“With the sun glaring off the golden disks, I squinted toward the crowd, remembering the words my mother had whispered to me as a young boy when she had leaned close and tied her orange silk scarf around my neck: “One day, my precious son, you will do something fantazmical with your life.” ~ Zoro
“Zoro composes a tremendously hopeful ode to music and family. This bewitching rags to riches tale keeps an infectious beat.”
Maria’s Scarf: A Memoir of a Mother’s Love, a Son’s Perseverance, and Dreaming Big
Zoro. Blackstone, $28.99 (448p) ISBN 979-8-212-41733-4
Drummer Zoro, who’s toured with acts including Bobby Brown and Frankie Valli, debuts with an upbeat account of his musical career and deep connection to his Mexican immigrant single mother. Zoro grew up in Compton, Calif., as Daniel Donnelly. He and his five siblings, each with different fathers, bounced between tenement houses and spells of homelessness under the loving eye of their mother, actor Maria Islas-Bravo. The daughter of a Mexican Supreme Court justice, Maria remained unflaggingly spirited and optimistic even as her romances fizzled and her family’s money dried up. She took her children to the beach, to see movies and live music (including a Frank Sinatra show that proved formative for the author), and—when they were low on food—to a county fair eating contest. She provided early support to Zoro when he built and played makeshift drums from coffee and Almond Roca cans, a hobby which soon blossomed into a full-fledged passion for music and performance. As a teenager, Zoro marched into Beverly Hills High School’s band classroom, despite not being enrolled in the school, and met Lenny Kravitz, who connected him to his first professional gigs with groups including New Edition. Without downplaying his hardships, Zoro composes a tremendously hopeful ode to music and family. This bewitching rags to riches tale keeps an infectious beat. Photos. Agent: John Talbot, Talbot Fortune Agency. (Apr.)
“One of the best books I’ve read in years. Uplifting, hilarious, heartbreaking and heart-warming, Maria’s Scarf is a revelation. A love letter to those who love us unconditionally, a story of faith and passion and the power of a praying mother. Every kid with a dream needs to read this book. Every adult with a dream should read it. Every person who thought their dream passed them by needs to read it and get out there and see what faith and belief can do.”
Tosca Lee
Testimonials
ADVANCE PRAISE FOR MARIA’S SCARF: A MEMOIR OF A MOTHER’S LOVE, A SON’S PERSEVERANCE, AND DREAMING BIG
“One of the best books I’ve read in years. Uplifting, hilarious, heartbreaking and heart-warming, Maria’s Scarf is a revelation. A love letter to those who love us unconditionally, a story of faith and passion and the power of a praying mother. Every kid with a dream needs to read this book. Every adult with a dream should read it. Every person who thought their dream passed them by needs to read it and get out there and see what faith and belief can do.”
Tosca Lee
“Zoro and our lifelong customer, Elvis Presley, were cut from the same cloth. Both grew up dirt poor, passionate about R&B music and fashion. What makes them stand apart besides their talent, though, is their big hearts and adoring love for their mothers. We live in a culture that worships fame and celebrity, placing little value on the gatekeepers of our well-being. Zoro’s book pays tribute to the heroes who shaped his life in such a beautiful and honoring way that you can feel the love seeping off the pages. Elvis would have loved Zoro and this book!”
Hal Lansky
“I can’t recall ever reading a book when I just wanted to stand up and cheer again and again, but that’s how Zoro’s memoir affected me. If I could, I would give this book to every young person in the world. Besides being just a great story of a life well-led, it is also a manual on how to succeed against the greatest of odds.”
Homer Hickam
“Serving as a uniting force for an increasingly divided culture, this inspiring story will open hearts, fuel hopes, and restore faith for readers across multiple generations, backgrounds, and beliefs. Exploring everything from identity and relationships, to mental health, poverty, and the power of music, Maria’s Scarf is the kind of uplifting story you’ll want to read and discuss with everyone you know. The absolute must-read of the year.”
Julie Cantrell
“Zoro’s coming-of-age memoir will strike a nostalgic chord in anyone who grew up in the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s. Yet, the universality of his experience transcends any particular time and place. Filled with wit, wisdom, grit, and glory, Maria’s Scarf will leave you with a hopeful sense of possibility and the desire to rock the world in your own way!”
Alex Van Halen
“Although I make my living with words, I find myself at a loss for words to express how amazing Zoro’s story is. At times, it is hilarious; at other times, heartbreaking; at all times, deeply and beautifully human. I have never read anything like it.”
Ken Gire
“Much like his drumming, Zoro’s memoir is filled with heart and soul and captures the rhythm of a life filled with adversity, adventure, and ascension. Through his unforgettable journey, he shows us all how to become a shining star. A deeply affecting book about overcoming the odds that will make your heart sing.”
Verdine White
“We all have a destiny that is greater than the circumstances we face. But sometimes, we need to see how someone overcomes the obstacles in their life to muster up the courage necessary to meet our own. Maria’s Scarf is a portrait of courage that will inspire dreamers, both young and old. A timely immigrant story of a family pursuing the American dream. You’ll be thinking about these heartbreaking, hilarious, and harrowing adventures long after you put the book down!”
Joyce Meyer
``If you have ever doubted the power to become what you dream despite your circumstances, then read Maria’s Scarf. The American dream comes alive in this wonderfully poignant and exquisitely written account of how an immigrant mother’s faith and fortitude, transforms the lives of her children. You’ll be singing the Hallelujah chorus at the end!``
Joe Battaglia
“Zoro and I grew up on different ends of the country and in different periods, but we share one huge trait in common – we are both dreamers. Another amazing parallel is that, just like me, Zoro was inspired as a kid by Frank Sinatra. Like the Chairman of the Board, both Zoro and I were blessed to live our dreams. Maria’s Scarf will inspire you to never give up on yours.”
Frankie Valli
“With whip-smart prose and a talent for telling stories, Zoro catapults us into the world of music, but he also takes us on a journey of growing up and what it means to be a family. He captures his childhood as a dreamer that is authentic and pulses like a pattern of drum beats. Maria’s Scarf is a generous and moving story of sacrifice, family, and hope. A memoir that is not only a tribute to a remarkable mother, but an exploration of courage and faith.”
Melissa Cistaro
“This is a book about trying when it’s hard, failing when it was unexpected and persisting in between. These pages aren’t just about how to live a beautiful life when it’s easy, but how to press forward with tenacity and courage and love when life is hard. If you’ve got a pulse, you are going to be touched by this book.”
Bob Goff
“Engaging and evocative, Maria’s Scarf is a glorious portrayal of the poignancy of love, one that kept me turning each page. A magical story filled with surprise and delight, this unforgettable memoir serves as a testament to the power of a mother’s love and one boy’s sheer determination. Every mother who has dreams for her children needs to read this!”
Melissa Rivers
“This book had me laughing and crying, sometimes on the same page, but is more than a memoir. With its cinematic splendor, Maria’s Scarf is a movie that calls to be made—one that will inspire millions.”
Jimmy Steinfeldt
“I’ve known Zoro as one of the great drummers, and I knew he had an interesting back story, but I was unprepared for the deeply personal revelations about his family and his incredible path to stardom. Maria’s Scarf is emotional and inspiring. I couldn’t put it down!”
Gary Bryan
“Captivating . . . exhilarating . . . inspiring . . . riveting . . . An eight-course meal with dessert!!! Bravo, Zoro!!”
Dyan Cannon
``This story is for all who dream. It’s for all who have felt shut out and let down; it’s for all who have been buoyed up by someone who unrelentingly kept a candle of faith and hope lit.``
Kim Dorr-Tilly
``The rich and colorful details that are woven into every story make his book come alive. If ever there was a story about God making way for one of His own, this is it. Highly recommended!``
Bob Kilpatrick
``Everyone loves an underdog story. Maria’s Scarf is the telling of a true tale unimaginable to most of us and well worth the read!``
Steve Gilreath
“Zoro’s beautiful and touching memoir “Maria‘s Scarf” is a testament to the strength and tenacity of the human spirit. Like Zoro, I too came from a family of seven children. The book’s message - that a strong familial bond and a mother’s loving encouragement can help us realize our dreams, even in the face of difficult circumstances - truly resonated with me. I know it will for you too! Life is a Cabaret!”
Countess Luann de Lesseps
“Zoro’s memoir will make you smile. The story captures what it means to love hard, stay true to a dream, overcome huge obstacles, and reach for the stars. Like the author himself, Maria’s Scarf is triumphant in spirit, full of heart.”
Marcus Brotherton
“It’s no surprise that a musician of Zoro’s artistry, talent and reputation should create an autobiography as passionate, rhythmic, multi-layered and emotionally captivating as this one. But even more than that, Maria’s Scarf is the funny, touching and inspiring story of a mother whose unending love, devotion, humor and humanity in the face of countless hardships, gave her son the faith and courage to relentlessly pursue his impossible dream, and bring his gifts to the world.”
Michael Hauge
“Belief is powerful. It can cause us to persevere against all odds and do great things. Zoro’s memoir is an extraordinary example of how a mother’s faith in God and steadfast belief in her son can make all the difference. It will restore your hope even in the hardest of times and make you believe anything is possible.”
Dave Ramsey
“The descriptive way Maria’s Scarf takes you through the sights, sounds, and smells of a struggling family fighting to survive while taking you for an emotional roller coaster ride . . . you quickly fall in love with these characters. All the elements of a visual story leap off the page at you with every turn. It’s Whiplash meets Rocky meets Blindside . . . with the heart of Forrest Gump. A must-read . . . and hopefully soon a must-see as well.”
Rick Eldridge
“After reading this beautiful memoir, I am left with many emotions from different perspectives. As a mother, I know the other-worldly bond between mother and son and how we would walk through fire for them. As a performer, I know the heartache and absolute joy we go through with every rejection and success. As a daughter, I can’t imagine not having had a deep and loving relationship with my father. Zoro’s story is one of triumph through adversity on every level. It is a must-read for anyone who has lived, loved, lost, and knew there was something greater waiting for them.”
Cathy Rich
“Maria’s Scarf proves how becoming one of the world’s greatest drummers is not only about technique, but it’s also about the forging of a man’s soul so that each time he lays down a beat, you can feel the pain, joy, and love of Zoro’s improbable and incredible story.”
Tony R. Abrams
``Zoro's memoir portrays a boy who is rich with faith, tenacity, resiliency, and drive! He reminds us that sometimes we just have to fake it 'til we make it! My whole-hearted applause for Maria's Scarf.``