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Still Alright: A Memoir
Enjoy the stories behind Kenny Loggins' legendary five-decade career as a celebrated songwriter, chart-topping collaborator, and “The Soundtrack King” with this pop icon’s intimate and entertaining music memoir.
In a remarkable career, Kenny Loggins has rocked stages worldwide, released ten platinum albums, and landed hits all over the Billboard charts. His place in music history is marked by a unique gift for collaboration combined with the vision to evolve, adapt, and persevere in an industry that loves to eat its own. Loggins served as a pivotal figure in the folk-rock movement of the early ’70s when he paired with former Buffalo Springfield member Jim Messina, recruited Stevie Nicks for the classic duet “Whenever I Call You ‘Friend,’” then pivoted to smooth rock in teaming up with Michael McDonald on their back-to-back Grammy-winning hits “What a Fool Believes” and “This Is It” (a seminal moment in the history of what would come to be known as yacht rock). In the ’80s, Loggins became the king of soundtracks with hit recordings for Caddyshack, Footloose, and Top Gun; and a bona fide global superstar singing alongside Bruce Springsteen and Michael Jackson on “We Are the World.”
In Still Alright, Kenny Loggins gives fans a candid and entertaining perspective on his life and career as one of the most noteworthy musicians of the 1970s and ’80s. He provides an abundance of compelling, insightful, and terrifically amusing behind-the-scenes tales. Loggins draws readers back to the musical eras they’ve loved, as well as addressing the challenges and obstacles of his life and work—including two marriages that ended in divorce, a difficult but motivating relationship with the older brother for which “Danny’s Song” is named, struggles with his addiction to benzodiazepines, and the revelations of turning seventy and looking back at everything that has shaped his music—and coming to terms with his rock-star persona and his true self.
In a remarkable career, Kenny Loggins has rocked stages worldwide, released ten platinum albums, and landed hits all over the Billboard charts. His place in music history is marked by a unique gift for collaboration combined with the vision to evolve, adapt, and persevere in an industry that loves to eat its own. Loggins served as a pivotal figure in the folk-rock movement of the early ’70s when he paired with former Buffalo Springfield member Jim Messina, recruited Stevie Nicks for the classic duet “Whenever I Call You ‘Friend,’” then pivoted to smooth rock in teaming up with Michael McDonald on their back-to-back Grammy-winning hits “What a Fool Believes” and “This Is It” (a seminal moment in the history of what would come to be known as yacht rock). In the ’80s, Loggins became the king of soundtracks with hit recordings for Caddyshack, Footloose, and Top Gun; and a bona fide global superstar singing alongside Bruce Springsteen and Michael Jackson on “We Are the World.”
In Still Alright, Kenny Loggins gives fans a candid and entertaining perspective on his life and career as one of the most noteworthy musicians of the 1970s and ’80s. He provides an abundance of compelling, insightful, and terrifically amusing behind-the-scenes tales. Loggins draws readers back to the musical eras they’ve loved, as well as addressing the challenges and obstacles of his life and work—including two marriages that ended in divorce, a difficult but motivating relationship with the older brother for which “Danny’s Song” is named, struggles with his addiction to benzodiazepines, and the revelations of turning seventy and looking back at everything that has shaped his music—and coming to terms with his rock-star persona and his true self.
305 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 14, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews
November 10, 2022
Still Alright by Kenny Loggins is a 2022 Hachette Books publication.
People often describe the music they listened to in their youth, as the ‘soundtrack of their lives’. With Kenny Loggins that could be taken even more literally, if one is of a certain age. Loggins once dubbed the ‘King of Movie Soundtracks’ had a string of hits- all of which were featured prominently in movies like Top Gun and Footloose.
But Loggins had a long and storied career well before then…
As usual, when I pick musical memoirs, it is usually because I have very little knowledge about the subject other than liking their music- and that is the case here, too.
Loggins’ music has been in the background of my life since I was quite small. I remember loving ‘Danny’s song’ when I was a very young because the Anne Murray version got lots of airplay on both pop and country radio. It was such a sweet and catchy song. Naturally, I love the Loggins & Messina song- ‘Your Mama Don’t Dance’, too. Such a fun song.
My point is, this guy has been here my whole life practically, but somehow, I kind of took him for granted, I think. Reading through this book I realized how many hits he’s had, how many great songs he has written, and incredible collaborations with other superstar artists. A very impressive career, for sure.
While I enjoyed hearing about the musical process and recognized some of the people he spoke of, some studio musicians, who are not exactly household names, got shout outs here. That was fine if that was Kenny's way of giving them some long overdue credit- but it did slow down the flow of the book in some places.
It wasn’t all a bed of roses. Loggins explains the relationships he’s had with other artists, the various mistakes made, hurt feelings, and breakups- in other words a behind the scenes look at some of the dramas that took place on the road to success.
But what about Kenny’s private life? Well, he’s had an interesting life outside of music, but he’s also fallen into many of the same traps as other star musicians, namely with the abuse of substances.
That said, his life wasn’t as colorful as some musical stars, and while he did some things I rolled my eyes at, and was, and maybe still is, into other things I think are farcical, it seems that he’s settled down finally, placing value on the truly important things in life and allowing his true self to emerge after years of dormancy.
Overall, I found this memoir enjoyable, enlightening, and entertaining. Kenny is often funny, witty, keeping the mood as light as possible, even when he’s addressing delicate subjects or talking through some of his life’s hardest challenges. The tone is mellow,and the execution and presentation are well-done and professionally executed.
Kenny tells his story in a sincere way, sometimes self-deprecating, but without attempting a false modesty, mostly just honest.
I think Kenny is an excellent storyteller, and I thought he did a fabulous job of telling his.
4 stars
People often describe the music they listened to in their youth, as the ‘soundtrack of their lives’. With Kenny Loggins that could be taken even more literally, if one is of a certain age. Loggins once dubbed the ‘King of Movie Soundtracks’ had a string of hits- all of which were featured prominently in movies like Top Gun and Footloose.
But Loggins had a long and storied career well before then…
As usual, when I pick musical memoirs, it is usually because I have very little knowledge about the subject other than liking their music- and that is the case here, too.
Loggins’ music has been in the background of my life since I was quite small. I remember loving ‘Danny’s song’ when I was a very young because the Anne Murray version got lots of airplay on both pop and country radio. It was such a sweet and catchy song. Naturally, I love the Loggins & Messina song- ‘Your Mama Don’t Dance’, too. Such a fun song.
My point is, this guy has been here my whole life practically, but somehow, I kind of took him for granted, I think. Reading through this book I realized how many hits he’s had, how many great songs he has written, and incredible collaborations with other superstar artists. A very impressive career, for sure.
While I enjoyed hearing about the musical process and recognized some of the people he spoke of, some studio musicians, who are not exactly household names, got shout outs here. That was fine if that was Kenny's way of giving them some long overdue credit- but it did slow down the flow of the book in some places.
It wasn’t all a bed of roses. Loggins explains the relationships he’s had with other artists, the various mistakes made, hurt feelings, and breakups- in other words a behind the scenes look at some of the dramas that took place on the road to success.
But what about Kenny’s private life? Well, he’s had an interesting life outside of music, but he’s also fallen into many of the same traps as other star musicians, namely with the abuse of substances.
That said, his life wasn’t as colorful as some musical stars, and while he did some things I rolled my eyes at, and was, and maybe still is, into other things I think are farcical, it seems that he’s settled down finally, placing value on the truly important things in life and allowing his true self to emerge after years of dormancy.
Overall, I found this memoir enjoyable, enlightening, and entertaining. Kenny is often funny, witty, keeping the mood as light as possible, even when he’s addressing delicate subjects or talking through some of his life’s hardest challenges. The tone is mellow,and the execution and presentation are well-done and professionally executed.
Kenny tells his story in a sincere way, sometimes self-deprecating, but without attempting a false modesty, mostly just honest.
I think Kenny is an excellent storyteller, and I thought he did a fabulous job of telling his.
4 stars
April 13, 2022
For the most part, this was interesting but a little bloated in that Kenny spent too much time (sometimes up to 3 pages) detailing how a song was written with descriptions of people that while I'm sure are talented and were helpful, meant nothing to me as a casual fan. Kenny is candid about his personal life and foibles (mainly his mental and emotional health), but there were parts he seemed rather tight-lipped about, but like I've said before in my celebrity memoir reviews, it's his prerogative. At the end of the book, he wrote a lovely section about his five children.
While reading this, be ready with pen and paper (or if reading the e-book, know how to highlight passages) as you'll want to look up the songs and videos he refers to in the book.
If you're looking for a good memoir by a celebrity songwriter/singer from the same time period, try Richard Marx's Stories to Tell: A Memoir .
Disclaimer: Thanks to the publisher, I read an advance digital copy so it's possible the text in the finished book to be published in June will be changed. Also, I can't comment on photos since none were included in this edition of the advance copy.
While reading this, be ready with pen and paper (or if reading the e-book, know how to highlight passages) as you'll want to look up the songs and videos he refers to in the book.
If you're looking for a good memoir by a celebrity songwriter/singer from the same time period, try Richard Marx's Stories to Tell: A Memoir .
Disclaimer: Thanks to the publisher, I read an advance digital copy so it's possible the text in the finished book to be published in June will be changed. Also, I can't comment on photos since none were included in this edition of the advance copy.
July 6, 2022
I had checked this out from the library a few weeks ago and couldn’t get into it for some reason so I got the audio book after hearing Kenny on the 80s on 8 on SiriusXM the other day.
Not only is this book honest and really in depth, but the audio has the feeling of a guy telling you stories thanks to Kenny narrating it himself. I appreciated the stories behind the songs and of course, had to take a break to listen to the songs on Spotify, which took a little extra time but is so much fun! I can’t believe there are people on this site who have criticized Kenny spending too much time explaining his writing process and the stories behind a lot of his songs! Do they not understand the guy is a song writer and a musician? The absolute ignorance. Anyway, I LOVE when they explain behind the scenes of songs! My favorite Kenny song is meet me halfway if anyone cares.
This is a great memoir and is up there in my faves with Pat Benatar and Richard Marx.
Not only is this book honest and really in depth, but the audio has the feeling of a guy telling you stories thanks to Kenny narrating it himself. I appreciated the stories behind the songs and of course, had to take a break to listen to the songs on Spotify, which took a little extra time but is so much fun! I can’t believe there are people on this site who have criticized Kenny spending too much time explaining his writing process and the stories behind a lot of his songs! Do they not understand the guy is a song writer and a musician? The absolute ignorance. Anyway, I LOVE when they explain behind the scenes of songs! My favorite Kenny song is meet me halfway if anyone cares.
This is a great memoir and is up there in my faves with Pat Benatar and Richard Marx.
August 24, 2022
There were some great stories in the book, and it is amazing he's written so many great songs in his career, but his self-indulgent attitude about how wonderful all of his song lyrics are, his lack of taking responsibility for some of his life choices and his marriage to a hippy-dippy woman, where everything she said and did was amazing, were too much for me. 3.5 stars on this one.
June 29, 2022
I have been a hardcore KL fan since I was 17 (many years ago)! He didn’t disappoint with this book. His sense of humor, honesty, and great story telling is what I would expect from his caliber of talent. I adore all of his music even the albums(I discovered) that he’s not crazy about. Loved the book too!
June 27, 2022
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As a child of the 1980’s, Kenny Loggins’ music was the soundtrack to my formative years. Caddyshack, Footloose and Top Gun were some of the biggest albums of the early part of the decade. By the latter part of the decade, a radio format called Adult Contemporary hit it big, and Green Bay got its own station, WQLH, 98.5 FM, Quality Light Hits. I embraced this music as much as CHR (Contemporary Hit Radio or Top 40). It was listening to this station (which I would eventually work at and meet my husband, too), that I discovered Kenny Loggins’ first career, as part of the folk-rock duo of the early 1970’s, Loggins and Messina. I was hooked as a lifelong Kenny Loggins fan.
Still Alright covers Loggins’ 70+ years on the planet, from his birth to the current day. Loggins is surprisingly open about his failures as well as his successes, his struggles and his triumphs. He breaks down how he wrote specific songs, which bogged down the narrative a little bit, but overall, I enjoyed listening to the audiobook.
Quite a bit of time is spent on the Loggins & Messina era, for which I am grateful. I had no idea that their partnership wasn’t an organic thing; it was more like two men were paired up by record executives to make a duo. It turned out to be a very successful duo, and it happened when Loggins was really young, so he felt like he always deferred to Messina. After a number of years and many albums together, Kenny decided to go solo.
As much as I enjoyed reminiscing with Loggins about his very successful 1980’s decade, I appreciated his covering of his post-chart-topping career as well. And he’s surprisingly candid about how he failed at his relationships with women. The end of the book, when Kenny highlights each of his five children, was a treat.
If you want a trip down memory lane to the pop music of the 1970’s and 1980’s, Still Alright fits the bill.
As a child of the 1980’s, Kenny Loggins’ music was the soundtrack to my formative years. Caddyshack, Footloose and Top Gun were some of the biggest albums of the early part of the decade. By the latter part of the decade, a radio format called Adult Contemporary hit it big, and Green Bay got its own station, WQLH, 98.5 FM, Quality Light Hits. I embraced this music as much as CHR (Contemporary Hit Radio or Top 40). It was listening to this station (which I would eventually work at and meet my husband, too), that I discovered Kenny Loggins’ first career, as part of the folk-rock duo of the early 1970’s, Loggins and Messina. I was hooked as a lifelong Kenny Loggins fan.
Still Alright covers Loggins’ 70+ years on the planet, from his birth to the current day. Loggins is surprisingly open about his failures as well as his successes, his struggles and his triumphs. He breaks down how he wrote specific songs, which bogged down the narrative a little bit, but overall, I enjoyed listening to the audiobook.
Quite a bit of time is spent on the Loggins & Messina era, for which I am grateful. I had no idea that their partnership wasn’t an organic thing; it was more like two men were paired up by record executives to make a duo. It turned out to be a very successful duo, and it happened when Loggins was really young, so he felt like he always deferred to Messina. After a number of years and many albums together, Kenny decided to go solo.
As much as I enjoyed reminiscing with Loggins about his very successful 1980’s decade, I appreciated his covering of his post-chart-topping career as well. And he’s surprisingly candid about how he failed at his relationships with women. The end of the book, when Kenny highlights each of his five children, was a treat.
If you want a trip down memory lane to the pop music of the 1970’s and 1980’s, Still Alright fits the bill.
August 21, 2022
I love Kenny Loggins and Loggins and Messina but knew little of Loggins as a person. This book contains some pretty meaty stuff. It was enjoyable and interesting. He seems to have gone off the rails after his first divorce and second marriage. I hope his life gets better.
July 5, 2022
been a fan for 40+ years. The book was what I'd expect. chronicling Kenny's career highlights with some personal life stories too. The writing and flow was conversational and kept my interest through each chapter. stories behind the songs were especially appealing.
one of the greats, working with a host of great talent in his career and delivering a collection that stands today.
one of the greats, working with a host of great talent in his career and delivering a collection that stands today.
August 18, 2022
I loved this book so much. As a lifetime Kenny fan, it was every bit of behind the scenes fun I had hoped. I loved hearing every detail of his song writing process, producing, tours and life. It was such a fun ride. I highly recommend listening to his Anthology while reading it as it brings every detail of the songs to light!
December 1, 2023
Kenny Loggins was a big part of the soundtrack of my childhood. From my Mom calling to me from the other room to “turn the (L&M) record over” in the 70’s to Top Gun in the 80’s to Leap of Faith the early 90’s, Kenny’s music has always been there. I bought my Mom this book for Christmas in 2022 & she passed it back to me during a visit this summer. It was neat to learn more about who he really is. Yeah, there’s a LOT of detail about the songwriting, but it was still interesting to learn about his process. For me, the best part was reading about his evolution as a person. From compromising so much to become a “someone” in the business to making it to the point in his life where he finally realizes that “he’s alright” in his 70’s, his journey really spoke to me as a human & I found him very relatable. Glad I read this book!
September 14, 2022
Yes, I had to activate my collection of Kenny songs to accompany the reading of this fascinating memoir, filled with emotional info about the many ups and downs of Kenny’s life—so far. If a fan, this is a must read with great “behind the scenes” details of how songs, tours, and relationships evolved!! Sweet tributes to his children at the end of book. It was a bit self-indulgent, but it was his memoir—right? (My personal objection was his cavalier use of “f” bomb—but that was his choice. Saw an interesting interview where he addressed that!)
February 4, 2025
Celebrity Isn’t Everything
Big fan of Kenny’s career for a long time. Reading this biography right after finishing Stevie Nicks’ showed what a small “community” LA was at the time. And, sadly, how the prevalence of drugs seemed to infect almost every artist. Turns out being a rock star comes with fame and fortune, but tends to destroy almost everything else in their lives.
Big fan of Kenny’s career for a long time. Reading this biography right after finishing Stevie Nicks’ showed what a small “community” LA was at the time. And, sadly, how the prevalence of drugs seemed to infect almost every artist. Turns out being a rock star comes with fame and fortune, but tends to destroy almost everything else in their lives.
November 21, 2022
I still listen to Loggins and Messina after 50 years. Kenny Loggins is an excellent musician and song writer. His book detailed his thought process on how he writes his songs and the meaning of each. Very honest account of his personal life and difficulties in his marriages.
April 4, 2022
Having suffered through Kenny's "Unimaginable Life" book, I had very low expectations for this, but I was pleasantly surprised — "Still Alright" zips along at a really entertaining clip, touching on virtually all aspects of Loggins' private and professional lives that any fan could reasonably expect to find. He doesn't shy away from embarrassing moments or stories that put him in an unflattering light, and he also doesn't commit the cardinal sin of glossing over the post-platinum portion of his career. Well done.
October 4, 2022
Sorry to say I found this book a tad bit boring and I struggled to get through it.
July 11, 2022
A thorough cleansing in more ways than one!
September 22, 2022
Non-stop bragging takes what should have been some interesting stories of writing songs into the territory of it being laughably difficult to read. From the start he brags about everything--hit songs, co-writers, famous people he met, groupies, drugs, Grammy Awards, and his gigantic place in rock history. Oh, you don't think of Kenny Loggins as being a huge rock-and-roll influencer? Well he thinks of himself that way.
He inserts himself into all sorts of situations with famous names, calling himself a "celebrity." He even shares weirdly inappropriate stories, like John Travolta calling to say he was falling for Kenny's wife. Even then Loggins has to claim Travolta "had a large palette of lovers" and that he was big enough to never mention it to his wife. Always bragging, even about guys that want to steal his woman.
Too bad because there are lots of details about how some of his songs were written. It all seems very calculated, outdated, and egocentric. And certainly not "alright."
He inserts himself into all sorts of situations with famous names, calling himself a "celebrity." He even shares weirdly inappropriate stories, like John Travolta calling to say he was falling for Kenny's wife. Even then Loggins has to claim Travolta "had a large palette of lovers" and that he was big enough to never mention it to his wife. Always bragging, even about guys that want to steal his woman.
Too bad because there are lots of details about how some of his songs were written. It all seems very calculated, outdated, and egocentric. And certainly not "alright."
August 13, 2022
When he talks about his music, this book really works. At his heart, he is really a musician and the love of music shines through.
It is the rest of the life that is the problem. Every fad, every weird lifestyle choice and long explanations of his personal growth kept making me think that it was going to be a SNL skit. He is so out there and so painfully earnest that you think he is setting you up for something funny. It would be so nice if that was the case, but sadly he just goes on and on about stupid stuff.
Read the chapters about music and skip the rest.
It is the rest of the life that is the problem. Every fad, every weird lifestyle choice and long explanations of his personal growth kept making me think that it was going to be a SNL skit. He is so out there and so painfully earnest that you think he is setting you up for something funny. It would be so nice if that was the case, but sadly he just goes on and on about stupid stuff.
Read the chapters about music and skip the rest.
November 13, 2022
All I’ll remember about this relatively boring memoir is that Kenny had a naked wedding (ew) and that when Paul Simon walked into the We Are The World recording session, he looked around and quipped, “If a bomb goes off in here, I guess John Denver is back on top of the charts.”
May 20, 2023
In the realm of timeless musicianship, few artists can boast a career as impressive as Kenny Loggins. Loggins has gifted us with unforgettable hits throughout the years. In his memoir, "Still Alright," Loggins takes us on a nostalgic journey through his life, and among the many highlights lie the stories behind two of my favorite songs: "Nobody's Fool" and "Footloose."
The first tune that comes to mind is "Nobody's Fool," the theme song from the film, Caddyshack II. Loggins effortlessly captures the spirit of the film with this lively tune. As we dive into the book, Loggins unveils the genesis of his infectious melody, sharing the inspiration behind the lyrics and the vibrant energy that flowed through him during its creation. The memoir provides a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the song's recording process and Loggins' collaborations with talented musicians, showcasing his knack for crafting feel-good anthems that resonate with audiences across generations. Even though "Nobody's Fool" may not have achieved the same level of mainstream recognition as its predecessor, it remains an absolute gem (in my opinion) within Loggins' repertoire.
And then, of course, we have "Footloose." Just uttering the title brings back a flood of memories of high-energy dance moves and an irrepressible urge to cut loose. Loggins takes us deeper into the phenomenon surrounding this chart-topping hit, recounting the electrifying atmosphere on the film set and the excitement of working with renowned composer Tom Snow. As readers, we relive the sheer exuberance of the song's creation, its infectious rhythm, and Loggins' signature vocal prowess. The memoir reveals the song's cultural impact and how it became an anthem of its time, transcending its origin as a movie soundtrack to become a timeless classic. Loggins' personal anecdotes provide a refreshing glimpse into the man behind the music, adding an extra layer of appreciation.
"Still Alright" does more than just highlight Loggins' chart-topping hits. The memoir takes us on a journey through the ups and downs of his life, offering a candid look at his struggles and triumphs. It showcases the personal growth and artistic evolution that shaped Loggins into the legendary musician we know today. While it's easy to get swept away by the tales behind his greatest hits, the memoir also delves into the deeper moments of introspection and self-discovery, reminding us that behind the catchy tunes, there is a complex human being with stories to tell.
For fans of Kenny Loggins and lovers of '80s music, "Still Alright" is an absolute treat. It immerses readers in the nostalgia of the era, letting us relive the magic of Loggins' music and the memories it evokes. From "Nobody's Fool" to "Footloose" and beyond, Loggins' memoir offers a backstage pass to the life of a musical legend.
The first tune that comes to mind is "Nobody's Fool," the theme song from the film, Caddyshack II. Loggins effortlessly captures the spirit of the film with this lively tune. As we dive into the book, Loggins unveils the genesis of his infectious melody, sharing the inspiration behind the lyrics and the vibrant energy that flowed through him during its creation. The memoir provides a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the song's recording process and Loggins' collaborations with talented musicians, showcasing his knack for crafting feel-good anthems that resonate with audiences across generations. Even though "Nobody's Fool" may not have achieved the same level of mainstream recognition as its predecessor, it remains an absolute gem (in my opinion) within Loggins' repertoire.
And then, of course, we have "Footloose." Just uttering the title brings back a flood of memories of high-energy dance moves and an irrepressible urge to cut loose. Loggins takes us deeper into the phenomenon surrounding this chart-topping hit, recounting the electrifying atmosphere on the film set and the excitement of working with renowned composer Tom Snow. As readers, we relive the sheer exuberance of the song's creation, its infectious rhythm, and Loggins' signature vocal prowess. The memoir reveals the song's cultural impact and how it became an anthem of its time, transcending its origin as a movie soundtrack to become a timeless classic. Loggins' personal anecdotes provide a refreshing glimpse into the man behind the music, adding an extra layer of appreciation.
"Still Alright" does more than just highlight Loggins' chart-topping hits. The memoir takes us on a journey through the ups and downs of his life, offering a candid look at his struggles and triumphs. It showcases the personal growth and artistic evolution that shaped Loggins into the legendary musician we know today. While it's easy to get swept away by the tales behind his greatest hits, the memoir also delves into the deeper moments of introspection and self-discovery, reminding us that behind the catchy tunes, there is a complex human being with stories to tell.
For fans of Kenny Loggins and lovers of '80s music, "Still Alright" is an absolute treat. It immerses readers in the nostalgia of the era, letting us relive the magic of Loggins' music and the memories it evokes. From "Nobody's Fool" to "Footloose" and beyond, Loggins' memoir offers a backstage pass to the life of a musical legend.
September 18, 2024
I'm a sucker for celebrity memoirs, and this one delivered. I am a huge Loggins fan, though. I remember my dad's old 8-track cabinet contained ALL the Loggins & Messina albums, so I grew up listening to him and went on to know him as a musician and songwriter beyond his 80s soundtrack era.
He gives us his all in this book, sharing his journey from a teen to now-senior singer-songwriter (he wrote Danny's Song, one of his biggest hits ever, when he was 17!), the heartbreak of two divorces, of being a dad on the road most of his kids' lives, and all the ins and outs of everyone he's ever worked with. Did you know he has two children's albums, a children's book, has worked with both Michael Jackson and Mavis Staples, and heads up a huge charity for those in need in CA? We can pretty much credit him and Michael McDonald for even having a Yacht Rock station to tune into! 😁
Leap of Faith is one of my favorite albums of all time. I have to share this quote from the book, about when he wrote the song Conviction of the Heart for that album, which he performed on the National Mall, as the unofficial anthem of Earth Day 1995.
"To me, the environmental movement is actually a spiritual movement viewed through a political lens. Connectedness to the Earth is the basis for our caring. Why should we give a shit about a polar bear or a rainforest somewhere far away? Compassion helps, and so does empathy. But until you fully understand that *your* survival depends on *their* survival, you can't commit yourself to the environmental movement with any sort of conviction."
That was almost 30 years ago, and I still don't think we're looking at our environment as we should.
I can't believe he's 76. We need more singer-songwriters like him.
He gives us his all in this book, sharing his journey from a teen to now-senior singer-songwriter (he wrote Danny's Song, one of his biggest hits ever, when he was 17!), the heartbreak of two divorces, of being a dad on the road most of his kids' lives, and all the ins and outs of everyone he's ever worked with. Did you know he has two children's albums, a children's book, has worked with both Michael Jackson and Mavis Staples, and heads up a huge charity for those in need in CA? We can pretty much credit him and Michael McDonald for even having a Yacht Rock station to tune into! 😁
Leap of Faith is one of my favorite albums of all time. I have to share this quote from the book, about when he wrote the song Conviction of the Heart for that album, which he performed on the National Mall, as the unofficial anthem of Earth Day 1995.
"To me, the environmental movement is actually a spiritual movement viewed through a political lens. Connectedness to the Earth is the basis for our caring. Why should we give a shit about a polar bear or a rainforest somewhere far away? Compassion helps, and so does empathy. But until you fully understand that *your* survival depends on *their* survival, you can't commit yourself to the environmental movement with any sort of conviction."
That was almost 30 years ago, and I still don't think we're looking at our environment as we should.
I can't believe he's 76. We need more singer-songwriters like him.
July 6, 2023
This is Kenny Loggins memoir written by himself. After reading the book I am in awe of his talent, not only in singing and in playing instruments but most especially in writing music. Every time he would mention a song that he wrote, I would pick up my phone and listen to it and that made it more fun and brought back memories. He is pretty much a genious in music. He tells about how he can take a word or comment and hear a song in his head and write it. I like that he gives credit to other musicians who worked with him and who helped him succeed. There have been so many (hundreds) of musicians that are not household names to us, and who deserve credit from him, but they didn't need to be named in his memoir during his story because it became tiring and meant little to this reader. He should have saved those credits for the end of the book. I know the life of a rock star is very hard and Kenny proved that. He was not up to the successes he had, or for his life on the road during most of his career. He could not keep a relationship. He had 2 divorces, was estranged from many friends and some of his kids. He was a druggie and experimented with pot, hashish, cocaine, mushrooms, etc. He also slept with any pretty girl that caught his eye. I am surprised he doesn't have VD. I lost a lot of respect for him as he traveled down the road (of my idea) of Hell. And his language was atrocious. I would not recommend this book to any of my friends.
August 18, 2022
I love him as an artist and as with most of these books, I end up seeing a side of the person that s not in a positive light. I come to expect this. My wife asks why I do this to myself by learning these things. But humans are frail. We have demons and we do things not always in the best interest for those we rely on and/or care about. It does seem that he has come to terms in his 70 plus years. But what brings this down is that throughout his life ( and this is common in these retrospective biographies) is the life’s lessons that they acknowledge and in Mr. Loggins case tried to do something about to change his life ended up forgotten in the next chapter of his life. Probably not forgotten but going back to the person he really was. He does acknowledge that at his 70th birthday but it seems the lesson was there all along and it was easier to allow the demons to rule over the change. What I read was he would have an epiphany,it would deteriorate to old ways and in the book he would say this was 6 years or 12 years in time. For someone who wrote some amazing introspective songs and albums, I think he had a hard time living up to those visions. This does not diminish who he is to me and it is very human. I am fighting demons on a regular basis and find it is easier to hide them than fight. I would love to sit and just chat with him about such things.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 15, 2023
This book was fairly interesting and easy to read. Your opinion of the book relies on how interested you are in how a song is developed, about the musicians, composers, and studio engineers, and about the family life of a famous musician. I wanted to know whether a famous musician bleeds like me, suffers the loss of love like me, and has some of the same ups and downs, worries, and joys like me. I found out that Kenny Loggins is a star, but he is also a flawed human being like any one of us. I enjoyed reading about his love life and his views about his love interests. I take what he said about his wives with a grain of salt -- they have their own viewpoint about him that I don't know. At least he owns up to his flaws. He made me aware of the anxieties and pressures of being a rock star. He did brag about his successes, but who can blame him? He had a life of having to go on tour and having to deal with a partner (Messina) whom he did not always agree with. So let him brag about his successes, he earned them. No, I wasn't that interested in the technical parts, but I am not a musician. I skimmed over some parts. I enjoyed hearing of his childhood and how he got into music. A good book to read. Needs a younger photo of him on the cover (I didn't recognize his photo on the cover).
September 29, 2023
This was an audible book for me read by Loggins himself. I decided to listen to this book after attending a fantastic concert by Loggins a few months ago. You forget just how many hits Loggins and sometimes with his partner McDonald and Messina had. The book was a nice walk down memory lane of his hits. The stories of his childhood, especially the love he had for his father are touching and sincere. Loggins goes into great detail about what it takes to get a song right, and it's interesting how he initially complained about all the practice and perfection Messina wanted in the early years only to find later in his career he required the same with his band. Some people might find his description of the song writing process through recording tedious but I was fascinated. He writes about his private life a little, mostly about his second wife who was seemed to be a real oddball and he became an oddball with her. He describes his issues with drugs and rock n' roll lifestyle but not to great detail which is fine by me, I have heard enough of that stuff from others. Kenny Loggins is a great contributor to rock n roll, this was a fun book and a way to get to know him a little better.
July 2, 2022
When Kenny Loggins’ memoir, ‘Still Alright,’ was good, it was downright stellar. When it wasn’t, it missed the mark by a wide margin. On the plus side, Loggins shared how many of his hits were created, the heartbreaking break-ups of his marriages, his drug use and, in general, his insecurities in life. Where he failed was including too many ‘Inside Baseball’ anecdotes that the general public cannot appreciate — or care about. He included too many tales of studio musicians being replaced by other studio musicians we’ve never heard of. We don’t need a soliloquy on studio amplifiers. “When I looked at the Pro Tools waveform for the drum parts, I saw that Herman’s backbeats were really far behind the two and the four,” Loggins said about one of his studio sessions. Huh? Fortunately, the good parts of the memoir made up for the bad. Mostly. It’s a shame an editor couldn’t see what would be lost on the general public. A story about about being part of Michael Jackson’s ‘We Are the World’ gang is much more compelling than Ted Snorkel replacing Billy Caldwell on drums in some studio session.
October 6, 2022
How many celeb memoirs will I read where the person glosses over their dads blatant faults and idolizes them and but is very critical of their mother for not being fun enough? Add it to the list. Kenny Loggins has had a lengthy and interesting career, although he seemed to make the most commercially successful points of his life seem, well, boring? I definitely enjoyed the passages where he described his inspiration for Danny’s song, the production process, and the woes of partnering with Jimmy Messina. He definitely arranged the portions about his messy personal life in a way that made you empathize and not judge, although the second he said that his second wife was a guru on digestion and they were married in a naked ceremony, I had a hunch this was not a lasting marriage. He was painfully honest about his addiction issues and the struggle but you leave not truly understanding how his addiction was impacting his life. Still, you can’t help but root for the guy. He knows what his musical reputation is and is just enjoying his golden years riding out on nostalgia and I’ve enjoyed revisiting his catalogue on you tube. Three stars.
June 22, 2023
I approached this rocker's memoir with a bit of caution, since, after reading Richard Marx's memoir, I ended up not liking the guy very much. Marx's arrogance and high school crush on his second wife even affected how I felt about his music. (He is in concert this summer at a local venue, and I have NO DESIRE to see him.) So, having enjoyed so many of Loggins's songs, including movie hits, I was cautious. Thank goodness, I still like his music, although his life is very complicated, and his decision-making puzzling. For example, "Acid and pot at least spurred my creativity, but cocaine didn't even do that much" (146). For such a gifted songwriter/musician, what a "cop out," as we used to say in the '70s! I wonder what he could have created without the drugs? I do, however, appreciate his self-deprecation, humor, and, above all, candor. He treated his ex-wives with respect throughout his memoir, and his devotion to his grown-up children is obvious. As he acknowledged in the "Afterward:" "Our lives are made of seasons" (292). I am grateful that Loggins shared so many of his with the public through this very "open book" about his life.
June 30, 2022
Has Kenny Loggins really been around and making music for 50 years? When did I get so old? I can still remember listening to House at Pooh Corner. It was interesting that he took us back to the Loggins and Messina days, behind the scenes with the duo, throughout his many collaborations and through his solo career including the creation of the movie mega hits and lots of cool stories, like how he was a part of the We Are the World soundtrack and how the whole thing went down. A lot of his collaborators, musicians, writing partners, managers, etc. that he references went right over my head, but it was interesting to read all the background info on many of his songs where he collaborated with other singers that we all know and love. He also speaks about his marriages and divorces and ends on a high note looking back on his career and giving us a little insight into his family and his children today. Amazing how he has managed to stay around in all his many different incarnations for so many years.
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