Most Popular Books by David Ritz

A riveting cautionary tale about the ecstasy and dangers of loving Marvin Gaye, a performer passionately pursued by all—and a searing memoir of drugs, sex, and old school R&B from the wife of legendary soul icon Marvin Gaye. After her seventeenth birthday in 1973, Janis Hunter met Marvin Gaye—the soulful prince of Motown with the seductive liquid voice whose chart-topping, socially conscious album What’s Going On made him a superstar two years earlier. Despite a seventeen-year-age difference and Marvin’s marriage to the sister of Berry Gordy, Motown’s founder, the enchanted teenager and the emotionally volatile singer began a scorching relationship. One moment Jan was a high school student; the next she was accompanying Marvin to parties, navigating the intriguing world of 1970s-‘80s celebrity; hanging with Don Cornelius on the set of Soul Train, and helping to discover new talent like Frankie Beverly. But the burdens of fame, the chaos of dysfunctional families, and the irresistible temptations of drugs complicated their love. Primarily silent since Marvin’s tragic death in 1984, Jan at last opens up, sharing the moving, fervently charged story of one of music history’s most fabled marriages. Unsparing in its honesty and insight, illustrated with sixteen pages of black-and-white photos, After the Dance reveals what it’s like to be in love with a creative genius who transformed popular culture and whose artistry continues to be celebrated today.

Albertina Merci is back in this delightful second book featuring everyone’s favorite blues singer turned evangelist! After Albertina’s dear friend Mr. Mario, the owner of Mr. Mario’s Downhome Café, has a heart attack and then loses his wife to diabetes, he decides that his lifetime love of soul food is over for good. Mr. Mario vows to go healthy, both personally and professionally, and tries to get Albertina on board, but it quickly becomes clear that he may be looking for more than pastoral support. And while he is undeniably romantic, Mr. Mario believes in the power of man…not God. The only heat isn’t in the kitchen, though. Clifford Bloom, a white DJ who has been a fan of Albertina’s since her days as a blues singer, is now a member of her church and he always seems to be there just when Albertina needs him. Could this blossoming friendship be leading somewhere romantic? Caught between two very different men, Pastor Merci also has to battle to save her little church in the heart of Los Angeles as mega-church pastor Bishop Gold wants not only the land where her church sits, but her nephew Patrick’s loyalty, as well.

From Miami Beach to Hollywood, from Las Vegas to Rome, from Wall Street to the mean streets of Detroit and Chicago, Family Blood is about the underside of the big-money music scene as three tempestuous generations of an American family struggle to control the nation''s hottest performers and their acts.

With an undefeated 100 boxing record, Laila Ali can definitely hold her own in the ring. She has received a firestorm of media coverage, and her recent bout with Jacqui Frazier was the most highly publicized female boxing fight ever. Now, she offers her formula for physical, emotional, and mental power in a motivational memoir that delivers 15 rounds of straight-talking, hard-hitting advice. She reveals how she overcame child abuse, weight issues, isolation, and overall bad behavior by tenaciously developing a talent that she enjoyedprofessional boxing. She demonstrates how to sidestep feelings of self-pity and defeatism and achieve success in all arenas: diet, family, personal relationships, physical training, and more. Combining spiritual inspiration with practical guidance, Laila Alis program will show readers of all ages and backgrounds how to transform the demons of self-doubt into positive, winning energy.

My friend Oprah Winfrey, on her TV show, has called me "the funniest man on the planet." That was kind of embarrassing--but if Oprah wants to think I''m funny, who am I to argue? My mother says I''m brilliant. Well, I am her son, so she might not be objective--but since she knows me better than anyone, it must be true. Don''t ask me. All I can say for sure is that I''m a 6''5" black comedian with red hair and a high butt who has walked a mile in every man''s shoes. What I mean is, I''ve lived large and fallen hard--lost every job I''ve ever had, messed up everybody I''ve ever dated, been kicked out of every institution I''ve ever been in, including marriage--and I''ve survived. That''s how I know everything. Why, you could steal five or six books and not find as much help as I will give you. Don''t act like you don''t need my help. I know your life is jacked up--hanging around the bookstore, all by yourself. It''s sad. You''re probably one of those lookey-loos too, browsing the book for free, should I buy it, should I not? Hasn''t indecision ruled your life long enough? Take a stand and buy it. But do me a favor: Until I''ve had the chance to get your life in order, please pay cash. I''d hate to have to call the repo man on you.

Joe Perry exposes his unrepentant, unbridled life as the lead guitarist of Aerosmith. He delves deep into his volatile, profound, and enduring relationship with singer Steve Tyler and reveals the real people behind the larger-than-life rock-gods on stage. The nearly five-decade saga of Aerosmith is epic, at once a study in brotherhood and solitude that plays out on the killing fields of rock and roll. With record-making hits and colossal album sales, Aerosmith has earned their place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. But theirs is ultimately a story of endurance, and it starts almost half a century ago with young Perry, the rebel whose loving parents wanted him to assimilate, but who quits school because he doesn''t want to cut his hair. He meets Tyler in a restaurant in New Hampshire, sways him from pop music to rock-and-roll, and it doesn''t take long for the "Toxic Twins" to skyrocket into a world of fame and utter excess. From the mega-successful song and music video with Run DMC, "Walk This Way," to the realization that he can''t pay his room service bill, Perry takes a personal look into the human stories behind Aerosmith, the people who enabled them, the ones who controlled them, and the ones who changed them.

Three generations of passionate and driven women struggle to achieve show business fame, personal fortune and romantic love satisfaction.

The autobiography of an esteemed Broadway, Hollywood, and television star tells what it was like to realize celebrity and what Robert Guillaume sacrificed in the process.

Paul Shaffer—born and bred music junkie and longtime leader of David Letterman’s Late Show band—opens up in this candid, endearing, hilarious, and star-studded memoir. From playing seedy strip joints in Toronto, to being the first musical director of Saturday Night Live and helping to form the Blues Brothers, to being onstage every night with David Letterman and playing with the greatest musicians of our time, Shaffer has lived the ultimate showbiz life. Now—dishing on everyone from John Belushi and Jerry Lewis to Mel Gibson and Britney Spears—Paul gives us the full behind-the-scenes story of his life, from banging out pop tunes on the piano at the age of twelve to leading the band every night at the Sullivan Theater.

Traces the life and career of the popular singer, describes his difficult childhood, and assesses his impact on popular music

Country icon, bestselling author, and living legend Willie Nelson pairs his gift for storytelling and herbal remedies with his wife Annie’s passion for home cooked meals in this cookbook of cannabis-infused delicacies. In the Nelson family’s first ever cookbook, we’re cooking with good vibes only. Drawn from their favorite meals on nationwide tours, at the ranch, at home, and in their favorite cities along the way, these recipes have stories to tell—and what better way to enjoy a good meal than with a high-flying tale and a relaxing buzz? Each recipe provides a cannabis kick to ease the mind as much as the body, making their cookbook an exciting, comforting, and lively way to dive into their story, as they draw from meals shared with family, friends, and fans alike. The recipes themselves are delicious and easy to make at home. Buffalo wings, chocolate cake, fried chicken. Only the good stuff. And it includes an additional chapter providing a full suite of cannabis-infused base ingredients—cannabutter, finishing oil, simply syrups, sugars, salts, and tinctures.

From Andrew Dice Clay, the “Undisputed Heavyweight Comedy King,” comes the unapologetic and uncensored autobiography fans have been waiting for. Andrew Dice Clay’s raw and uncensored stand-up comedy has shocked and entertained audiences for decades and continues to do so to this day. When he released his debut album, Dice, in 1989, the parental advisory label simply read “Warning: This album is offensive.” His material stretched the boundaries of decency and good taste to their breaking point, and in turn he became the biggest stand-up comic in the world. But Dice’s meteoric rise and spectacular fame brought on a furious backlash from the media and critics. By the mid-nineties, though still playing to packed audiences, the turmoil in his personal life, plus attacks from every activist group imaginable, led him to make the decision to step out of the spotlight and put the focus on raising his boys. The Diceman was knocked down, but not out. Taking inspiration from what Frank Sinatra once told him—“You work for your fans, not the media. The media gets their tickets for free”—Dice has bounced back with critically acclaimed roles and is once again playing to sold-out audiences. Filled with no-holds-barred humor and honesty, The Filthy Truth sets the record straight and gives fans plenty of never-before-shared stories from his career and his friendships with Howard Stern, Sam Kinison, Mickey Rourke, Sylvester Stallone, Axl Rose, and countless others.

Ray Charles has led one of the most extraordinary lives of any popular musician. Overcoming poverty, blindness, the loss of his parents, and the prevailing racism of the time, by the age of thirty-two Ray Charles was acclaimed worldwide as a genius. By combining the influences of gospel, jazz, blues, and even country music, he invented, almost single-handed, what became known as soul. And over a career spanning close to fifty years, Ray Charles has remained in complete control over his life and music, allowing nobody to tell him what to do. Brother Ray was first published to great critical acclaim in 1978, and has since attained the status of a classic. In an inimitable and unsparing voice, Ray Charles here tells his whole story, from the details of his sex life and drug use to the chronicle of his musical development. Supplemented with a new epilogue updating his story to the present day, and including a complete discography, Brother Ray is as engaging, frank, funny, and soulful as Ray Charles''s enduring music.

Beautifully designed and featuring stunning photographs, this moving book will appeal to Christians of all denominations and colors who seek a deeper understanding of the meaning and the glories of their faith. This is a tribute to the people who awakened the author''s personal faith.

This is the unvarnished, complete story of Willie Nelson''s life, told in his distinct voice and leaving no moment or experience unturned, from Texas and Nashville to Hawaii and his legendary bus. Having recently turned 80, Nelson is ready to shine on a light on all aspects of his life, including his drive to write music, the women in his life, his collaborations, and his biggest lows and highs-from his bankruptcy to the founding of Farm Aid. An American icon who still tours the country and headlines music festivals, Willie Nelson and his music have found their way into the hearts and minds of fans the world over, winning ten Grammys and receiving the Kennedy Center Honors. Now it''s time to hear the last word about his life-from the man himself.

Come fa un ragazzino nero cresciuto a piedi scalzi in un paesello della Florida negli anni Trenta a trasformarsi in un fenomeno musicale planetario? Come fa un cieco a farsi strada fino all''Olimpo delle star lasciandosi guidare, invece che da un cane e da un bastone, solo dal suo amore per la musica? Questa è la storia audace, appassionante e quasi miracolosa di Ray Charles, raccontata dal suo stesso protagonista con un candore e un entusiasmo rari. Dalle prime lezioni di piano nel retrobottega di un emporio ai tour nelle selvagge dance hall di provincia, fino agli studi delle grandi case discografiche e alle arene di mezzo mondo, Ray ripercorre le tappe di una vita avventurosa e determinata e di una carriera lunghissima, e insieme la storia della musica e della società americane (senza tacere nulla delle sue esperienze con il sesso e la droga, delle sue convinzioni politiche e dei suoi dilemmi religiosi). A chiudere questa imperdibile autobiografia, aggiornata fino agli ultimi giorni di vita dell''autore, c''è un''utile discografia completa e commentata.

Perhaps the finest soul singer of the rock era-but equally at home singing blues and jazz—Etta James is one of the great women of American music. In Rage to Survive she tells her mesmerizing tale in her uniquely big, bold, and unrepentant voice. Without a trace of self-pity she describes her chaotic world of early R&B, depicts legends like Sam Cooke and Little Richard, details her dependency on drugs and bad men, and unsparingly recounts the golden age of soul, when her “Tell Mama” topped the charts. Rage to Survive is a funky, ribald tale told with unparalleled sass.

he music industry''s most outspoken, outrageous, and phenomenally successful executive delivers a rollicking memoir of pop music''s heyday. During the 1970s and ''80s the music business was dominated by a few major labels and artists such as Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen, the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Billy Joel, Paul Simon, Barbra Streisand and James Taylor. They were all under contract to CBS Records, making it the most successful label of the era. And, as the company''s president, Walter Yetnikoff was the ruling monarch. He was also the most flamboyant, volatile and controversial personality to emerge from an industry and era defined by sex, drugs and debauchery. Having risen from working-class Brooklyn and the legal department of CBS, Yetnikoff, who freely admitted to being tone deaf, was an unlikely label head. But he had an uncanny knack for fostering talent and intimidating rivals with his appalling behavior--usually fueled by an explosive combination of cocaine and alcohol. His tantrums, appetite for mind-altering substances and sexual exploits were legendary. In Japan to meet the Sony executives who acquired CBS during his tenure, Walter was assigned a minder who confined him to a hotel room. True to form, Walter raided the minibar, got blasted and, seeing no other means of escape, opened a hotel window and vented his rage by literally howling at the moon. In "Howling at the Moon," Yetnikoff traces his journey as he climbed the corporate mountain, danced on its summit and crashed and burned. We see how Walter became the father-confessor to Michael Jackson as the King of Pop reconstructed his face and agonized over his image while constructing "Thriller (andhow, after it won seven Grammies, Jackson made the preposterous demand that Walter take producer Quincy Jones''s name "off the album); we see Walter, in maniacal pursuit of a contract, chase the Rolling Stones around the world and nearly come to blows with Mick Jagger in the process; we get the tale of how Walter and Marvin Gaye--fresh from the success of "Sexual Healing"--share the same woman, and of how Walter bonds with Bob Dylan because of their mutual Jewishness. At the same time we witness Yetnikoff''s clashes with Barry Diller, David Geffen, Tommy Mottola, Allen Grubman and a host of others. Seemingly, the more Yetnikoff feeds his cravings for power, sex, liquor and cocaine, the more profitable CBS becomes--from $485 million to well over $2 billion--until he finally succumbs, ironically, not to substances, but to a corporate coup. Reflecting on the sinister cycle that left his career in tatters and CBS flush with cash, Yetnikoff emerges with a hunger for redemption and a new reverence for his working-class Brooklyn roots. Ruthlessly candid, uproariously hilarious and compulsively readable, "Howling at the Moon is a blistering "You''ll Never Eat Lunch in this Town Again of the music industry.

A JUNIOR LIBRARY GUILD GOLD STANDARD SELECTION! From fourteen-year-old author Brayden Harrington, the young boy who electrified the nation when he spoke at the Democratic National Convention in 2020, comes a fictional middle grade contemporary story about a boy named Jayson who stutters and the challenges he faces and the obstacles he must overcome as he campaigns for student-body president. Eighth grader Jayson Linden has had a stutter his whole life. Though his fellow classmates can sometimes be mean, Jayson tries not to let it get to him; he enjoys playing basketball and spending time with his friends. Then Jayson’s best friend, Gloria, is kicked off the debate team because of her stutter and Jayson starts to notice other injustices happening at their school. In order to make their middle school a more inclusive place and to stand up for his friends, Jayson decides to run against Mack, the most popular boy at school and captain of the basketball team, for student-body president. But as the campaign heats up, will Jayson be able to face his fears of public speaking and win the election? This poignant middle grade debut reminds us all that nothing can hold us back when we’re standing up for what’s right.

Three decades ago, Smokey Robinson burst onto the music scene. And in this candid and powerful autobiography, Smokey reveals the fabulous highs and lows of his musical career. . . . As easy to read as a Smokey Robinson song is to hear --Booklist.

Acclaimed R&B singer Bettye LaVette celebrates her storied career in show business in this compelling memoir. As a teenager in Detroit, Bettye LaVette had a hit single with “My Man—He’s a Lovin’ Man.” By the time she was twenty, she had faded back into obscurity and was barely surviving in New York City. For the next forty years, despite being associated with legends such as Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, Marvin Gaye, and James Brown, she remained relatively unknown outside a circle of devoted fans. Every time it seemed that her dream of stepping into the spotlight was finally coming true, bad luck smashed her hopes, again and again. Then, after a lifetime of singing in clubs and lounges, her unforgettable televised performances at the 2008 Kennedy Center Honors and at President Obama’s pre-Inaugural Concert at the Lincoln Memorial in 2009 won her the recognition she had sought for her entire life. Bettye LaVette’s career has been a one-of-a-kind roller-coaster ride through the world of music; it has taken her from the peaks to the pits and back. In this unflinchingly honest memoir, she boldly recounts her freewheeling childhood—her parents ran an illegal liquor business out of their living room, which was frequented by some of the top acts of the forties and fifties—her short-lived conquest of the R&B world in the 1960s, her decline into poverty and despair, and her recent comeback and career revival, with two Grammy-nominated CDs and numerous appearances on major television talk shows. Poignant, brazen, and fearless, A Woman Like Me is a tour de force from one of the most outspoken female performers singing today—and she’s a force to be reckoned with.

A powerful chronicle of the sixteen weeks leading up to King of Pop Michael Jackson''s death Michael Jackson''s final months were like the rest of his short and legendary life: filled with deep lows and soaring highs, a constant hunt for privacy, and the pressure and fame that made him socially fragile and almost--ultimately--unable to live. With the insight and compassion that he brought to his bestselling telling of Martin Luther King, Jr.''s final year, Tavis Smiley provides a glimpse into the superstar''s life in this emotional, honest, yet celebratory book. Readers will witness Jackson''s campaign to recharge his career--hiring and firing managers and advisors, turning to and away from family members, fighting depression and drug dependency--while his one goal remained: to mount the most spectacular series of shows the world had ever seen. BEFORE YOU JUDGE ME is a humanizing look at Jackson''s last days.

A OBRA MAIS IMPORTANTE DE TODAS SOBRE A TUMULTUADA VIDA DA RAINHA DO GOSPEL E DO SOUL. "A biografia monumental que todos nós esperávamos. Sim, este é ''O Livro''." — Joel Selvin, crítico musical do San Francisco Chronicle "O retrato mais honesto e genuíno da verdadeira diva." — Kirkus Reviews Aretha Franklin começou a vida como a filha de ouro de um pregador batista progressista – e promíscuo. Criada sem a mãe, ela foi um prodígio do gospel que deu à luz dois filhos na adolescência e os deixou em sua cidade natal, Detroit, para tentar a vida em Nova York, onde lutou para encontrar sua verdadeira voz. Em 1967,um produtor judeu branco insistiu que ela voltasse às suas raízes gospel, que a fama e a fortuna finalmente vieram por meio de "Respect" e uma série rápida de sucessos. Ela continuou a evoluir por décadas, em meio a tragédias pessoais, apresentações surpresa no Grammy e reinvenções de carreira. De novo e de novo, Aretha teimosamente encontrou uma maneira de triunfar sobre os problemas, mesmo enquanto eles continuavam a crescer. Seu domínio da coroa foi tenaz e, em Respect, David Ritz nos dá a vida definitiva de um dos maiores talentos de toda a cultura americana.

Primera y única biografía traducida al español de la reina del soul: Aretha Franklin. Con testimonios de todos los que convivieron y trabajaron con ella, familiares y artistas. La biografía definitiva de una de las más excelsas y atormentadas voces de la música sacra y popular de la cultura estadounidense. First and only biography translated into Spanish of the queen of soul: Aretha Franklin. It includes testimonies from all those who lived and worked with her, family members, and artists. The definitive biography of one of the most lofty and tormented voices of sacred and popular music in American culture.

Szczere wspomnienia mistrza NBA i członka koszykarskiej Galerii Sław. Był jednym z najbardziej dominujących graczy, jakich widział świat koszykówki. I jednym z najbardziej wygadanych. W ciągu 21-letniej kariery podniósł trash-talk do rangi sztuki i nigdy nie stronił od dzielenia się przemyśleniami na kontrowersyjne tematy. W tej książce Kevin Garnett z taką samą szczerością spogląda na swoje życie i karierę. Przeciwności, jakie napotkał, dorastając w Karolinie Południowej. Pominięcie college’u i wejście do draftu bezpośrednio ze szkoły średniej. Mecze przeciwko Michaelowi Jordanowi, Kobemu Bryantowi, LeBronowi Jamesowi i innym legendom NBA, wzloty i upadki, mistrzostwo z Boston Celtics. A pomiędzy tym wszystkim sława, rodzina, muzyka, wiara czy rasizm. Jeśli uważasz, że Kevin Garnett zachwycał na parkiecie, poczekaj, aż przeczytasz, co ma do powiedzenia na kartkach tej książki.

At once an intimate biography, and the poignant story of a man whose voice will live forever, the life story of Jimmy Scott (b. 1925), one of the most influential singers in jazz whose ethereal voice and uncanny phrasing have inspired performers for generations, is told for the first time. Photos.

The determination of two childhood sweethearts, Gabriella Lotta and Marco Pucenza, to become a successful screenwriter and actor, respectively, threatens to destroy their relationship