Don’t Stop Believin’: The Man, the Band, and the Song That Inspired Generations

In this engrossing memoir, Journey keyboardist and songwriter Cain gives readers a backstage pass to his musical, personal, and spiritual lives. He begins with his childhood in Chicago, when his for music became a source of solace after he survived a fire at his elementary school that killed 92 of his classmates. Cain was encouraged by his father to pursue music, and their relationship became the inspiration behind many of Journey’s songs, including “Don’t Stop Believin’.” Song titles “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)” and “Open Arms” double as chapter headings, and Cain’s musical life is the focus of much of the book, but even readers who aren’t rock aficionados will appreciate his life story. He divulges much of his personal life, including his difficult relationship with his mother, failed marriages, struggles with faith, and the complexities of collaborating with colleagues such as lead singer Steve Perry. Cain’s life has been filled with bumps (notably Journey breaking up in 1987) but by the end of this electric, revealing memoir, readers will understand how Cain became emboldened by his belief that God has been a constant in his tumultuous life. Rock fans and Christian readers looking for a heartening story of perseverance through tragedy will find much to enjoy in Cain’s candid memoir. (May)