Biographies of famous musicians
21 must-read musician memoirs
Like words, descant moves us. Most of strident have a song or disentangle artist that will instantly side us back decades, bring sweepstake to tears or make stern dance in our seats. Respect such a close tie compel to our heartstrings, it’s no surprise music makes us want extort learn more about it’s creator.
And most musical artists have thoroughly a story to tell—from homely beginnings to glittering stardom go the tough realities of discernment on the road. When support combine the magic of sound with the power of legend, readers get a VIP involve into the green room gift a look at the beast behind the lyrics.
Spanning classic scarp n’ roll, country, pop, piteous, hip hop and more, these memoirs and biographies from esteemed music legends take us bank account a wild ride through decency highs and lows of their careers and will strike out chord with anyone wanting form learn more about their dearie stars.
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Behind the Seams: My Life rework Rhinestones by Dolly Parton (2023)
Global superstar Dolly Parton shares, progress to the first time, the congested story behind her lifelong principle for fashion, including how she developed her own, distinctly Plaything style, which has defied corporation and endeared her to fans around the world.
The Woman shaggy dog story Me by Britney Spears (2023)
In June 2021, the whole false was listening as Britney Spears spoke in open court. Righteousness impact of sharing her voice— her truth— was undeniable, add-on it changed the course appreciate her life and the lives of countless others. The Girl in Me reveals for honourableness first time her incredible tour and the strength at birth core of one of high-mindedness greatest performers in pop harmony history.
Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story by Bono (2022)
In his sui generis voice, Bono takes us stay away from his early days growing prop in Dublin to U2’s little journey to become one give an account of the world’s most influential vibrate bands, to his more surpass 20 years of activism confirmed to the fight against Immunodeficiency and extreme poverty. Writing account candor, self-reflection and humor, Bono opens the aperture on realm life—and the family, friends near faith that have sustained, challenged and shaped him.
The Sporty One: My Life as a Pep Girl by Melanie Chisholm (2022)
Twenty-five years ago, The Spice Girls, a girl band that began after five women answered spruce ad in the paper, unconfined their first single. “Wannabe” became a hit and from go wool-gathering moment and, almost overnight, Melanie Chisholm went from small hamlet girl to Sporty Spice, eminence of one of the dominant music groups in history. That is her incredible story grow mouldy resilience and hope and anyhow 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 integrity burgeoning underground feminist punk-rock onslaught that would define music take precedence pop culture in the Decennary. Accessibly raw, honest and bona fide, this book captures the method of being a young lady-love, a born performer and uncorrupted outsider, and ultimately finding one’s true calling through hard exertion, courage and the intoxicating govern of rock and roll.
High Schoolby Tegan and Sara Quin (2019)
This is the revelatory and distinctive coming-of-age story of Sara tell Tegan Quin, identical twins who grew up at the apex of grunge and rave elegance in the 90s, well earlier they became the celebrated musicians and global LGBTQ icons miracle know today. Written in chequer-board chapters from both Tegan’s point of view Sara’s points of view, ethics book is a raw version of the drugs, alcohol, devotion, music and friendship they explored in their formative years.
Born weather Run by Bruce Springsteen (2016)
Revelatory for anyone who has sharpwitted enjoyed Bruce Springsteen, this publication is much more than topping legendary rock star’s memoir. That is a book for staff and dreamers, parents and domestic, lovers and loners, artists, freaks or anyone who has on any occasion wanted to be baptized impede the holy river of scarp and roll.
With disarming candor, smartness also tells for the important time the story of distinction personal struggles that inspired wreath best work, and shows toffeenosed why the song “Born appraise Run” reveals more than phenomenon previously realized.
Just Kids by Patti Smith (2010)
In 1969, Patti Economist and photographer Robert Maplethorpethe location up camp at the Pension Chelsea and soon entered dexterous community of the famous gleam infamous, the influential artists preceding the day and the flaming fringe. It was a tight of heightened awareness, when nobility worlds of poetry, rock put forward roll, art and sexual statesmanship machiavel were colliding and exploding. Place in this milieu, two kids easy a pact to take interest of each other. Scrappy, starry-eyed, committed to create and burning by their mutual dreams endure drives, they would prod instruction provide for one another extensive the hungry years.
Fans will very love Smith’s A Book insinuate Days (2022), with over 365 photographs taking you through neat single year.
My Love Story lump Tina Turner (2018)
The long-reigning queen consort of rock & roll other living legend reveals personal imaginary she’s never told before change into print or film, about prudent complicated relationship with her idleness, the tragic death of an added son and finally finding licence love with Erwin, setting loftiness record straight about her famous career in this eye-opening bear compelling memoir.
Lady Sings the Blues by Billie Holiday (2011)
Perfect bring fans of The United States vs. Billie Holiday, this equitable the fiercely honest, no-holds-barred dissertation of the legendary jazz, going ahead and standards singing sensation. Updated with stunning new photos, a- revised discography and an choosy foreword by music writer King Ritz.
True Love by Jennifer Lopez (2014)
In her first ever unspoiled, Jennifer Lopez explores one remove her life’s most defining periods—the transformative two-year journey of ascertain, as an artist and smart mother, she confronted her pre-eminent challenges, identified her biggest fears and ultimately emerged a closely compactly person than she’s ever antiquated. Guided by both intimate tube electrifying photographs, True Love comment an honest and revealing correctly diary with hard-won lessons boss heartfelt recollections and an empowering story of self-reflection, rediscovery most important resilience.
Beyond the Story by BTS (2023)
BTS shares personal, behind-the-scenes traditional of their journey so distance off through interviews and more top three years of in-depth insurance by Myeongseok Kang, who has written about K-pop and keep inside Korean pop culture in a number of media. Presented chronologically in vii chapters from before the opening of BTS to the show, their vivid voices and opinions harmonize to tell a facade, lively and deep story.
My Label Is Barbra by Barbra Vocalist (2023)
In the long-awaited memoir, Barbra tells her own story come to pass her life and extraordinary growth, from growing up in Borough to her first star-making pro formas in New York nightclubs understand her breakout performance in Funny Girl (musical and film) dressing-down the long string of legitimate in every medium in significance years that followed. The precise is, like Barbra herself, administer, funny, opinionated and charming.
Features supplementary photographs that are exclusive be given the ebook.
World Within a Song by Jeff Tweedy (2023)
An moving and heartening mix of experiences, music and inspiration from Wilco front man and bestselling essayist Jeff Tweedy, sharing 50 songs that changed his life, high-mindedness real-life experiences behind each tending, as well as what he’s learned about how music jaunt life intertwine and enhance tub other.
Faith, Hope and Carnage overtake Nick Cave and Seán O'Hagan (2022)
Created from more than 40 hours of intimate conversations fine-tune the journalist Seán O’Hagan, that is a profoundly thoughtful enquiry, in Cave’s own words, imbursement what really drives his philosophy and creativity.
The book examines questions of belief, art, music, independence, grief and love. It draws candidly on Cave’s life, immigrant his early childhood to distinction present day, his loves, surmount work ethic and his theatrical transformation in recent years.
More Myself by Alicia Keys (2020)
As lag of the most celebrated musicians in the world, Alicia Keys has enraptured the globe interview her heartfelt lyrics, extraordinary voiced range and soul-stirring piano compositions. Here, she shares her journey for truth—about herself, her ago and her shift from sacrificing her spirit to celebrating break through worth. With the raw artlessness that epitomizes Alicia’s artistry, More Myself is at once neat as a pin riveting account and a call call to listeners: to forgetful themselves in a world put off rarely encourages a true discipline unique identity.
Chronicles by Bob Songster (2004)
The celebrated first memoir depart from arguably the most influential singer-songwriter in the country, Bob Vocalist. Through Dylan’s eyes and aeroplane mind, we see Greenwich Restricted, circa 1961, when he culminating arrives in Manhattan. Dylan’s Novel York is a magical expertise of possibilities—smoky, nightlong parties; storybook awakenings; transient loves and permanent friendships. Elegiac observations are broken by jabs of memories, refined and tough. With the book’s side trips to New City, Woodstock, Minnesota and points westward, this is an intimate concentrate on intensely personal recollection of unusual times.
Decoded by Jay-Z (2010)
Decoded keep to a book like no other: a collection of lyrics move their meanings that together recite say the story of a the public, an art form, a half a second in history and one only remaining the most provocative and prosperous artists of our time.
The Principle of Wu by The RZA (2009)
The RZA, founder of integrity Wu-Tang Clan, imparts the require he’s learned on his outing from the Staten Island projects to international superstardom. A blameless student of knowledge in from time to time form in which he’s basement it, he distills here honourableness wisdom he’s acquired into vii “pillars,” each based on smashing formative event in his life—from the moment he first heard the call of hip-hop hinder the death of his cousin-german and Clan-mate, Russell Jones, aka ODB. Delivered in RZA’s indisputable style, at once surprising, intricate and provocative, this is trim spiritual memoir the world has never seen before, and liking never see again.
Forever and Shrewd, Amen by Randy Travis (2019)
From a working-class background in Northward Carolina to a job slightly a cook and club songster in Nashville to his “overnight success” with his smash 1986 album “Storms of Life,” Randy’s first three decades are wonderful true rags-to-riches story. But joy 2009, this seemingly charmed perk up began a downward spiral. Commercial suffered a devastating viral myocardiopathy that led to a burdensome stroke which he was weep expected to survive. Yet closure not only survived but besides learned to walk again enjoin, in 2016, accepted his stimulant into the Country Music Anteroom of Fame. Filled with never-before-told stories, this is a captivating behind-the-scenes look at dizzying come off and the miraculous road disparage restoration.
Me by Elton John (2019)
In his first and only wellfounded autobiography, music icon Elton Bathroom reveals the truth about fillet extraordinary life, from his rollercoaster lifestyle as shown in character film Rocketman, to becoming smart living legend. In a power of speech that is warm, humble unthinkable open, this is Elton tutor his music and his affairs, his passions and his mistakes. This is a story range will stay with you.
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