Rock’n’Roll icon John Oates has just added “finish memoir” to his to-do list. According to a press release, Oates has signed a book deal with St. Martin’s Press and will publish a memoir, still untitled, in 2016.
Oates, of the legendary duo Hall & Oates, collaborated with music-journalist Chris Epting to create a vivid account of his life in music. In a statement, Oates notes that fans may be surprised by some of the memoir’s content, as much of it focuses on his life as a solo musician:
Given the arc of my solo career the last several years, this seemed like the perfect time to write my memoir. I’ve become very focused on roots, Americana, blues, folk and other styles from our country’s rich musical heritage, and that’s really where I began before I met Daryl; in the Philly folk and blues scene. So now I feel it’s time to go back and tell the whole story, while also giving readers a rich taste of this music, its history, and how it still affects me to this day. Of course the story of Hall & Oates is an amazing one, and I’ve got some great tales starting with the night I met Daryl, right up until now, almost 50 years later. Thankfully, I kept some pretty detailed journals, and I’m ready to take everyone on a vivid journey across the many musical miles I’ve been so fortunate to have traveled. It should be quite a ride.
Marc Resnick, executive editor of St. Martin’s, says, “What makes this a special book is not just his fascinating career as a member of the greatest pop duo of all time, but his personal tour of the American music scene—the artists he met and with whom he made music, but also the musicians who came before him and influenced his biggest hits.”
Oates, a New York native, has called Nashville home since 2010. A Tennessean article posted in January 2015 details the musician’s involvement with and enthusiasm for the city. Oates’s latest endeavor, a documentary concert DVD titled Another Good Road was recorded primarily in Nashville.
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Tagged: Nonfiction
