The Idol: The Spirit Lives In Rock 'n' Roll

On a cool night in 1986, I was invited to take part in an unprecedented concert held at the Beijing Workers' Stadium. The place was packed. I sang an original tune, Nothing to My Name, which people seemed to like. When the concert ended and I stepped outside, I saw some kids on the street imitating my moves. Few Chinese really knew what rock 'n' roll was back then. But we knew it was something that gave out energy. It was music with a message.

My musical odyssey began early. My father, a trumpet player in the People's Liberation Army, began...