New book about Curtis Mayfield: Traveling Soul: The Life of Curtis Mayfield

Traveling Soul: The Life of Curtis Mayfield

Curtis Mayfield was one of the seminal vocalists and most talented guitarists of his era. But perhaps more important is his role as a social critic, and the vital influence his music had on the civil rights movement. "People Get Ready" is the black anthem of the 1960s, and on his soundtrack to the 1972 movie Super Fly, rather than glorifying the blaxploitation imagery of the film, Mayfield wrote and sang one of the most incisive audio portraits of black America on record.

In Traveling Soul, Todd Mayfield tells his famously private father’s story in riveting detail. Born into dire poverty, raised in the slums of Chicago, Curtis became a musical prodigy, not only singing like a dream but also growing into a brilliant songwriter. In the 1960s he became a pioneer, opening his own label and production company and working with many other top artists, including the Staple Singers. Curtis’s life was famously cut short by an accident that left him paralyzed, but in his declining health he received the long-awaited recognition of the music industry.

Passionate, illuminating, vivid, and absorbing, Traveling Soul will doubtlessly take its place among the classics of music biography.
https://www.amazon.com/Traveling-Sou...urtis+mayfield

I just finished reading it yesterday. Having always enjoyed his music but not knowing much about his life, it was very informative.

Not yet available in the UK. Luckily I'll be in the US in 4 weeks time, so can buy a copy then.

Wow,i didn't know about this book but i'm gonna buy it,curtis is one of the alltime legends of music.

I should be getting this book within the next week.Curtis was a giant in the business. A major
influence on so many other artists it ain't even funny. I'll have to see how this work compares
to an earlier bio on him, Never Give Up, which I did enjoy. I'm currently finishing up Maurice
White's book which I was so glad to see in print. Bios, autobios, memoirs, I'm all over all
year round....

Glad I stopped by SDF before going home. I ordered this book with no hesitation and can't wait to start reading it. Thanks for the thread Motown Eddie.

I was privileged to see Curtis live in London in the early 1980s. One of most memorable performances I have ever seen

I'll have to catch up on my reading. I'll have to pick up this and Maurice White's book. I hope they both include a lot of stuff about studio work.

I'm half way through the book and it is indeed a good read. Didn't know hardly anything about Curtis but the book reveals a lot. Raised in poverty was one the reveals as is needing to have control of people. I won't say anything else but it's good to read about others big names artist and record companies in Chicago during the 60's and 70's.

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Originally Posted by mr_june

I'm half way through the book and it is indeed a good read. Didn't know hardly anything about Curtis but the book reveals a lot. Raised in poverty was one the reveals as is needing to have control of people. I won't say anything else but it's good to read about others big names artist and record companies in Chicago during the 60's and 70's.

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I listened to an interview with his son on the radio discussing the book and I look forward to reading it. I love Curtis, and his music is so relevant for these times that we are living in today. "Choice of Colors" and "If There's a Hell Below" come to mind.

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Originally Posted by soulster

I'll have to catch up on my reading. I'll have to pick up this and Maurice White's book. I hope they both include a lot of stuff about studio work.

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I just received my copy of Curtis Mayfield's book and it's fantastic. It does contain a lot of information about his work in the studio and the way that the era in which his songs were recorded was reflected in the lyrics of the songs. And Maurice White's book is great too [[and also covers his work in the studio).

The word genius get's thrown around right, left, and centre these days, but Curtis was a true musical genius.

When i get books that I think are good, I always try to get my wife to read then. Only worked 2 times this book being one and another about Bacharach & Davis. She reads the book about Curtis on the train to work and related a story about a guy sitting across from her who saw the book and promptly started playing some Impression tunes on his phone.

Great story Mr. June.

I will read it eventually. My curse is that I LOVE to READ....but I'm a pissy slow reader.

I read and enjoyed McBride's "Kill Em and Leave" book about James Brown earlier...but not in 2 days like the person I loaned it to afterwards [[hate you).

The Tempts are number one in my book......but the Dells and Impressions vied for Number 2 several years. But there was a defining event in my life that made me do a deep dive into Curtis and his boys.

At a big picnic in the woods, my father and my uncle were killing it at the double pinochle table. Killing it as in "NEXT!" for like 5 games......taking all comers. To the uninitiated this was as much of spectator sport in the day as people sitting around watching to very good video game contestants going at it. The crazy part is that while they were Slaying.....they spent most of the time arguing about music.....The center of the argument was, who was better.....Smokey or Curtis...performing, singing, producing and songwriting. My uncle made a serious and convincing case for Curtis and had a big influence on my future music tastes.

I'm glad the reviews here are positive and that will lead me to read it sooner than later.

I've just ordered this - will review when I have read..really looking forward to it