Audiobooks narrated by David Ritz

LIVIN' ON A PRAYER: BIG SONGS BIG LIFE Audiobook

Grammy® winning and Emmy nominated producer / songwriter, who has contributed to some of the biggest global hits that helped ignite the success of music icons KISS, Bon Jovi, Aerosmith, Alice Cooper, Ricky Martin, Katy Perry, and countless others, released his first-ever memoir, “LIVIN' ON A PRAYER: BIG SONGS BIG LIFE” on September 19, 2023, via Radius Book Group. In this story of anguish and personal struggle, Child reveals how he climbed his way to the top and beyond amid extraordinary circumstances, and shares his very intimate and unbelievable journey that shaped him into an artist of international renown. With a foreword by Paul Stanley, and in collaboration with legendary music biographer David Ritz. For over half a century, Child has collaborated with the world’s most celebrated artists creating timeless classics, such as Bon Jovi’s “Livin' On A Prayer” and “You Give Love A Bad Name,” as well as Ricky Martin’s “Livin’ La Vida Loca” and “The Cup Of Life,” amongst his vast catalog. But in his memoir, Child himself takes center stage to share his transformational story of a misfit outsider to cultural pacesetter. Says Child: “The process of writing the book has been more than cathartic. It has been revelatory. Not until I went through the deep and sometimes painful experience of writing this book did I realize the great adventure I’d been living… an adventure I’m thrilled to share with the world.” In the upcoming title, Child recounts his unconventional upbringing as his colorful family fled revolutionary Cuba for Florida in the 1960s and fell into poverty. He details his shocking discovery at age 18 that the man he called “dad” was not his biological father after all, and he courageously bares his soul about navigating the trials of being a Latino gay man in the macho world of Rock ‘n' Roll. His is a story of willing himself to succeed and overcoming impossible odds to establish himself as one of the most influential composers and lyricists of all time.

David Ritz, Desmond Child (Author), C. Winston Simone, David Ritz, Desmond Child, Paul Stanley (Narrator)

Audiobook

My Journey with Maya

A remarkable story of friendship, love, and courage When Maya Angelou and Tavis Smiley met in 1986, he was twenty-one and she was fifty-eight. For the next twenty-eight years, they shared an unlikely, special bond. Angelou was a teacher and a maternal figure to Smiley, and they talked often, of art, politics, history, race, religion, music, love, purpose, and--more than anything--courage. Courage to be open, to follow dreams, to believe in oneself. In My Journey with Maya, Smiley recalls a joyful friendship filled to the brim with sparkling conversation--in Angelou's gardens surrounded by her caged birds, before lectures, sharing meals, and on breaks from it all, they sought each other out for comfort, advice, and above all else, friendship. It began when he, a recent college graduate and a poor kid from a big family in the Midwest, was invited to join the revered writer on a sojourn to Africa. He would be handling her bags, but Maya didn't let that stop a friendship waiting to happen. Angelou was generous, challenging, and inspirational. Like a mother to him, she was selfless. Here Tavis Smiley shares his personal memories of Maya Angelou, of a decades-long friendship with one of history's most fascinating women, one who left as indelible an imprint on American culture as she did on him.

David Ritz, Tavis Smiley (Author), David Ritz, Tavis Smiley (Narrator)

Audiobook

Death of a King: The Real Story of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Final Year

A revealing and dramatic chronicle of the twelve months leading up to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s assassination Martin Luther King, Jr. died in one of the most shocking assassinations the world has known, but little is remembered about the life he led in his final year. New York Times bestselling author and award-winning broadcaster Tavis Smiley recounts the final 365 days of King's life, revealing the minister's trials and tribulations -- denunciations by the press, rejection from the president, dismissal by the country's black middle class and militants, assaults on his character, ideology, and political tactics, to name a few -- all of which he had to rise above in order to lead and address the racism, poverty, and militarism that threatened to destroy our democracy. Smiley's DEATH OF A KING paints a portrait of a leader and visionary in a narrative different from all that have come before. Here is an exceptional glimpse into King's life -- one that adds both nuance and gravitas to his legacy as an American hero.

David Ritz, Tavis Smiley (Author), David Ritz, Tavis Smiley (Narrator)

Audiobook

Balance: A Story of Faith, Family, and Life on the Line

Nik Wallenda, "King of the High Wire," doesn't know fear. As a seventh generation of the legendary Great Wallendas, he grew up performing, entertaining, and pushing the boundaries of gravity and balance. When Nik was four years old, he watched a video from 1978 of his great grandfather, Karl Wallenda, walking between the towers of the Condado Plaza Hotel in Puerto Rico, stumbling, and falling to his death because of improper rigging. When Nik heard his father quote his great-grandfather--"Life is on the wire, everything else is just waiting"--the words resonated deep within his soul and he vowed to be a hero like Karl Wallenda. Balance is the theme of Nik's life: between his work and family, his faith in God and artistry, his body and soul. It resonates from him when performing and when no one is looking. When walking across Niagara Falls, he prayed aloud the entire time, and to keep his lust for glory and fame in check, Nik returned to the site of his performance and spent three hours cleaning up trash left by the crowd. Nik Wallenda is an entertainer who wants to not only thrill hearts, but to change hearts for Christ. Christ is the balance pole that keeps him from falling.

David Ritz, Nik Wallenda (Author), David Ritz, Nik Wallenda, Steve Gibbons (Narrator)

Audiobook

Audiobooks Narrated by David Ritz