First published 2007
Country music transformed from a ridiculed genre into a major force in American pop culture. Bruce Feiler secured rare access to the private world of Nashville's music industry during this transformation. He chronicles the genre's biggest stars as they reshape American music. The book takes readers from the Grand Ole Opry's historic stage into dimly lit recording studios where outsiders never go. Feiler presents detailed portraits of Garth Brooks and Wynonna Judd, two of the era's most celebrated artists. He also follows Wade Hayes, a young performer hoping to reach the same heights in country music. The book combines social history with an insider's backstage pass, offering authentic glimpses into one of America's richest musical traditions.
Genres: 20th-century, american, non-fiction, biography-memoir, music, 21st-century, americana
Vibes: intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: insider-perspective, social-history
Setting: America, Grand Ole Opry, Nashville
Period: 20th Century, 21st Century
416 pages · ebook · HarperCollins Publishers