A Memoir of Miles, Music, and Meaning - 

Chronicling Eric’s unconventional path in the entertainment business, Stories at the Center is set against the backdrop of his lifelong passion for distance running as he jogs through the hometown he never left, reflecting on a journey of resilience, sacrifice, persistence, and artistic purpose.

From a childhood with a disabled father, through adolescence when he discovered his passion for songwriting, and into adulthood, he remains true to his dreams, all the while refining them with an openness to what life offers him. Ultimately, he creates and hosts the PBS series, Songs at the Center, which spotlights music legends such as John Oates, Janis Ian, and Ray Stevens, as well as emerging artists, giving voice to the unsung heroes of the music industry—the songwriters.

Blending humor, tension, and resolution, he explores a life devoted to serving others in an entertainment industry often driven by ego and money. His path is interrupted by the loss of loved ones, mistakes, and cultural resistance. He navigates his way through an increasingly transactional world, cherishing his family, nurturing friendships, and finding that investing in the dreams of others can lead to the fulfillment of one’s own. 

PRAISE:

Eric Gnezda’s Stories at the Center embody the courage of true tenderness. He brings to life painful races as a very young track star with a harmful coach. His adolescent embarrassment about his father’s MS brings him closer as an adult to his fading father. His indomitable Sicilian American mother’s strength sustains the family. Gnezda lets his readers share the exuberance of his nephew Tony and the deep grief we all feel when a young person dies suddenly and too soon. This is a book to savor, to cherish, to take to heart. —Peggy Shumaker, author of Just Breathe Normally

“Eric tells stories of love, pain, persistence, and joy like the true songwriter he is. Your heart, like mine, will be moved.”—John Oates, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Songwriters Hall of Fame member, and author of Change of Seasons: A Memoir

“Eric’s book is delightful. Fun, entertaining, and thoughtful. He has a gift for finding humor in life’s most difficult challenges—and seeming to come out ahead. It’s a journey through faith, family, and never losing sight of your dreams.” —Ray Stevens, two-time Grammy Award Winner, member of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, and author of Ray Stevens’ Nashville

“Eric Gnezda is one of those whose talents hinge in many directions, as a musician, storyteller, singer, entertainer, journalist, advocate, and more. In Stories at the Center, he brings every bit of that to bear witness to a life in search of purpose and meaning, always uplifting even in the low times and through loss and hardship, always in celebration of a world he finds constantly amazing.” —Ann Fisher, journalist and NPR host

“The author's poignant and often humorous telling of his tales, made up of masterfully chosen and rhythmically placed words, provides a portal into a human life. Cinematic episodes of a time, a place, and experiences very different from any of my own, but such a vivid and sensitive sharing of human thought and emotions, that I could've easily mistaken them for my own. In short, it's a literary Norman Rockwell painting, but with all the cracks of real life.” —Nellie Clay, songwriter, painter, and author of A Passion Project: Crossing Paths with Inspiring Souls

“Eric Gnezda has written a memoir that takes the reader through multiple journeys. From his early years living with a disabled father to a dynamic career as a performer and songwriter, the book is marked by tenderness, humor, and wisdom. As the poet James Wright would put it: This is a book by a grown man.” —Stephen Kuusisto, author of Have Dog Will Travel: A Poet’s Journey and New York Times “Notable Book of the Year” Planet of the Blind: A Memoir

“Whether with Rock & Roll Hall-of-Famers, Grammy winners, or just an old friend like me, Eric tells inspiring stories with an artist’s eye for compassion, nuance, and wit. I loved this book!” —William Burtch, award-winning author of Otherwise Wretched: Stories and W.G.: The Opium-addicted Pistol Toting Preacher Who Raised the First Federal African American Union Troops

by Eric Gnezda
Page Count: 276
Trim Size: 6 x 9
Publish Date: December 2, 2025
Imprint: Sunbury Press
Genre: Memoir

BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Memoirs
BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Entertainment & Performing Arts
BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Music