Musicians' Memoirs

Books written by musicians about their own lives.
Updated September 19, 2022
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Crying in H Mart: A Memoir
Michelle Zauner
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * From the indie rock sensation known as Japanese Breakfast, an unforgettable memoir about family, food, grief, love, and growing up Korean American--"in losing her mother and cooking to bring her back to life, Zauner became herself" (NPR). * CELEBRATING...
The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music
Dave Grohl
The #1 New York Times Bestseller * Named one of Variety's Best Music Books of 2021 * Included in Audible's Best of The Year list * A Business Insider Best Memoirs of 2021 * One of NME's Best Music Books of 2021 So, I've written a book. Having entertained the...
Just Kids
Patti Smith
WINNER OF THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD 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. Patti Smith would evolve as a poet and performer,...
Loretta Lynn: Coal Miner's Daughter
Loretta Lynn
Loretta Lynn's classic memoir tells the story of her early life in Butcher Holler, Kentucky, and her amazing rise to the top of the music industry.   Born into deep poverty, married at thirteen, mother of six, and a grandmother by the time she was twenty-nine, Loretta Lynn went on...
Go Ahead in the Rain: Notes to A Tribe Called Quest
Hanif Abdurraqib
A New York Times Best Seller 2019 National Book Award Longlist, Nonfiction 2019 Kirkus Book Prize Finalist, Nonfiction A February IndieNext Pick Named A Most Anticipated Book of 2019 by Buzzfeed, Nylon,...
Acid for the Children: A Memoir
Flea
With "virtuosic vulnerability" (The Atlantic), the iconic bassist and Red Hot Chili peppers co-founder pens a love letter to a youth spent wild in Los Angeles in his raw and riveting coming-of-age memoir. In Acid for the Children, Flea...
Born to Run: The Autobiography
Bruce Springsteen
The revelatory and wildly bestselling memoir by legendary rock star Bruce Springsteen: "Glorious...a philosophically rich ramble through a rock 'n roll life...It's the lyric he was born to write" (USA TODAY, 4 out of 4 stars). Over the past seven years, Bruce Springsteen...
Life
Keith Richards
The long-awaited autobiography of Keith Richards, guitarist, songwriter, singer, and founding member of the Rolling Stones. With The Rolling Stones, Keith Richards created the songs that roused the world, and he lived the original rock and roll life. Now, at...
Chronicles /
Dylan, Bob,
WINNER OF THE NOBEL PRIZE IN LITERATURE The celebrated first memoir from arguably the most influential singer-songwriter in the country, Bob Dylan. 'I'd come from a long ways off and had started a long ways down. But now destiny was about to manifest itself...
Unrequited Infatuations: A Memoir
Stevie Van Zandt
Uncover never-before-told stories in this epic tale of self-discovery by a Rock n Roll disciple and member of the E Street Band. What story begins in a bedroom in suburban New Jersey in the early '60s, unfolds on some of the country's largest stages, and then ranges across the globe...
Sing Backwards and Weep: A Memoir
Mark Lanegan
This gritty bestselling memoir by the singer Mark Lanegan of Screaming Trees, Queens of the Stone Age, and Soulsavers documents his years as a singer and drug addict in Seattle in the '80s and '90s. When Mark Lanegan first arrived in Seattle in the mid-1980s,...
Me: Elton John Official Autobiography
Elton John
INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER In his first and only official autobiography, music icon Elton John reveals the truth about his extraordinary life, from his rollercoaster lifestyle as shown in the film Rocketman, to becoming a living legend.
Dolly Parton, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics
Dolly Parton
New York Times bestseller Dolly Parton, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics is a landmark celebration of the remarkable life and career of a country music and pop culture legend. This landmark volume explores the remarkable life and lyrics of the one...
Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink
Elvis Costello
The perfect gift for music lovers and Elvis Costello fans, telling the story behind Elvis Costello's legendary career and his iconic, beloved songs.  Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink provides readers with a master's catalogue of a lifetime of great music....
This Is Gonna Hurt: Music, Photography and Life Through the Distorted Lens of Nikki Sixx
Nikki Sixx
This Is Gonna Hurt is music, photography, and life through the distorted lens of Nikki Sixx, bassist for heavy metal rock band Mötley Crüe's and the New York Times bestselling author of The Heroin Diaries. A combination of powerful prose and dramatic photographs, This Is Gonna Hurt is an...
Miles: The Autobiography
Miles Davis
Universally acclaimed as a musical genius, Miles Davis was one of the most important and influential musicians in the world. Here, Miles speaks out about his extraordinary life. Miles: The Autobiography, like Miles himself, holds nothing back. He speaks frankly and openly...
Waging Heavy Peace: A Hippie Dream
Neil Young
A New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and USA Today bestseller. For the first time, legendary singer, songwriter, and guitarist Neil Young offers a kaleidoscopic view of his personal life and musical creativity. He tells of his childhood in Ontario, where his father...
Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die: Musings from the Road
Willie Nelson
In Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die, Willie Nelson muses about his greatest influences and the things that are most important to him, and celebrates the family, friends, and colleagues who have blessed his remarkable journey. Willie riffs on everything, from music to poker, Texas to Nashville,...
Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl: A Memoir
Carrie Brownstein
From the guitarist of the pioneering band Sleater-Kinney, the book Kim Gordon says "everyone has been waiting for" and a New York Times Notable Book of 2015-- a candid, funny, and deeply personal look at making a life--and finding yourself--in music. Before Carrie...
Kicking & Dreaming: A Story of Heart, Soul, and Rock & Roll
Ann Wilson
The story of Heart is a story of heart and soul and rock 'n' roll. Since finding their love of music and performing as teenagers in Seattle, Washington, Ann Wilson and Nancy Wilson, have been part of the American rock music landscape. From 70s classics like "Magic Man" and "Barracuda" to chart-...
Let's Go (So We Can Get Back): A Memoir of Recording and Discording with Wilco, Etc.
Jeff Tweedy
The singer, guitarist, and songwriter--best known for his work with Wilco--opens up about his past, his songs, the music, and the people who have inspired him in this personal memoir. This ideal addition to your Wilco collection also makes a perfect gift for music lovers. *A ...

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