First published 2010
Rick Springfield opens his story as a Grammy-winning pop star at the height of 1980s fame. "Jessie's Girl" dominates radio. Concert venues sell out across the country. Seventeen million albums bear his name. Twelve million viewers watch him play Dr. Noah Drake on General Hospital daily. Yet Springfield battles severe depression and suicidal thoughts behind the bright performer image. He chronicles his entertainment industry ascent alongside his internal struggles with mental health. The death of his father devastates him. At his career peak, he makes the shocking decision to step away from fame entirely. Springfield writes with brutal honesty about the forces that shaped his life. He explores his creative drive, his marriage of twenty-six years, his two sons, and his search for spiritual meaning. The memoir moves between humor and sadness as Springfield examines both his public success and private pain. His journey ultimately leads toward greater stability and peace.
Genres: mental-health, autobiography, biography-memoir, music, musicians
Vibes: emotional-atmospheric, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: personal-journey, redemption
Period: 1980s
336 pages · Hardcover · Touchstone
Content warnings: depression, mental-illness, suicidal-ideation