Searching for his father and finding his family - a conversation with Nabil Ayers

What's the meaning of the word "family?"

Is it the DNA you share with a person? Maybe it's the trust and safety you feel when you're around them. Or maybe it's the values and memories you share.

For musician, record label president, and Sonic Boom Records co-founder, Nabil Ayers, this question has followed him throughout his life.

He spent decades building an identity and music career outside of his magnetic yet elusive father's shadow — his biological dad is the jazz musician Roy Ayers, best known for his 1976 song, "Everybody Loves the Sunshine."

Nabil Ayers chronicles his path to finding his own way in the music world in his new memoir, "My Life in the Sunshine: Searching for my Father and Discovering my Family."

Ayers spoke to Soundside host Libby Denkmann about his passion for music, co-founding one of the most iconic record stores in Seattle, and discovering the true meaning of family.

Ayers will be in conversation with KEXP's Cheryl Waters this Friday at Town Hall Seattle. You can find more information about the event on Town Hall's website.