Book synopsis
In 1971, Sally Arnold takes a nannying job in Paris that will transform her life. Her charge is Mick Jagger’s daughter Jade and she is soon running more than bath-time… She is working for the giants of rock as the first woman tour manager in the business.
What’s it like to prepare Christmas lunch with Mick Jagger? To go clubbing at Tramp with The Who’s crazy drummer Keith Moon?
To deal with the WAGs in a band’s entourage?
When Sally moves on to organising charity events, she has to manage other larger-than-life personalities such as Billy Connolly and Rowan Atkinson. Sally also handles famous names from Princess Diana and the Duke of Edinburgh, to Mikhail Gorbachev and Poet Laureate Ted Hughes.
How did Sally survive in this world of rock and roll?
“She is tough and well experienced in dealing with show business egos.”
Pete Townshend, The Who
About the Author
Sally Arnold grew up on a Wiltshire farm in the 1950s and trained as a Norland Nurse. An early client took her far from this world: Mick Jagger, who hired her to look after his daughter Jade. She then switched to minding grown-ups. As rock’s first female tour manager, she worked for The Who, the Rolling Stones, Mike Oldfield, Peter Gabriel and Lynyrd Skynyrd, and developed a second career organising the first Comic Relief shows. Alongside Pete Townshend, she went on to run The Who’s Double O Charity, which funded therapies for addiction. Sally was named one of the Women of the Year in 1997 for her charity work. She sustained her lifelong love of classical music, singing with the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) Chorus, and as Concert Manager for Classic FM, along with her passion for travel. This included a pioneering trip to China by train in 1973.Through the years Sally has met and worked with royals – from Prince Charles and Princess Diana to the late Duke of Edinburgh – Poet Laureate Ted Hughes, world leaders such as Mikhail Gorbachev and Chou En-lai, and great musicians such as Anne-Sophie Mutter. She now lives in Devon. Find out more at www.rocknrollnanny.co.uk
My review
What a lady! This was a truly enlightening read about the life of Sally Arnold aka Rock n Roll Nanny. From being a nanny to some of the biggest rock stars to tour manager and then starting her own business she is really a remarkable lady. Not only did she do all this, but she also overcame breast cancer and is such an inspiring woman. She is the first woman to have a tattoo put on her mastectomy scar.
She worked as a Norland Nurse, which is how she first met Mick and Bianca Jagger. She also became the Tour Manager for The Who, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Peter Gabriel. This gave her the opportunity to also travel around the world.
I loved reading about her time as a nanny and tour manager as she said herself it was much like looking after children with some of them! She sounds so organised and her attention to detail was amazing. She really did do everything for these children and rock stars alike.
I havent read many memoirs but this one was fantastic and a truly inspiring story.
Disclaimer – Thank you to the Author and the publishers for my gifted copy of this book for my honest review.