Share My Life

Chapter 1: Nineteen 1 NINETEEN
I had dropped out of high school. After I had disappeared for weeks, my father wouldn't let me return. He was permanently kicking me out to protect my mother, who was a recovering alcoholic. My presence would only make her worse. She didn't want to see me. That was hard to hear, but it was even harder to argue with-so I didn't. I stayed silent. I had no defense. I was drinking and drugging and had no intention to stop.

My friend Sam slipped me into the basement of his house, where he said I could sleep in a crawl space under the stairs, so that if his folks came down, they wouldn't see me. The basement had a beige linoleum floor. On the walls were family pictures, including Sam's dad in an army uniform. On the rear wall was a large mirror, the perfect backdrop to their neatly arranged full-service bar. Glass shelves were stocked with brand names like Johnnie Walker and Jack Daniel's. There were multicolored glasses that suggested another era. Sitting on the bar itself was an oversized bottle of Canadian Club.

I went right for it. Hard liquor was a rare treat. I was usually stoned on cheap wine and malt liquor. I downed the whiskey in no time and headed for the crawl space. My small frame adjusted to the tight quarters. The booze flooded me with warmth. I had to rearrange some boxes to squeeze into the space. My brain was barely functioning. That was my aim. Quiet the confusion in my head. Descend into darkness. Numb out. Get through the night so the next day I could find something-beer, wine, or weed-to beat back the monotony of doing nothing and going nowhere.

As much as I appreciated the space Sam provided, survival meant going somewhere else. Since I was broke, the next step up from the crawl space was a rescue shelter. Over the vast landscape of urban and suburban Detroit, I lived in a dozen such places. Even there, I managed to mess things up. No one was willing to put up with my unruly behavior. Forced out of one

For all of his life, Kem has been driven by music and the emotions involved in bringing it to life. Today, the internationally renowned R&B singer/songwriter has to his credit: one platinum-selling album (Kem: Album II); two gold-selling albums (Kemistry; Intimacy); three Grammy nominations; five #1 hit singles ("Love Calls," "I Can't Stop Loving You," "Why Would You Stay," "It's You," and "Nobody"), along with several sold-out national tours and international shows. He is the author of Share My Life. David Ritz is a songwriter who has collaborated with stars like Janet Jackson and Marvin Gaye, as well as a renowned ghostwriter who has authored more than fifty books for some of the biggest stars in music: Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye, Ray Charles, Lenny Kravitz, Joe Perry, Smokey Robinson, Don Rickles, and Willie Nelson, to name a few. His articles have appeared in The New York Times, Rolling Stone, Essence, People, Art Connoisseur, and elsewhere. He lives in Los Angeles with Roberta, his wife of nearly fifty years.

"A forthright chronicle of hard-won success"-KIRKUS

"The takeaway is triumphant: music heals Kem, and his climb to the top is captivating and inspirational. Fans and non-fans alike will be moved."-PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

"Kem is one of the most remarkably gifted singers of his generation: an artist whose voice bathes in soulfulness. a performer who enchants his listeners with haunting melodies.. Share My Life is a breathtaking arrangement of words. composed of compassion drawn from a symphony of love, resounding in the heart and mind of one of our most inspiring vocalists and majestic human beings."-MICHAEL ERIC DYSON, New York Times bestselling author

"Watching Kem perform, I have always been struck by his open testimony of overcoming addiction. By sharing his struggles, he has helped so many others have the confidence to confront and overcome their own. He has shared his love with us, and now he shares the rest of the story. Through his memoir, we go beyond the music and better understand the people and places that helped shape Kem into the man he is today."-KEISHA LANCE BOTTOMS,

attorney and former mavor of Atlanta

"Kem's music is my go-to when I need a balm for the soul or when dancing with abandon when no one is looking. So it was no surprise that this book had the same effect. It is revelatory, moving, and inspirational. Thank you, Kem, for keeping it real and for sharing your brave heart."-LISA CORTÉS, Academy Award-nominated and Emmy-winning producer and director (The Apollo, Little Richard: I Am Everything)

"From the first time I heard the maiestic melody entitled "Share My Life, I always knew it was bigger than music. For the first time, we see the man behind the music, in a way we never have before. This journey documents the complete miracle from Detroit struggles to chart-topping success. I'm glad Kem has finally decided to share his life."-PASTOR KEION HENDERSON

"Kem has