Where Do I Begin? by Elvis Duran
About a year ago, I was driving to work listening to “Elvis Duran and the Morning Show,” America’s most-listened-to Top 40-morning show and one of the 10 most-listened-to programs in all of radio, heard live by nearly ten million people every day. I was working for a literary PR firm, and Elvis had just said he was writing a book. I squealed to co-workers that I had to review it!
Well, folks… Elvis Duran’s Where Do I Begin?: Stories (I Sort of Remember) from a Life Lived Out Loud (Atria Books) is here. Within, he shares his craziest stories and hardest-learned lessons — from his early party days in Texas to talking about his sexuality on-air to getting his own star of the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and many other life-defining moments.
He writes candidly about his quest to make it to the top of the charts and reveals never-before-told stories from his personal life, behind-the-scenes looks at the industry, and inspiring advice. His wit, boldness, and charm come across in the book much as they do for me on the radio. Yet Where Do I Begin? unveils a portrait of Elvis that fans might have difficulty imagining. His kindness and determination shine as he retells the beginnings of his remarkable career.
Among the highlights:
- Radio beginnings: How as a teenager, Elvis set up a studio in his grandmother’s closet and broadcast to exactly one person: the next-door neighbor.
- Texas party days: In his early days in radio, how Elvis would broadcast under the influence, spend tequila-soaked nights in local gay bars, and dabble in one-night stands.
- Personal life: Elvis dishes on his relationships and shares touching stories of his fiancée, Alex (including the hilariously sweet way they met and how Alex proposed).
- Discussing his sexuality on-air: How as a private person, Elvis didn’t want to be known as the “gay DJ,” but happened to mention he was gay on the air in response to a caller—and was pleasantly surprised that no one made a huge deal about it.
- Top interviews with Lady Gaga, Mariah Carey, Rihanna, Ed Sheeran, and Justin Bieber from Elvis’s point of view.
- Rule-breaking: How Elvis broke many norms in radio, like the standard number of songs to play per hour and how often the host should speak and take calls.
- Life-saving advice from Dr. Oz: How Elvis owes his incredible weight loss and journey toward healthy living to Dr. Oz, who commented on his dangerously high blood pressure after doing a health segment on air.
But the story of how Elvis got the courage to keep going and follow his dream is the real joy of this book. I feel like he is coaching me through my life, pushing me to be the best version of myself. Sure, sometimes he drank too much, did something dumb, or said something wrong on the air. But he made it through.
Where Do I Begin?: Stories (I Sort of Remember) from a Life Lived Out Loud is out on October 1, 2019.
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