Nick Drake: The Life

"This is the book we've been waiting for . . . It is a biography to be treasured," declares Joe Boyd, and indeed, Richard Morton Jack's Nick Drake: The Life feels like the definitive word on this enigmatic and increasingly revered singer-songwriter. The Daily Telegraph asserts that "The Drake completist could ask for nothing else," while the Observer rightly calls it "Illuminating. The definitive word on Drake."

In 1968, Nick Drake seemingly had the world at his feet. The product of a supportive and artistic family, blessed with a privileged background, he was not only a handsome and well-liked Cambridge undergraduate but also a promising new signing to Island, the UK's coolest record label. Yet, just three years later, after releasing three critically acclaimed but commercially unsuccessful albums, Drake was tragically overwhelmed by a mysterious mental illness. He returned to his family home in rural Warwickshire in 1971 and died in obscurity in 1974, aged a mere 26.

However, in the decades since his passing, Nick Drake has become a figure of ever-growing fascination and intense speculation. Combined sales of his records now reach into the millions, his hauntingly beautiful songs frequently grace television and film soundtracks, and he has solidified his place as one of the most widely known and deeply admired singer-songwriters of his generation.

Nick Drake: The Life stands apart as the only biography written with the full blessing and active involvement of his sister and Estate. Drawing upon a wealth of original research and fresh interviews with his family, close friends, and musical collaborators, as well as deeply personal archive material previously inaccessible to other writers – including his father's poignant diaries, his insightful essays, and private correspondence – this is unequivocally the most comprehensive and authoritative account possible of Nick Drake's tragically short and profoundly enigmatic life.

Featuring a heartfelt foreword by Gabrielle Drake and including over 75 photographs, many of which are rare or have never been seen before, Nick Drake: The Life offers an unparalleled and deeply moving portrait of a singular talent. Richard Morton Jack has crafted a biography that is both meticulously researched and beautifully written, finally offering the definitive and treasured account that Nick Drake's devoted fanbase has long awaited.