"Reckless: My Life as a Pretender" by Chrissie Hynde

Recently my husband and I went to backyard garage sale held at Terrapin Crossroads, the San Rafael-based music venue recently shuttered by the Grateful Dead's guitar player, Phil Lesh. It was one of the saddest garage sales I have ever been to because nobody wanted Terrapin to close. Since it opened in 2021, Jeff and I have seen so many terrific shows there, including our own wedding ceremony and reception in 2016 featuring the Phish cover band “Chum.” I loved everything about Terrapin, including its support of female performers Like Nicki Bluhm, The T Sisters, Mandarin Orange and Joan Osborne. When it comes to rock and roll, the woman who set the bar so high for me has always been Chrissie Hynde of the Pretenders. For more than 40 years, she has been the queen of the iconic band, The Pretenders. The singer songwriter published her memoir "Reckless" in 2015, and it is a great behind-the-scenes read about how a girl from Akron, Ohio, became a rock star. From "Brass in Pocket" to "Back on the Chain Gang," Hynde wears her signature leather jacket and long dark hair, projecting her own vibe of tough and sexy. Her stories are laced with some of the greats she worked with, including David Bowie and Iggy Pop, as well as those she lost such as her lead guitarist, James Honeyman Scott and bassist, Peter Farndon. I used to sing along to her songs on my Blaupunkt car stereo in high school, and have been fortunate to see her a few times over the years. And one of the things I love best about her, is that she is still playing rock and roll at 70 years old. Coincidentally, she will be live streaming an event on my birthday, December 26 from the Royal Opera House in London. To learn more about Chrissie, follow her on Instagram @chrissiehyndemusic.  To buy this book on Amazon click here.