Jason Molina: riding with the ghost

Erin Osmon presents a detailed, human account of the Rust Belt-born musician Jason Molina—a visionary, prolific, and at times cantankerous singer-songwriter with an autodidactic style that captivated his devoted fans. The songwriting giant behind the bands Songs: Ohia and Magnolia Electric Co. had a knack for spinning tales, from the many personal myths he created and cultivated throughout this life, to the volumes of oblique poems and working man ballads he penned and performed. As with too many great musicians, his complicated relationship with the truth, combined with a secretive relationship with the bottle, ultimately claimed his life.

With the help of Molina’s family, friends and record label, Osmon details Molina’s personal trials and triumphs, from his earliest days as a trailer park kid in Lorain, Ohio, though his extensive world touring and his last days as a struggling artist addicted to alcohol. Jason Molina: Riding with the Ghost, reveals for the first time the true story of Molina’s last months and last works, including an unpublished album unknown to many of his fans. The book offers unfettered access to the complex mind and artistic arc of Molina through exclusive interviews with family, friends, and collaborators. The book also presents a deep dive into the Midwest music underground, including the birth and rise of Bloomington, Indiana–based label Secretly Canadian, which ascended from a scrappy purveyor of 1990s era folk and punk to a major player among indie record labels worldwide.

As the first authorized and detailed account of this prolific songwriter and self-mythologizer, Jason Molina: Riding with the Ghost provides readers with unparalleled insight into Molina’s tormented life and the fascinating Midwest musical underground that birthed him. It’s a story for the ages that speaks volumes to the triumphs and trials of the artistic spirit while exploring the meaningful music that Molina’s creative genius left behind.