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Toni Tennille: A Memoir
Since bursting onto the scene in the mid ‘70s, the pop duo Captain and Tennille have long defined the sparkling, optimistic idea of everlasting love, both in their music and through their image as a happy and, seemingly, unbreakable couple. They were an irresistible pair to millions of fans all over the world, further underscored by the rousing “yes, we can!” gospel of their biggest hit, “Love Will Keep Us Together.” But underneath the image was an entirely different story that the fans never saw: a woman who fought a lonely struggle against the controlling and often bizarre behavior of her emotionally inaccessible husband. Toni Tennille: A Memoir is a visceral account of Toni Tennille’s life from her childhood in the segregated South to her thrilling rise to fame in the world of pop music to where she is now: no longer one-half of a famed couple, but a stronger woman for all she has experienced—both the good and the bad. Toni hopes that her story will help anyone who feels trapped in a toxic relationship realize that it is never too late to break away from it.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 2016
78 people are currently reading
518 people want to read
About the author
Toni Tennille
11 books13 followersCathryn Antoinette Tennille is a classically trained pianist, singer and songwriter best known as one-half of the duo Captain & Tennille with her husband, Daryl Dragon. Their signature song was the number one hit Love Will Keep Us Together. The song won the Grammy for record of the year in 1976. In the 70’s & 80’s they made television appearances in The Captain and Tennille Show, the Toni Tennille Show and network specials. Since the 1980’s Tennille has released numerous solo albums celebrating big band and American standards.
Tennille filed for divorce from Dragon in 2014 after 39 years of marriage. She currently lives in Florida with her three dogs.
Tennille filed for divorce from Dragon in 2014 after 39 years of marriage. She currently lives in Florida with her three dogs.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 126 reviews
July 10, 2016
Looking for something light, I picked this up. I didn’t know much about the Captain and Tenille, in fact I thought they were a two hit wonder.
I was surprised to learn that they began their careers with the Beach Boys and had a TV show and that Tenille sang with symphony orchestras and played the lead role in a national tour of “Victor/Victoria”.
Even if I had thought about them, from the lyrics of the two hits I knew (didn’t know that the third big one, “Muskrat Love”, was theirs) I would never thought their marriage was so cold.
I read this in two sittings and in this brief acquaintance with Tennille, I appreciated her simplicity, modesty, optimism and her appreciation for the good things in her life. As for “The Captain", his food theories reminded me of Steve Jobs and in his behavior made me consider he was not only abused as a child, but may be autistic.
I was surprised to learn that they began their careers with the Beach Boys and had a TV show and that Tenille sang with symphony orchestras and played the lead role in a national tour of “Victor/Victoria”.
Even if I had thought about them, from the lyrics of the two hits I knew (didn’t know that the third big one, “Muskrat Love”, was theirs) I would never thought their marriage was so cold.
I read this in two sittings and in this brief acquaintance with Tennille, I appreciated her simplicity, modesty, optimism and her appreciation for the good things in her life. As for “The Captain", his food theories reminded me of Steve Jobs and in his behavior made me consider he was not only abused as a child, but may be autistic.
March 30, 2016
I was interested in this book for 2 reasons. One was that I was a C and T fan when I was a kid and the other was that the therapist in me was curious about why a couple would divorce in their seventies. This book tells the back story of the relationship and tells the story of how a strong competent talented woman stayed in an emotionally distant (at best ), likely emotionally abusive relationship for year until she had the courage to leave.
May 3, 2023
Extremely depressing and negative book is a barebones telling of the career of Toni Tennille, with a lot of blame put on her ex-husband for her own bad choices or failure to stand up for herself. She spends most of the book complaining (usually about Daryl Dragon) but she offered to be the doormat for a husband and industry that used her.
The facts of her entertainment years are here (records, TV show, theater, orchestral concerts) but there is not much to any of the stories that are told and some of it is so simplistic or repetitive it's almost funny. She talks about having trouble driving home in the snow, with nothing else to the story. She complains about her allergies acting up when performing in a theater with old curtains. Toni talks a lot about their "children" (the dogs). She states about a half dozen times that she went home after a performance and took off her makeup--why is that important to state? She says she should have read a contract before signing it. These are all common-sense, plain stories that don't go anywhere because she fails to be able to analyze herself and her failures.
There are also odd sections, such as early in the book when she attempts to defend her well-off family have two poor black servants in the midst of segregation. Tennille also fails to discuss her first name, which I discovered online isn't Toni. Then the last 20 years of her life are covered in just a few pages at the end. It doesn't make for much of a compelling book.
The only life she shows in the book are her constant slams against her musical co-star husband, who sounds like a man that had some serious mental health issues with signs of autism or Asperger's. This is obvious from the start of their odd relationship, including her claims that there was no physical affection, but at no point does she state the obvious that he probably had a mental health issue.
She does admit to her own mental health issues during a tour but seems to be advertising for Prozac since it turned her life around. Yet Toni has no trouble throwing The Captain under the bus at every opportunity, and instead of seeing her own inabilities to be a functioning, communicating adult, she quickly points out his flaws whenever any issues arise. He wants to eat bland health food non-stop, and instead of her having the hamburger she craves she caves into his demands for decades; he refuses to have anything to do with the dogs; while she is away on tour he buys a place for himself in Vegas without asking her first; he wants to spend all day in his separate bedroom and she says nothing to him about it--well, honey, stand up for yourself instead of whimpering secretly to others!
In truth the more she tells his story and stating how negative he is, the more she is condemning herself for failing to do her part in communicating clearly and then using her memoir to spew her own negativity. He's a mess and was from childhood, but she's the one who married thinking she was pretty perfect and could change him. During their decades together Toni was actually an enabler who ultimately became very passive-aggressive and I felt sorrier for him having to put up with her demeaning end to the relationship and destroying him in this book.
BTW, it's unclear what their physical relationship was like. Toni does talk about two other men she had sex with but says nothing about her sexual relationship with her husband. It's kind of implied that they rarely, if ever, even touch each other. Ironic considering a couple of their biggest hits.
Her recollections are also suspect. In one case she talks about her interviewing her husband on her short-lived daytime talk show, where she complains that he babbled incoherently about nothing and barely said anything. I watched the clip online and it's just the opposite--he talked quite a bit, gave some very interesting answers, and she was the one who couldn't shut up to let him get a word in. Maybe her perky non-stop anxious jabbering was the reason The Captain didn't talk more.
She also makes the claims that their one-year ABC variety series was a big "hit," when actually it came in mediocre 53rd place for the season. There are a few other spots where she goes overboard bragging with self-praise, but compared to the thousand biographies I've read, The Captain and Tennille had relatively minor fame. She unfairly compares their duo to superstars Sonny and Cher, who had huge TV ratings and made a truly big long-term impact on pop culture.
The book is worth reading if you wonder what was behind their image, and it's nice that this is one of the rare memoirs that doesn't have stories of drug abuse (she says others around them did it but the two of them never partook), but ultimately it's as vacuous as the pop songs that were performed by the duo.
The facts of her entertainment years are here (records, TV show, theater, orchestral concerts) but there is not much to any of the stories that are told and some of it is so simplistic or repetitive it's almost funny. She talks about having trouble driving home in the snow, with nothing else to the story. She complains about her allergies acting up when performing in a theater with old curtains. Toni talks a lot about their "children" (the dogs). She states about a half dozen times that she went home after a performance and took off her makeup--why is that important to state? She says she should have read a contract before signing it. These are all common-sense, plain stories that don't go anywhere because she fails to be able to analyze herself and her failures.
There are also odd sections, such as early in the book when she attempts to defend her well-off family have two poor black servants in the midst of segregation. Tennille also fails to discuss her first name, which I discovered online isn't Toni. Then the last 20 years of her life are covered in just a few pages at the end. It doesn't make for much of a compelling book.
The only life she shows in the book are her constant slams against her musical co-star husband, who sounds like a man that had some serious mental health issues with signs of autism or Asperger's. This is obvious from the start of their odd relationship, including her claims that there was no physical affection, but at no point does she state the obvious that he probably had a mental health issue.
She does admit to her own mental health issues during a tour but seems to be advertising for Prozac since it turned her life around. Yet Toni has no trouble throwing The Captain under the bus at every opportunity, and instead of seeing her own inabilities to be a functioning, communicating adult, she quickly points out his flaws whenever any issues arise. He wants to eat bland health food non-stop, and instead of her having the hamburger she craves she caves into his demands for decades; he refuses to have anything to do with the dogs; while she is away on tour he buys a place for himself in Vegas without asking her first; he wants to spend all day in his separate bedroom and she says nothing to him about it--well, honey, stand up for yourself instead of whimpering secretly to others!
In truth the more she tells his story and stating how negative he is, the more she is condemning herself for failing to do her part in communicating clearly and then using her memoir to spew her own negativity. He's a mess and was from childhood, but she's the one who married thinking she was pretty perfect and could change him. During their decades together Toni was actually an enabler who ultimately became very passive-aggressive and I felt sorrier for him having to put up with her demeaning end to the relationship and destroying him in this book.
BTW, it's unclear what their physical relationship was like. Toni does talk about two other men she had sex with but says nothing about her sexual relationship with her husband. It's kind of implied that they rarely, if ever, even touch each other. Ironic considering a couple of their biggest hits.
Her recollections are also suspect. In one case she talks about her interviewing her husband on her short-lived daytime talk show, where she complains that he babbled incoherently about nothing and barely said anything. I watched the clip online and it's just the opposite--he talked quite a bit, gave some very interesting answers, and she was the one who couldn't shut up to let him get a word in. Maybe her perky non-stop anxious jabbering was the reason The Captain didn't talk more.
She also makes the claims that their one-year ABC variety series was a big "hit," when actually it came in mediocre 53rd place for the season. There are a few other spots where she goes overboard bragging with self-praise, but compared to the thousand biographies I've read, The Captain and Tennille had relatively minor fame. She unfairly compares their duo to superstars Sonny and Cher, who had huge TV ratings and made a truly big long-term impact on pop culture.
The book is worth reading if you wonder what was behind their image, and it's nice that this is one of the rare memoirs that doesn't have stories of drug abuse (she says others around them did it but the two of them never partook), but ultimately it's as vacuous as the pop songs that were performed by the duo.
May 30, 2016
I had been looking forward to reading about the music and experiences of Toni Tennille and learning about her life before she was part of the Captain and Tennille before her marriage to Daryl Dragon but her book included what I considered to be inappropriate personal information about Daryl Dragon that has led to ridicule and hatred toward this ultra private man. Toni tries to make out that she worked hard for 30 years of marriage to get the aloof Daryl to love her and blames it on some abuse by an unkind father but that is NOT what made Daryl the way she describes him. Though when Daryl and Toni were kids, teens and young adults 70 plus years ago, no one tested for it or even talked about it, Daryl Dragon clearly is autistic and has Asperger's. I can tell this from her descriptions and from my own personal experience with a daughter who is an Aspie and with volunteering with the autistic- especially Aspies- for decades.
Before Daryl, she had pressed another man to marry her and when she couldn't make him be what she wanted him to be, she dumped him. When she met Daryl, he never showed any romantic interest in her, never said he loved her, never acted romantically, never held her hand or kissed her, never tried to have sex with her and never hugged her, turning stiff and uncomfortable in her arms. She hotly pursued him, convincing herself he needed to be fixed and assigning herself the job of fixing him. He got pushed into marrying her but nothing changed and he wouldn't even sleep in the room with her. This is typical Autism/Asperger's behavior.
Other behaviors further led me to understand that this is Asperger's. He is a musical genius. People with Asperger's can be music, math, or other type of obsessive geniuses. He did not want to look anyone in the eye. He was bizarrely obsessed with health and diet and exercise. My daughter is obsessed about veganism and exercises excessively 8 hours a day. At parties in their home, Daryl would walk out and go to his room without saying goodbye. He had to have things exactly in certain ways. He talked in a monotone. He didn't even socialize with friends and kept people at arm's length. Even now he only communicates by email and online. He didn't want to touch or be touched. This means no hugging, kissing, cuddling, handholding or lovemaking. He would say odd things to embarrass her when she made him do tv appearances. Their Captain and Tennille show ended after one year though successful because he refused to do silly skits and was uncomfortable with made to do that. She goes on and on and on and on describing this very familiar behavior.
It is her own fault that she pursued a man who was clearly not interested and tried to remake someone with a condition that is never going away. She still does not seem to understand what his real issue is. Oh, and when she decided to divorce him, she filed and didn't bother to even tell him though they lived in the same house. He found out ON CAMERA as a reporter asked him about it.
Though I was interested to read of her childhood and adulthood and her musical experiences, I cringed in agony for poor Daryl. The one thing people with Asperger's want most is privacy and she has invaded his for profit and as I said, set him up for humiliation and ridicule. She dumped him when he developed a neurological disorder and couldn't play anymore. He is now in an assisted living place.
Before Daryl, she had pressed another man to marry her and when she couldn't make him be what she wanted him to be, she dumped him. When she met Daryl, he never showed any romantic interest in her, never said he loved her, never acted romantically, never held her hand or kissed her, never tried to have sex with her and never hugged her, turning stiff and uncomfortable in her arms. She hotly pursued him, convincing herself he needed to be fixed and assigning herself the job of fixing him. He got pushed into marrying her but nothing changed and he wouldn't even sleep in the room with her. This is typical Autism/Asperger's behavior.
Other behaviors further led me to understand that this is Asperger's. He is a musical genius. People with Asperger's can be music, math, or other type of obsessive geniuses. He did not want to look anyone in the eye. He was bizarrely obsessed with health and diet and exercise. My daughter is obsessed about veganism and exercises excessively 8 hours a day. At parties in their home, Daryl would walk out and go to his room without saying goodbye. He had to have things exactly in certain ways. He talked in a monotone. He didn't even socialize with friends and kept people at arm's length. Even now he only communicates by email and online. He didn't want to touch or be touched. This means no hugging, kissing, cuddling, handholding or lovemaking. He would say odd things to embarrass her when she made him do tv appearances. Their Captain and Tennille show ended after one year though successful because he refused to do silly skits and was uncomfortable with made to do that. She goes on and on and on and on describing this very familiar behavior.
It is her own fault that she pursued a man who was clearly not interested and tried to remake someone with a condition that is never going away. She still does not seem to understand what his real issue is. Oh, and when she decided to divorce him, she filed and didn't bother to even tell him though they lived in the same house. He found out ON CAMERA as a reporter asked him about it.
Though I was interested to read of her childhood and adulthood and her musical experiences, I cringed in agony for poor Daryl. The one thing people with Asperger's want most is privacy and she has invaded his for profit and as I said, set him up for humiliation and ridicule. She dumped him when he developed a neurological disorder and couldn't play anymore. He is now in an assisted living place.
July 12, 2016
Multiple Facets Shine Like a Diamond
If you're looking for a tell-all book with intimate details, this isn't it. But if you're looking for a fabulously written book with so many layers that pull you in and hold you rapt, this is definitely the book for you.
I could relate to Ms. Tennille's description of the Deep South with pearl necklaces, coifed hair, ugly racism and small town gossip. Though I lived in the Mississippi Delta almost a generation after she grew up in Alabama, her writing brought me right back to the water fountains for white folk and the nasty one for people of color.
There's the story of a family riddled with hardship, from her father's alcoholism to their financial worries; nothing is held back.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the music industry, from touring to cutting records, to their "overnight success " that was years in the making... To the television shows and acting.
Nothing is held back; there's the drug-infused parties and cocaine meetings (she never did drugs, and I could relate to that too, and being "too square"). There's the negotiations, the lessons learned, the price paid for fame.
There is also the glimpse into her husband's childhood, his mother's breakdown and his father's abuse, Daryl's obsession with food, medical ailments, his thinning hair, all those hats and monstrously large houses that they could not afford and she never wanted.
But most of all, this is the story of a woman who had the strength, the courage and the commitment to leave an emotionally draining existence as Daryl Dragon's wife in order to be true to herself. I had to wonder as the years slipped by, what her life might have been like if they had remained musical partners but never married... If she had succumbed to the mysterious stranger on the beach and it had led to more...
But I have a feeling this lady's life is far from over, and love might be lurking just around the corner. I sure hope so.
If you're looking for a tell-all book with intimate details, this isn't it. But if you're looking for a fabulously written book with so many layers that pull you in and hold you rapt, this is definitely the book for you.
I could relate to Ms. Tennille's description of the Deep South with pearl necklaces, coifed hair, ugly racism and small town gossip. Though I lived in the Mississippi Delta almost a generation after she grew up in Alabama, her writing brought me right back to the water fountains for white folk and the nasty one for people of color.
There's the story of a family riddled with hardship, from her father's alcoholism to their financial worries; nothing is held back.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the music industry, from touring to cutting records, to their "overnight success " that was years in the making... To the television shows and acting.
Nothing is held back; there's the drug-infused parties and cocaine meetings (she never did drugs, and I could relate to that too, and being "too square"). There's the negotiations, the lessons learned, the price paid for fame.
There is also the glimpse into her husband's childhood, his mother's breakdown and his father's abuse, Daryl's obsession with food, medical ailments, his thinning hair, all those hats and monstrously large houses that they could not afford and she never wanted.
But most of all, this is the story of a woman who had the strength, the courage and the commitment to leave an emotionally draining existence as Daryl Dragon's wife in order to be true to herself. I had to wonder as the years slipped by, what her life might have been like if they had remained musical partners but never married... If she had succumbed to the mysterious stranger on the beach and it had led to more...
But I have a feeling this lady's life is far from over, and love might be lurking just around the corner. I sure hope so.
February 12, 2018
As a teenage of the 70's, I was a huge fan of The Captain and Tennille. Their music was amazing, especially their biggest hit (I think) "Love Will Keep Us Together". While performing they were magical. They looked every bit the part of a loving husband and wife, and we all thought love would keep them together.
However, what was going on behind the scenes was something else. I was shocked to hear about the often bizarre behavior of her controlling and obsessive husband. He was neither warm nor loving. My illusions were shattered, but that's nothing compared to what was going on between Toni Tennille and her "Captain".
She survived, grew stronger, and had a career as a solo, talented woman. Kudos to her for having the bravery to tell the truth. Illusions can be just that...illusions.
However, what was going on behind the scenes was something else. I was shocked to hear about the often bizarre behavior of her controlling and obsessive husband. He was neither warm nor loving. My illusions were shattered, but that's nothing compared to what was going on between Toni Tennille and her "Captain".
She survived, grew stronger, and had a career as a solo, talented woman. Kudos to her for having the bravery to tell the truth. Illusions can be just that...illusions.
June 3, 2016
I thoroughly enjoyed this book (audio/Kindle version). I grew up in the 70s and 80s and her story overlaps with my musical coming of age. Although some may view her treatment of her husband as overly negative, I think that Ms. Tennille gives an honest account of life with a mentally ill spouse in the years when mental illness was not openly discussed. She discusses her own battle with depression in an honest and inspiring way.
May 26, 2016
Captain and Tennille were among my favorite musical acts in the seventies. I loved their bright, bouncy numbers, and the focus on keyboards in the arrangements. I lost track of them after A&M ditched the group, other than the occasional news item of Toni doing some solo project. I was distracted by drama in my personal life in 2014 when the news of Toni and Daryl divorcing hit social media, so it was a complete surprise when Toni's book appeared as a recommendation on a book site, evidently written to explain the end of their marriage.
I know that in any relationship, there's two sides to the story, and then there's the truth. But at this stage of her life, I don't think Toni has anything to gain by lying. She doesn't need anyone's sympathy or approval. For me, her version of events is borne out by lyrics she wrote decades ago, and the fact that her upbringing was in a time and a place consistent with a mindset of pleasing one's husband at any cost.
The most stunning revelation for me was that the reason they got married is because A&M records forced their hand, announcing that the couple had gotten married on Valentine's Day in a press release. It was a complete fabrication. A&M insisted that no one would buy records about being in love from a couple that wasn't married. Oh, yeah? Someone needs to explain the Carpenters, then. The brother and sister duo were A&M's top act at the time.
After 30+ years of putting up with Daryl's hypochondria, weird eating habits, and emotional unavailability, Toni describes what seems to be her very first act of passive-aggression. While making a salad to Daryl's strict specifications one day, the family dog grabbed a mouthful of greens from the bowl and ran. While the dog hadn't touched what remained in the bowl, Toni knew Daryl would consider that salad tainted, and started to throw it out. Then she realized that Daryl, who was holed up in his bedroom as usual waiting for her to bring him his meal on a tray, would never know if she didn't say anything. She served him the salad, and I was proud of her.
Toni read the audio version of this book, and her voice is as rich, strong, and warm as it was in 1975.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 31, 2016
This was an oh so politically correct book that made me cringe after awhile. I'm not going to say that she didn't have strong feelings about the race issue when she was young, but was the difference in water fountains the real reason a child doesn't want to go down to a scary store basement?
People left a party she threw because she didn't have a cocaine room! The world was scandalized because Captain & Tennille weren't married, so they got married. Please, the world was different then, but it wasn't revolving around Toni Tennille having a squeaky clean life.
Poor Daryl. All of Toni's anger seems to lie in the men in her life not being able to be who she wants them to be, starting with Daddy, of course. But Daryl....he didn't ask for a wife, or any type of relationship outside of music, but Toni didn't care. She wanted him, she got him, they both suffered. Then she dumped him and let all that anger out in a book.
I wish I hadn't read this.
People left a party she threw because she didn't have a cocaine room! The world was scandalized because Captain & Tennille weren't married, so they got married. Please, the world was different then, but it wasn't revolving around Toni Tennille having a squeaky clean life.
Poor Daryl. All of Toni's anger seems to lie in the men in her life not being able to be who she wants them to be, starting with Daddy, of course. But Daryl....he didn't ask for a wife, or any type of relationship outside of music, but Toni didn't care. She wanted him, she got him, they both suffered. Then she dumped him and let all that anger out in a book.
I wish I hadn't read this.
May 8, 2016
I'm sorry they were weird and sad. I really liked the pictures!
May 13, 2016
I've always been fascinated by they dynamic of celebrity marriages like Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, Burns and Allen, and Sonny and Cher, particularly when it was the talented partnership that created the stardom. Such is the case with Toni Tennille and Daryl Dragon, otherwise known as The Captain and Tennille. Nothing exemplifies mid-seventies, pre-disco music to me like their hits. Toni Tennille grew up in Montgomery, Alabama, with a father who had to give up a promising musical career to take over the family furniture business. His bitterness led to alcoholism and to financial ruin. The family moved to California, where Toni started a musical career of her own. She met Daryl Dragon when he was the keyboardist for The Beach Boys, and the two started their own act. Seventies pop music, while reviled now, was full of bouncy and catchy tunes, and Toni and Daryl's partnership caught on with the public. They had several hit records and a successful variety TV show, which featured a cheerful Toni and a baleful, serious Captain who was never without a hat. But behind the scenes, Toni spent her life catering to a cold and demanding Daryl, who never reciprocated the love she felt for him. She wrote song after song for him, hoping to break through the wall, but, as she stated near the end of the book, he never paid attention to the lyrics because he felt that the music was much more important. After enduring this for about 30 years, she finally decided she needed to leave, and divorced him. Their story is the perfect example of the entertainment industry promoting an ideal that can't be sustained, and a marriage that could not survive, even though it lasted for decades.
April 24, 2016
This was written by Toni Tennille. She is pretty open about the life she lead. She did not always have that happy care free life one may have assumed. She grew up in Alabama she was from an upper class family. Her father was an alcoholic,{ although he loved his family} since she lived in Montgomery, she witnessed a of the civil right movement and how the black people were treated.
She was married at first to a man she knew she should have not married. After her divorce she met Daryl Dragon. This part of the book about her marriage and relationship to Dragon was a big eye opener. I guess I assumed they had this loving happy Marriage, was not true at all. A good part of her relationship with Daryl Dragon was miserable. Dragon or the "Captain" part of Captain and Tennille, was a very controlling, moody. health nut everything his way or no way man. He would only eat a very few foods and it got more bizarre though out the marriage what he would eat and he expected her to only eat what he would eat. He was not social and she always had to apologize for his behavior. He could be down right mean to people. She goes into detail of what she had to endure from this controlling domineering man. after reading her memoir. I wonder why she put up with him for so long. She also shares about her career in the music industry. A good memoir. If you like her music, you may find her memoir interesting. I did.
She was married at first to a man she knew she should have not married. After her divorce she met Daryl Dragon. This part of the book about her marriage and relationship to Dragon was a big eye opener. I guess I assumed they had this loving happy Marriage, was not true at all. A good part of her relationship with Daryl Dragon was miserable. Dragon or the "Captain" part of Captain and Tennille, was a very controlling, moody. health nut everything his way or no way man. He would only eat a very few foods and it got more bizarre though out the marriage what he would eat and he expected her to only eat what he would eat. He was not social and she always had to apologize for his behavior. He could be down right mean to people. She goes into detail of what she had to endure from this controlling domineering man. after reading her memoir. I wonder why she put up with him for so long. She also shares about her career in the music industry. A good memoir. If you like her music, you may find her memoir interesting. I did.
July 7, 2016
I can’t give a completely unbiased review. I felt I had to read this memoir since I am a Tennille, the only Tennille in my state. When the Captain and Tennille made the top 40 chart, people began pronouncing my name right for the first time ever! I’m Toni’s fourth cousin. She (even Daryl) were gracious about meeting her Tennille cousins after a concert, and her father, Frank, got to know my brother through their shared interest in genealogy. On the other hand, I’m not attracted to celebrity memoirs. Maybe that balances my review a little.
I’d give the book 3 stars for writing, but 4 for content. For anyone growing up in the 60s or 70s, it should be fun to get the insider scoop on dozens of the musicians and actors who defined our pop culture. You may be surprised at which people Toni found great to work with or downright obnoxious. As a Southerner, I also related to how the Civil Rights and later Women's Movements affected Toni's world.
We can't assume that wealth and fame will bring happiness. You may close this book feeling a little more thankful for your own life.
I’d give the book 3 stars for writing, but 4 for content. For anyone growing up in the 60s or 70s, it should be fun to get the insider scoop on dozens of the musicians and actors who defined our pop culture. You may be surprised at which people Toni found great to work with or downright obnoxious. As a Southerner, I also related to how the Civil Rights and later Women's Movements affected Toni's world.
We can't assume that wealth and fame will bring happiness. You may close this book feeling a little more thankful for your own life.
July 23, 2016
*spoilers*
I just finished listening to Toni Tennille read her memoir and I feel like I need a couple of shots of a stiff drink.
First off, listening to her on the audible version is WONDERFUL and anyone who is a fan should choose to listen to the audible version. I think if I had read it, I would have not enjoyed the book as much. Listening to her voice convinced me that she was all "in" the story she was revealing of her life.
And revealing is what Toni's memoir is all about. You have to give anyone who pulls back the curtain in their golden years and shares the truth about a life made up of a facade some credit for having the balls to do so. Everyone has a story. Everyone's life is a journey. Being a huge Captain and Tennille fan, I wanted to be open and listen and try to understand.
The cracks in their marriage and divorce didn't really surprise me. Most couples working together in the music industry are not going to be able to keep a marriage together. Show business is hard work and Toni does a wonderful job talking about their work and the industry in general. This is in itself makes the book worth reading.
The part that got harder and harder to stomach as the book went on was the absolute bitterness she spouts for Daryl. I don't know if she wrote the book without having enough time pass to process their divorce or what, but by the end, I was squirming.
Daryl's mother had a breakdown and a botched lobotomy. His father, as we were reminded 20,000 times was Carmen Dragon the famed musical conductor and musician. Carmen beat his children and expected perfection. Because of this Daryl became a hypochondriac, and emotionally shut down man who was incapable of giving or receiving expressions of emotions. (From her own story of Daryl's behavior and watching youtube clips of interviews of him, I wonder if Daryl didn't suffer from a form of asper's or autism.) Toni, knowing his character and issues, got emotionally connected with him in some way, (she states they never had any physical relationship) and blames their record company for forcing them to marry.
While Daryl's emotional problems are a huge issue for Toni from even before they were forced to marry, he is, by all accounts a musical genius and together, they definitely "clicked" and became the charismatic duo called, "The Captain and Tennille." She rode the magic carpet of fame with him and was a solid musical partner in their act.
And it was a huge act. Even with Daryl's sober and at times unfriendly demeanor, beside Toni, he captivated the world and only a few people in Toni's life knew how difficult he was when the lights went down.
While Toni works very hard to build sympathy for herself through the book, it is obvious that something is missing in herself as well. There is no real explanation for why she ever put up with Daryl's issues before they married or why she stayed married to him for so long. She paints herself as a wildly passionate woman who just felt that love would conquer all. Toni is a highly talented musician who could have easily stood on her own two feet in her own career had she left him much earlier. The discrepancy is disturbing and grows more and more so to the end of the book where I found myself sitting dumb founded.
Apparently, Daryl has now slipped completely into the grip of mental illness and conspiracy theories while Toni is romping around Florida with her family, girlfriends and dogs.
I wish them both the best.
Thank you for the wonderful music.
I just finished listening to Toni Tennille read her memoir and I feel like I need a couple of shots of a stiff drink.
First off, listening to her on the audible version is WONDERFUL and anyone who is a fan should choose to listen to the audible version. I think if I had read it, I would have not enjoyed the book as much. Listening to her voice convinced me that she was all "in" the story she was revealing of her life.
And revealing is what Toni's memoir is all about. You have to give anyone who pulls back the curtain in their golden years and shares the truth about a life made up of a facade some credit for having the balls to do so. Everyone has a story. Everyone's life is a journey. Being a huge Captain and Tennille fan, I wanted to be open and listen and try to understand.
The cracks in their marriage and divorce didn't really surprise me. Most couples working together in the music industry are not going to be able to keep a marriage together. Show business is hard work and Toni does a wonderful job talking about their work and the industry in general. This is in itself makes the book worth reading.
The part that got harder and harder to stomach as the book went on was the absolute bitterness she spouts for Daryl. I don't know if she wrote the book without having enough time pass to process their divorce or what, but by the end, I was squirming.
Daryl's mother had a breakdown and a botched lobotomy. His father, as we were reminded 20,000 times was Carmen Dragon the famed musical conductor and musician. Carmen beat his children and expected perfection. Because of this Daryl became a hypochondriac, and emotionally shut down man who was incapable of giving or receiving expressions of emotions. (From her own story of Daryl's behavior and watching youtube clips of interviews of him, I wonder if Daryl didn't suffer from a form of asper's or autism.) Toni, knowing his character and issues, got emotionally connected with him in some way, (she states they never had any physical relationship) and blames their record company for forcing them to marry.
While Daryl's emotional problems are a huge issue for Toni from even before they were forced to marry, he is, by all accounts a musical genius and together, they definitely "clicked" and became the charismatic duo called, "The Captain and Tennille." She rode the magic carpet of fame with him and was a solid musical partner in their act.
And it was a huge act. Even with Daryl's sober and at times unfriendly demeanor, beside Toni, he captivated the world and only a few people in Toni's life knew how difficult he was when the lights went down.
While Toni works very hard to build sympathy for herself through the book, it is obvious that something is missing in herself as well. There is no real explanation for why she ever put up with Daryl's issues before they married or why she stayed married to him for so long. She paints herself as a wildly passionate woman who just felt that love would conquer all. Toni is a highly talented musician who could have easily stood on her own two feet in her own career had she left him much earlier. The discrepancy is disturbing and grows more and more so to the end of the book where I found myself sitting dumb founded.
Apparently, Daryl has now slipped completely into the grip of mental illness and conspiracy theories while Toni is romping around Florida with her family, girlfriends and dogs.
I wish them both the best.
Thank you for the wonderful music.
September 10, 2016
I found Toni Tennille: A Memoir to be an excellent read; in that, Ms. Tennille unabashedly shares her entire life in this book. It was well-written which included an excellent use of elevated vocabulary, and I did not feel that she "Slayed the Dragon" at all. She was very gracious throughout the entire book. I believe she sought to explain her marital situation very well, which meant she HAD to explain how she viewed Mr. Dragon. She HAD to express how her repeated attempts to win over his affection and love affected her. People have said that she and Mr. Dragon experienced no intimacy whatsoever! Not true...if you will watch a recap of her on "The Today Show" interview, she explains that. What she was saying was that he did not initiate hugs, kisses, cuddling, etc. She communicates very well that SHE LOVED HIM! She was madly in love with him...those are her words. She also states that he was not in love with her. She further explains her belief as to how she thought she could eventually win him over as defined in a poem called, "Outwitted." Hence the song she wrote entitled, "Circles." She wrote Mr. Dragon many loving and romantic songs over the years hoping he would notice her trying to express her love to him. I applaud her for exercising the courage to write her memoir! She does not owe us, their fans, an explanation; however, she felt she did. Their relationship is still amicable as she has stated, and they talk weekly. She states that they still remain good friends, and she still cares about him deeply. I feel nothing but compassion for her. What a tough life decision to make! I am happy she is seeking to find happiness and that she has close sibling and family relationships! If you have not purchased this book, I highly recommend it! She is a dear lady; and, I still like Mr. Dragon after having read her memoir! He obviously just experienced too much childhood trauma; hence, the most viable reason why no one can really reach him. Love was always available to him, he just couldn't allow himself to receive it, it seems. Last but not least, Ms. Tennille does NOT blame him for the marriage ending, she simply says that he just could not be as she needed him to be. She was faithful to him the entire time they were married. She states her reasons for staying in the marriage for so long in the book. I really believe her to be an extremely candid and honest person! I also believe that Mr. Dragon might not dispute how she has described him, but he has shown no interest in talking to anyone thus far. Lastly, he phoned to tell her he was proud of her after she completed her interview on "The Today Show."
May 5, 2016
Remember "hat jokes"?
For those who didn't live through the 1970s, the Captain and Tennille were a married pop music duo whose shtick was based on the contrast between their personalities: vocalist Toni Tennille was outgoing and vivacious, while her husband, keyboardist Daryl Dragon ("the Captain"), was silent and morose. They had a number of hit singles, most notably "Love Will Keep Us Together", and a variety show that featured "hat jokes" that played upon the premise that Daryl never took off his captain's hat; apparently this was true in real life as well). Eventually their music went out of style and they sank into relative obscurity until 2014, when Toni Tennille filed for divorce after almost forty years of marriage. Commentators couldn't resist quipping that "love didn't keep them together."
In her memoir, Toni reveals that she and Daryl never had much of a relationship; they tied the knot primarily for image and marketing-related purposes. Music was the only thing they had in common. Outside of playing the keyboards, Daryl's interests were limited to weird diets, crackpot gurus and wild conspiracy theories. Despite his eccentricities, Toni writes that she loved her husband and longed for a real connection with him, but she couldn't make him love her back.
Toni Tennille sounds like an upbeat person, but this is a sad story of a long but ultimately failed marriage. I was concerned that the book might air dirty laundry that shouldn't be aired, but it is actually quite respectful of Daryl Dragon.
I recommend this book to all those who liked the Captain and Tennille back in the day. (Amy B.)
For those who didn't live through the 1970s, the Captain and Tennille were a married pop music duo whose shtick was based on the contrast between their personalities: vocalist Toni Tennille was outgoing and vivacious, while her husband, keyboardist Daryl Dragon ("the Captain"), was silent and morose. They had a number of hit singles, most notably "Love Will Keep Us Together", and a variety show that featured "hat jokes" that played upon the premise that Daryl never took off his captain's hat; apparently this was true in real life as well). Eventually their music went out of style and they sank into relative obscurity until 2014, when Toni Tennille filed for divorce after almost forty years of marriage. Commentators couldn't resist quipping that "love didn't keep them together."
In her memoir, Toni reveals that she and Daryl never had much of a relationship; they tied the knot primarily for image and marketing-related purposes. Music was the only thing they had in common. Outside of playing the keyboards, Daryl's interests were limited to weird diets, crackpot gurus and wild conspiracy theories. Despite his eccentricities, Toni writes that she loved her husband and longed for a real connection with him, but she couldn't make him love her back.
Toni Tennille sounds like an upbeat person, but this is a sad story of a long but ultimately failed marriage. I was concerned that the book might air dirty laundry that shouldn't be aired, but it is actually quite respectful of Daryl Dragon.
I recommend this book to all those who liked the Captain and Tennille back in the day. (Amy B.)
April 11, 2016
An easy-to-read and fairly honest memoir that exposed the "ideal" marriage of the couple, which turned out wasn't so ideal at all. Toni wrote about her childhood and family, the rise to becoming a superstar in the 1970s, and what inspired her to record (and write some) the C & T hits, but the intimate portrait of her marriage and how she struggled to gain the intimacy with Daryl Dragon she so craved but which he couldn't give is what made this so compelling. The ending of her memoir was a bit rushed but at least she accounted for her life since demise of her superstar popularity, something that has been lacking in some of the current celebrity memoirs.
This was one of the better celebrity/singer memoirs recently published and do read if you like a behind-the-scenes chronicle of the music biz, especially in the 1970s. For another excellent female singer memoir, read Rita Coolidge's DELTA LADY.
And just a little trivial tidbit: Did you know that Toni sang back-up on Pink Floyd's mega-hit album, The Wall? It's true!
This was one of the better celebrity/singer memoirs recently published and do read if you like a behind-the-scenes chronicle of the music biz, especially in the 1970s. For another excellent female singer memoir, read Rita Coolidge's DELTA LADY.
And just a little trivial tidbit: Did you know that Toni sang back-up on Pink Floyd's mega-hit album, The Wall? It's true!
October 28, 2023
Well, I thought this would memoir would provide a bird’s eye view of the Captain & Tennille’s pop duo years, but what I ended up getting was a lot of mud slinging. Yes, this book is indeed page after page of “Daryl did this” and “Daryl did that” all cast in a rather negative light. Tennille takes zero responsibility for her own decisions and just lumps the blame on Daryl Dragon throughout; without the latter present to defend himself. I have no idea why she penned this one, but maybe it was part of her therapy or something. I would not recommend this memoir as it is repetitive and lacking of depth.
July 28, 2018
Eye opening and wonderful!
Never knew that Toni Tennile endured so much as a child, then as a major musical act. What a strong woman she was and is still! Instead of allowing her turmoil to shape her and determine her attitudes, she willed herself to be persistent in her belief that things would get better. How she lasted all those years in a relationship that was so one-sided, while smiling in all those personal appearances, shows the steel in her.
Never knew that Toni Tennile endured so much as a child, then as a major musical act. What a strong woman she was and is still! Instead of allowing her turmoil to shape her and determine her attitudes, she willed herself to be persistent in her belief that things would get better. How she lasted all those years in a relationship that was so one-sided, while smiling in all those personal appearances, shows the steel in her.
May 16, 2016
Ms. Tennille refers to herself several times as being "square." Her book shares this adjective. Sorry but for me it was quite boring and vanilla. I ended up speed reading most of it - skipped over a few chapters in the beginning - just to get it over with.
July 27, 2016
I didn't see any spark to the book, nor did I feel any empathy for her. I'm sorry she had a bad
marriage, but she really did try so hard.
marriage, but she really did try so hard.
October 25, 2017
Fairly easy read. Interesting to find out about the story behind the songs and show and stuff. I liked her honesty.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 15, 2019
As a child of the 60's and 70's I loved Captain and Tennille. With the death of the Captain a couple of weeks ago from renal failure I was curious to read this book to get some insight into the reason they divorced after so many years of marriage even though they still cared for each other and she was present at his bedside when he died. You will learn about this in the book, but you will also wonder why she stayed as long as she did. But then again, he was that way when she married him and he didnt really ever change so I wondered why she married him to begin with. Anyway, Toni comes across as a sweet person who is hesitant to say anything bad about anybody (except her husband). It was interesting to read so many names and stories from those early 70's years. There is a lot of name-dropping in this book. I gave the book 3 stars. If you were a fan you will like it but there is nothing earth-shattering here.
October 11, 2016
I wish you happiness Toni Tennille! I wish Daryl Dragon peace but you, i wish you happiness. Thanks for sharing your story.
July 18, 2016
As a girl who was a huge Captain and Tennille fan back in the day, and as someone who was completely floored when I heard that the couple had divorced, I was happy to hear that Toni Tennille had written this book. Finally I could find out the real reason they are no longer married. I got much more than I bargained for. So the first thing I did before I even bought the book was open it to the back and look for the section where she talks about the circumstances behind the divorce.
Rarely if ever have I paid full price for a book but this one was worth every penny.
Told entirely by Toni Tennille, I felt like she was telling the story to me personally, and quite honestly in the beginning, I was stunned and I felt like I had been betrayed all of these years in what I believed to be true about Daryl Dragon and Toni's life together. But as I read on, I could see where she was coming from.
She touches on nearly every part of her life, from her early childhood, her parents and when she met Daryl Dragon. That's when the book really starts to get interesting. From there it's literally one surprise after another with a few hilarious (even Laugh Out Loud) moments thrown in for good measure.
She gives us background on the meanings and inspiration behind some of the greatest songs that she's written and even some information on celebrities that most likely few people are aware of.
I'll be honest here. This review is VERY hard to write without spoilers and I want so bad to tell people about the surprises in this book. But it's best to read this book without knowing what to expect. It's very well written and as I mentioned before, worth every penny. It has amazing pictures in it and does a great job of following Toni's career. It was nice being able to learn more about this woman I'd emulated almost all of my life. It also made me wish that more of their albums were available on CD.
As I mentioned earlier I read the part about the divorce first because I'd heard some crazy rumors about it and I wanted the real story. But honestly it didn't ruin anything for me because by the time I reached that section of the book from where I started at the beginning, it made more sense. However the 'road' to get there was admittedly surprising.
This is an amazing book and although it will most likely change how you view the Captain and Tennille (I know I feel differently about them now), I mean that in a good way. Even if you're not a Captain and Tennille fan, this is a great book and gives wonderful insight to a very talented woman.
Rarely if ever have I paid full price for a book but this one was worth every penny.
Told entirely by Toni Tennille, I felt like she was telling the story to me personally, and quite honestly in the beginning, I was stunned and I felt like I had been betrayed all of these years in what I believed to be true about Daryl Dragon and Toni's life together. But as I read on, I could see where she was coming from.
She touches on nearly every part of her life, from her early childhood, her parents and when she met Daryl Dragon. That's when the book really starts to get interesting. From there it's literally one surprise after another with a few hilarious (even Laugh Out Loud) moments thrown in for good measure.
She gives us background on the meanings and inspiration behind some of the greatest songs that she's written and even some information on celebrities that most likely few people are aware of.
I'll be honest here. This review is VERY hard to write without spoilers and I want so bad to tell people about the surprises in this book. But it's best to read this book without knowing what to expect. It's very well written and as I mentioned before, worth every penny. It has amazing pictures in it and does a great job of following Toni's career. It was nice being able to learn more about this woman I'd emulated almost all of my life. It also made me wish that more of their albums were available on CD.
As I mentioned earlier I read the part about the divorce first because I'd heard some crazy rumors about it and I wanted the real story. But honestly it didn't ruin anything for me because by the time I reached that section of the book from where I started at the beginning, it made more sense. However the 'road' to get there was admittedly surprising.
This is an amazing book and although it will most likely change how you view the Captain and Tennille (I know I feel differently about them now), I mean that in a good way. Even if you're not a Captain and Tennille fan, this is a great book and gives wonderful insight to a very talented woman.
November 27, 2016
More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/
What Toni Tennille gives us with her memoir is a gentle tale of a gentle person. Born and raised in the deep South to upper middle class parents, she's too much of a lady to kiss and tell. But at the same time she does recount things plainly in her own sweet way. So don't expect much in the way of shocks or revelations about the couple, their music, or the 1970s/1980s. Instead, this quick and fluffy read is a nice way to spend time getting to know a nice lady.The audible is narrated by Toni and that makes it all that much more interesting, though it does still feel like she is reading and not chatting. I can compare another autobiography, by the 'cat daddy' Jackson Galaxy, as a true intimate experience between author and listener as an example of how to do an autobiography read well. But hearing Toni's light Southern twang throughout does put a lot of the book into perspective nicely.
The underlying theme of the book is Toni hoping for intimacy with her husband as they work hard in the industry, become famous, pass the limelight on, and then Toni moves on to Broadway and other endeavors. But we're also given her viewpoing on the racism in the deep South and expectations of her as a woman in that era and place.
From assisting in bands to being backup singers with the Beach Boys, break out fame with Captain and Tennille, writing a play then ultimately working grueling hours in one, to finally retirement, Toni lays out her career trajectory. There are a few tidbits about people she worked with but nothing scandalous or revealing; just a few side comments really on them. I get the feeling she forgives a lot and doesn't say anything in the book that she wouldn't say in person to someone.
I do recommend the Audio version just to hear her tell her story. It's clear that everything she's stated is very close to the mark and true, without unnecessary embellishments. But also, that means that she has very carefully skirted any true reveals about the people with whom she has worked and interacted. Even her husband, despite the eccentricities, gets pretty much a carte blanche. But even knowing the royalties incurred, I would have loved to hear her hum a few bars when she talks about their hit songs and how they came about.
June 20, 2016
3.5 Stars
A fast and interesting read about the pop duo "The Captain & Tennille" who were huge in the 197o's. It's a typical memoir as she talks about her upbringing, and her introduction to the music industry, her multiple decade of marriage to Daryl Dragon (the Captain). The book gives the reader a "behind the scenes" look at how the songs and albums came to be, and their TV variety show Toni shares her difficult marriage to Daryl, and in doing graciously manages to not demonize him in the process. She sees him as victim of his difficult childhood (his father was an accomplished Academy Award Winning composer but also abusive). At one point she compares their relationship to Sheldon and Amy from "The Big Bang Theory". Although she never says this, it appears that Darryl has a form of Autism as he does not like to be touched, does not like social interaction, does not make eye contact etc.
Toni also partook in his Nazi- diet regimes such as living only on grapefruits for 21 days, or only eating brown rice and steamed vegetables, never eating purple food etc. She described going to a restaurant with as murderous.
Why did she stay with him for all these years? Not surprising, she felt that she loved him and she made a commitment and if she just stayed in the marriage she could get though to the center of who he was.
The Captain and all his quirks aside, the most interesting fact of this book is Toni Tennille sang back up on Pink Floyd's "The Wall", who would have known!
A fast and interesting read about the pop duo "The Captain & Tennille" who were huge in the 197o's. It's a typical memoir as she talks about her upbringing, and her introduction to the music industry, her multiple decade of marriage to Daryl Dragon (the Captain). The book gives the reader a "behind the scenes" look at how the songs and albums came to be, and their TV variety show Toni shares her difficult marriage to Daryl, and in doing graciously manages to not demonize him in the process. She sees him as victim of his difficult childhood (his father was an accomplished Academy Award Winning composer but also abusive). At one point she compares their relationship to Sheldon and Amy from "The Big Bang Theory". Although she never says this, it appears that Darryl has a form of Autism as he does not like to be touched, does not like social interaction, does not make eye contact etc.
Toni also partook in his Nazi- diet regimes such as living only on grapefruits for 21 days, or only eating brown rice and steamed vegetables, never eating purple food etc. She described going to a restaurant with as murderous.
Why did she stay with him for all these years? Not surprising, she felt that she loved him and she made a commitment and if she just stayed in the marriage she could get though to the center of who he was.
The Captain and all his quirks aside, the most interesting fact of this book is Toni Tennille sang back up on Pink Floyd's "The Wall", who would have known!
October 23, 2016
I was a huge fan of Captain and Tennille when I was younger, and have continued to be a fan of Tennille's rich voice. The announcement of their divorce after nearly 40 years of marriage had me cocking an eyebrow. Why would you call it quits after so many years? Perhaps because you've spent those 40 years with a man who is completely shut down emotionally and you can't handle it any more, despite your concern about "letting down" fans.
It's not all about the marriage. There is lots of backstory about Tennille's family, about growing up in the segregated south, and about the years before she met the Captain, Daryl Dragon.
She doesn't trash her ex husband in this book. She takes responsibility for believing, as so many women do, that her love could change the emotionally closed off Dragon.
There's a good balance of business talk and personal revelation in this book. Nothing racy or salacious though. The couple spent the 70s eating health food, not snorting coke, and there's nothing scandalous or even very shocking to be found in the pages.
The take away from this book re-enforces what I have always believed...no one knows what goes on in a marriage except the two people in it. What looked like a show biz love story was anything but. Musically, they had magical chemistry. Personally, notsomuch.
It's not all about the marriage. There is lots of backstory about Tennille's family, about growing up in the segregated south, and about the years before she met the Captain, Daryl Dragon.
She doesn't trash her ex husband in this book. She takes responsibility for believing, as so many women do, that her love could change the emotionally closed off Dragon.
There's a good balance of business talk and personal revelation in this book. Nothing racy or salacious though. The couple spent the 70s eating health food, not snorting coke, and there's nothing scandalous or even very shocking to be found in the pages.
The take away from this book re-enforces what I have always believed...no one knows what goes on in a marriage except the two people in it. What looked like a show biz love story was anything but. Musically, they had magical chemistry. Personally, notsomuch.
December 12, 2018
Seems like I am in the minority here. But this is one of those "poor me" memoirs where I end up disliking the author. Ms Tennille talked throughout the book about the financial hardships her family faced. I am not sure if they had to give up their servants or their country club when her father's business took a downturn, but they did have to give up private school and go to public school. And when his business failed and he took a job in California, Toni and her sister had to share a bedroom in their beach house. She also talks about how her father's alcoholism "devastated" her family. It appears, her father got drunk and cried a couple times a year. It sounds to me like she didn't really appreciate all the good things in her life and only focused on the bad.
As far as her husband goes, Toni seemed to recognize his talent. But as a human being, she did not say a single nice thing about him. I don't know why she married him, let alone stayed with him for so many years.
She also had negative things to say about other people that seemed unnecessary, especially since some of them were just her interpretation of how someone looked at her.
All in all, I thought Toni came off as a negative, complaining, bitter woman. The world doesn't need more of those.
As far as her husband goes, Toni seemed to recognize his talent. But as a human being, she did not say a single nice thing about him. I don't know why she married him, let alone stayed with him for so many years.
She also had negative things to say about other people that seemed unnecessary, especially since some of them were just her interpretation of how someone looked at her.
All in all, I thought Toni came off as a negative, complaining, bitter woman. The world doesn't need more of those.
January 13, 2022
This is a simple, straightforward memoir without any gimmicks. For a yacht rock fan like me, it was fun to hear about how Captain and Tennille got started and about the entertainment business in the '70s. But Tennille is clearly an extrovert, and unfortunately extroverts don't make the best memoirists. There's a lack of introspection throughout the book, especially in the portrayal of her relationship with Daryl "The Captain" Dragon. It was obvious to me that Dragon had Aspberger's, and yet Tennille either didn't know this or didn't mention it. To me, this is a huge oversight. Though she clearly loved and cared about him to the end, she essentially blames the failure of their marriage on his emotionally withholding and selfish behavior, without taking his mental illness into account and without looking at the role her own choices had in her unhappiness. Everyone here needed serious therapy.
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