In a year of a creative renaissance, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame singer Eric Burdon, has just announced a joint book deal with Alfred Music and ABKCO Music and Records.
Eric Burdon is best known as frontman of the legendary British Invasion-era rock band, the Animals and the ground-breaking, multi-ethnic rhythm and blues band, War. Burdon is enjoying one of the biggest years yet in his influential 50-year career. On the heels of a break-out performance at SXSW, the release of two new records, including the critically-acclaimed new album, ‘Til Your River Runs Dry, Burdon’s book, titled, Breathless, is slated for publication late this year.

Burdon adds, “I live my life, Breathless…A life of constant motion and excitement. A life that many will envy and most would avoid!” said Burdon. “I’m extremely fortunate, at age 71, to look back on my life and write down some of the incredible things that have happened to me. In the day-to-day life of a traveling musician, it’s easy to miss so many details. The world goes by at high-speed; it will take your breath away. People we’ve encountered at pivotal moments who profoundly influence our direction are not necessarily the people whose names everybody knows. More often, they are the people who say or do just the right thing, at the right time. I’m writing this book to help myself remember the past, acknowledge the present and help the new generation to discover their own truth…I am writing this book for all of you who helped me discover who I am today.”

Burdon’s distinctly soulful voice, powerful lyrics and musical choices are often credited for shaping the landscape and history of rock and roll over the course of the last few decades, with timeless hits including “It’s My Life,” “House of the Rising Sun,” “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood,” “When I Was Young,” and “Spill The Wine,” among many others, causing some of rock’s most articulate voices, from Bruce Springsteen to Patti Smith and Iggy Pop, to cite his strong influence upon their work.

Earlier this year Eric released ‘Til Your River Runs Dry which has been heralded as his most personal album to date. It has been met with critical acclaim worldwide and is making an impact on AAA radio. Hailed by Rolling Stone Magazine as one of the “100 Greatest Singers of All Time,” Eric Burdon has long been a groundbreaker while maintaining a commanding presence in music with the Animals, with WAR and, simply, as Eric Burdon.

Breathless is presently being written and developed by Eric with the support of his music publishing company and record label ABKCO, the longstanding independent that also represents the catalogs of such legendary artists as Sam Cooke, The Rolling Stones, Bobby Womack, The Kinks, The Animals and many more.
“Eric Burdon is such an important voice in history, musically and lyrically,” said Alfred CEO Ron Manus, who is working personally on the project. “What I find the most interesting in listening to him speak is his choice of words. They are very deliberate, very mesmerizing.”

“ABKCO always looks to extend the reach and range of our artists into various media. We are proud to present Eric Burdon’s Breathless as our first audio book concurrent with the release of Alfred Music’s printed version.  Over the years ABKCO has enjoyed an excellent working relationship with Alfred and they were our first choice with this project” adds ABKCO Senior Executive Vice President Alisa Coleman.
“The stories he tells are so thought out and appropriate,” said Manus. “It’s not just his voice. It’s his inner voice and the tone of his language… that’s what we are so excited to capture in this book. We are looking forward to hearing Eric’s stories, as only he can tell them, and want to use our 90-plus years of publishing experience to help him fulfill his vision in the best way possible.”

Though traditionally a music education publisher, Alfred has developed a growing roster of memoir-style texts. “Alfred has a mission to help people experience the joy of making music and this is just an extension of that, through the voices of these important figures in music,” said Manus.