A Woman Like Me

LaVette’s autobiography reads like an R&B song only she could perform—soulful and honest. As a teenager growing up in 1960s Detroit, LaVette recorded a hit song, “My Man—He’s a Lovin’ Man,” that catapulted her life into a crazy spiral of personal and professional chaos. Her path crossed those of Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, and Berry Gordy, and she describes the seamier sides of Detroit and Los Angeles while her journey through sex, drink, and drugs displays her inner strength to survive. Along with top music writers and musicians within elite record labels LaVette honed her craft, yet still remained a minor fan favorite and never became a household name. Her quest serves as one of the most authentic inside looks at the American music industry, and LaVette pulls no punches. Her dream became reality when televised appearances at the 2008 Kennedy Center Honors and Obama’s Lincoln Memorial concert put LaVette on the map after a working lifetime. LaVette’s tale is a treat for music buffs. (Nov.)