From the Vault II: The Lost Chords and Stories

“Jeff Silverman’s memoir, ‘From the Vault II: The Lost Chords and Stories’ continues to follow the musician who learns that a song can wait decades for the right person to bring it back. His route begins with a backstage meeting with banjo player Billy Ray Lathum, whose friendship leads him toward Roger Miller, The Dillards, then a bluegrass recording that returns after Lathum’s death. Silverman’s guitar carries him into Rick Springfield’s band before Sound City makes him a studio regular. Motown later gives him a staff writer deal that sends lost songs into a long search for proof they still exist. In Nashville, old tapes become new releases through studio skill and kept promises. By the time those tapes return, Silverman turns unfinished work into a living claim on the present.”

“‘From the Vault II’ honors a musician who treats memory as a living creative responsibility. This is an extremely thoughtful memoir with a writing style that is warm and accessible.Silverman does an excellent job of balancing issues like the lost Motown catalog, where many songs seem missing from company files, with his private reaction to recovering work he once believed had vanished from reach. His story is worth reading now because it shows how art survives through stewardship. Readers see this when he rebuilds ‘Somewhere,’ originally written by Jeff Silverman and Aeone, first recorded by Aeone, and later produced by Jeff and Rick Springfield as a separate version for Rick’s ‘Sahara Snow’ album and ‘From The Vault I.’ Inspired by the technical path opened by the Beatles’ ‘Now and Then,’ ‘From The Vault II’ brings those two previously independent versions together for the first time as an entirely new duet. This memoir is perfect for readers drawn to music history, studio craft, and creative lives measured through a life of devotion. Very highly recommended.”

— Jamie Michele, Readers’ Favorite
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The World Is Better Dreaming song introduced listeners to the first branch of the VAULT II musical journey, which was inspired by the author’s mother’s battle with cancer. From the Vault II: The Lost Chords and Stories is a book with a companion album that continues the journey, and may be accessed by newcomers and prior listeners alike.

Jeff Silverman reveals, in this book, the artists, collaborations, music studio interactions, and elements which shaped music and inspired creative new songs.

Musicians and non-musicians alike will appreciate these rare and raw insights into the process of inspiration and collaboration which form the foundation for a survey of creating new music.

The stories that influenced and evolve from these connections form the foundation of a revealing branch of discovery enlivened by Silverman’s inspections and reflections:

The branches of this family tree are still growing. New songs will be written, new people will enter the story, and new chapters will unfold. Yet even now, the distance between so many of these moments rarely stretches beyond six degrees of separation. Sometimes the smallest connections end up shaping the biggest chapters of our lives.

Photos, images, and insights coalesce in a blend of musical memoir with creative insight throughout this journey, providing thought-provoking considerations and lively philosophical and musical insights.,

This excerpt recalls Jeff’s first visit to Abbey Road Studios in London during the mid-1980s, where a wall covered with messages from fans around the world became a powerful reminder that music doesn’t end in the studio—it continues through the lives of the people it touches:

Layer upon layer of messages, names, bands, countries… fans from all over the world leaving a piece of themselves behind. A living, breathing tribute to The Beatles and everything that came out of that room. To me, this wasn’t graffiti. This was human artwork. Proof that the music didn’t stop at the door… it kept traveling, person to person, across the world.

Especially notable is the passion and purpose that runs through these experiences, with decades of the author’s experience providing running commentary and insights that are charged with emotional connection.

The result is more than an album accompaniment, but a full-bodied interaction between musical and life passion that captures the flavors of connections, interactions and moments that are vividly portrayed.

Throughout the book, Jeff shares the lyrics and the stories behind many of the songs featured in From the Vault II. One such story begins with his first writing session with singer-songwriter Meredith Marshall, where a chance meeting led to the creation of “Dancing With the Devil I Know.”

I met Meredith as a stranger, and somehow, in the span of that one day, we wrote and recorded “Dancing With The Devil I Know.” By the time we left the room, it already felt like it had always been there. We walked away. The song didn’t. It stayed with us… alive in a way that’s hard to explain. Not unfinished — just waiting. Like so many songs in the vault, it wasn’t lost. It simply hadn’t met its moment yet. Some songs chase the light. Others are born in the shadows. This one chose both. And now… it steps forward. Still breathing. Still dangerous. Still dancing with the devil we know.— Diane Donovan
Editor, Donovan’s Literary Services
Editor, Bookwatch
Author: San Francisco Relocated

“I’m halfway through From The Vault II as I write this… and I can’t put it down.

Having known Jeff since our teenage years, I expected great stories. What I didn’t expect was how much I would relate to the journey itself. The successes, disappointments, friendships, and determination all come together in a way that’s honest and deeply human.

This isn’t just for music fans. It’s for anyone who’s ever chased a dream.

Highly recommended.”

— Robert P Malaniak, Founder, Lead Vocalist & Guitarist, Pipe Dreams

“I learned a lot about Jeff when I read his book. He has a remarkable story. There were so many things I didn’t know about him. He doesn’t brag about himself, so it was wonderful to learn more about his journey.”

“Jeff has been an abiding source of wisdom and deft production skills that have informed and guided me over the last decade. I am a drastically better producer because of Jeff, and I have learned so much from him.”

— Grant Maloy Smith, Billboard Top 10 Recording Artist & Songwriter