I’d like to thank Southeastern Louisiana University for their continued support of my writing; my agent, Peter Matson of Sterling-Lord Literistic, for his encouragement and expert management; my family, especially my wife, Winborne, for all her help and her careful reading of the manuscript; Tom Piazza, for his helpful writing on the world of jazz; The S &D Reflector, published by the sons and daughters of pioneer rivermen, a bottomless vault of information on inland waterways during the age of steam; the stories and research of Captain Fred Way; the wonderful Internet resource Red Hot Jazz Archive; and I am grateful for two books in particular, Moonlite at Eight Thirty by Alan Bates and Clarke Hawley and Jazz on the River by William Kenney. Finally, I give thanks for my editor, Gary Fisketjon, whose care and carefulness show amazing love for his work.