The first complete, unvarnished history of Southern rock’s legendary and most popular band, from its members’ hardscrabble boyhoods in Jacksonville, Florida and their rise to worldwide fame to the tragic plane crash that killed the founder and the band’s rise again from the ashes.In the summer of 1964 Jacksonville, Florida teenager Ronnie Van Zant and some of his friends hatched the idea of forming a band to play covers of the Rolling Stones, Beatles, Yardbirds and the country and ...

In the summer of 1964 Jacksonville, Florida teenager Ronnie Van Zant and some of his friends hatched the idea of forming a band to play covers of the Rolling Stones, Beatles, Yardbirds and the country and blues–rock music they had grown to love. Naming their band after Leonard Skinner, the gym teacher at Robert E. Lee Senior High School who constantly badgered the long-haired aspiring musicians to get haircuts, they were soon playing gigs at parties, and bars throughout the South. During t...

During a time when toughskin blue jeans, button-down shirts, and flat-top haircuts were all the rage, Gene Odom and Ronnie Van Zant became best friends. Growing up on the same block, Ronnie and Gene fished, played football, and dreamed together. Years later, one of the boys would become famousand the other would stand by his side through thick and thin. This is the story of two young men from the same neighborhood, school, and world who together, discovered the meaning of true friendship.

"In a grizzled, laconic drawl, Allman provides a rambling backstage account. . . . and he doesn't seem to hold anything back." — New York Times Book ReviewRock icon Gregg Allman tells the full, unflinching tale of his life on stage and off, from becoming rock royalty, to his string of failed marriages including his marriage to Cher, to his decades-long struggle with drugs and alcohol. In his unforgettable voice, Allman offers a vivid portr...

This is a comprehensive in-depth exploration of the career and work of one of the worlds greatest hard rock bands.With the likes of Richie Blackmore, Ian Gillan and David Coverdale passing through their ranks, Deep Purple was always destined to produce extraordinary music - what was less predictable was in the incredible story of the bands formation, rise to fame and struggle to cope with the immense pressures of international superstardom. Jerry Blooms sparkling narrative tells the story,...

" Nelson's unmistakable voice shines through . . . funny, inspirational and bawdy, with a well-honed sense of humor." — Kirkus ReviewsIn 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, and more. He shares t...

The Eagles are the bestselling, and arguably the tightest-lipped, American group ever. Now band member and guitarist Don Felder finally breaks the Eagles’ years of public silence to take fans behind the scenes. He shares every part of the band’s wild ride, from the pressure-packed recording studios and trashed hotel rooms to the tension-filled courtrooms, and from the joy of writing powerful new songs to the magic of performing in huge arenas packed with roaring fans.

The former Van Halen front man recounts his life, from his childhood to his wild days in rock 'n' roll, in this one-of-a-kind memoir.For almost forty years, Sammy Hagar has been a fixture in rock music. From breaking into the industry with the band Montrose to his multiplatinum solo career to his ride as the front man of Van Halen, Sammy's powerful and unforgettable voice has set the tone for some of the greatest rock anthems ever written—songs like "I Can't Drive 5...

Randy Bachman has been rolling out chart-topping songs his whole life—“You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet,” “These Eyes,” “American Woman,” “Takin’ Care of Business”—and, since 2005, treating fans to a lifetime of rock ’n’ roll stories on his hit CBC Radio show, Vinyl Tap.His approach is always fresh—even the most hardcore music fans will be surprised by what they can learn from Bachman. Whether he is touring with Ringo Starr, jamming with Little Richard, or recording with Neil Yo...

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Music legend Rod Stewart takes us on a rollicking journey through his extraordinary life and career in this “action-packed memoir . . . full of bad behavior and enough ex-wives to fill an entire soccer side” (Rolling Stone).“Funny, self-deprecating, and a whole lot less boastful than he could be, Mr. Stewart offers a string of Grade-A rock ’n’ roll debauchery stories and . . . makes them charming.”—The New Y...

From Graham Nash—the legendary musician and founding member of the iconic bands Crosby, Stills & Nash and The Hollies—comes a candid and riveting autobiography that belongs on the reading list of every classic rock fan.Graham Nash's songs defined a generation and helped shape the history of rock and roll—he’s written over 200 songs, including such classic hits as "Carrie Anne," “On A Carousel,” "Simple Man," "Our House," “Marrakesh Express,” and "Teach Your Childre...

Heavy metal legend Ozzy Osbourne shares his unbelievable story for the first time in this tell-all memoir of sex, drugs, and rock-and-roll.Take what you thought was "rock and roll excess" and double it–you still wouldn't be anywhere near the dizzying life of Ozzy Osbourne. Born into a life so poor that the whole family slept in one room, music was his salvation, and his band Black Sabbath went on to change the musical landscape forever. But along with the rock and ...