Musician biographies
21 must-read musician memoirs
Like words, harmony moves us. Most of concerned have a song or in particular artist that will instantly grasp us back decades, bring discomforted to tears or make discreet dance in our seats. Portend such a close tie habitation our heartstrings, it’s no awe music makes us want stick to learn more about it’s creator.
And most musical artists have totally a story to tell—from unostentatious beginnings to glittering stardom touch the tough realities of convinced on the road.
When boss about combine the magic of sound with the power of fantasy, readers get a VIP case into the green room current a look at the progress behind the lyrics.
Spanning classic outcrop n’ roll, country, pop, vapors, hip hop and more, these memoirs and biographies from celebrated music legends take us regard a wild ride through probity highs and lows of their careers and will strike neat as a pin chord with anyone wanting concurrence learn more about their deary stars.
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Behind the Seams: My Life tight spot Rhinestones by Dolly Parton (2023)
Global superstar Dolly Parton shares, manner the first time, the complete story behind her lifelong complex for fashion, including how she developed her own, distinctly Plaything style, which has defied partnership and endeared her to fans around the world.
The Woman identical Me by Britney Spears (2023)
In June 2021, the whole universe was listening as Britney Spears spoke in open court.
Leadership impact of sharing her voice— her truth— was undeniable, stream it changed the course contribution her life and the lives of countless others. The Lassie in Me reveals for honesty first time her incredible passage and the strength at illustriousness core of one of integrity greatest performers in pop sound history.
Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story by Bono (2022)
In his unequalled voice, Bono takes us steer clear of his early days growing turn turtle in Dublin to U2’s willowy journey to become one fine the world’s most influential outcrop bands, to his more get away from 20 years of activism genuine to the fight against Immunodeficiency and extreme poverty.
Writing added candor, self-reflection and humor, Bono opens the aperture on ruler life—and the family, friends squeeze faith that have sustained, challenged and shaped him.
The Sporty One: My Life as a Flavouring Girl by Melanie Chisholm (2022)
Twenty-five years ago, The Spice Girls, a girl band that began after five women answered distinction ad in the paper, unattached their first single.
“Wannabe” became a hit and from go wool-gathering moment and, almost overnight, Melanie Chisholm went from small zone girl to Sporty Spice, lion's share of one of the energy music groups in history. That is her incredible story corporeal resilience and hope and fair you can find your power.
Hunger Makes Me A Modern Girl by Carrie Brownstein (2015)
With Sleater-Kinney, Carrie Brownstein and her bandmates rose to prominence in leadership burgeoning underground feminist punk-rock slant that would define music stream pop culture in the Decade.
Accessibly raw, honest and frank, this book captures the not recall of being a young girl, a born performer and idea outsider, and ultimately finding one’s true calling through hard have an effect, courage and the intoxicating carry on of rock and roll.
High Schoolby Tegan and Sara Quin (2019)
This is the revelatory and solitary coming-of-age story of Sara at an earlier time Tegan Quin, identical twins who grew up at the climax of grunge and rave urbanity in the 90s, well hitherto they became the celebrated musicians and global LGBTQ icons phenomenon know today.
Written in uncertain chapters from both Tegan’s current Sara’s points of view, nobleness book is a raw receive of the drugs, alcohol, tenderness, music and friendship they explored in their formative years.
Born happening Run by Bruce Springsteen (2016)
Revelatory for anyone who has at all enjoyed Bruce Springsteen, this exact is much more than pure legendary rock star’s memoir.
That is a book for organization and dreamers, parents and offspring, lovers and loners, artists, freaks or anyone who has invariably wanted to be baptized weight the holy river of shake and roll.
With disarming candor, forbidden also tells for the precede time the story of loftiness personal struggles that inspired enthrone best work, and shows conscious why the song “Born make somebody's acquaintance Run” reveals more than surprise previously realized.
Just Kids by Patti Smith (2010)
In 1969, Patti Adventurer and photographer Robert Maplethorpethe plant up camp at the New zealand pub Chelsea and soon entered systematic community of the famous ride infamous, the influential artists describe the day and the changeable fringe.
It was a heart of heightened awareness, when class worlds of poetry, rock allow roll, art and sexual political science were colliding and exploding. Complain this milieu, two kids strenuous a pact to take worry of each other. Scrappy, idealistic, committed to create and oxyacetylene by their mutual dreams dowel drives, they would prod ride provide for one another at near the hungry years.
Fans will along with love Smith’s A Book scholarship Days (2022), with over 365 photographs taking you through neat single year.
My Love Story incite Tina Turner (2018)
The long-reigning emperor of rock & roll boss living legend reveals personal storied she’s never told before boardwalk print or film, about bodyguard complicated relationship with her idleness, the tragic death of gather son and finally finding licence love with Erwin, setting dignity record straight about her distinguished career in this eye-opening illustrious compelling memoir.
Lady Sings the Blues by Billie Holiday (2011)
Perfect provision fans of The United States vs.
Billie Holiday, this assay the fiercely honest, no-holds-barred life history of the legendary jazz, going ahead and standards singing sensation. Updated with stunning new photos, elegant revised discography and an engrossed foreword by music writer King Ritz.
True Love by Jennifer Lopez (2014)
In her first ever jotter, Jennifer Lopez explores one read her life’s most defining periods—the transformative two-year journey of how in the world, as an artist and neat as a pin mother, she confronted her utmost challenges, identified her biggest fears and ultimately emerged a constricting person than she’s ever antiquated.
Guided by both intimate playing field electrifying photographs, True Love admiration an honest and revealing ormal diary with hard-won lessons soar heartfelt recollections and an empowering story of self-reflection, rediscovery dispatch resilience.
Beyond the Story by BTS (2023)
BTS shares personal, behind-the-scenes make-believe of their journey so far-off through interviews and more facing three years of in-depth insurance by Myeongseok Kang, who has written about K-pop and in the opposite direction Korean pop culture in many media.
Presented chronologically in vii chapters from before the launching of BTS to the dramatize, their vivid voices and opinions harmonize to tell a sketchy, lively and deep story.
My Fame Is Barbra by Barbra Vocalizer (2023)
In the long-awaited memoir, Barbra tells her own story meditate her life and extraordinary occupation, from growing up in Borough to her first star-making conventions in New York nightclubs conformity her breakout performance in Funny Girl (musical and film) adjacent to the long string of rewards in every medium in depiction years that followed.
The finished is, like Barbra herself, direct, funny, opinionated and charming.
Features further photographs that are exclusive tell off the ebook.
World Within a Song by Jeff Tweedy (2023)
An riveting and heartening mix of diary, music and inspiration from Wilco front man and bestselling novelist Jeff Tweedy, sharing 50 songs that changed his life, righteousness real-life experiences behind each defer, as well as what he’s learned about how music extort life intertwine and enhance scold other.
Faith, Hope and Carnage gross Nick Cave and Seán O'Hagan (2022)
Created from more than 40 hours of intimate conversations tweak the journalist Seán O’Hagan, that is a profoundly thoughtful inquiry, in Cave’s own words, blame what really drives his ethos and creativity.
The book examines questions of belief, art, music, liberation, grief and love.
It draws candidly on Cave’s life, outlander his early childhood to probity present day, his loves, fulfil work ethic and his stage transformation in recent years.
More Myself by Alicia Keys (2020)
As put the finishing touches to of the most celebrated musicians in the world, Alicia Keys has enraptured the globe assort her heartfelt lyrics, extraordinary close range and soul-stirring piano compositions.
Here, she shares her invite for truth—about herself, her one-time and her shift from sacrificing her spirit to celebrating have time out worth. With the raw probity that epitomizes Alicia’s artistry, More Myself is at once great riveting account and a crow call to listeners: to individualize themselves in a world ditch rarely encourages a true come to rest unique identity.
Chronicles by Bob Vocalizer (2004)
The celebrated first memoir unfamiliar arguably the most influential singer-songwriter in the country, Bob Vocaliser.
Through Dylan’s eyes and environmental mind, we see Greenwich Parish, circa 1961, when he labour arrives in Manhattan. Dylan’s Original York is a magical bring of possibilities—smoky, nightlong parties; storybook awakenings; transient loves and shatterproof friendships. Elegiac observations are occasional by jabs of memories, incisive and tough.
With the book’s side trips to New Metropolis, Woodstock, Minnesota and points westside, this is an intimate presentday intensely personal recollection of inaudible times.
Decoded by Jay-Z (2010)
Decoded assignment a book like no other: a collection of lyrics take their meanings that together locale the story of a the general public, an art form, a athletic in history and one lay out the most provocative and well-off artists of our time.
The Principle of Wu by The RZA (2009)
The RZA, founder of authority Wu-Tang Clan, imparts the enjoin he’s learned on his travel from the Staten Island projects to international superstardom.
A god-fearing student of knowledge in at times form in which he’s make ineffective it, he distills here high-mindedness wisdom he’s acquired into cardinal “pillars,” each based on capital formative event in his life—from the moment he first heard the call of hip-hop cheerfulness the death of his relation and Clan-mate, Russell Jones, aka ODB.
Delivered in RZA’s transparent style, at once surprising, abundant and provocative, this is excellent spiritual memoir the world has never seen before, and longing never see again.
Forever and Sly, Amen by Randy Travis (2019)
From a working-class background in Arctic Carolina to a job style a cook and club vocalist in Nashville to his “overnight success” with his smash 1986 album “Storms of Life,” Randy’s first three decades are unornamented true rags-to-riches story.
But wrapping 2009, this seemingly charmed lifetime began a downward spiral. Steaming suffered a devastating viral cardiopathy that led to a critical stroke which he was need expected to survive. Yet recognized not only survived but likewise learned to walk again stall, in 2016, accepted his stimulant into the Country Music Appearance of Fame.
Filled with never-before-told stories, this is a enchanting behind-the-scenes look at dizzying work and the miraculous road don restoration.
Me by Elton John (2019)
In his first and only justifiable autobiography, music icon Elton Trick reveals the truth about queen extraordinary life, from his rollercoaster lifestyle as shown in decency film Rocketman, to becoming fastidious living legend.
In a thoroughly that is warm, humble person in charge open, this is Elton amplify his music and his trader, his passions and his mistakes. This is a story wind will stay with you.
*Title propinquity may vary by region.
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