Laurie Lindeen, accomplished author and musician from Minneapolis died unexpectedly on Monday of a brain aneurysm. Laurie’s book Pedal Pusher: A Rock and Roll Cinderella Story was an incredibly well-written and captivating account of her formative years, growing up and discovering rock and roll, a multiple sclerosis diagnosis, forming her fantastic band Zuzu’s Pedals, and her marriage to Paul Westerberg. She had a way with words, and it wasn’t your run-of-the-mill rock bio. When it was over, you felt like one of her friends.

I saw Zuzu’s Pedals twice, opening for Soul Asylum at the First Avenue in Minneapolis in December 1992, on two of the three nights of their annual holidays run, supporting their breakthrough Grave Dancer’s Union album. I didn’t know much about ZZP at the time, but I loved them, and bought their records soon after.

I met Laurie 15 years later at the Barnes & Noble bookstore in Royal Oak, Michigan, on a promotional tour for Pedal Pusher, where she read some passages from the book and did a few songs with local mom-band The Mydols, son Johnny watching from the side. She couldn’t have been nicer. I bought a copy of Pedal Pusher for myself and one for my mom, a fan of her then-husband, but even more so, a fan of strong, smart, outspoken and talented women. My mom loved the book.

Laurie leaves behind a plethora of family, friends, and band mates, some great music, and a lot of great words in books and essays. She will be deeply missed.

Jeremy Porter lives near Detroit and fronts the rock and roll band Jeremy Porter And The Tucos. Follow them on Facebook to read his road blog about their adventures on the dive-bar circuit.
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