Diamond in the Rough: A Memoir by Shawn Colvin

I just finished Shawn Colvin’s new memoir “Diamond in the Rough” (thanks, Santa) and thoroughly enjoyed it. I had always been intrigued by her as an artist; I’d been a casual fan, and had two records (“Steady On” and “A Few Small Repairs”), but never quite understood her songwriting role on those records, which seemed largely co-written and produced by John Leventhal. Indeed, much of the book is about her long journey to find her own identity as an artist and songwriter, and even chronicles the making of each of her albums and how the songs were written… compelling stuff for fellow musicians. I think it’s a well-written book, too, at least insofar as her voice and personality certainly come through; and it’s astonishingly frank as well… a good read.

I saw her live for the first time last March at the Birchmere, and glad I did—Mary Chapin Carpenter made a surprise appearance, and they played the rest of the show together, their first time together on stage in many years, apparently… a great night.