Thinking about the songs and lyrics that changed his life, Jeff Tweedy started compiling a story around each of those topics in his third book, World Within a Song: Music That Changed My Life and Life That Changed My Music, out November 7 and will embark on a book tour around the U.S. to share his stories.
Videos by American Songwriter
Kicking off in his hometown of Chicago on November 5, the tour will continue stops in New York, Washington, D.C., Cincinnati, and more, and feature moderators, including actor and comedian Nick Offerman, musician and archival curator Nathan Salsburg, journalist Amanda Petrusich, April Baer of Michigan Radio and other guests.
The book follows Tweedy’s 2018 memoir, Let’s Go (So We Can Get Back), and How To Write One Song in 2020.
“I should’ve written this book first, and I would have if I’d had any wherewithal and confidence from the get-go,” said Tweedy. “This book is the one I probably would have written first if I were more ambitious, and if I had been a little more clear-eyed about what I care most for in this world, and what I’ve thought about the most by far — other people’s songs.”
Tweedy continued that World Within a Song is also about “how much they have taught me about how to be human, how to think about myself and others, and how deeply personal and universally vast the experience of listening to almost anything with intent and openness can be.”
[RELATED: 5 Songs You Didn’t Know Jeff Tweedy Wrote]
He also added that he could have easily chosen “a thousand other songs” to include in the book, but he would have found a thousand more to add in once finishing it. “Those in World Within a Song are just those that came to me first,” said Tweedy. “Besides, the specifics of the songs themselves isn’t really the point. What’s important to me to convey is how miraculous songs are. It doesn’t matter how many people hear ‘A Day in the Life’ [The Beatles], there is only one version that belongs to you. Mine has little to do with yours.
Tweedy is currently on tour with Wilco, which will release its 13th album, Cousin, on September 29.
Jeff Tweedy Book Tour Dates:
Sun. Nov. 5 – Chicago, IL @ The Athenaeum Theater
Mon. Nov. 6 – New York, NY @ Congregation Beth Elohim *
Tue. Nov. 7 – Jersey City, NJ @ White Eagle Hall
Wed. Nov. 8 – Washington, DC @ Sixth & I
Thu. Nov. 9 – Cincinnati, OH @ Walnut Hills High School Auditorium ^
Fri. Nov. 10 – Ann Arbor, MI @ Rackham Auditorium %
Sat. Nov. 11 – Milwaukee, WI @ The Pabst Theater
Mon. Nov. 13 – Live Talks LA [VIRTUAL] #
* w/ Amanda Petrusich
^ w/ Nathan Salsburg
% w/ April Baer
# w/ Nick Offerman
Photo by Sammy Tweedy / Pitch Perfect PR
