June is African American Music Appreciation Month, so this week settle back and check out these books about great African American musicians, all available at Danville Public Library.

Day by Day with Beyonce by Tammy Gagne
Traces the life, career, and charity work of the popular singer, from her early career as a member of the group Destiny’s Child to her success as a solo artist, songwriter, and actress.
 
 
 
Hendrix on Hendrix: Interviews and Encounters with Jimi Hendrix edited by Steven Roby
In addition to interviews from major mainstream publications, “Hendrix on Hendrix” includes new transcriptions from European papers, the African-American press, and counterculture newspapers; radio and television interviews; and previously unpublished court transcripts — including one of the drug bust that nearly sent him to prison.Though many respected books have been written about Hendrix, none have completely focused on his own words. This book is as close to a Hendrix autobiography as we will ever see.– Publisher Description.
Original Gangstas: The Untold Story of Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, Ice Cube, Tupac Shakur, and the Birth of West Coast Rap by Ben Westhoff
A revealing narrative history about the legendary group of artists at the forefront of West Coast hip-hop: Eazy-E, Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, Snoop Dogg, and Tupac Shakur.
 
 
 
Glow: The Autobiography of Rick James by Rick James with David Ritz
“Best known for his song “Super Freak,” hitmaker, singer, innovator, producer, award-winning pioneer in the fusion of funk groove and rock, the late Rick James collaborated with music biographer David Ritz in this posthumously published, wildly entertaining, and profound expression of a rock star’s life and soul. He was the nephew of Temptations singer Melvin Franklin; a boy who watched and listened, mesmerized from underneath cocktail tables at the shows of Etta James and Miles Davis. He was a vagrant hippie who wandered to Toronto, where he ended up playing with Neil Young and Joni Mitchell, and he became a household name in the 1980s with his hit song “Super Freak.” Later in life, he was a bad boy who got caught up in drug smuggling and ended up in prison. But since his passing in August 2004, Rick James has remained a legendary icon whose name is nearly synonymous with funk music–and who popularized the genre, creating a lasting influence on pop artists from Prince to Jay–Z to Snoop Dogg, among countless others. In Glow, Rick James and acclaimed music biographer David Ritz collaborated to write a no-holds-barred memoir about the boy and the man who became a music superstar in America’s disco age. It tells of James’s upbringing and how his mother introduced him to musical geniuses of the time. And it reveals details on many universally revered artists, from Marvin Gaye and Prince to Nash, Teena Marie, and Berry Gordy. James himself said, “My journey has taken me through hell and back. It’s all in my music–the parties, the pain, the oversized ego, the insane obsessions.” But despite his bad boy behavior, James was a tremendous talent and a unique, unforgettable human being. His “glow” was an overriding quality that one of his mentors saw in him–and one that will stay with this legendary figure who left an indelible mark on American popular music”– Provided by publisher.
Scit-scat Raggedy Cat: Ella Fitzgerald written by Roxane Orgill, illustrated by Sean Qualls
Follows the beloved American jazz singer’s rise to fame, describing the difficult historical and cultural factors that she overcame.
 
 
Pops: A Life of Louis Armstrong by Terry Teachout
Louis Armstrong was the greatest jazz musician of the twentieth century and a giant of modern American culture. Offstage he was witty, introspective and unexpectedly complex, a beloved colleague with an explosive temper whose larger-than-life personality was tougher and more sharp-edged than his worshipping fans ever knew. Wall Street Journal arts columnist Terry Teachout has drawn on new sources unavailable to previous biographers, including hundreds of private recordings of backstage and after-hours conversations, to craft a sweeping new narrative biography of this towering figure that shares, for the first time, full, accurate versions of such storied events as Armstrong‘s quarrel with President Eisenhower and his decision to break up his big band.–From publisher description.
Failing Up: How to Take Risks, Aim Higher, and Never Stop Learning by Leslie Odom Jr.
Leslie Odom, Jr. burst on the scene in 2015, originating the role of Aaron Burr in the phenomenon Broadway musical “Hamilton.” Since then, he has performed for sold-out audiences, sang for the Obamas at the White House, and won a Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical.
 
 
 

Note: All book descriptions are from SHARE and all book covers are from Google Images.