Unveiling the Hidden Harmonies: How John Garrison’s Memoir Transforms Music into Life’s Untold Stories
Implications for Writing
In my own recent memoir, Red Hot + Blue, I showcase how the songs of Cole Porter helped me make sense of a time in my life when I was coming out as a gay person at the height of the AIDS epidemic. I approach Porter’s music in diverse ways: drawing upon short snippets of lyrics, the recurrence of titles in everyday speech, screenshots from music videos, interviews with artists covering Porter’s songs, and Porter’s own love letters. This array of approaches helps me tease out how the songs helped me make meaning in my life.
