Signed First Edition: Liner Notes Signed by Loudon Wainwright III
This entry highlights a candid musical autobiography: a Signed First Edition of Liner Notes: On Parents & Children, Exes & Excess, Death & Decay, & a Few of My Other Favorite Things, hand-signed by Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter and actor Loudon Wainwright III. Published in 2017 by Blue Rider Press, a division of Penguin Random House, this hard-hitting memoir translates the humor, vulnerability, and trenchant self-observation of Wainwright’s folk discography into vibrant prose.
Over a career spanning more than five decades, Wainwright emerged as one of modern American folk music's most distinctive troubadours. Known for his witty, self-deprecating, and fiercely honest lyrics, he has recorded over twenty albums and built a prominent artistic legacy extended by his musical children, Rufus, Martha, and Lucy Wainwright. In Liner Notes, Wainwright chronicles his privileged yet complicated upbringing as the son of revered LIFE magazine columnist Loudon Wainwright Jr., his turbulent romantic relationships, his struggles with career ambition and substance abuse, and the intricacies of multi-generational family dynamics. Drawing praise from authors and musicians including Salman Rushdie, Rosanne Cash, Judd Apatow, and Richard Thompson, the volume stands as an essential confessional portrait of an iconic American songwriter.
Bound in publisher's original red paper boards titled in bold blue foil along the spine, the book retains its original unclipped dust jacket featuring striking typography and a full-length photograph of Wainwright performing on stage with his acoustic guitar. On an unnumbered preliminary flyleaf preceding the half-title page, Loudon Wainwright III has signed his signature vertically in black felt-tip ink using his large, expressive script. The volume is in fine, fresh condition throughout, showing sharp corners, tight binding, pristine pages, and a vibrant dust jacket free of fading, tears, or shelfwear. Hand-signed by the artist, this pristine first printing offers a compelling addition to any library of modern music memoirs and folk culture literature.
Edition & Special Presentation Specifications
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BLUE RIDER PRESS FIRST EDITION: First printing published in 2017 by Blue Rider Press / Penguin Random House, New York; full number line on the copyright page.
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ORIGINAL PUBLISHER BINDING & DUST JACKET: Hardcover bound in bright red cloth-effect boards with blue foil spine lettering, housed in the original price-unclipped illustrative dust jacket.
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EXCELLENT COLLECTOR CONDITION: Fine/Fine condition with crisp jacket edges, square boards, firm text block, and clean, unblemished pages.
Autograph Specifications & Provenance
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HAND-SIGNED BY LOUDON WAINWRIGHT III: Boldly signed vertically in black felt-tip marker directly on a preliminary flyleaf page by Loudon Wainwright III.
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VERIFIED AUTOGRAPH: Hand-signed in person during promotional press for the release of his memoir, showing authentic marker flow and characteristic autograph geometry.
