Jukebox Hero

"Throw me a line, I'm sinking fast."

My writing career pretty much launched with a book (followed by three more) and that first publication opened the door to freelance writing. Over a decade ago I had more print opportunities (Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, Travel + Leisure, Lucky Peach, Whisky Advocate) but with many former assignments being written in-house or farmed out to the same core of contributors, and more publications shutting down, most of my writing these days appears online, primarily on VinePair, PUNCH, and here on LAST CALL. Being published anywhere in any form is still a highlight in my continued literary pursuits, but there’s something special about see your work appear in print.

One exception has been Imbibe magazine, whose Editor in Chief Paul Clarke has assigned me the back-of-book “Quench” essay several times. Over the past few years I’ve written about the Negroni (“Slow Down and Sip a Negroni” “The Negroni Offers Solace in Troubled Times”), and I have a new piece, “Jukebox Hero,” on my longtime fondness for classic bar jukeboxes in the current May/June issue.

In the new issue you’ll also find a Q&A with John deBary about his new book Saved by the Bellini, Nick Kokonas on tonic water, a round-up of Old Tom Gins, Maggie Kimberl’s profile of Kentucky brewer and distiller Lisa Wicker, Christine Sismondo on reforming rum’s problematic history, Joshua M. Bernstein’s story on the popularity of breweries hosting drag performances, Wayne Curtis on sloe gin and the Futurity Cocktail, and much more.

I encourage you to pick up a physical copy of the latest issues of Imbibe, and thank them for permitting me to share this exclusive excerpt of my essay “Jukebox Hero” here on LAST CALL.