Luck or Something Like It by Kenny Rogers

This is a really great memoir: true, honest, funny and incredibly well-written by a man whose music career has spanned decades. I've been quoting factoids from the book ever since I started it; there are tons of great stories, and Kenny's really lived a full and rich life.

While he's met everyone and had friendships, relationships, or partnerships with super-big celebrities, he's not a name-dropper. He discusses his childhood, career, and relationships in an honest approachable style that neither sugar-coats things, nor plays to the reader's sympathy. He's a guy who came from little and became big, yet never forgot the lessons of his upbringing.

Kenny's career has been so expansive (jazz? hippy rock? and of course, country and pop-country) that I'd forgotten much more than I realized. He's had 5 wives, 5 sons, and notable challenges - all of which make for some great meat to the story. He discusses his philanthropy, but doesn't do it in a back-patting kind of way.

I'm a music memoir geek, and unfortunately a lot of them aren't great. But I have to say, this one is stellar.