First published 2023
David Remnick examines the careers and creative processes of major musicians from the past five decades. The New Yorker editor and Pulitzer Prize winner focuses on artists including Leonard Cohen, Buddy Guy, Mavis Staples, Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen, and Patti Smith. Remnick explores how these performers navigate the passage of time in their work and lives. He recounts specific moments like Cohen's stage fright during his debut performance of "Suzanne" and Aretha Franklin's mink coat gesture at the Kennedy Center. The book presents intimate looks at how great songs like Franklin's "Respect" and Dylan's "Blind Willie McTell" become embedded in collective memory. Remnick connects musical performances to particular times, places, and emotions that listeners carry with them. His portraits reveal how songwriters and performers grapple with aging, legacy, and the evolution of their artistry over decades-long careers.
Genres: biography, american, non-fiction, music, 21st-century
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: behind-the-scenes, character-study
Period: Past Five Decades
304 pages · Hardcover · Knopf