Includes discography and index.

"Growing up around music, young George was inspired to piece together a makeshift drum set and teach himself to play as he practiced in the dark, dank basement of his run-down New Jersey row house. He soon joined forces with his friends to form a group called the Jazziacs which then evolved into Kool & The Gang, a band that began playing clubs and charting hits while its members were still teenagers. By evolving their sound as musical tastes changed, the band was able to stay on the charts for decades, scoring twelve top-ten hits in funk, R&B, pop, and rock, and selling over seventy million albums while navigating the highs and lows of their career. George shares how his recent cancer scare, and subsequent treatment, compelled him to share his story, warts and all, to give readers a glimpse into a band whose reputation was considered relatively tame, but in reality, it was exactly the opposite. George hopes to help others realize their own professional and personal dreams--life is a symphony, and we must all be our own conductor"--Jacket.