Joseph Vogel (author)
Joseph Vogel is an American author, scholar, and entrepreneur. He is the author of several books, including Man in the Music: The Creative Life and Work of Michael Jackson and This Thing Called Life: Prince, Race, Sex, Religion, and Music, and the founder of the outdoor brand, Timpanogos Hiking Co.
Career
Vogel writes about music, literature, film and popular culture. His critically acclaimed 2011 book, Man in the Music: The Creative Life and Work of Michael Jackson, was described by the Associated Press as "a fascinating read and really a must have for any fan of Jackson." Filmmaker Spike Lee characterized it as having "brilliantly cracked the DNA, the code, the artistry of Michael Joseph Jackson." Vogel's work has been featured in The Atlantic, The Huffington Post, and PopMatters. In 2013, he was ranked #15 by Sonifly in a list of "Most Influential Music Journalists in Social Media."Vogel has published several books, including This Thing Called Life: Prince, Race, Sex, Religion, and Music, ''James Baldwin and the 1980s: Witnessing the Reagan Era and The Obama Movement. He has appeared in several documentaries, including Spike Lee's Bad 25 (film) and Michael Jackson's Journey from Motown to Off the Wall''. Vogel received his PhD from the University of Rochester, and was associate professor and Chair of the English Department at Merrimack College in Massachusetts. In 2022, he founded Timpanogos Hiking Co., an outdoor brand based in Utah. He is currently CEO of Timpanogos Hiking Co.