-
The One
- The Life and Music of James Brown
- Narrated by: Kevin R. Free
- Length: 14 hrs and 11 mins
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Prime members: New to Audible?Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
The One
Buy for $21.49
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Listeners also enjoyed...
-
Chuck Berry
- An American Life
- By: RJ Smith
- Narrated by: Phil Morris
- Length: 13 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 28
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 25
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 24
Chuck Berry was a man of wild contradictions, whose motives and motivations were often shrouded in mystery. Throughout his life, Berry refused to shed light on either the mastery or the missteps, leaving the complexity that encapsulated his life and underscored his music largely unexplored—until now. In Chuck Berry, biographer RJ Smith crafts a comprehensive portrait of one of the great American entertainers, guitarists, and lyricists of the 20th century, bringing Chuck Berry to life in vivid detail.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Decent book. Terrible narration.
- By michael eck on 07-19-23
By: RJ Smith
-
Kill 'Em and Leave
- Searching for James Brown and the American Soul
- By: James McBride
- Narrated by: Dominic Hoffman
- Length: 9 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 240
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 213
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 213
From the New York Times bestselling author of The Good Lord Bird, winner of the 2013 National Book Award for Fiction, Deacon King Kong, and Five-Carat Soul, Kill ’Em and Leave is more than a book about James Brown. Brown embodied the contradictions of American life: He was an unsettling symbol of the tensions between North and South, Black and White, rich and poor. After receiving a tip that promises to uncover the man behind the myth, James McBride goes in search of the “real” James Brown.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A Captivating Narrative of a Complex Man
- By Kindle Customer on 04-10-16
By: James McBride
-
Careless Love
- The Unmaking of Elvis Presley
- By: Peter Guralnick
- Narrated by: Kevin Stillwell
- Length: 31 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 595
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 540
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 541
This concluding volume recounts the second half of Elvis' life in rich and previously unimagined detail, and confirms Guralnick's status as one of the great biographers of our time. Beginning with Presley's army service in Germany in 1958 and ending with his death in Memphis in 1977, Careless Love chronicles the unraveling of the dream that once shone so brightly, homing in on the complex playing-out of Elvis' relationship with his Machiavellian manager, Colonel Tom Parker.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Wow
- By Michelle Huss on 04-21-15
By: Peter Guralnick
-
There Was a Time
- James Brown, the Chitlin' Circuit, and Me
- By: Alan Leeds, Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson - foreword
- Narrated by: Peter Berkrot
- Length: 8 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 45
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 40
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 41
In this riveting book - part memoir, part history - Leeds weaves a wholly new and remarkable portrait of Brown as an idiosyncratic iconoclast, determined artist, and forceful businessman. It is a rare look into a world little known to White America immediately following the Civil Rights Movement. Leeds discovers that Brown is a fascinatingly complex man, and their experiences, both business and personal, range from emotional to humorous. All the while, they navigate the complicated world of popular Black music in America, told by someone who actually lived it.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Great book!
- By Matthew Westmoreland on 03-15-20
By: Alan Leeds, and others
-
King: A Life
- By: Jonathan Eig
- Narrated by: Dion Graham
- Length: 20 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 495
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 423
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 422
Vividly written and exhaustively researched, Jonathan Eig’s King: A Life is the first major biography in decades of the civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr.—and the first to include recently declassified FBI files. In this revelatory new portrait of the preacher and activist who shook the world, the bestselling biographer gives us an intimate view of the courageous and often emotionally troubled human being who demanded peaceful protest for his movement but was rarely at peace with himself.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
My Time
- By Susan on 06-18-23
By: Jonathan Eig
-
Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)
- A Memoir
- By: Sly Stone, Ben Greenman - contributor, Questlove - foreword
- Narrated by: Dion Graham
- Length: 8 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 79
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 74
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 74
One of the few indisputable geniuses of pop music, Sly Stone is a trailblazer and a legend. He created a new kind of music, mixing Black and white, male and female, funk and rock. As a songwriter, he penned some of the most iconic anthems of the 1960s and ’70s, from “Everyday People” to “Family Affair.” As a performer, he electrified audiences with a persona and stage presence that set a lasting standard for pop-culture performance.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Crossword Puzzle!
- By Nigel on 10-18-23
By: Sly Stone, and others
-
Chuck Berry
- An American Life
- By: RJ Smith
- Narrated by: Phil Morris
- Length: 13 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 28
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 25
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 24
Chuck Berry was a man of wild contradictions, whose motives and motivations were often shrouded in mystery. Throughout his life, Berry refused to shed light on either the mastery or the missteps, leaving the complexity that encapsulated his life and underscored his music largely unexplored—until now. In Chuck Berry, biographer RJ Smith crafts a comprehensive portrait of one of the great American entertainers, guitarists, and lyricists of the 20th century, bringing Chuck Berry to life in vivid detail.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Decent book. Terrible narration.
- By michael eck on 07-19-23
By: RJ Smith
-
Kill 'Em and Leave
- Searching for James Brown and the American Soul
- By: James McBride
- Narrated by: Dominic Hoffman
- Length: 9 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 240
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 213
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 213
From the New York Times bestselling author of The Good Lord Bird, winner of the 2013 National Book Award for Fiction, Deacon King Kong, and Five-Carat Soul, Kill ’Em and Leave is more than a book about James Brown. Brown embodied the contradictions of American life: He was an unsettling symbol of the tensions between North and South, Black and White, rich and poor. After receiving a tip that promises to uncover the man behind the myth, James McBride goes in search of the “real” James Brown.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A Captivating Narrative of a Complex Man
- By Kindle Customer on 04-10-16
By: James McBride
-
Careless Love
- The Unmaking of Elvis Presley
- By: Peter Guralnick
- Narrated by: Kevin Stillwell
- Length: 31 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 595
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 540
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 541
This concluding volume recounts the second half of Elvis' life in rich and previously unimagined detail, and confirms Guralnick's status as one of the great biographers of our time. Beginning with Presley's army service in Germany in 1958 and ending with his death in Memphis in 1977, Careless Love chronicles the unraveling of the dream that once shone so brightly, homing in on the complex playing-out of Elvis' relationship with his Machiavellian manager, Colonel Tom Parker.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Wow
- By Michelle Huss on 04-21-15
By: Peter Guralnick
-
There Was a Time
- James Brown, the Chitlin' Circuit, and Me
- By: Alan Leeds, Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson - foreword
- Narrated by: Peter Berkrot
- Length: 8 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 45
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 40
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 41
In this riveting book - part memoir, part history - Leeds weaves a wholly new and remarkable portrait of Brown as an idiosyncratic iconoclast, determined artist, and forceful businessman. It is a rare look into a world little known to White America immediately following the Civil Rights Movement. Leeds discovers that Brown is a fascinatingly complex man, and their experiences, both business and personal, range from emotional to humorous. All the while, they navigate the complicated world of popular Black music in America, told by someone who actually lived it.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Great book!
- By Matthew Westmoreland on 03-15-20
By: Alan Leeds, and others
-
King: A Life
- By: Jonathan Eig
- Narrated by: Dion Graham
- Length: 20 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 495
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 423
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 422
Vividly written and exhaustively researched, Jonathan Eig’s King: A Life is the first major biography in decades of the civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr.—and the first to include recently declassified FBI files. In this revelatory new portrait of the preacher and activist who shook the world, the bestselling biographer gives us an intimate view of the courageous and often emotionally troubled human being who demanded peaceful protest for his movement but was rarely at peace with himself.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
My Time
- By Susan on 06-18-23
By: Jonathan Eig
-
Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)
- A Memoir
- By: Sly Stone, Ben Greenman - contributor, Questlove - foreword
- Narrated by: Dion Graham
- Length: 8 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 79
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 74
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 74
One of the few indisputable geniuses of pop music, Sly Stone is a trailblazer and a legend. He created a new kind of music, mixing Black and white, male and female, funk and rock. As a songwriter, he penned some of the most iconic anthems of the 1960s and ’70s, from “Everyday People” to “Family Affair.” As a performer, he electrified audiences with a persona and stage presence that set a lasting standard for pop-culture performance.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Crossword Puzzle!
- By Nigel on 10-18-23
By: Sly Stone, and others
-
On Writing
- A Memoir of the Craft
- By: Stephen King
- Narrated by: Stephen King, Joe Hill, Owen King
- Length: 9 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 14,969
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 12,314
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 12,210
“Long live the King” hailed Entertainment Weekly upon publication of Stephen King’s On Writing. Part memoir, part master class by one of the bestselling authors of all time, this superb volume is a revealing and practical view of the writer’s craft, comprising the basic tools of the trade every writer must have. King’s advice is grounded in his vivid memories from childhood through his emergence as a writer, from his struggling early career to his widely reported, near-fatal accident in 1999—and how the inextricable link between writing and living spurred his recovery.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Who needs a print edition when King reads King?
- By Cather on 11-18-05
By: Stephen King
-
Ain't Too Proud to Beg
- The Troubled Lives and Enduring Soul of the Temptations
- By: Mark Ribowsky
- Narrated by: Bill Andrew Quinn
- Length: 11 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 77
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 70
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 70
The Temptations are an incomparable soul group, with dozens of chart-topping hits such as "My Girl" and "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone". From the sharp suits, stylish choreography, and distinctive vocals that epitomized their onstage triumphs to the personal failings and psycho-dramas that played out behind the scenes, Ain't Too Proud to Beg tells the complete story of this most popular - and tragic - of all Motown super groups. Based on in-depth research and interviews with founding Temptations member Otis Williams and many others, the book reveals the highly individual nature of the group's members.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Can't Finish It
- By Chris on 08-19-13
By: Mark Ribowsky
-
The Big Payback
- The History of the Business of Hip-Hop
- By: Dan Charnas
- Narrated by: Kevin R. Free
- Length: 27 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 255
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 227
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 223
An original journalist for The Source, Dan Charnas built a celebrated career in the rap industry. In The Big Payback, he chronicles the rise of the hip-hop culture and shows how it became so powerful in a matter of decades. Charnas also profiles many of the movers and shakers in this burgeoning cultural movement, offering unprecedented access to an industry that continues to shake the globe.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
So much love
- By Chief Break Everything on 04-13-12
By: Dan Charnas
-
Signed, Sealed, and Delivered
- The Soulful Journey of Stevie Wonder
- By: Mark Ribowsky
- Narrated by: Kevin R. Free
- Length: 12 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 58
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 48
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 49
Stevie Wonder's achievements as a singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer are extraordinary. During a career that has spanned almost fifty years, he has earned more than 30 Top 10 hits, 26 Grammy Awards, and a place in both the Rock and Roll and Songwriter Halls of Fame - and he's not finished yet. On the verge of turning 60, he is still composing, still touring, and still attracting dedicated fans around the world.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Too in love with his own vocabulary
- By Sarah on 01-23-13
By: Mark Ribowsky
-
Dangerous Rhythms
- Jazz and the Underworld
- By: T. J. English
- Narrated by: JD Jackson
- Length: 15 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 75
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 65
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 64
Dangerous Rhythms tells the symbiotic story of jazz and the underworld: a relationship fostered in some of 20th century America’s most notorious vice districts. For the first half of the century mobsters and musicians enjoyed a mutually beneficial partnership. By offering artists like Louis Armstrong, Earl “Fatha” Hines, Fats Waller, Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, Lena Horne, and Ella Fitzgerald a stage, the mob, including major players Al Capone, Meyer Lansky, and Charlie “Lucky” Luciano, provided opportunities that would not otherwise have existed.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Keep your YouTube handy
- By Vikon on 09-12-22
By: T. J. English
-
Beastie Boys Book
- By: Michael Diamond, Adam Horovitz
- Narrated by: Michael Diamond, Adam Horovitz, various
- Length: 12 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 7,442
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 6,713
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 6,669
A panoramic experience that tells the story of Beastie Boys, a book as unique as the band itself - by band members ADROCK and Mike D, with contributions from Amy Poehler, Colson Whitehead, Wes Anderson, Luc Sante, and more.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
License to Listen - The Illest Communication
- By J. Combs on 12-12-18
By: Michael Diamond, and others
-
Detroit 67
- The Year That Changed Soul
- By: Stuart Cosgrove
- Narrated by: Kevin R. Free
- Length: 16 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 10
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 7
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 7
It's January 1967-and one of the worst snowstorms in decades is blanketing Detroit, Michigan. Berry Gordy, owner of Motown Records, is trapped in his home, unable to do anything about the internal war ravaging his most successful group, The Supremes. Diana Ross, Mary Wilson, and Florence Ballard are imploding as Ballard battles alcoholism and the aftermath of rape. But soon, even more chaos will descend on Detroit.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Good Read
- By Amazon Customer on 03-02-23
By: Stuart Cosgrove
-
The Philosophy of Modern Song
- By: Bob Dylan
- Narrated by: Bob Dylan, Jeff Bridges, Steve Buscemi, and others
- Length: 6 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 247
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 211
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 208
Dylan, who began working on the book in 2010, offers his insight into the nature of popular music. He writes over sixty essays focusing on songs by other artists, spanning from Stephen Foster to Elvis Costello, and in between ranging from Hank Williams to Nina Simone. He analyzes what he calls the trap of easy rhymes, breaks down how the addition of a single syllable can diminish a song, and even explains how bluegrass relates to heavy metal. These essays are written in Dylan’s unique prose. And while ostensibly about music, they are really meditations on the human condition.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Needs chapter headings
- By kaon on 12-22-22
By: Bob Dylan
-
The Godfather
- 50th Anniversary Edition
- By: Mario Puzo, Francis Ford Coppola - introduction, Anthony Puzo - note, and others
- Narrated by: Joe Mantegna, Anthony Puzo, Angelo Di Loreto
- Length: 18 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 11,899
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 10,707
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 10,690
With its brilliant and brutal portrayal of the Corleone family, The Godfather burned its way into our national consciousness. This unforgettable saga of crime and corruption, passion and loyalty continues to stand the test of time, as the definitive novel of the Mafia underworld. A #1 New York Times bestseller in 1969, Mario Puzo's epic was turned into the incomparable film of the same name, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture. It is the original classic that has been often imitated, but never matched.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Huge fan of the movie, loved this audiobook!
- By Dana on 10-04-13
By: Mario Puzo, and others
-
E.A.R.L.
- The Autobiography of DMX
- By: DMX
- Narrated by: Beresford Bennett
- Length: 9 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 454
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 411
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 411
His real name was Earl Simmons. As a child, he placed higher on tests than his fellow students and liked to spend mornings with his mother and sisters playing games and making pancakes. But for young Earl - a boy growing up on the streets of Yonkers, New York - that kind of childhood didn’t last long. Beatings, abuse, and neglect very soon had him moving on to other things, like robbing, stealing, drugs, and, eventually, jail. Along the way, however, he found a talent and a passion for rhyme.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Not a good listen
- By Ty on 03-24-22
By: DMX
-
Last Train to Memphis
- The Rise of Elvis Presley
- By: Peter Guralnick
- Narrated by: Kevin Stillwell
- Length: 22 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 707
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 623
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 620
Last Train to Memphis: The Rise of Elvis Presley is the first biography to go past that myth and present an Elvis beyond the legend. Based on hundreds of interviews and nearly a decade of research, it traces the evolution not just of the man but of the music and of the culture he left utterly transformed, creating a completely fresh portrait of Elvis and his world. This volume tracks the first 24 years of Elvis' life, covering his childhood, the stunning first recordings at Sun Records, and the early RCA hits.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
I'm an Elvis fan now
- By Vicki on 07-12-13
By: Peter Guralnick
-
Rickey
- The Life and Legend of an American Original
- By: Howard Bryant
- Narrated by: JD Jackson
- Length: 18 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 231
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 214
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 213
Few names in the history of baseball evoke the excellence and dynamism that Rickey Henderson’s does. He holds the record for the most stolen bases in a single game, and he’s scored more runs than any player ever. “If you cut Rickey Henderson in half, you’d have two Hall of Famers,” the baseball historian Bill James once said. But perhaps even more than his prowess on the field, Rickey Henderson’s is a story of Oakland, California, the town that gave rise to so many legendary athletes like him.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
An All Time Grewt
- By Anonymous User on 10-09-23
By: Howard Bryant
Publisher's summary
Senior editor at L.A. Magazine RJ Smith saw his first book, The Great Black Way, win the coveted California Book Award. With The One, Smith profiles one of the 20th century’s most innovative musical icons, the Godfather of Soul himself, James Brown. Drawing on extensive research and captivating interviews, Smith chronicles Brown’s rise from abject poverty to the pinnacle of fame, while also detailing Brown’s work as a civil rights activist and entrepreneur.
More from the same
Related to this topic
-
1965
- The Most Revolutionary Year in Music
- By: Andrew Grant Jackson
- Narrated by: Peter Berkrot
- Length: 11 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 44
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 39
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 38
During 12 unforgettable months in the middle of the turbulent '60s, America saw the rise of innovative new sounds that would change popular music as we knew it. In 1965: The Most Revolutionary Year in Music, music historian Andrew Grant Jackson (Still the Greatest: The Essential Songs of The Beatles' Solo Careers) chronicles a groundbreaking year of creativity fueled by rivalries between musicians and continents, sweeping social changes, and technological breakthroughs.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Seems like a good overview
- By wylie smith on 01-12-23
-
Outlaw
- Waylon, Willie, Kris, and the Renegades of Nashville
- By: Michael Streissguth
- Narrated by: John Pruden
- Length: 7 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 75
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 68
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 68
Waylon Jennings. Willie Nelson. Kris Kristofferson. Three renegade musicians. Three unexpected stars. Three men who changed Nashville and country music forever. Streissguth's new book brings to life an incredible chapter in musical history and reveals for the first time a surprising outlaw zeitgeist in Nashville. Based on extensive research and probing interviews with key players, what emerges is a fascinating glimpse into three of the most legendary artists of our times and the definitive story of how they changed music in Nashville and everywhere.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Revealing little-known Details does Captivate!
- By Cody Meyer on 11-20-17
-
Respect Yourself
- Stax Records and the Soul Explosion
- By: Robert Gordon
- Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell
- Length: 17 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 123
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 104
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 106
The story of Stax Records unfolds like a Greek tragedy. A white brother and sister build a record company that becomes a monument to racial harmony in 1960’s segregated south Memphis. Their success is startling, and Stax soon defines an international sound. Then, after losses both business and personal, the siblings part, and the brother allies with a visionary African-American partner. Under integrated leadership, Stax explodes as a national player until, Icarus-like, they fall from great heights to a tragic demise.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Great narration
- By A. K. Moore on 10-29-14
By: Robert Gordon
-
King of the Blues
- The Rise and Reign of B.B. King
- By: Daniel De Visé
- Narrated by: Cary Hite
- Length: 17 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 62
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 58
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 58
Riley “Blues Boy” King (1925-2015) was born into deep poverty in Jim Crow Mississippi. Wrenched away from his sharecropper father, B.B. lost his mother at age 10, leaving him more or less alone. Music became his emancipation from exhausting toil in the fields. Inspired by a local minister’s guitar and by the records of Blind Lemon Jefferson and T-Bone Walker and encouraged by his cousin, the established blues man Bukka White, B.B. taught his guitar to sing in the unique solo style that, along with his relentless work ethic and humanity, became his trademark.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Excellent
- By Sonny Garcia on 01-02-24
By: Daniel De Visé
-
My Life with Earth, Wind & Fire
- By: Maurice White, Herb Powell
- Narrated by: Dion Graham
- Length: 11 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 523
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 463
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 457
The late Grammy-winning founder of the legendary pop/R&B/soul/funk/disco group tells his story and charts the rise of his legendary band in this sincere memoir that captures the heart and soul of an artist whose groundbreaking sound continues to influence music today. With a foreword by David Foster.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Maurice--Earth, Wind and Fire
- By Linda Ealey on 02-28-17
By: Maurice White, and others
-
So Many Roads
- The Life and Times of the Grateful Dead
- By: David Browne
- Narrated by: Sean Runnette
- Length: 15 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 181
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 160
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 155
No longer dismissed as relics of the hippie era, a new generation has lionized the Dead for creating a culture that paved the way for social networking, free music swapping, and the uncompromising anticorporate attitude of indie rock. Now, fifty years after the band first began changing rock 'n' roll both sonically and psychically, So Many Roads paints the most vivid portrait yet of the Grateful Dead, one of the most enduring institutions in American music and culture.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Great first book on the Dead
- By robert on 10-30-15
By: David Browne
-
1965
- The Most Revolutionary Year in Music
- By: Andrew Grant Jackson
- Narrated by: Peter Berkrot
- Length: 11 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 44
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 39
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 38
During 12 unforgettable months in the middle of the turbulent '60s, America saw the rise of innovative new sounds that would change popular music as we knew it. In 1965: The Most Revolutionary Year in Music, music historian Andrew Grant Jackson (Still the Greatest: The Essential Songs of The Beatles' Solo Careers) chronicles a groundbreaking year of creativity fueled by rivalries between musicians and continents, sweeping social changes, and technological breakthroughs.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Seems like a good overview
- By wylie smith on 01-12-23
-
Outlaw
- Waylon, Willie, Kris, and the Renegades of Nashville
- By: Michael Streissguth
- Narrated by: John Pruden
- Length: 7 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 75
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 68
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 68
Waylon Jennings. Willie Nelson. Kris Kristofferson. Three renegade musicians. Three unexpected stars. Three men who changed Nashville and country music forever. Streissguth's new book brings to life an incredible chapter in musical history and reveals for the first time a surprising outlaw zeitgeist in Nashville. Based on extensive research and probing interviews with key players, what emerges is a fascinating glimpse into three of the most legendary artists of our times and the definitive story of how they changed music in Nashville and everywhere.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Revealing little-known Details does Captivate!
- By Cody Meyer on 11-20-17
-
Respect Yourself
- Stax Records and the Soul Explosion
- By: Robert Gordon
- Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell
- Length: 17 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 123
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 104
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 106
The story of Stax Records unfolds like a Greek tragedy. A white brother and sister build a record company that becomes a monument to racial harmony in 1960’s segregated south Memphis. Their success is startling, and Stax soon defines an international sound. Then, after losses both business and personal, the siblings part, and the brother allies with a visionary African-American partner. Under integrated leadership, Stax explodes as a national player until, Icarus-like, they fall from great heights to a tragic demise.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Great narration
- By A. K. Moore on 10-29-14
By: Robert Gordon
-
King of the Blues
- The Rise and Reign of B.B. King
- By: Daniel De Visé
- Narrated by: Cary Hite
- Length: 17 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 62
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 58
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 58
Riley “Blues Boy” King (1925-2015) was born into deep poverty in Jim Crow Mississippi. Wrenched away from his sharecropper father, B.B. lost his mother at age 10, leaving him more or less alone. Music became his emancipation from exhausting toil in the fields. Inspired by a local minister’s guitar and by the records of Blind Lemon Jefferson and T-Bone Walker and encouraged by his cousin, the established blues man Bukka White, B.B. taught his guitar to sing in the unique solo style that, along with his relentless work ethic and humanity, became his trademark.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Excellent
- By Sonny Garcia on 01-02-24
By: Daniel De Visé
-
My Life with Earth, Wind & Fire
- By: Maurice White, Herb Powell
- Narrated by: Dion Graham
- Length: 11 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 523
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 463
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 457
The late Grammy-winning founder of the legendary pop/R&B/soul/funk/disco group tells his story and charts the rise of his legendary band in this sincere memoir that captures the heart and soul of an artist whose groundbreaking sound continues to influence music today. With a foreword by David Foster.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Maurice--Earth, Wind and Fire
- By Linda Ealey on 02-28-17
By: Maurice White, and others
-
So Many Roads
- The Life and Times of the Grateful Dead
- By: David Browne
- Narrated by: Sean Runnette
- Length: 15 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 181
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 160
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 155
No longer dismissed as relics of the hippie era, a new generation has lionized the Dead for creating a culture that paved the way for social networking, free music swapping, and the uncompromising anticorporate attitude of indie rock. Now, fifty years after the band first began changing rock 'n' roll both sonically and psychically, So Many Roads paints the most vivid portrait yet of the Grateful Dead, one of the most enduring institutions in American music and culture.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Great first book on the Dead
- By robert on 10-30-15
By: David Browne
-
MJ
- The Genius of Michael Jackson
- By: Steve Knopper
- Narrated by: Eric Michael Summerer
- Length: 13 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 59
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 53
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 54
Rolling Stone contributing editor Steve Knopper delves deeply into Michael Jackson's music and talent. From the artist's early days with the Jackson 5, to his stratospheric success as a solo artist, to "Beat It" and "Thriller", "Bad", and "The Man in the Mirror", to his volatile final years, his attempted comeback, and his untimely death, Knopper explores the beguiling and often contradictory forces that fueled Michael Jackson's genius.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
It is ok but no details of his creativity in here
- By Jay on 02-25-16
By: Steve Knopper
-
Walk This Way
- Run-DMC, Aerosmith, and the Song That Changed American Music Forever
- By: Geoff Edgers
- Narrated by: Geoff Edgers
- Length: 6 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 43
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 35
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 35
Washington Post staff writer Geoff Edgers takes a deep dive into the story behind "Walk This Way", Aerosmith and Run-DMC's legendary, groundbreaking mashup that forever changed music.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A MUST LISTEN/READ
- By Aron Teo Lee on 05-17-19
By: Geoff Edgers
-
Shine Bright
- A Very Personal History of Black Women in Pop
- By: Danyel Smith
- Narrated by: Danyel Smith
- Length: 13 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 101
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 94
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 94
A weave of biography, criticism, and memoir, Shine Bright is Danyel Smith’s intimate history of Black women’s music as the foundational story of American pop. Smith has been writing this history for more than five years. But as a music fan, and then as an essayist, editor (Vibe, Billboard), and podcast host (Black Girl Songbook), she has been living this history since she was a latchkey kid listening to “Midnight Train to Georgia” on the family stereo.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Ok might have been better reading the hard copy
- By cde on 06-18-22
By: Danyel Smith
-
Thelonious Monk
- The Life and Times of an American Original
- By: Robin DG Kelley
- Narrated by: Sean Crisden
- Length: 25 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 158
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 136
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 136
Thelonious Monk is the critically acclaimed, gripping saga of an artist's struggle to "make it" without compromising his musical vision. It is a story that, like its subject, reflects the tidal ebbs and flows of American history in the 20th century. To his fans, he was the ultimate hipster; to his detractors, he was temperamental, eccentric, taciturn, or childlike. His angular melodies and dissonant harmonies shook the jazz world to its foundations, ushering in the birth of "bebop" and establishing Monk as one of America's greatest composers.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
The definitive bio of Monk
- By ricardo on 12-27-17
By: Robin DG Kelley
-
My Song
- A Memoir
- By: Harry Belafonte, Michael Shnayerson
- Narrated by: Harry Belafonte, Mirron Willis
- Length: 19 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 156
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 140
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 139
Harry Belafonte is not just one of the greatest entertainers of our time; he has led one of the great American lives of the last century. Now, this extraordinary icon tells us the story of that life, giving us its full breadth, letting us share in the struggles, the tragedies, and, most of all, the inspiring triumphs.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Amazing
- By Khafre on 12-30-11
By: Harry Belafonte, and others
-
Me, the Mob, and the Music
- One Helluva Ride with Tommy James and the Shondells
- By: Tommy James, Martin Fitzpatrick
- Narrated by: David Colacci
- Length: 7 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 252
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 189
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 187
Everyone knows the hits: "Mony Mony," "I Think We're Alone Now," "Crimson and Clover," "Crystal Blue Persuasion." They are nuggets of rock and pop history. However, few know the unlikely story of how these hits came to be. Tommy James had been performing in rock bands in the Michigan area since the age of 12. Prompted to record a few songs by a local disc jockey in 1964, Tommy chose an obscurity titled "Hanky Panky," which became a minor local hit that came and went.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
What a ride - excellent story, well told
- By Dave on 03-25-10
By: Tommy James, and others
-
Keith Richards
- The Unauthorised Biography
- By: Victor Bockris
- Narrated by: Adrian Mulraney
- Length: 20 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 41
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 38
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 37
In 1992, Victor Bockris' celebrated biography was the first to recognize Richards' pivotal role in the legend of the Rolling Stones. Now that book on rock's most incredible survivor has been expanded. Here are the true facts behind Richards' battles with his demons: the women, the drugs and the love-hate relationship with Jagger. His struggle with heroin and his status as the rock star most likely to die in the 1970s. His scarcely believable rebirth as a family man in the 1980s. Illuminated with revealing quotes and thoughtful insights into the man behind the band that goes on forever.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
doesn't comapre to LIFE
- By A. Garofalo on 02-20-14
By: Victor Bockris
-
The Ballad of Bob Dylan
- A Portrait
- By: Daniel Mark Epstein
- Narrated by: Bronson Pinchot
- Length: 15 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 50
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 45
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 44
The Ballad of Bob Dylan is a vivid, full-bodied portrait of one of the most influential artists of the 20th-century - a man widely regarded as the most important lyricist America has ever produced. Acclaimed poet and biographer Daniel Mark Epstein frames Dylan against the backdrop of four seminal concerts - all of which he attended. Beautifully written, The Ballad of Bob Dylan is a unique, eye-opening portrait of an artist who has transformed generations and continues to inspire and surprise today.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Excellent book, excellent narration
- By L chandler on 12-22-11
-
Shining Star
- Braving the Elements of Earth, Wind & Fire
- By: Philip Bailey, Keith Zimmerman, Kent Zimmerman
- Narrated by: Philip Bailey
- Length: 8 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 123
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 107
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 109
With more than 90 million records sold and eight Grammy Awards throughout its 40-year history, Earth, Wind & Fire has staked its claim as one of the most successful, influential, and beloved acts in music history. Now, for the first time, its dynamic lead singer, Philip Bailey, chronicles the group's meteoric rise to stardom and his own professional and spiritual journey. Never before had a musical act crossed multiple styles and genres with a quixotic blend of astrology, universalism, and Egyptology as Earth, Wind & Fire (EWF) did when it exploded into the public's conscience during the 1970s.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Great book, but needed pro narrator
- By Wayne on 03-23-16
By: Philip Bailey, and others
-
Lynyrd Skynyrd
- Remembering the Free Birds of Southern Rock
- By: Gene Odom, Frank Dorman - contributor
- Narrated by: Arthur Flavell
- Length: 8 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 42
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 41
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 40
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.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A tragic sorry, but honestly told
- By Mark D. Schnittman on 09-27-21
By: Gene Odom, and others
-
Small Town Talk
- Bob Dylan, The Band, Van Morrison, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix and Friends in the Wild Years of Woodstock
- By: Barney Hoskyns
- Narrated by: Mike Chamberlain
- Length: 13 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 51
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 44
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 42
When musicians in the New York folk scene of the 1960s grew tired of city life, they decided to "get it together in the country". They headed for Woodstock - not to the site of the infamous music festival of 1969 but to the Catskills, to Bearsville, to Woodstock proper. Counterculture revolutionaries like Janis Joplin, Richie Havens, and Paul Butterfield got "back to the land", turning the once sleepy hollow into a funky Shangri-La.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Captured the era - too many mistakes
- By Frank Canino on 04-17-16
By: Barney Hoskyns
-
Wild Tales
- A Rock & Roll Life
- By: Graham Nash
- Narrated by: Graham Nash
- Length: 12 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 788
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 719
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 717
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.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
The Best of the Recent Rock Biographies
- By Steven Schuster on 10-28-13
By: Graham Nash
What listeners say about The One
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Quincy
- 03-11-20
Excellent writing + delivery
I really enjoyed this book. Definitely recommend. The writer seemed to have researched well and weaved it together into an excellent piece of work.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
Very Detailed
Very detailed reporting. Many unexpected background historical details about music. Very interesting. A labor of love.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- William
- 09-02-22
Loved it!
I was captivated by the story that revealed so much about the life of this remarkable and complex man. As a long time fan, I was surprised by how much I did not know about him.
The performance was also outstanding. Five stars.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- JaneFear
- 10-15-23
Good
A strong, hard working man for his times, not perfect of course. Great book and great story .
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Michael Stewart
- 06-01-12
Why he became the hardest working man in show biz.
An illuminating look at how James Brown became an icon of the 60s, a musical pioneer, and an eccentric character frequently in trouble with the law. Complex, thorny, and very much a product of the time and place he was born into, James Brown became a musical revolutionary and a player in the civil rights movement despite a childhood of deprivation. This book is a welcome investigation into the life of a man who has still never gotten his due as a musician and band leader, and a man for whom success was never enough to erase the effects of a life lived as a poor African American in the early part of the 20th century. Well written, well read, and well worth the time it takes to listen.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
6 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 01-06-13
pitiable, lovable, despicable,understandable
i've never been a hip-hop happening kind of a guy
pencil-neck white-bread suburban kid is closer to the truth
but james brown has fascinated me since i was a child
his penetrating funky hot-blooded music was like no other
but i sensed that there was more to the story than that
r.j. smith's story and kevin free's narration brought it to life
his horrible childhood invites pity / that he overcame it invites love
the way he treated women and co-workers makes him seem despicable
but at the end of this great book i felt i understood him as a person
what makes the story profound is its' uniquely american foundation
james brown never apologized for who he was or where he was from
he just wanted respect and a spot at the table / he more than earned it
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
7 people found this helpful
-
Overall1 out of 5 stars
-
Performance1 out of 5 stars
-
Story1 out of 5 stars
- Michael McCann
- 10-12-23
Politics & Racism! Not much about music :(
If you're looking for a book on James Brown music career, look elsewhere. This book is loaded with politics and racism. Then more politics and racism and after that even more racism. Only maybe 20% of this book is about music.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!