Gary Golio

A visual artist, musician, and psychotherapist, Gary Golio is the author of the New York Times- bestselling JIMI: Sounds Like A Rainbow – A Story of the Young Jimi Hendrix, recipient of a 2011 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award. His other books include When Bob Met Woody: The Story of the Young Bob Dylan; Spirit Seeker: The Musical Journey of John Coltrane; Bird & Diz - Two Friends Create Bebop; Strange Fruit - Billie Holiday and the Power of a Protest Song; Carlos Santana - Sound of the Heart, Song of the World; SMILE - How Young Charlie Chaplin Taught the World to Laugh (and Cry); Dark Was the Night - Blind Willie Johnson's Journey to the Stars; and Sonny Rollins Plays the Bridge. His forthcoming books include Everywhere Beauty is Harlem – The Vision of Photographer Roy DeCarava (2023), The Soldier's Friend - Walt Whitman's Extraordinary Service in the American Civil War (Calkins Creek/Astra, 2024), William Carney Carries the Flag - The Remarkable Story of America's First Black Medal of Honor Winner (Calkins Creek/Astra, 2025), and Silence Sounds Simple - A Day in the Life of John Cage (Calkins Creek/Astra, TBD).

Each of these books highlights an artist’s roots and influences, promoting the idea that artists are models of persistence and commitment, embodying values of imagination, hopefulness, and self-acceptance.