Lennon, Dylan, Alice, and Jesus: The Spiritual Biography of Rock and Roll

This is a review of Lennon, Dylan, Alice, & Jesus by Greg Laurie and Marshall Terrill. Released in 2022, by Salem Books, Lennon, Dylan, Alice, & Jesus is an exhaustive spiritual biography on rock and roll. Authors Greg Laurie and Marshall Terrill tell the tales of many popular musicians who find Jesus on their spiritual search, and when they reach the end of themselves. Music, especially that which emerged through the rock and roll scene, has long been an influence on our societal ethos; it has been the companion for many individuals on their spiritual journey, and it at times has influenced others spiritually. It should not surprise us then that many musicians have taken spiritual sojourns in their private lives, and in the public squares, which has often influenced their songs and musical endeavors. For generations, musicians have been taking their fans on pilgrimage with them. Some of our biggest music celebrities have not only searched for spiritual meaning in very public ways, but they have also inspired whole generations to do the same. From the 1950s through the 1980s, music especially played a part in the spiritual sojourn of many. Many of those sojourners turned to Jesus, and others to other answers, like Eastern philosophy. Greg Laurie and Marshall Terrill, throughout Lennon, Dylan, Alice, & Jesus, explore the faith journeys of notable musicians of today and yesterday, many of which affected and/or reflected the cultural spiritual awakening that was also emerging. In the 60s and 70s, we witnessed many truth seekers find Jesus in some dramatic ways. In the introduction of Lennon, Dylan, Alice, & Jesus, Greg Laurie remarks that “though some see rock and roll as the antithesis of true faith, the truth is that many rock stars have become believers because they’ve lived at the pinnacle of an empty world and know that ultimately, it’s not satisfying. There must be something to this, because leaving fame, fortune, and the easy lie to take up the cross is no small choice.” This book follows the spiritual journeys of some of the most notable musicians as they enter a faith journey, many of them turning to Jesus after having everything they could have dreamed of. In Lennon, Dylan, Alice, & Jesus, authors Greg Laurie and Marshall Terrill explore what ultimately turned these musicians to Jesus, unpacking common denominators, reflecting on their confessions of their faith, and giving the reader the important realization that “no one is beyond the reach of God.” This book explores the spiritual searches of Elvis, Johnny Cash, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Bob Dylan, the Beatles, Alice Cooper, Carrie Underwood, and dozens more. Some of these spiritual journeys end well, and others still wanting. The book flap reads, “From Elvis to the Beatles, Donna Summer to Sheila E., and Brian Welch to Justin Bieber,” we find “a host of deeply emotional voices that have shaped our culture and effectively discipled our kids” - either for the good or the bad. Fans and individuals will know a little of many of these stories, but these two authors also exhaustively cite, document, and interview the lesser-known facts of the spiritual sojourns taken by some of our foremost influential cultural icons and voices. This is certainly the most comprehensive look in which I have read that reflects on the spiritual journeys of these musicians. The authors point out that at the end of our journey through this life, there might be some “surprises when we get to Heaven. Some of the people we thought would be there won’t be. Some of the people we never thought would be there will be.” I am convinced we will see some faces we never believed we would. As a follower of Jesus, and as someone who took a similar spiritual sojourn, I was encouraged by the confessions of faith from many in this book. I reflected on where I found similar ideas and thoughts that I journeyed through years before. Even more, I enjoyed reflecting on the mysterious way Go