Disclosure / Disclaimer: I received this ebook, free of charge,from Harper Publishing, for review purposes on this blog. No other compensation, monetary or in kind, has been received or implied for this post. Nor was I told how to post about it
And now for a memoir!
Synopsis:
The two-time Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter bares her heart and soul in this intimate memoir, a story of music, stardom, love, family, heritage, and resilience.
She inspired songs—Leon Russell wrote “A Song for You” and “Delta Lady” for her, Stephen Stills wrote “Cherokee.” She co-wrote songs—“Superstar” and the piano coda to “Layla,” uncredited. She sang backup for Eric Clapton, Joe Cocker, and Stills, before finding fame as a solo artist with such hits as “We're All Alone” and “(Your Love Has Lifted Me) Higher and Higher.” Following her story from Lafayette, Tennessee to becoming one of the most sought after rock vocalists in LA in the 1970s, Delta Lady chronicles Rita Coolidge’s fascinating journey throughout the ’60s-’70s pop/rock universe.
A muse to some of the twentieth century’s most influential rock musicians, she broke hearts, and broke up bands. Her relationship with drummer Jim Gordon took a violent turn during the legendary 1970 Mad Dogs & Englishmen tour; David Crosby maintained that her triangle with Stills and Graham Nash was the last straw for the group. Her volatile six-year marriage to Kris Kristofferson yielded two Grammys, a daughter, and one of the Baby Boom generation’s epic love stories. Throughout it all, her strength, resilience, and inner and outer beauty—along with her strong sense of heritage and devotion to her family—helped her to not only survive, but thrive. Co-written with best-selling author Michael Walker, Delta Ladyis a rich, deeply personal memoir that offers a front row seat to an iconic era, and illuminates the life of an artist whose career has helped shape modern American culture
Review:
I literally grew up listening to RIta's songs, so I was interested to read about her life with Kris and Jim, from a now adult perspective. I had always thought she and Kris seemed so made for each other, that it was heartening to hear how strong their relationship was, and shocking to realize what actually came between them. Rita gives readers an unique look at a time in rock music, where so much was changing, and she was on the wave of it. She does leave her recent life, and that of her daughter, Casey, out of the book. I was actually surprised at how open she was about her sister's death. The memoir is fun reading and iperfect for giving to Mom, if she is a fan of Rita's!
And Rita is still going strong- check out a jazzy rendition of one of her top hits, that she sung in 2015! Talk about some amazing genes-she's still as beautiful as when the cover photo was made for her book!
And Rita is still going strong- check out a jazzy rendition of one of her top hits, that she sung in 2015! Talk about some amazing genes-she's still as beautiful as when the cover photo was made for her book!
I grew up listening to her too, and I have wondered what became of her. The book ought to be interesting.
ReplyDeleteI red the book and found it to be a disappointment. Love her music, but lost some respect in some of what was included in the book. What she may have thought was 'insightful', I found to be gossip.
ReplyDeleteI think if your expectations of the book were one thing, it might not have been what youexpected. I imagine she wrote what she thought the fans would want to know about, and while that may seem like gossip now, it was her life and interesting to her
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