Bill Milkowski
Author of "Jaco: The Extraordinary and Tragic Life of Jaco Pastorius" and "Ode to a Tenor Titan: The Life and Times and Music of Michael Brecker"
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Press Book
Never Givin' Up
The Life and Music of Al Jarreau
Kurt Dietrich
The first biography of a groundbreaking and original musical artist who left a lasting legacy across multiple genres.
396 pages, 6 x 9, 54 b&w photos
Hardcover: $28.95 | ISBN: 978-1-9766-0019-7
Ebook: $15.99 | ISBN: 978-1-9766-0020-3
Publication Date: 9/12/2023
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Description
One of the most distinguished and beloved musical artists to come out of Wisconsin, Al Jarreau reached international stardom while defying categorization. Although his biggest hit, “We’re in this Love Together,” is pure pop, Jarreau smashed music industry stereotypes as the first artist to win Grammy Awards in three genres: jazz, pop, and R&B. In Never Givin' Up, author Kurt Dietrich chronicles Jarreau’s life and career from humble its beginnings in his hometown of Milwaukee to global fame.
The narrative begins with Jarreau's formative years in Milwaukee and as a student at Ripon College and the University of Iowa and continues through the years spent honing his craft at nightspots in Wisconsin, San Francisco, and the Twin Cities. After he was signed by Warner Bros. Records in 1975 at the age of 35, Jarreau went on to achieve stardom with his innovative vocal stylings and electric live performances.
Never Givin' Up includes sidebars covering every Jarreau album and behind-the-scenes stories about the making of the records. Dietrich conducted interviews with Al Jarreau, as well as dozens of his friends, fellow musicians, professional associates, and family members. Featuring 54 images spanning Jarreau’s life, from never-before-seen family snapshots to stills from his legendary stage performances, Never Givin’ Up celebrates a Milwaukee hometown hero and global sensation.
Author Bio
Kurt Dietrich is professor emeritus of music at Ripon College, where he was also 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, also published by the Wisconsin Historical Society Press. He earned degrees from Lawrence University, Northwestern University, and the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Dietrich plays trombone with various groups around Wisconsin.
Kurt Dietrich captures Jarreau’s simultaneously gregarious and shy charm while revealing his own affection for this gifted and gracious performer. It’s his love letter to a Milwaukee legend.
“Kurt Dietrich has created a masterful book, revealing and depicting a detailed version of my brother, Al Jarreau, through his music and career. In these pages, I see Al’s determination and his admirable goal of Never Givin’ Up on his joy of singing. It was my distinct pleasure to work with Kurt in the process, establishing what has become a bond of family-like friendship that will endure for a lifetime and beyond.”
—Rose Marie (Jarreau) Freeman
Never Givin’ Up
The Life and Music of Al Jarreau
Kurt Dietrich
396 pages, 6 x 9, 54 b&w photos
To purchase a copy, follow the links below or visit your favorite bookseller.
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