{"product_id":"always-the-queen-9780252084942","title":"Always the Queen","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cdiv\u003eDenise LaSalle''s journey took her from rural Mississippi to an unquestioned reign as the queen of soul-blues. From her early R\u0026amp;B classics to bold and bawdy demands for satisfaction, LaSalle updated the classic blueswoman''s stance of powerful independence while her earthy lyrics about relationships connected with generations of female fans. Off-stage, she enjoyed ongoing success as a record label owner, entrepreneur, and genre-crossing songwriter.\u003cp\u003eAs honest and no-nonsense as the artist herself, \u003ci\u003eAlways the Queen\u003c\/i\u003e is LaSalle''s in-her-own-words story of a lifetime in music. Moving to Chicago as a teen, LaSalle launched a career in gospel and blues that eventually led to the chart-topping 1971 smash Trapped by a Thing Called Love and a string of R\u0026amp;B hits. She reinvented herself as a soul-blues artist as tastes changed and became a headliner on the revitalized southern soul circuit and at festivals nationwide and overseas. Revered for a tireless dedication to her music and f\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA \u003ci\u003eChicago Sun-Times\u003c\/i\u003e Must-Read Book\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"One of the great achievements of Whiteis’ writing is that he’s managed to imbue the autobiography with a clear sense of her voice. Throughout the book it’s very easy to hear LaSalle speaking the words on the page . . . Denise LaSalle may be Always the Queen; however, her story is not about elevated privilege but one of self-determination, hard work, and a refusal to accept limitations.\" --\u003ci\u003eLiving Blues\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Make sure you grab a couple of her recordings to listen to while reading this fascinating volume that comes highly recommended!\" --\u003ci\u003eBlues Blast Magazine\u003c\/i\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e\"LaSalle’s pride in being a songwriter, performer, and producer rings loudly, and she acknowledges that “God has been truly, truly good to me.” This is an empowering story, soulfully told.\" --\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e”I've known Denise LaSalle for many years personally, professionally, and spiritually. Her legacy will live on forever. I am blessed to have been a 'Knight in Her Majesty's court.' Long live the Queen.”—Latimore\u003cbr\u003e\"LaSalle is by turns rebellious, raunchy, worshipful, and tender. Readers will feel like they're listening to a woman nearing the end of her career share the lessons she learned on her musical journey.\" --\u003ci\u003eLibrary Journal\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e​\"Reading \u003ci\u003eAlways the Queen The Denise LaSalle Story\u003c\/i\u003e is like eating candy.\" --\u003ci\u003eSouthern Soul Rn\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Captivating . . . . LaSalle testifies in \u003ci\u003eAlways the Queen\u003c\/i\u003e, celebrating the freedom and strength of making her own music on her own terms. Though she may have left us, she’s given us this gift of her soulful voice and her moving ways of telling mesmerizing stories.\" --\u003ci\u003eNo Depression\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e”Without the pioneering efforts of Denise LaSalle we probably wouldn't have many of the rap queens\/divas we have today. In this book Denise tells all, from writing for romance rags as a teen to cannily carving out a singular career in the male-dominated music biz. Along the way, Denise runs into a string of characters—Ike Turner, Billy 'The Kid' Emerson, Millie Jackson, Bobby Rush, Willie Mitchell, even Bob Dylan. This book is as earthy, funny, and free of BS as one of LaSalle's songs, not to mention both eloquent and moving. David Whiteis, one of our most valuable music historians, clearly loves this Queen of the Blues and has crafted a memoir that would've made her proud. Essential reading for any R\u0026amp;B\/soul\/blues music lover.”—Jimmy McDonough, author of \u003ci\u003eSoul Survivor: A Biography of Al Green\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ”Denise LaSalle went from picking cotton to singing gold. This intimate telling of her story takes us from the Mississippi farm to faraway places. Hers is a story of making it in the record business, hook and crook, firing on moxie, grit, luck—and a voice that always sounded like the truth. Like her singing, this book never loses its grit.”—Robert Gordon, author of \u003ci\u003eRespect Yourself: Stax Records and the Soul Explosion\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"This is a vibrant portrait of a singular blues artist.\" --\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Even if you aren’t that familiar with LaSalle and only know a couple of her songs, her autobiography is a compelling page-turner, full of twists and turns that comprise her fascinating life and career, which parallel the timeline of music history and civil rights. Her struggles and determination are nothing less than inspiring.\" --\u003ci\u003eChicago Blues Guide\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"For those, who want to get acquainted with the human being behind the music, this is a good “X-ray” book. It brings Denise alive again. She speaks openly about all the issues, problems and also the good sides of her genre.\" --\u003ci\u003eSoul Express\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"\u003ci\u003eAlways the Queen\u003c\/i\u003e is LaSalle's victory lap, a catalogue of her successes and memorable moments in a 50-year career of recording and touring.\" --\u003ci\u003eChapter 16\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"University of Illinois Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49400514937175,"sku":"9780252084942","price":15.19,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9780252084942.jpg?v=1730470870","url":"https:\/\/bookcurl.com\/products\/always-the-queen-9780252084942","provider":"Book Curl","version":"1.0","type":"link"}