Minnesota has been home to some legendary musicians, but also to some lesser well known talent. Since this topic is so broad, we’re breaking it up into a few different posts. If you have a book about the Minnesota music scene or a Minnesotan musician you’d like to recommend to us, please comment or email to admin@cmle.org!
“Witty and moving, this debut memoir in essays from the dynamic rapper and singer Dessa, is a candid account of her life in the van as a hard-touring musician, her determination to beat long odds to make a name for herself as a performing artist, and her struggle to fall out of love with someone in her band. In a literary, honest style, evoking Amanda Palmer and Miranda July, Dessa demonstrates just how far the mind can travel while the body is on the six-hour ride to the next rap show.”
“One of the longest running clubs in American rock ‘n’ roll–and most recognizable venues in Minnesota–First Avenue in Minneapolis finally gets the rock-star treatment it deserves in print. Amidst all that history, the book is interlaced with anecdotes, quotes, and occasionally cloudy memories from musicians, employees, and regulars–many of whom are as unique as the club itself. Chock full of concert photos and memorabilia collected from professional photographers and average fans alike, the book is a lavish celebration of a rock ‘n’ roll landmark.”
“Beginning in the year of Prince’s birth, 1958, with the recording of Minnesota’s first R&B record by a North Minneapolis band called the Big Ms, Got to Be Something Here traces the rise of that distinctive sound through two generations of political upheaval, rebellion, and artistic passion.”
