Composed

Composed is a memoir by singer, songwriter Roseanne Cash.  She writes of her life as an artist trying to find her own voice in the shadow of her father, country music legend, Johnny Cash.  She brings interesting insights into a performer's life, particularly those who perform with their families.  She didn't perform with her father very often, but she was friends with Randy Scruggs who performed with his father Earl and his brothers.  When one of his sons would do a solo well, Earl would give him a nod.  An example of conflict not noticable to the audience was of the Judds.  Sometimes when they performed together Naomi, the mother, would touch Wynona's hair, and her daughter would flinch just a little.  Ms. Cash was eloquent when discussing the losses she has experienced in her life particularly in 2003.  First she lost her aunt, her father's sister, then her stepmother, June Carter Cash died unexpectedly in the Spring.  Her father passed away on September 13th.  His health had been failing for so long, that his family had been expecting it.  I'm sure it didn't lessen the loss, but it was not a shock as with June's.  Six weeks after her father's dead her stepsister Rosey died of carbon monoxide poisoning.  I enjoyed the book partly because I like her music, but it was also very well written.