COHASSEY, John (Frederick) 1961-

PERSONAL: Born November 2, 1961, in Pontiac, MI; son of Theodore Cohassey (an engineer) and Nancy (Aldrich) Chubb; married Gretta Abu-Isa (a social worker), May 22, 1993. Ethnicity: "Caucasian." Education: Oakland Community College, Associate Degree (psychology), 1985; Oakland University, B.A. (history), 1990; Wayne State University, M.A. (history), 1993. Hobbies and other interests: Historic preservation.

ADDRESSES: Home—398 West Iroquois, Pontiac, MI 48341.

CAREER: Professional musician, 1981-92, performed as rhythm and blues guitarist with the Delta Rockers, Artie Wolf and the Pack, Detroit bluesman Willie D. Warren, and Chicago bluesman Otis Rush; freelance writer, 1991—. Pontiac School System, employment counselor, 1985-86.

AWARDS, HONORS: Award of Merit, Historical Society of Michigan, 1998, for Toast of the Town.

WRITINGS:

Toast of the Town: The Life and Times of SunnieWilson, Wayne State University Press (Detroit, MI), 1998.

Contributor to Detroit News, and to books, including Contemporary Musicians, Contemporary Black Biography, African-American Almanac, sixth edition, and Encyclopedia of Latin-American History.

WORK IN PROGRESS: Nonfiction America's Cultural Rebels: The Avant-Garde and the Rise of Countercultures; Fiction Tales Told, Stories Unheard, a short-story collection.

SIDELIGHTS: John Cohassey told CA: "My background in cultural history, along with interest in creative writing, has had a reciprocal impact on both styles. Training in the visual arts and years as a professional musician has also contributed to my academic and creative writing, revealing the many relationships between the arts."