A Helluva High Note: Surviving Life, Love, and American Idol

by Kara DioGuardi

Overview

Over the years, award-winning hitmaker, savvy record executive,  successful music publisher and former American Idol judge Kara DioGuardi has worked with the best.  Her songs have been recorded by such superstars as Pink, Carrie Underwood, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Kelly Clarkson, Gwen Stefani, Santana, Steven Tyler, Celine Dion and many others. But success wouldn’t have happened for this songwriter, artist and producer without the darker times of defeat. Now, in this daringly honest memoir, DioGuardi reveals everything she’s learned about living, creating, loving, stumbling, picking herself up again and ultimately succeeding.  And, of course, she hares behind-the-scenes stories from her years on American Idol, including the real truth about her departure from the show.  Passionate, wide and funny, A Helluva High Note inspires readers to find, develop and follow their own true voice.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062059901
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	05/15/2012
Pages:	240
Product dimensions:	5.64(w) x 8.58(h) x 0.69(d)

About the Author

A Grammy-nominated, 2011 NAMM Music for Life Award winner, 2009 NMPA Songwriter Icon Award winner, and 2007 BMI Pop Songwriter of the Year, Kara DioGuardi has songs that have appeared on more than 160 million albums. Kara also serves as executive vice president of talent development at Warner Bros. Records and co-owns Arthouse Entertainment. In 2011, she made her Broadway debut in Chicago as Roxie Hart. She lives in Los Angeles and Maine with her husband, Michael McCuddy.

Table of Contents

Preface ix

Acknowledgments xiii

Introduction The Fourth Judge 1

1 Spinning Around 9

2 Sober 21

3 Taking Chances 35

4 Mama's Song 51

5 Escape 61

6 Pieces of Me 77

7 I Do Not Hook Up 91

8 Walk Away 105

9 Rich Girl 117

10 Ain't No Other Man 131

11 No Boundaries 145

Epilogue 169

Appendix A My Commandments for Determined Songwriters 171

Appendix B Random Reflections 179

Appendix C Awards 187

Appendix D U.S. Singles 139

Appendix E International Singles 195

Appendix F Top-Ten Albums 203

Appendix G Soundtracks and Songs on Film 215

Appendix H Theme Songs and Songs on Television 217

Appendix I Campaigns and Commercials 221

Permissions 223

About the Author 225

Editorial Reviews

Most of us think of Kara DioGuardi as an American Idol judge who defended performers by fending off Simon Cowell's scathing comments. That iceberg experience, fortunately, was only a brief detour in a songwriting and producer career that has made DioGuardi one of the most sought-after talents in the music industry. Her deeply personal lyrics arrive in the world through the voices of the likes of Celine Dion, Pink, Kelly Clarkson, Britney Spears, and Christina Aguilera, but it is Kara herself who originally expressed the emotion. In this memoir, she bares her soul directly in a gritty, surprisingly witty memoir about coping with her demons, which include self-esteem problems, an eating disorder, and, yes, Simon Cowell.