Mayfield wanted ‘to tell my dad’s story,’ and he does in new book 'Traveling Soul'

For many, stories about their parents might fill a book. But Todd Mayfield, son of legendary performer Curtis Mayfield, has actually put down his memories from his youth in "Traveling Soul: The Life of Curtis Mayfield."

The enterprise started with an idea for a film, Mayfield told The Suburban Marquee.

"I had been wanting to tell my dad's story and make a film on his life," he said. "I initially wrote a treatment for a film to see if it could get some traction."

When Mayfield reached out to Harpo Productions, trying to find someone interested in making a movie about his father, he learned that most movies start as books.

"That's when I started writing the book," Mayfield said. "I'm a good writer but not a professional. So, I found someone passionate about my dad's career and co-wrote 'Traveling Soul: The Life of Curtis Mayfield.'"

Growing up as the child of someone famous provided Mayfield a unique perspective on his father not only as a great musician but also as a man, he said.

"It was almost like being in two worlds to a certain extent. It was normal because he was my dad, and that's all I and my siblings knew," Mayfield said. "Some of my best memories were just hanging out in the neighborhood. It was good to have a strong man protecting you from a lot of stuff. I always had someone to turn to. My dad was from Cabrini Green, so he had seen it all."

With the book published, Mayfield turned his attention back to making a movie about his father's life, he said. Beyond that, Mayfield — who worked on Wall Street for 20 years — also has plans for a series about a black Wall Street broker.