People are fascinated with the rich and famous, even more so with those who are unique and talented and seem to stand above others in some form or fashion. We want to know as much about them as we can. And there’s something about musicians that particularly draws people in.
Their talent and damaged souls ignite the public’s curiosity. How did they gain such skill? What was their childhood like to shape such a person? What kind of people surrounded them throughout their lives?
In the spirit of satiating this innate curiosity, here are eight biographies and memoirs of influential musicians you may or may not know.
The Woman in Me by Britney Spears
Two, maybe even three, generations had lived for and loved Britney Spears over the past couple of decades. We were there for almost everything, thanks to the paparazzi who hounded her day and night, but it’s only now, so many years later, that we’re allowed a glimpse into the private life of one of history’s greatest performers with her tell-all memoir. It’s a brave and astonishingly moving story about freedom, fame, motherhood, survival, faith and hope, revealing everything from an abusive home life, her relationships with fellow Hollywood icons and her conservatorship. (Read the full BookTrib review.)
Shout, Sister, Shout!: The Untold Story of Rock-and-Roll Trailblazer Sister Rosetta Tharpe by Gayle Wald
Witness the untold story of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee and trailblazing performer, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, America’s first rock guitar diva. Tharpe was a source of influence for many popular musicians to follow her, including Elvis Presley, Little Richard, Eric Clapton and Etta James. Growing up in the Pentecostal Church, Tharpe’s background in gospel tradition didn’t stop her from crossing musical boundaries, defying classifications and disregarding the social and cultural norms of the age. Blues singer, gospel singer, folk artist and rock-and-roller, she “went electric” in the late 1930s, captivating both white and black audiences across the US and the globe.
Nadia Boulanger: War Years in America and Her Last Decades by James Whipple Miller
Famous across the feminist and classical music world throughout the early and mid-twentieth century as a composer, conductor and perhaps the most influential teacher of music, the last half of Nadia Boulanger’s story is revealed for the first time. Nadia’s story is told through her letter correspondence with a lifelong friend, student and fellow lover of music, Ruth Robbins — the author’s aunt — as well as exclusive interviews with Idil Biret, a child prodigy who studied under Nadia at a young age. The author’s meticulous research and the quotations from Nadia, Ruth and Idil reveal three strong and independent women with an unwavering love of beauty — musical, artistic and moral. (Read the full BookTrib review.)
Frank: The Voice by James Kaplan
The infinitely charismatic and glorified Frank Sinatra was arguably the best-known entertainer of the twentieth century. But despite his mammoth fame, Sinatra the man has remained an enigma. Author James Kaplan redefines the Sinatra the world knows, bringing deeper insight than ever before to the complex psyche and turbulent life behind that incomparable voice. Relive the years 1915 to 1954 in glistening detail, experiencing as if for the first time Sinatra’s journey from the streets of Hoboken, his fall from the apex of celebrity, and his Oscar-winning return in From Here to Eternity. Witness for yourself what it really meant to be Frank Sinatra — the man, the musician, the tortured genius.
On the Road and Off the Record with Leonard Bernstein: My Years with the Exasperating Genius by Charlie Harmon
In this tell-all book, Charlie Harmon — orchestra librarian, music arranger and editor — recounts his four exciting, draining years as assistant to the world-renowned conductor and composer, Leonard Bernstein. Hired to manage the day-to-day aspects of Bernstein’s life, Charlie acted as his social director, gatekeeper, valet, music copyist and itinerant orchestra librarian. Plus one additional responsibility: to make sure Bernstein met the deadline for an opera commission. But things kept getting in the way: the centenary of Igor Stravinsky, intestinal parasites picked up in Mexico, teaching all summer in Los Angeles, a baker’s dozen of young men, plus depression, exhaustion, insomnia and cut-throat games of anagrams. Charlie tells it all for the first time, painting an affectionate and intimate portrait of a genius musician driven by demons.
Feels Like Home: A Song for the Sonoran Borderlands by Linda Ronstadt and Lawrence Downes
Grammy award-winning singer Linda Ronstadt shares a profoundly moving and visceral memoir and travelog, rooted in place, family heritage, history and food. Co-written with New York Times editor Lawrence Downes, Feels Like Home explores Ronstadt’s background long before she became a musical icon. Her phenomenal success in rock, traditional pop standards, Broadway operetta and Mariachi touch the surface of her life; this book digs deep into the linkages that produced her rich body of work and, more importantly, shaped her identity. Rather than focus on her music career, Ronstadt gathers impressions and memories that highlight her personal life, immersing readers in her culture and family history. (Read BookTrib’s interview with the co-authors.)
Strings Attached: The Life and Music of John Williams by William Starling
From his childhood in Australia to his stellar career in London and around the world, John Williams has lived an extraordinary life. William Starling came to know John Williams through their mutual friend, jazz guitarist John Etheridge. As their friendship developed, he put it to the maestro that it was time for a biography. To his lasting amazement, the famously private Williams agreed. Strings Attached is the product of extensive research and uniquely privileged access to John Williams, his family, friends and musical associates. It is the first telling of the fascinating life and career of a world-renowned musician and, equally, the story of a man and the making of his identity.
Rocket Man by Mark Bego
The memoir every pop music lover needs to read —full of the scandals, addictions, affairs, and tantrums that underscored the life of the flamboyant, iconic Elton John. Growing up a loner who spent much of his time alone, Elton soon discovered that music understood him, learning to play the piano by ear by the time he was four. An awkward, pudgy teenager who hid behind raw talent, he slowly began to create a persona that got bigger and bigger, all the while fighting with his demons of addiction, insecurity, depression and sexuality. (Read the full BookTrib review.)
