Biography, Autobiography, Memoir discussion
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Challenge for January 2019
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Koren
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Dec 31, 2018 06:15PM
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That's a good one. I have so many to choose from.Ive narrowed it down to four: 1. Dreamgirl: My Life as a Supreme 2.Glow: The Autobiography of Rick James 3.Nina Simone: The Biography 4.Pops: A Life of Louis Armstrong
I ended up picking
I didnt know anything about Louis Armstrong before this book. I learned alot not just about Louis but about Jazz music and its origins. Pops was a 4 Star read.
I'm interested in reading these ones1.California Dreamin' about Mama Cass
2.Celine Dion: My Story, My Dream
3. Loving Amy: A Mother's Story by Janice Winehouse
California Dreamin sounds the most interesting.
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Love The Mamas and the Papas and anything 60's folk music.
Koren, you're a genius! Or psychic! Or something! I just decided for the TC challenge to read a bio of Sid Vicious, the bassist for the Sex Pistols, that sets out to prove he didn't kill Nancy Spungen. Two birds with one stone!
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Yayyyy!
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4 stars
I have to say, I haven't always been a country music lover. Growing up in the 70's I didnt realize that quite a few of the pop crossover artists of the 70's were country. I loved Kenny Rogers (he was my first ever concert), Dolly, Tanya Tucker, Charlie Rich, Alabama, John Denver...I'm sure there are more....and didnt realize they were more country than pop. Even when the younger country artists started coming out like Garth Brooks, Clint Black, Sawyer Brown in the early 90's I still wasn't into the older artists. They have grown on me over the years and now I much prefer the older artists over what is out there today. Too bad most of those legends my parents listened to are gone.
Waylon Jennings was best known for being stubborn and hard headed and doing things his way. He is also known for his many years of drug abuse. He is honest and doesn't gloss over his faults. He readily admits he is not perfect. He certainly led a full life and got in lots of trouble. Never a dull moment. This book moved along quickly for me. There is lots of music history written by someone who lived it.
I would recommend reading Dolly Parton's memoir she has an interesting life. Being larger than life actually...I've now got 'California Dreamin' it's actually in comic book format, so should be interesting!
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I've now got 'California Dreamin' it's actually in comic book format, so should be i..."
Selina, which Dolly memoir did you read? She has several. She certainly is a character with a heart of gold. Just one of those people that everybody likes.
It was this one, Dolly: My Life and Other Unfinished Business but she also wrote one about achieving one's dreams Dream More I've read both.
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Read them both. Dream More is good if you want a short book you can read in one sitting.
Sid Vicious: No One is Innocent, Alan Parker3 stars
This was a good read. I was quite worried this would be boring since I've already read a couple of books on this notorious music-industry murder, but it was not to be. The author took me back through the old familiar story and added more pieces I haven't read about elsewhere. I feel more sure than ever of what happened in Room 100 at the Chelsea Hotel, but less sure of what happened in the apartment where Sid died. I feel sure, though, that some of Parker's informants had a great deal to hide, so probably there is far more out there to learn...
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3 stars
This was a good read. I was quite worried this would be boring since I've already read a couple of books on this notorious music..."
Sorry to say, I dont really know who he is or know much about him. What band was he in?
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I've heard of them. That's about it. I'm assuming he was murdered.
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Psychedelic Bubble Gum Boyce & Hart, the Monkees, and Turning Mayhem Into Miracles
by Bobby Hart
3 stars
This book caught my eye because I love, love, loved the Monkees when I was a teenager. Actually, I still do. I was not real familiar with Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart except I knew they had written quite a few of the Monkees songs. I was surprised to find out they were a singing duo themselves. The song I was the most familiar with was "I Wonder What She's Doing Tonight". That said, I was reading the book anxiously waiting for the part about the Monkees but it was very short and mostly things I had already heard about them. No deep dark secrets here. After doing a search, I found out that Tommy had died in the early 90's from suicide. I was hoping the book would touch more on this but Tommy's death was basically one sentence in the book. Other things, like his love life, he went on and on. There is a lot of name-dropping in this book. So while I found some things wanting, there were other things that were interesting. I liked reading the history of pop music in the late 60's and early 70's. I just thought some things could have been shorter and other things he could have gone into more depth. It's worth a YouTube search to see them performing some of their hits. I just watched a clip where Tommy and Bobby were on I Dream Of Jeannie. I love those old 60's and 70's TV shows.
Koren wrote: "The book I read is as far in the opposite direction of Fishface's book as you could possibly go. Psychedelic Bubble Gum Boyce & Hart, the Monkees, and Turning Mayhem Into Miracles..."
I've got this on my list!
California Dreamin' by Penelope BaglieuThis is a comic book version of Cass Elliot, aka Mama Cass of Mama and the Papas. Born Ellen Cohen in Baltimore, the story follows her childhood, teenage years to her joining the group that would become the folk/pop group with the harmonising vocals that was the sound of the 60s.
I had seen a film bio about the group so already knew a bit about them, Michelle, the other female singer in the group was interviewed for that and talked about the groups dynamics ..she was married to John at the time and Denny was the songwriter, but it was Cass who was the powerhouse vocalist. Ellens childhood dream was to become a star plus she could sing. Unlike florence foster Jenkins who couldnt, but like her she had determination even crashing 'the Mugwumps' and basically tagging along the trio till the record execs said we wont give you the deal unless you include Cass, and thereafter Mama Casses size ceases to be an issue.
The comic book illustrations are well drawn, its not flashy but more sketchy in black and white and also quirky. Cass parents are Jewish and her dad in particular loves opera, but instead is a deli owner, giving his musical dreams to his daughter. I enjoyed this peek into the personal lives of one of Its most famous band member (with her outsize personality) even though it ends after the record deal is signed, but the creative inspiration behind the groups hit California dreamin is conveyed here...oh and they did smoke and do a bit of drugs too.
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This is a comic book version of Cass Elliot, aka Mama Cass of Mama and the Papas. Born Ellen Cohen in Baltimore, the story follows her child..."
A biographical comic book is something new to me. I think Cass was the best vocalist of the group. Such a distinctive and recognizable voice. If it ends with the record deal then it doesn't address her death. Seems to be a controversy on how she died- either by choking or heart attack. I saw her daughter, who looks a lot like her, and she said heart attack. Her name is Owen. I'll post a link to a YouTube video where Wilson Phillips and Owen are singing Dedicated to the One I Love. Owen is the second from the right. I believe all the singers are children of the Beach Boys and Mamas and the Papas.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtZnN...
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Psychedelic Bubble Gum Boyce & Hart, the Monkees, and Turning Mayhem Into Miracles..."
While reading the reviews for this book I came across an comment that revealed a factual error in the book. In the book, the author states that when he was at the Grand Ol'Opry in Nashville he reflected on the great singers that had graced the stage before him, such as George Jones singing He Stopped Loving Her Today. He was at the Opry in 1969. George didnt release the song until 1980 so he couldn't have been thinking about that particular song. This makes me doubt some of the other comments in the book.
Do musicals count? I was thinking of reading a Judy Garland biography?
Meranda wrote: "Do musicals count? I was thinking of reading a Judy Garland biography?"I would say yes..it's music, go for it!
I had read a lot about her so will be interesting to see what bio you pick. As there are many...
Koren wrote: "Selina wrote: "California Dreamin' by Penelope BaglieuThis is a comic book version of Cass Elliot, aka Mama Cass of Mama and the Papas. Born Ellen Cohen in Baltimore, the story fo..."
Thanks, that was interesting vid.
I see Michelle Phillips also wrote a memoir of the same title, but its not held in my library the comic book was the only book they had on Mamas and the Papas. Owen spoke about her mum on the film bio.
I do remember Wilson Phillips was big in the early 90s.
I read a memoir about the Beach Boys called Good Vibrations a year or two ago but I forget which member it was...not Brian Wilson.
Koren wrote: "Lady ♥ Belleza wrote: "Sex Pistols. Punk rock"I've heard of them. That's about it. I'm assuming he was murdered."
His girlfriend was for sure. The other 2 -- 3? -- books I read about the case say he killed himself, but this author says he was murdered too.
Fishface wrote: "Koren wrote: "Lady ♥ Belleza wrote: "Sex Pistols. Punk rock"I've heard of them. That's about it. I'm assuming he was murdered."
His girlfriend was for sure. The other 2 -- 3? -- books I read about the case say he killed himself, but this author says he was murdered too."
My library doesn't have it, I may have to buy it .........
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Judy Garland would be a definite yes. Actually, anything music related is ok for this challenge.
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I've heard of them. That's about it. I'm assuming he was murdered."
His girlfriend was for sure. The other 2 -- 3? --..."
It's always good to support the brick and mortar stores and the authors so go for it.
Yay! Thank you for the quick responses. I’m happy to have stumbled into this group!
Judy Garland: A BiographySelina wrote: "Meranda wrote: "Do musicals count? I was thinking of reading a Judy Garland biography?"I would say yes..it's music, go for it!
I had read a lot about her so will be interesting to see what bio yo..."
Thanks! I chose the one linked because of the reviews on Amazon. I’ll let you know how it goes
Meranda wrote: "Judy Garland: A BiographySelina wrote: "Meranda wrote: "Do musicals count? I was thinking of reading a Judy Garland biography?"I would say yes..it's music, go for it!
I had read a..."
Ah yes Anne Edwards...with Judy one has to take a lot of bios written about her with a grain of salt. Complicating the matter is the press in her days would make a lot of stories up about her to put her in a good light, or later on, in as bad light as possible. Judy herself wasnt so great at telling the truth! She would rather exaggerate and tell an outrageous tale, making it funny, than the unvarnished truth.
One that most readers highly recommend as being the most comprehensive or objective is the one by Gerold Frank. Judy If you were just to read one. But all offer different perspectives of a star...and she definitely had a lot of sides to her ! Judy Garland wasnt even her real name.
I think the one I liked the most was the one written by her daughter Lorna Luft because it wasnt about her childhood or stardom it was just about Judy as her mum. Me and My Shadows: A Family Memoir. Her other children Liza and Joey hadnt written any memoirs about her, who knows maybe someday they will, but I found it the most interesting although maybe harrowing could be a better word for it. I dont think any of Judys five husbands could claim to be as close to her as a daughter can. The last one I read was by Sid Luft, Lorna's dad. Judy and I: My Life with Judy Garland If can wade thru all the name dropping and puffery, it shows Judys relationships with men were always complicated due to her stardom.
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I would say yes..it's music, go for ..."
I dont know a lot about Judy Garland, but I've watched The Wizard Of Oz a million times and every time I watch it I look at that young girl and think about what a hard life she had. Judy was born in Grand Rapids, Minnesota and there is a museum there to honor her. It is quite a ways from me so I have never been there.
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3 stars
Toni is one half of the duo Captain and Tennille. As a child of the 60's and 70's I loved Captain and Tennille. With the death of the Captain a couple of weeks ago from renal failure I was curious to read this book to get some insight into the reason they divorced after so many years of marriage even though they still cared for each other and she was present at his bedside when he died. You will learn about this in the book, but you will also wonder why she stayed as long as she did. But then again, he was that way when she married him and he didnt really ever change so I wondered why she married him to begin with. Anyway, Toni comes across as a sweet person who is hesitant to say anything bad about anybody (except her husband). It was interesting to read so many names and stories from those early 70's years. There is a lot of name-dropping in this book. I gave the book 3 stars. If you were a fan you will like it but there is nothing earth-shattering here.
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3 stars
Carlton Smith is a well-known True Crime author. This book is made to look like a True Crime book but it really is not. It does lead up to a crime- the shooting of Lana Clarkson in the home of legendary record producer Phil Spector. But the book is mostly a bio of Phil Spector. The guy is Bizarre with a capital B. He started out as a singer and songwriter. He had one hit- To Know Him Is To Love Him. He went on to work with and produce records with The Crystals (Da Do Ron Ron) and the Ronettes (Be My Baby) and married Ronnie from the group, George Harrison and John Lennon, the Righteous Brothers, the Ramones, among others. He spent money like crazy and even bought a castle. At the end of the book a woman is shot in the mouth in his home and at first he says he shot her but then changes his story to say that she committed suicide. The book is written in 2004 and the trial doesn't take place until 2007 so we are left to google how it ended.
It was interesting to read about his life and there is a lot of 60's and 70's music history here but if you want to know more about the murder trial you should look for a different book.
Selina wrote: "Meranda wrote: "Judy Garland: A BiographySelina wrote: "Meranda wrote: "Do musicals count? I was thinking of reading a Judy Garland biography?"I would say yes..it's music, go for ..."
I just finished this book and I have to say how sad I feel for Judy. Her life was hard and she was never really given a chance. I wasn’t happy with the overall structure of the book and skipped over the last few chapters because it all get very repetitive. However, I thought the beginning chapters were strong. I definitely want to check out some of the recommendations Selina recommended.
Loving Amy: A Mother's Story by Janis WinehouseI'm actually not really a fan of Amy Winehouse but was kind of curious why she was so famous and what her mother actually had to share about her notorious drug abuse and alcohol addiction. She died aged 27 of alcohol poisoning.
The first part of the book was interesting about Amy's childhood and growing up years, but once she left home at 18 her mother didn't have a handle on her life, and nothing she could do or say would bring her back, so the book of those later years was really all about losing Amy to the music industry, then the drugs, her husband drug dealer, bulimia and alcohol.
Amy was a difficult and unpredictable child to begin with and could never focus long enough on anything - classic signs of ADD perhaps, but she had worse things to deal with her parents splitting up when she was 9 (her dad had an affair) an unstable home life, not liking being Jewish...but from the mothers point of view, Janis can't really pinpoint anything that would have lead to her downfall as she keeps writing she did everything she could and loved Amy unconditionally. Amy was affectionate but she could also be secretive and manipulative. She never gave up her rebellious streak. She could only conclude Amy was her own worst enemy.
Amy idolised jazz singers and Frank Sinatra, she got her beehive hairdo from the Ronnettes girl group, she was constantly trying to find her place in the world. She was very immature in many ways.
It would be interesting to read her Dad's memoir about her Amy, My Daughter and see what he has to say. Whether she was a gifted and talented artist (she won a heap of awards) is open to interpretation, I think she wanted to be unique but not herself at all which is why she blended all these artistic influences to create a new persona.
Who really was Amy Winehouse? Someone with big dreams surely and a big heart, someone who wanted to be noticed, but also someone who perhaps felt she couldn't be herself.
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I'm actually not really a fan of Amy Winehouse but was kind of curious why she was so famous and what her mother actually had to sha..."
Interesting that the Ronettes were mentioned in the book you read and also in my book Reckless: Millionaire Record Producer Phil Spector and the Violent Death of Lana Clarkson.
Has anyone here seen the movie about Winehouse, just called AMY? She offered her own explanation for why she was the way she was in there.
Fishface wrote: "Has anyone here seen the movie about Winehouse, just called AMY? She offered her own explanation for why she was the way she was in there."No..one to watch cos I do want to find out what Amy herself said about it all. I have that on request. Or maybe you could just spill the beans here...
The movie tells it better than I could in a paragraph or two. I think they left out a lot of the uglier side of her life but they showed enough to give you an idea. The movie is well worth the wait.
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4 stars
When I started this book I did not know it would fit this challenge. I did not know who Jerry Weintraub was, but I read the book for another challenge where I needed a humorous book. Turns out this guy has been an agent, a concert promoter and a movie producer. He had an intuition for what it took to make money in the business. He worked with Elvis, John Denver, Frank Sinatra and many others and also managed people who were not musicians, such as Joey Bishop, George Burns, Dorothy Hamill, and produced the Oh God movies and the Ocean 11,12, and 13 movies among others. Actually, this is the most name-dropping book I've ever seen, as the last 5 pages of the book list all the people he has ever worked with. In addition he has met presidents and was good friends of George H.W. Bush. Judging by the title, I'll bet you would assume this guy is quite a talker and you would be right. He has many stories to tell and is quite the go-getter. He doesn't take no for an answer. Hope this is not a spoiler, but this guy did pass away about 5 years after he wrote the book.
Fishface wrote: "The movie tells it better than I could in a paragraph or two. I think they left out a lot of the uglier side of her life but they showed enough to give you an idea. The movie is well worth the wait."I watched Amy last night. I think she was a true artist was very young and couldn't handle the fame/money/business side of things. What a shame she turned to drugs, so easily available in that industry.
I still have Celine Dion's book to read next. Celine Dion seems squeaky clean compared to Amy and Mama Cass.
Oh, definitely. Mama Cass had an unexpected (to me) role in another nonfiction movie I watch over and over, SIX DEGREES OF CHARLES MANSON.
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I just saw a picture of Celine on a news site. She didnt look good at all. She looked like she has aged 20 years since her husband died.
Koren wrote: "Selina wrote: "Fishface wrote: "The movie tells it better than I could in a paragraph or two. I think they left out a lot of the uglier side of her life but they showed enough to give you an idea. ..."Yes she looks very thin..her husband was 28 years older than her. I'm reading all about him now as she keeps gushing about him. They had to keep their affair secret as he was her manager, and he'd already been married twice before, with children. He comes across as a bit of Svengali. He was the love of her life and I don't know if she'll ever marry again.
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I cant find the picture I saw of Celine so it was probably fake. It didnt really look like her. If I find it again I'll post it.
Finished reading Celine Dion's memoir Celine Dion: My Story, My Dream. Well compared to Amy and Mama Cass Celine is as clean as a whistle even her parents gave up smoking to protect her voice! She's like an athlete, trained to sing and nothing else. She fell in love with her manager, who apparently mortgaged his home (and left his wife) to make Celine into a star. For that she is always grateful. The book goes on a bit about Rene her husband, shes trying to become pregnant and goes through fertility treatments. At the end of the book shes pregnant with her first son.
I didnt know she was Quebecois and French speaking. She learned English and then hit the big time with several albums under her belt...a very hard worker. The youngest of 14 children...she never really had any other friends because her family would dote on her. Her family is all very musical but it was she who realised the dream. Her family were very supportive and she didint feel the need to go to school and get an education...music and showbiz was her education.
I do think her husband was a Svengali figure but she willingly was his Trilby. Well as long as shes happy...but in her naivety I dont think she was completely aware that she was splitting up a family he'd already had. It sort of raises questions like what would you do if a much older married man falls in love with you, well Celine made it her project to seduce Rene shes very candid about that, but maybe its a French thing?
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Well compared to Amy and Mama Cass Celine is as clean as a whistle even her parents gave up smoking to protect..."
I remember seeing her when she was first starting out. It might have been on Oprah or a morning news show. You could tell she was something special and I'm sure her manager/husband did too. He started managing her when she was a young teen but I dont know if they were a couple before she was 'of age'. They didnt make it public for a long time, I think.
This must be an older book that was written before she had the twins and her husband died.
Did the book show her wedding pictures? I remember that huge thing she wore on her head and the wedding cost a huge amount of money. Oh well, I guess by that time she could well afford it.
Koren wrote: "Selina wrote: "Finished reading Celine Dion's memoir Celine Dion: My Story, My Dream. Well compared to Amy and Mama Cass Celine is as clean as a whistle even her parents gave up smo..."
I didn't see any wedding pictures in the book there were a few photos but not any of the wedding, thought there could have been more. They renewed vows about ten years later I think and in the book she said it was a lavish wedding not to show off how wealthy they were but to declare their love to everyone. He had known her since she was 12 and they became a couple when she was about 20 but Rene tried to keep it under wraps as he didn't want ther reputation ruined and worried about what fans would think, but the fans embraced them. She never thought seriously about anyone else. She told him he would be the first, and last.
It's quite a love story, the kind of passionate all consuming love Celine sings about. I looked at some photos of her mansion in Florida which has been sold for about $38 million dollars...lavish...but then she makes millions and Rene is very good and managing her career, it helps that he's a gambler, so thats why she had this long residence in Las Vegas. They both had the same dream so it seems like they were perfectly matched.
Koren wrote: "Selina wrote: "It was this one, Dolly: My Life and Other Unfinished Business but she also wrote one about achieving one's dreams Dream More I've read both."Read them..."
I found Dolly on Dolly: Interviews and Encounters with Dolly Parton at the library yesterday and thought that looked interesting so am going to read that too...even though its now Feb. it seems the editor of this book Randy Schmidt likes the same artists or singers that I like...he has written books about both Karen Carpenter Little Girl Blue: The Life of Karen Carpenterand Judy Garland, Judy Garland on Judy Garland: Interviews and Encountersboth of which I have read and recommend.
Biography, Autobiography, Memoir
Books mentioned in this topic
Dolly on Dolly: Interviews and Encounters with Dolly Parton (other topics)Dream More (other topics)
Dolly: My Life and Other Unfinished Business (other topics)
Dream More (other topics)
Little Girl Blue: The Life of Karen Carpenter (other topics)
More...
