About the Event
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The Wisconsin Historical Society Speakers Bureau offers an exciting opportunity for our historians, curators and authors to visit your community and share the stories of our great state.
Never Givin' Up is the first biography to chronicle the life and career of one of the most distinguished and beloved musical artists to come out of Wisconsin: Al Jarreau. From his earliest days singing in the 1940s until his death in 2017, Jarreau defied categorization. While his biggest hit, “We’re In This Love Together,” is pure pop, he smashed music industry stereotypes as the first artist to win Grammy Awards in three genres: jazz, pop, and R&B.
Kurt Dietrich traces Jarreau’s singing career from humble beginnings in his hometown of Milwaukee to international fame. The story includes Jarreau's formative student days at Ripon College and the University of Iowa, as well as the years spent honing his craft at nightspots in Milwaukee, San Francisco, and the Twin Cities. After he was signed by Warner Bros. Records in 1975 at the age of 35, Jarreau achieved stardom with his innovative vocal stylings and electric live performances.
Including behind-the-scenes stories of the making of Al's legendary albums, and drawing on interviews with Al Jarreau, his friends, family, and fellow musicians, Never Givin’ Up celebrates a Wisconsin musical icon and global sensation.
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Kurt Dietrich is Professor Emeritus of Music at Ripon College, where he was Barbara Baldwin DeFrees Chair in the Performing Arts. He has written many articles and three books on jazz, including Wisconsin Riffs: Jazz Profiles from the Heartland. He earned degrees from Lawrence University, Northwestern University, and the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He plays trombone with various groups around Wisconsin.
