I have an inordinate love for a good music memoir. Books are far more my thing than music, and I think that’s exactly why I love hearing from singers, composers, and songwriters: I know a lot about how books are put together, but know far less about the art of music. That critical distance deepens my fascination and heightens my appreciation.
Readers often ask me what the best format is for a particular book. When it comes to musician memoirs, there’s a strong case for audiobook, as the musician in question will often sing or include their music. Who would want to miss out on that? And yet, their stories are just as compelling if you’re only reading the written words.
These memoirs give insights about the musicians’ personal lives in addition to their storied careers. I love learning about childhoods and romantic entanglements as much as I enjoy hearing the behind-the-scenes details of what got them started and what life is like on the road. I’m not a musician but the glimpses into their creative process often get me thinking about my own writing life and beyond. That’s why I’ll read a book by and about a musician even if I’ve never listened to their songs before. (But you can bet I’ll do so after reading!)
Today I’m sharing twelve musician memoirs I’ve either read and loved or that are on my TBR. There are so many more amazing options out there than we can include in one list so I hope you’ll share your favorites in the comments.
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When Kristen Meinzer and Jolenta Greenberg from the By The Book podcast recommended this on What Should I Read Next episode 121, I couldn’t download the short and sweet audiobook fast enough. This book is an expanded commencement speech Dolly gave at The University of Tennessee at Knoxville about getting more out of life—work, relationships, all of it. There’s nobody quite like Dolly Parton—good gracious, I had no idea just how much the woman has accomplished—and I LOVED hearing her tell stories about her life. I grinned like a fool the whole time I was listening. More info →
Indie rockstar Michelle Zauner delivers a heartfelt, poetic memoir about losing her mother and searching for her identity. “Ever since my mother died, I cry in H Mart.” So begins Zauner’s poignant story. After her mother received a grim cancer diagnosis, Zauner realized her mother’s death would also mean losing her only tie to her Korean heritage, so she sought to shore up stories while she still had time. Whether she writes about the intricacies of preparing traditional Korean dishes or a hurtful misunderstanding, she explores moments from her tumultuous mother-daughter relationship with tenderness and love, often returning to the idea that our experiences of home, family and culture are viscerally rooted in what we taste, see and hear. An honest, lyrical, and life-affirming memoir about grief, growing up, and making amends. More info →
I’ve long enjoyed Brandi Carlile’s music but knew nothing about her personal life until I gobbled up this memoir. From a chaotic childhood to nearly dying from bacterial meningitis at age five to her pastor refusing to baptize her because she was an openly gay teen, Carlile’s honesty about her upbringing was breathtaking. Her life could have gone in so many directions but with the support of her small town, she retained her faith and found solace in music. She shares her musical influences, the inspiration behind her songs, and the highlights of her career, along with how she met her wife and started a family. Each chapter flows beautifully into a song—or more often, two. Because Carlile draws heavily from her life experience when writing lyrics, the exceptional audiobook works beautifully: her stories leave you hungry to hear the music, which often captures the experience she just wrote about in prose. The last ninety minutes consists of all those songs together, as a bonus chapter. More info →
I was aware of the broad outlines of the pop star’s story but had no idea how much I didn’t know until I listened to her memoir. Covering her childhood, first forays into stardom, romantic relationships, and the unfortunate events that led to her conservatorship, this turned out to be a compelling and heartbreaking read. I’m glad Britney is finally free to tell her story on her own terms. Michelle Williams’s narration, as expected, was superb. More info →
This is on my TBR; I’ve heard praise that this is Mariah Carey at her most vulnerable: she opens up about her unstable childhood, abusive marriage, and her experiences as a biracial woman, in addition to dishing about her relationships since leaving Tommy Mottola. She also provides behind-the-scenes on her songwriting process and how she pursued and guided her career over the years. Mariah is an icon for a reason. Word on the street is Mariah sings on the audiobook, in addition to narrating, so I might opt for that format. More info →
This memoir was such a smash, it was adapted into an Oscar-winning film. It’s no wonder when the details of Loretta Lynn’s life sound straight out of fiction. And yet it’s all too true: an impoverished childhood in eastern Kentucky, a tumultuous marriage at thirteen, her first child a year later, a grandmother by twenty-nine. If that’s not enough, she signed her first record contract when she was 28, had sixteen #1 singles, and went on to become the CMA’s first female Entertainer of the Year. Lynn shares it all in this raw book. More info →
Renowned classical pianist and MacArthur “Genius” Denk combines memoir and music theory, making for a fascinating read. He details his childhood as a prodigy in New Jersey, which was upended when the family moved to New Mexico and he had to find a new piano teacher. At sixteen, he left for Oberlin College and navigated the cruelties and kindnesses of music teachers there. Denk shares the pieces and composers who most impacted him and opines on the benefits of practice and the way melody, harmony, and rhythm function. Music touches every part of his life and, as readers, we are reminded of the ways music functions in our lives as well. More info →
Twin sisters and musicians Tegan and Sara take us back to their 1990s high school experience in Calgary. Tegan and Sara alternate chapters sharing about school pressures, their parents’ divorce, friendship, romance, drugs and alcohol, and their respective queer awakenings. It’s a great glimpse into who they eventually became and what shaped their career. Even if you’re not familiar with their music, the 90s nostalgia factor is real. More info →
I’ve enjoyed several Tweedy art-and-craft books but am still looking forward to this Wilco-focused memoir. Tweedy is revered for his talent as a songwriter for the band so it’s no surprise to hear his memoir is equally self-assured and insightful. He opens up about his childhood in Illinois, how the St. Louis music scene launched his career, and his artistic process and collaborators. More info →
This National Book Award winner offers a snapshot of the 1960s and 70s punk rock scene in New York City and the Chelsea Hotel. Singer-songwriter and poet Smith focuses on her relationship with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe, fulfilling a promise she made to him. Many people describe this as a lyrical memoir; I haven’t read it yet but hope to remedy that soon: Will says he thinks I’ll like it. More info →
Questlove combines memoir with a meditation about the state of hip hop and music criticism. It is at once an education about his life and about where he believes music is going. The drummer, producer, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon bandleader, and producer shares about his 1970s West Philly childhood and what led to co-founding the Roots. Unquestionably a tastemaker, Questlove’s life and stories are an ode to Black art and hip hop. More info →
I picked this up because I kept hearing from other not-rabid fans that this was a great example of a memoir done right. I was a little surprised at the heavy focus on a few personal relationships … and then I did a little research, and discovered the one stipulation of his ten million dollar (!!!) advance was that he dish on the details. I admire his career, but I’m not a devoted fan, and that made the narrative a little slow in places. However, I would have read this just for his insights into music as art: how it’s made, what makes it work, that indefinable thing all great musicians have—I could listen to those segments over and over again, and probably will. More info →
What are some of your favorite musician memoirs? Please share in the comments.
P.S. 20 celebrity memoirs read by their authors and 15 engaging and inspiring memoirs I keep coming back to.
