About the Book
Grammy Award–nominated artist Kem shares his life in this “breathtaking” (Michael Eric Dyson, New York Times bestselling author) and revealing memoir tracing his transformative journey from homelessness to gold-selling artist.
Known for his smooth, affecting crooning and dapper style, Kem’s journey to the stage is nothing short of inspiring. In Share My Life, Kem goes back to the very beginning before his time to introduce his grandmother, who worked as a sharecropper in the South and had thirteen children. As Kem’s family rises from the sharecropping and ultimately lands in Detroit, there is an unspoken mantra of “hard things are better left unsaid,” which has devastating consequences down the line. And so, Kem grows up in the midst of an impenetrable silence. His mother is never without a beer in her hand, and his relationship with his father is oddly tense. Emotionally starved, Kem internalizes harmful feelings, eventually spiraling to drug use in his search for relief.
At nineteen, Kem is homeless, roaming the cold Detroit streets. In the overly bright AA halls, Kem comes across men like himself verbalizing their feelings. The meetings helped him discover his own voice, using music as an outlet that has since touched millions.
In Share My Life, Kem chronicles his “revelatory, moving, and inspirational” (Lisa Cortés, Academy Award–nominated and Emmy Award–winning producer and director) journey of self-discovery. The young boy who struggled with feelings of worthlessness becomes a man willing to put everything on the line for his dream.
About the Author :
For all of his life, Kem has been driven by music and the emotions involved in bringing it to life. Today, the internationally renowned R&B singer/songwriter has to his credit: one platinum-selling album (Kem: Album II); two gold-selling albums (Kemistry; Intimacy); three Grammy nominations; five #1 hit singles (“Love Calls,” “I Can’t Stop Loving You,” “Why Would You Stay,” “It’s You,” and “Nobody”), along with several sold-out national tours and international shows. He is the author of Share My Life.
David Ritz is a songwriter who has collaborated with stars like Janet Jackson and Marvin Gaye, as well as a renowned ghostwriter who has authored more than fifty books for some of the biggest stars in music: Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye, Ray Charles, Lenny Kravitz, Joe Perry, Smokey Robinson, Don Rickles, and Willie Nelson, to name a few. His articles have appeared in The New York Times, Rolling Stone, Essence, People, Art Connoisseur, and elsewhere. He lives in Los Angeles with Roberta, his wife of nearly fifty years.
Review :
"A forthright chronicle of hard-won success”—KIRKUS
“The takeaway is triumphant: music heals Kem, and his climb to the top is captivating and inspirational. Fans and non-fans alike will be moved.”—PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
"Kem is one of the most remarkably gifted singers of his generation: an artist whose voice bathes in soulfulness. a performer who enchants his listeners with haunting melodies.. Share My Life is a breathtaking arrangement of words. composed of compassion drawn from a symphony of love, resounding in the heart and mind of one of our most inspiring vocalists and majestic human beings."—MICHAEL ERIC DYSON, New York Times bestselling author
"Watching Kem perform, I have always been struck by his open testimony of overcoming addiction. By sharing his struggles, he has helped so many others have the confidence to confront and overcome their own. He has shared his love with us, and now he shares the rest of the story. Through his memoir, we go beyond the music and better understand the people and places that helped shape Kem into the man he is today.”—KEISHA LANCE BOTTOMS,
attorney and former mavor of Atlanta
"Kem's music is my go-to when I need a balm for the soul or when dancing with abandon when no one is looking. So it was no surprise that this book had the same effect. It is revelatory, moving, and inspirational. Thank you, Kem, for keeping it real and for sharing your brave heart."—LISA CORTÉS, Academy Award-nominated and Emmy-winning producer and director (The Apollo, Little Richard: I Am Everything)
"From the first time I heard the maiestic melody entitled "Share My Life, I always knew it was bigger than music. For the first time, we see the man behind the music, in a way we never have before. This journey documents the complete miracle from Detroit struggles to chart-topping success. I'm glad Kem has finally decided to share his life."—PASTOR KEION HENDERSON
"Kem has consistently combined his vocal fluidity, distinct phraseology, and musical chops into the unique sound of Kem. His music encompasses all that is great in the African American experience from gospel and blues to jazz and R&B. His message of loves lost, wished for, and ultimately found resonates with us all. Share Mv Life shows us that success is not an accident of fate but is the result of hard work, dedication, and perseverance -that overnight success is decades in the making. Kem's brutally honest and loving memoir demonstrates that no one is beyond redemption and in the end, 'Love Always Wins."—DR. SHARON MALONE, advocate for women's health
