Best Biographies of Jazz Musicians
While he was exalted by his devoted fans as the "black Bob Dylan" (a term he hated) and widely sampled by the likes of Kanye West, Prince, Common, and Elvis Costello, he never really achieved mainstream success. “Controversial and enigmatic, the tragic trajectory of Scott-Heron's life and career is expertly examined in this testament to one of the last great radical artists.” ― Kirkus.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Leslie Goffe's book, GSH: A FATHER AND HIS SON, is a great read that tells an interesting father/son story. While it's emotional to read, I enjoyed hearing from Gil's friends and band members discussing his drug addiction issues."
"Several decades ago, when I was in High School, I first heard Gil Scott-Heron's In The Bottle, read and listened to some of his other works, and learned of his opposition to using hard drugs. In 2010, "The New Yorker" published an excellent piece examining Gil Scott-Heron's (then current) life and dependence on crack cocaine."
"He was such a talent, a musical genius, an intellectual par excellence and an artist committed to the improvement of lives of people."
"A Great Piece of history on my favorite Author, Poet and Musician of all time Mr. Gil Scott-Heron."
"An exceptional well written book, even though it has such a tragic ending, it was still very uplifting and and covered all. there was to know of such a great artist."
"This book gave me in site of a man I admired musically and spiritually."
"Finally a definitive written document of unique socially conscious 1970s music artist."
"Well written coverage of Gil Scott-Heron's musical artistry and personal life."
Indeed, the author spotlights Django's amazing musical diversity, describing his swing-styled Nouveau Quintette, his big band Django's Music, and his later bebop ensemble, as well as his many compositions, including symphonic pieces influenced by Ravel and Debussy and his unfinished organ mass inspired by Bach. And along the way, the author offers vivid snapshots of the jazz scene in Paris--colorful portraits of Josephine Baker, Bricktop, Louis Armstrong, Coleman Hawkins, and countless others--and of Django's vagabond wanderings around France, Europe, and the United States, where he toured with Duke Ellington. That he was very much a Gypsy--uncomfortable living in a building or one place for long, prone to blowing off engagements when he had enough money or something more interesting came up, infuriatingly proud and insouciant, reckless and hedonistic--is his most delightful aspect as a biographical subject, for from it springs a wealth of hilarious, outrageous, and touching stories. His career began during the rise of the bals musette style of French popular dance music; flared with unparalleled brilliance in the never-quite-formal Quintette du Hot Club de France, in which he and violinist Stephane Grappelli spurred one another to become the first European peers of Louis Armstrong; and peaked, paradoxically, in wartime Paris. Dregni couches Django's story in sketches of the musical styles and persons that crucially affected him, and vice versa, so that, despite anachronistic solecisms (e.g., "gothic sentimentality," "medieval guillotines") and grammatical gaffes, this biography is a splendid history of early European, especially French, jazz.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"People rave over his guitar work after the fire that destroyed half his hand, but no one, it seems, wants to say how unbelievable he would have been without his deformed digits."
"The author not only told the fascinating story of an incredible musician, but provided a wealth of information about the people in Django's life, such as his famous musical partner, Stephane Grappelli, as well as important figures in the jazz scene in France, like Charles Delauney. While the book was very fun and engaging, there were times that I felt like the author spent a lot of time giving background information to set up events in Django's life."
"very well written."
"A great book--very well written."
"A very detailed account of a very amazing guitarist, and well versed in music writing as well."
"Amazingly detailed and well- researched biography, with many insights into the Gypsy genius."
"Instead, what I got was a very detailed, well-written account of Django Reinhardt the man and his part in the nascent French jazz scene, all nicely put in historical context of Europe during WWII."
"Beautifully written with a wealth of detail."
Billy Strayhorn (1915-1967) was one of the most accomplished composers in American music, the creator of such standards as "Take the 'A' Train", yet all his life he was overshadowed by his friend and collaborator, Duke Ellington. Hajdu, taking his title from one of Strayhorn's youthful works, deftly chronicles the life of the gifted composer, arranger and pianist about whom little has been known until now. The extent to which Ellington deliberately kept him in the background is unclear, but Strayhorn seems to have preferred this arrangement; without the need to pursue a career on his own, he could be open about his homosexuality at a time when most gay men kept their sexual orientation secret.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Lush Life is the award-winning watershed biography of the life of Billy Strayhorn (1915-1967). Hajdu did more than 400 interviews of people including musicians, friends, family, noted celebrities and other entertainment professionals who had personal knowledge of Strayhorn's life and career. Recent research, including Hajdu's LUSH LIFE, has served to remove the historical cloud and to reveal a life story so rich, so sad, so tragic, and so amazing--a "page turner" that brings the magnificent fruit of a hard life to full view."
"Certainly Hajdu's book will help the public to appreciate Strayhorn."
"A nicely written biography."
"Billy Strayhorn was complex and brilliant and this book offers the best view ever inside the life and times of a tremendously talented person."
"It is a must-read...providing tremendous insight into the life of this true musical genius and incredible human being!"
"It is a thorough biography of Billy Strayhorn whose genius was hidden behind Duke Ellington."
"Inside look at the life of a sophisticated genius."
"Instead of enhancing the experience of listening to this wonderful music, it sucked all the joy out of it."
Best Biographies of Punk Rock Musician
It was the summer Coltrane died, the summer of love and riots, and the summer when a chance encounter in Brooklyn led two young people on a path of art, devotion, and initiation. Bound in innocence and enthusiasm, they traversed the city from Coney Island to Forty-second Street, and eventually to the celebrated round table of Max's Kansas City, where the Andy Warhol contingent held court. Smith's memoir of their friendship, Just Kids , is tender and artful, open-eyed but surprisingly decorous, with the oracular style familiar from her anthems like "Because the Night," "Gloria," and "Dancing Barefoot" balanced by her powers of observation and memory for everyday details like the price of automat sandwiches and the shabby, welcoming fellow bohemians of the Chelsea Hotel, among whose ranks these baby Rimbauds found their way. Smith transports readers to what seemed like halcyon days for art and artists in New York as she shares tales of the denizens of Max's Kansas City, the Hotel Chelsea, Scribner's, Brentano's, and Strand bookstores. In the lobby of the Chelsea, where she and Mapplethorpe lived for many years, she got to know William Burroughs, Allen Ginsberg, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and Johnny Winter.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Two teens finding each other, touching, discovering, swimming their way through NY , broke but driven by the need to create beauty, to make art ."
"This is an entertaining and insightful autobiography and a detailed look at New York life in the '60's and "70's."
"Twin souls Patti Smith and Robert Mapplethorpe come together as young adults in New York City, with a cast of many illustrious characters."
"Smith is the quintessential queen of art and poetry and song and voice and love."
"Wow."
"Whay a beautiful story of young love and self discovery."
"There are many parts of just kids I enjoyed reading but there was just a bit too much name dropping."
"I was a generation older, but was never drawn to rebellion of wars , drugs or etc."
Best Biographies of Rap & Hip-Hop Musician
” — Complex “A cautionary tale that ends in triumph.” — GQ “A revelation and a welcome addition to hip-hop’s literary legacy.” — All Hip Hop. Born in rural Bessemer, Alabama, Radric Delantic Davis became Gucci Mane in East Atlanta, where the rap scene is as vibrant as the dope game. He inspired and mentored a new generation of artists and producers: Migos, Young Thug, Nicki Minaj, Zaytoven, Mike Will Made-It, Metro Boomin. In his extraordinary autobiography, the legend takes us to his roots in Alabama, the streets of East Atlanta, the trap house, and the studio where he found his voice as a peerless rapper. There are scenes from Gucci Mane’s new autobiography that seem better fit for a gripping Oscar drama than for the story of a guy who recently won his first MTV Video Music Award.” —GQ “A captivating dive into the mind of Radric Davis. The book provides incredible insight into one of the most influential rappers of the last decade, detailing a volatile and fascinating life . By the end, every reader will have a greater understanding of Gucci Mane, the man and the musician.” —PITCHFORK “A story of black manhood in the American South as never described before. Even while incarcerated, Gucci remained a cult hero to a generation that reached far beyond the Southern city where his influence first blossomed. —HIGHSNOBIETY “Gucci Mane’s story is one of reinvention.” —PEOPLE.COM “Highly-anticipated . a serious look inside his major life struggles and triumphs.” —BILLBOARD “Inspirational.” —THE SOURCE “The Autobiography of Gucci Mane, written with music journalist Neil Martinez-Belkin, quietly defies the conventions of the celebrity memoir genre; in parts, it reads like what I can only describe as pop culture poetry. riveting, filled with music-world intrigue and inner-city shootouts and buoyed by a self-awareness not marred by ego.” —PUBLISHERS WEEKLY “Gucci Mane managed to turn his entire life around and penned that ascent in his newest memoir . a well-rounded portrait.” —REVOLT TV “Gucci’s family life, drug dealing and arrests — as well as the perfection of a musical style that would help elevate the careers of a slew of young Southern artists such as Migos, Young Thug and Zaytoven — are on full display in the new The Autobiography of Gucci Mane . the trap king’s roots, and his past, remain close to his head and his heart.” —THE UNDEFEATED “ Autobiography buzzes with the grandeur and grittiness that Gucci is known for, and some of that can be attributed to the music journalist Neil Martinez-Belkin, who co-wrote it.” —THE OUTLINE “As entertaining as anything Gucci has ever made . The entire book feels less like an autobiography but rather a conversation . something moving and meaningful, much more so than the usual 'hustler to rapper' story.” —SWGRUS “ The Autobiography of Gucci Mane is about growth, resilience and how no matter the setback, Gucci Mane is always prepared to come back harder than ever before. the many lessons Gucci Mane endured and shared in this autobiography can be valued by us all.” —ESSENCE “Better than any urban novella, the book is an exemplary account of the life and times of Radric Davis from Bessemer, Alabama—otherwise known as Gucci Mane.” —NEWSWEEK “His book brings a fuller worldview to the rhymed version of the biography he’s previously shared.” —PACIFIC STANDARD “The Autobiography of Gucci Mane is Gucci’s greatest redemption song . His autobiography shines because we get to see an emotionally intelligent Gucci. Given Gucci’s influence on this generation and its rappers, as well as neighborhood pushers from inner-city dwellings around the country, his newly debuted book is poised to inspire rappers and men like myself to give more thought to mental health, drug use and the kind of lives we want to lead.”. — VIBE “ The Autobiography of Gucci Mane is written with an appealing matter-of-factness, and it helps to replace myth with something closer to the real story.”. — THE NEW YORKER Gucci Mane, born Radric Delantic Davis, is a critically acclaimed, platinum-selling recording artist. The Autobiography of Gucci Mane is his first book.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Don't get lost in the sauce."
"It’s very much “this is what happened”, starting with Gucci’s family history and early childhood all the way up to the present-day Gucci Mane that we know and love."
"I finished this book and couldn't put it down!"
"got this for my son for Christmas -- he really enjoyed the book and the life of Gucci Mane."
"What an amazing story."
"I support Guwop telling his story and his amazing transition in life."
"I ordered two copies of Gucci Mane’s autobiography as gifts and the conditions that they came in were a dissapointment."
Best Biographies of Country & Folk Musicians
Waylon Jennings relates the story of his life as a country music star. With the help of writer and rock guitarist Kaye, an older, calmer, drug-free Jennings now relates his life story, from his childhood in a dirt-floored house in West Texas, through his busted marriages and hard-partying days, to his current existence as happily married man (to country star Jessi Colter) and member of the Highwaymen, the country music supergroup made up of Jennings, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson. Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. A country music star tells of his poor childhood and rise to stardom.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Well Waylon is no story teller but his story is one you want to know. He is helped out by a writer so his story hangs together although it is clear that he left out some parts."
"You have to read Jessi's book to get some different perspective on their history and the whole story."
"This book is a great history in his own words about how he had to fight the system to produce music his way."
"The book was interesting because it exposed the struggles, the accomplishments, and the triumphs of Waylons's life.At the same time it appeared that Waylon tried to include everyone he ever met in his lifetime."
"It is so good I am going to read it again!"
"thank you, this man did a lot for Country Gold."
"Waylon was HONEST."
"I have always enjoyed listening to Waylon Jennings."
Best Biographies of Rock Bands
In his early teens his solace was the guitar, and his incredible talent would make him a cult hero in the clubs of Britain and inspire devoted fans to scrawl “Clapton is God” on the walls of London’s Underground. It was while working with the latter that he fell for George’s wife, Pattie Boyd, a seemingly unrequited love that led him to the depths of despair, self-imposed seclusion, and drug addiction. By the early seventies he had overcome his addiction and released the bestselling album 461 Ocean Boulevard , with its massive hit “I Shot the Sheriff.” He followed that with the platinum album Slowhand , which included “Wonderful Tonight,” the touching love song to Pattie, whom he finally married at the end of 1979. As he retraces every step of his career, from the early stints with the Yardbirds and Cream to his solo successes, Clapton also devotes copious detail to his drug and alcohol addictions, particularly how they intersected with his romantic obsession with Pattie Boyd. At times, he sounds more like landed gentry than a rock star: bragging about his collection of contemporary art, vigorously defending his hunting and fishing as leisure activities, and extolling the virtues of his quiet country living. “Like the bluesmen who inspired him, Clapton has his share of scars... his compelling memoir is... a soulful performance.” — People “An absorbing tale of artistry, decadence, and redemption.” — Los Angeles Times.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I respect his acknowledgment and honoring of his friends in the book - not only their talents, but their unique qualities and friendship."
"I knew some, I've read Pattie Boyd's biography and some others peoples from the same era but I didn't really have a clear picture of who Eric Clapton was. He talks about them as objects of lust and things he desires to own much the same way someone else might refer to classic cars. Telling the truth about your life and the people in it is not always easy and he's pretty blunt about things. At times he almost shares too much information...I get that he was so drunk that he slept in a field all night but I didn't really need to hear how he defecated all over himself...that type of thing. Also worth mentioning is that throughout the book, even during his younger years he does give praise to fellow musicians he respected and certain people that were in his life so even then he wasn't all bad.."
"Very well written and surprisingly harsh on himself, EC illuminates a lot of background on his music, confusing childhood and relationships."
"It held me, maybe because I have always liked Eric's music and these were his own words, not by someone about someone. To me it was a book about recovery and restoration."
"Eric takes you from his years of drug and alcohol abuse to his faith in a living relationship with a living God."
"The story was somewhat inspirational in the early years, but then devolved into a life of addiction that was harmful to himself and those who loved him."
"It also felt as if he wrote it as if he was a friend telling you about his past."
"His music is amazing, so much so you just think of him as an icon , not a real person , until you read this book ."
Best Biographies of Pop Artists
Carly Simon's New York Times bestselling memoir, Boys in the Trees , reveals her remarkable life, beginning with her storied childhood as the third daughter of Richard L. Simon, the co-founder of publishing giant Simon & Schuster, her musical debut as half of The Simon Sisters performing folk songs with her sister Lucy in Greenwich Village, to a meteoric solo career that would result in 13 top 40 hits, including the #1 song "You're So Vain." An Amazon Best Book of December 2015: In the trees is just about the only place in Carly Simon’s world that there aren’t boys, suggests this unputdownable memoir by the beloved singer and the first artist in history to win a Grammy Award, an Academy Award, and a Golden Globe Award for the same song ("Let the River Run" from the movie Working Girl ).
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"And sure, Carly Simon has had her affairs with various guys over the years, but I can't help but wonder if the memoir of a male music star would have those same headlines. What about how her voice is the one you hear wherever you go in this world (last week I heard You Belong to Me in the supermarket, and I Haven't Got Time for the Pain in my doctor's office!). It is a serious, beautifully written account of the life of a popular but under appreciated artist, that was charmed in parts, deeply romantic in others and downright upsetting elsewhere."
"of the famous relationships and names are here, framed with the songs and music they inspired, but most important, for me, is the story of a woman coming to terms with her own life long quest for love, understanding and forgiveness."
"This story starts out with a fascinating look at growing up among the upper middle class in the late 1950s but, unfortunately ends with too much focus on James Taylor."
"The book tells her personal story with all its tragedies and heartbreak from her father's early death to the challenges of breaking into the music industry."
"Her "storybook" childhood as the daughter of wealth, success and fame is always noted in articles, but Carly's story goes beyond those presumptions to show both the wonder and the challenges of her life."
"Since she doesn't have a relationship with James, what did she really have to lose by writing about their marriage as it was also her story to tell."
Best Biographies of R&B Artists
Love bravely, live bravely, be courageous--there's really nothing to lose. --Jewel. McFarland is the pseudonym for a well-regarded journalist who, over the last decade, has written for a host of leading publications, including Rolling Stone, SPIN, Vanity Fair, Details, and The Los Angeles Times .
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"(There's a lot more to Jewel's life than in this book. but, If you don't know much about Jewel.... And, Jewel, STILL makes time to keep in touch with fans, continue performing in live shows, and be the well rounded, balanced, out spoken, compassionate and brutally honest beautiful woman... with one of the most BEAUTIFUL VOICES OF OUR TIME!!!"
"I never realized how much impact her love affair with Steve Poltz, nearly twice her age and already a scenemaker in San Diego band the Rugburns, had on her own career and visibility ... culminating in their shared songwriting of "You Were Meant For Me.""
"The only downside to this book, is that while I assume those close to Jewel were interviewed about Jewel's life, Jewel herself was not interviewed."
"Anyone that's followed Jewel's career, fan or no, would have a tough time disputing the facts detailed in Angel Standing By."
"Product and picture description is a bit different."
"This biography of Jewel brings her to life as no one has before -- all of the people who brought her to fame, all of the places she had to play before she got there come to life as though you're reading a really great novel."
"This one explains what it's like to learn how to play guitar and sing in front of people."
"Though the stories in it are undoubtedly true and it does describe how difficult Jewel's road to stardom was, it seemed to read more like a chronology of events than an in-depth look at her career."
Best Biographies of Classical Composers
How music provided hope in one of the world's darkest times—the inspirational life story of Alice Herz-Sommer, the oldest living Holocaust survivor. Written with the cooperation of Alice Herz-Sommer, Melissa Müller and Reinhard Piechocki's Alice's Piano is the first time her story has been told. REINHARD PIECHOCKI is the author of a number of works of cultural history and a close friend of Alice Herz-Sommer's for many years.ALICE HERZ-SOMMER, at 107 years old, is the oldest living Holocaust survivor.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Spellbound, so incredibly lifting and yet so incredibly sad, I could not put it down."
"Well that has been my experience with Alice's Piano, The Story of Alice Hrez-Sommer."
"An absolutely stunning book, one of the best I have ever read."
"I have read many books about the holocaust."
"Amazing story, amazing life."
"Alice's Piano is a thrilling subject, but the book is poorly written, even with grammatical mistakes."
"I love reading personal holocaust stories - this one is a bit difficult to get through because of all the musical references and sideline stories - but is good story."
"I am going to be in Prague and will visit the concentration camp where Alice was."