwala strive to find the soul of the artist, combine it with some factual history, and amp up traditional cocktails with their Rocktails' spin. Each ingredient in each drink is hand-picked and intentional, uniquely portraying our interpretation of the musical artist with the utmost love and dignity. We hope that you enjoy reading the brief histories that we have provided, with the soundtrack of Cincinnati musical history wafting through the air, sipping reverently on the paired Rocktails we have so lovingly created for Cincinnati music fans.

Salud!