Kicking & Dreaming
The story of Heart is a story of heart and soul and rock ’n’ roll. Since finding their love of music and performing as teenagers in Seattle, Washington, Ann Wilson and Nancy Wilson, have been part of the American rock music landscape. From 70s classics like “Magic Man” and “Barracuda” to chart- topping 80s ballads like “Alone,” and all the way up to 2012, when they will release their latest studio album, Fanatic, Heart has been thrilling their fans and producing hit after hit. In Kicking and Dreaming, the Wilsons recount their story as two sisters who have a shared over three decades on the stage, as songwriters, as musicians, and as the leaders of one of our most beloved rock bands. An intimate, honest, and a uniquely female take on the rock and roll life, readers of bestselling music memoirs like Life by Keith Richards and Steven Tyler’s Does the Noise in My Head Bother You? will love this quintessential music story finally told from a female perspective.
Ann Wilson, Nancy Wilson, Charles R. Cross
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees Ann and Nancy Wilson first showed the world that women can rock when their band, Heart, stormed the charts in the ’70s with hits like “Crazy on You,” “Magic Man,” “Barracuda,” “Straight On,” and so many more. Not only did the Wilson sisters lead the band, they wrote the songs and played the instruments too, making them the first women in rock to do so. Heart continued topping the charts through the ’80s and ’90s with huge hits like “These Dreams,” “Alone,” “What About Love,” “If Looks Could Kill,” “Never,” and a string of other hits that showcased the sisters’ enormous talents as musicians, singers, and songwriters. Heart sold more than 35 million albums, sold out arenas worldwide, and found their way into the soundtrack of American life through radio, motion pictures, television, and associations with branded sponsors.
As individuals, the sisters have also achieved significant success. Ann has contributed to songs that were both chart successes and motion-picture themes, like “Almost Paradise” from Footloose, “Best Man in the World” from The Golden Child, and “Surrender to Me” from Tequila Sunrise, while Nancy has composed and performed the scores to a half dozen motion pictures including the award winning Jerry Maguire and Almost Famous.
In 2012, Ann and Nancy released their first-ever memoir, Kicking & Dreaming: A Story of Heart, Soul, and Rock & Roll, which was a New York Times bestseller. They also wrote and illustrated Dog & Butterfly, a picture book for all ages, inspired by the song of the same name.
