Bet My Soul on Rock 'n' Roll Diary of a Black Punk Icon

The life and career of Haitian American musician Jean Beauvoir, a member of the New York City punk band the Plasmatics Jean Beauvoir joined the Plasmatics in 1979, playing bass and keyboards for the most notorious band to emerge out of the New York City punk scene. By 1982, he was a member of Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul, a retro-rock revival act headed by Steven Van Zandt. The Disciples of Soul videos played on MTV during the network's earliest years, making Beauvoir one of the first Black recording artists to break the start-up music channel's "color line." Bet My Soul on Rock and Roll follows this iconic musician's ride through the American music industry, detailing his encounters with rock stars such as Lita Ford, Bruce Springsteen, and Gene Simmons, as well as the actor Sylvester Stallone, the billionaire executive Richard Branson, and even Donald Trump. Beauvoir also considers the manner in which his Haitian heritage has shaped his public image, his music, and his role as an activist for the dispossessed and the poor. Beauvoir's collaborations--and stories--span genres, including work with KISS, Debbie Harry, Justin Timberlake, Lionel Richie, and the Ramones