The Ballad of Teena Marie: Life, Music, and Soul Across the American Color Line

The Ballad of Teena Marie: Life, Music, and Soul Across the American Color Line

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Author/Contributor(s): Gamson, Joshua
Publisher: 37 Ink
Date: 3/9/2027
Binding: Hardcover
Condition: NEW
The improbable rise of Teena Marie, the white queen of soul who without ever being accused of cultural appropriation, defied genre, transcended race, and left a catalogue of music that is still adored today.

This book unravels the enduring mystery of Teena Marie—a once-in-a-generation R&B and soul powerhouse who defied every expectation placed on her. A white artist who found her true home in Black music and Black life, she broke through the music industry’s racial and gender barriers to become not just a Motown star, but also a beloved figure in Black America.

Mentored by Rick James and embraced by a community that claimed her as their own, Teena didn’t just cross over—she connected. When she died, as Ta-Nehisi Coates wrote, “On every Martin Luther King Ave, there was a collective wail.” This is the story of how she earned that love—and what it meant.