Jeff Skunk Baxter’s next act is a memoir about rock stardom and national security
Jeff Skunk Baxter’s memoir arrives Jan. 26, 2027, tracing his path from Steely Dan and the Doobies to defense and aerospace work.
Jeff "Skunk" Baxter is putting one of classic rock’s strangest second acts into book form. The guitarist known for Steely Dan and the Doobie Brothers has announced a memoir that pairs his music career with his long run in defense, aerospace and security work.
A Hall of Fame guitarist is telling the whole story in 2027
From Rock to Rockets: My Life as a Hall of Fame Guitar Slinger, Mad Scientist of Sound, and Citizen Warrior for National Defense will be published by Harper Influence, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, on January 26, 2027. It is already available to pre-order.
The book is billed as Baxter’s first full account, in his own words, of the route that took him from the recording studio into a second career as a subject-matter expert in defense, space, wargaming and counter-terrorism. The announcement says the memoir follows him from a music-focused childhood spent between Mexico City and New York City to life as a first-call session player and then a founding member of Steely Dan.
It also promises a look back at the rock scenes of Boston, New York and Los Angeles in the 1960s and 1970s, along with tours and sessions involving artists including Dolly Parton, Carly Simon, Donna Summer, Elton John, Ringo Starr and Joni Mitchell. Baxter later played with the Doobie Brothers and built a résumé that, according to the announcement, includes 14 Gold Records, eight Platinum albums, two Grammy Awards, six more Grammy nominations, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction and a Lifetime Achievement Award.
The less expected half of the memoir covers his move into aviation and defense work, including time in the cockpit of a reconnaissance aircraft and more than 30 years of consulting for the Department of Homeland Security, NASA, research laboratories and major defense contractors. The announcement also says he has advised U.S. defense organizations including the Missile Defense Agency, chaired the Civilian Advisory Board for Ballistic Missile Defense through a Congressional appointment, and taken part in Pentagon and broader national security wargames.
Baxter continues to tour and perform, while also recording for session work, film and television soundtracks, and commercials. Michael McDonald says the book reflects the same imagination, humor and daring Baxter brought to music, and former Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Lester L. Lyles describes him as someone whose passions for music, aviation, technology and military service have all shaped an unusual career.
