On the surface, this first, full Crow biography is a straightforward story about the pop star's rise to fame. Buskin claims he isn't out for dirt: he often praises the singer's determination and talent and provides excuses for her morally questionable behavior. Early on, he laments that Crow, her family and manager declined to be interviewed. Buskin tracks Crow's career from her beginnings as a sorority girl singing in a cover band to the release of her most recent album, C'mon, C'mon. By juxtaposing Crow's published interviews, videos and recordings with interviews with her friends and colleagues, past and present, Buskin creates a compelling and occasionally dirty portrait. Hardworking, a fast learner and a master of self-promotion, Crow eventually made her way to Los Angeles, determined to land a record deal. Buskin alludes to the fact that Crow had a knack for dating men who could (and often did) help her attain her next goal. The bio turns Faustian after Crow's debut, recorded for an estimated half-million dollars, was deemed a failure and shelved. Crow was given a second chance, but this time record executives decided that the former cheerleader and Michael Jackson backup singer would be promoted as a folksy singer-songwriter. Author of more than a dozen pulpy bios (including bestseller Princess Diana: Her Life Story), Buskin goes beyond his subject—whose tremendous drive and work ethic he admires—to offer a fascinating and somewhat disheartening example of the branding and marketing of pop stars. (Oct.)
