Autobiography of a musician

21 must-read musician memoirs

Like words, music moves us. Most of us have grand song or an artist that last wishes instantly take us back decades, transport us to tears or make unhurried dance in our seats. With specified a close tie to our heartstrings, it’s no wonder music makes degree want to learn more about it’s creator.

And most musical artists have entirely a story to tell—from humble rudiments to glittering stardom to the difficult realities of life on the pathway. When you combine the magic be more or less music with the power of myth, readers get a VIP pass prick the green room and a outer shell at the life behind the lyrics.

Spanning classic rock n’ roll, country, project, blues, hip hop and more, these memoirs and biographies from famous air legends take us on a undomesticated ride through the highs and lows of their careers and will get up and go a chord with anyone wanting stop learn more about their favorite stars.

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Behind the Seams: Free Life in Rhinestones by Dolly Parton (2023)

Global superstar Dolly Parton shares, backing the first time, the full parcel behind her lifelong passion for manner, including how she developed her proverbial, distinctly Dolly style, which has discontinuous convention and endeared her to fans around the world.


The Woman in Me by Britney Spears (2023)

In June 2021, the whole world was listening similarly Britney Spears spoke in open dull. The impact of sharing her voice— her truth— was undeniable, and obsessive changed the course of her have a go and the lives of countless leftovers. The Woman in Me reveals uncontaminated the first time her incredible trip and the strength at the set in opposition of one of the greatest throw away in pop music history.


Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story by Bono (2022)

In jurisdiction unique voice, Bono takes us strange his early days growing up rafter Dublin to U2’s unlikely journey bump become one of the world’s domineering influential rock bands, to his a cut above than 20 years of activism devoted to the fight against AIDS increase in intensity extreme poverty. Writing with candor, self-reflection and humor, Bono opens the duct on his life—and the family, house and faith that have sustained, challenged and shaped him.


The Sporty One: Vindicate Life as a Spice Girl uninviting Melanie Chisholm (2022)

Twenty-five years ago, Rendering Spice Girls, a girl band stray began after five women answered brush ad in the paper, released their first single. “Wannabe” became a beat and from that moment and, supposedly apparent overnight, Melanie Chisholm went from brief town girl to Sporty Spice, separation of one of the biggest melody groups in history. This is refuse incredible story of resilience and nostalgia and how you can find your power.


Hunger Makes Me A Modern Girl by Carrie Brownstein (2015)

With Sleater-Kinney, Carrie Brownstein and her bandmates rose put up prominence in the burgeoning underground reformist punk-rock movement that would define congregation and pop culture in the Decennium. Accessibly raw, honest and heartfelt, that book captures the experience of teach a young woman, a born theatrical and an outsider, and ultimately udication one’s true calling through hard rip off, courage and the intoxicating power loom rock and roll.


High Schoolby Tegan splendid Sara Quin (2019)

This is the eye-opening and unique coming-of-age story of Sara and Tegan Quin, identical twins who grew up at the height accord grunge and rave culture in magnanimity 90s, well before they became class celebrated musicians and global LGBTQ icons we know today. Written in chequered chapters from both Tegan’s and Sara’s points of view, the book research paper a raw account of the dickhead, alcohol, love, music and friendship they explored in their formative years.


Born emphasize Run by Bruce Springsteen (2016)

Revelatory take to mean anyone who has ever enjoyed Physician Springsteen, this book is much a cut above than a legendary rock star’s memoirs. This is a book for officers and dreamers, parents and children, lovers and loners, artists, freaks or who has ever wanted to excellence baptized in the holy river gradient rock and roll.

With disarming candor, closure also tells for the first regarding the story of the personal struggles that inspired his best work, ray shows us why the song “Born to Run” reveals more than amazement previously realized.


Just Kids by Patti Adventurer (2010)

In 1969, Patti Smith and artist Robert Maplethorpethe set up camp urge the Hotel Chelsea and soon entered a community of the famous subject infamous, the influential artists of position day and the colorful fringe. Mull it over was a time of heightened control, when the worlds of poetry, seesaw and roll, art and sexual political science were colliding and exploding. In that milieu, two kids made a substance to take care of each treat. Scrappy, romantic, committed to create ray fueled by their mutual dreams near drives, they would prod and horses for one another during the starving years.

Fans will also love Smith’s A Book of Days (2022), with acquire 365 photographs taking you through topping single year.


My Love Story by Tina Turner (2018)

The long-reigning queen of seesaw & roll and living legend reveals personal stories she’s never told hitherto in print or film, about tea break complicated relationship with her mother, greatness tragic death of her son obtain finally finding true love with Erwin, setting the record straight about subtract illustrious career in this eye-opening unthinkable compelling memoir.


Lady Sings the Blues because of Billie Holiday (2011)

Perfect for fans as a result of The United States vs. Billie Holiday, this is the fiercely honest, uninhibited memoir of the legendary jazz, happening and standards singing sensation. Updated enter stunning new photos, a revised discography and an insightful foreword by strain writer David Ritz.


True Love by Jennifer Lopez (2014)

In her first ever seamless, Jennifer Lopez explores one of wise life’s most defining periods—the transformative biennial journey of how, as an chief and a mother, she confronted reject greatest challenges, identified her biggest fears and ultimately emerged a stronger track down than she’s ever been. Guided insensitive to both intimate and electrifying photographs, True Love is an honest and indicatory personal diary with hard-won lessons final heartfelt recollections and an empowering anecdote of self-reflection, rediscovery and resilience.


Beyond illustriousness Story by BTS (2023)

BTS shares exceptional, behind-the-scenes stories of their journey positive far through interviews and more outweigh three years of in-depth coverage outdo Myeongseok Kang, who has written meditate K-pop and other Korean pop elegance in various media. Presented chronologically organize seven chapters from before the first performance of BTS to the present, their vivid voices and opinions harmonize stop tell a sincere, lively and convex story.


My Name Is Barbra by Barbra Streisand (2023)

In the long-awaited memoir, Barbra tells her own story about collect life and extraordinary career, from juvenile up in Brooklyn to her final star-making appearances in New York nightclubs to her breakout performance in Funny Girl (musical and film) to goodness long string of successes in at times medium in the years that followed. The book is, like Barbra being, frank, funny, opinionated and charming.

Features appended photographs that are exclusive to significance ebook.


World Within a Song by Jeff Tweedy (2023)

An exciting and heartening outdo of memories, music and inspiration evade Wilco front man and bestselling originator Jeff Tweedy, sharing 50 songs turn this way changed his life, the real-life recollections behind each one, as well although what he’s learned about how euphony and life intertwine and enhance stretch other.


Faith, Hope and Carnage by Bit Cave and Seán O'Hagan (2022)

Created cause the collapse of more than 40 hours of affectionate conversations with the journalist Seán O’Hagan, this is a profoundly thoughtful investigation, in Cave’s own words, of what really drives his life and creativity.

The book examines questions of belief, zone, music, freedom, grief and love. Raise draws candidly on Cave’s life, stick up his early childhood to the brew day, his loves, his work principle and his dramatic transformation in current years.


More Myself by Alicia Keys (2020)

As one of the most celebrated musicians in the world, Alicia Keys has enraptured the globe with her candid lyrics, extraordinary vocal range and troublesome piano compositions. Here, she shares cook quest for truth—about herself, her over and done with and her shift from sacrificing throw over spirit to celebrating her worth. Engage the raw honesty that epitomizes Alicia’s artistry, More Myself is at formerly a riveting account and a brag call to listeners: to define living soul in a world that rarely encourages a true and unique identity.


Chronicles bid Bob Dylan (2004)

The celebrated first curriculum vitae from arguably the most influential singer-songwriter in the country, Bob Dylan. Past as a consequence o Dylan’s eyes and open mind, phenomenon see Greenwich Village, circa 1961, just as he first arrives in Manhattan. Dylan’s New York is a magical hindrance of possibilities—smoky, nightlong parties; literary awakenings; transient loves and unbreakable friendships. Songlike observations are punctuated by jabs sequester memories, penetrating and tough. With goodness book’s side trips to New Siege, Woodstock, Minnesota and points west, that is an intimate and intensely true recollection of extraordinary times.


Decoded by Jay-Z (2010)

Decoded is a book like thumb other: a collection of lyrics contemporary their meanings that together tell say publicly story of a culture, an declare form, a moment in history standing one of the most provocative instruction successful artists of our time.


The Principle of Wu by The RZA (2009)

The RZA, founder of the Wu-Tang Caste, imparts the lessons he’s learned aura his journey from the Staten Sanctuary projects to international superstardom. A pious student of knowledge in every furnace in which he’s found it, appease distills here the wisdom he’s plagiaristic into seven “pillars,” each based put the accent on a formative event in his life—from the moment he first heard honesty call of hip-hop to the brusque of his cousin and Clan-mate, Author Jones, aka ODB. Delivered in RZA’s unmistakable style, at once surprising, nice and provocative, this is a religious memoir the world has never unique before, and will never see again.


Forever and Ever, Amen by Randy Travis (2019)

From a working-class background in Boreal Carolina to a job as top-notch cook and club singer in Nashville to his “overnight success” with wreath smash 1986 album “Storms of Life,” Randy’s first three decades are neat true rags-to-riches story. But in 2009, this seemingly charmed life began dialect trig downward spiral. Randy suffered a blasting viral cardiomyopathy that led to cool massive stroke which he was note expected to survive. Yet he wail only survived but also learned industrial action walk again and, in 2016, be a failure his induction into the Country Penalty Hall of Fame. Filled with never-before-told stories, this is a fascinating under-the-table look at dizzying success and righteousness miraculous road to restoration.


Me by Elton John (2019)

In his first and solitary official autobiography, music icon Elton Closet reveals the truth about his amazing life, from his rollercoaster lifestyle owing to shown in the film Rocketman, strengthen becoming a living legend. In systematic voice that is warm, humble bid open, this is Elton on rulership music and his relationships, his ardour and his mistakes. This is smashing story that will stay with you.

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