From its roots in the southern Appalachian mountains, what we know today as country grew from a distinctive mix of folk, blues, bluegrass and more to become one of the defining genres of American music. Country has evolved over multiple generations of artists, but the importance of storytelling has remained at its heart for some 100 years. This book celebrates the work of some of the genre's greatest storytellers, whose songs have stood the test of time and whose influence can be felt to this day. Discover the stories of the many kings and queens of country, from innovators like Jimmie Rodgers and Hank Williams to chart-topping legends like Dolly Parton and Shania Twain. Alongside these icons, we also salute the modern country artists – such as Lainey Wilson, Morgan Wallen, Luke Combs and Kacey Musgraves – whose fresh takes are opening up the genre to a whole new audience of fans around the world.
Welcome
INTRODUCTION
A JOURNEY ACROSS COUNTRY • AN INTRODUCTION TO ONE OF MOST POPULAR AND DIVERSE GENRES IN AMERICA’S CULTURAL HISTORY
COUNTRY GENERATIONS
WELCOME TO Nashville • TAKE A TOUR OF MUSIC CITY, TENNESSEE, COUNTRY MUSIC’S (AND ACTUAL) HOME
Country DETOURS • MANY ARTISTS FROM OTHER GENRES HAVE ‘GONE COUNTRY’ – OR SOON PLAN TO – DURING THEIR CAREERS. HERE ARE A FEW NOTABLE EXAMPLES…
COUNTRY ICONS • MEET SOME OF THE GENRE’S PIONEERING, BESTSELLING AND LEGENDARY ARTISTS
George Strait • THIS KING OF COUNTRY MUSIC HAS BEEN A PIONEER, TAKING THE GENRE BACK TO ITS HONKY-TONK ROOTS
Patsy cline • ONE OF THE GREATEST COUNTRY SINGERS OF ALL TIME, CLINE WAS A PROFOUND INSPIRATION FOR COUNTLESS OTHERS
ALAN JACKSON • THIS GEORGIA ARTIST HAS STAYED TRUE TO TRADITIONAL COUNTRY AND CARVED OUT ONE OF THE BIGGEST CAREERS IN THE GENRE
Jimmie Rodgers • THE FOUNDING FATHER OF COUNTRY MUSIC HAD A HUGE INFLUENCE ON GENERATIONS OF ARTISTS TO COME
BUCK OWENS • OWENS DOMINATED THE COUNTRY CHARTS IN THE MID-60s AND PIONEERED THE DISTINCTIVE, TWANGY BAKERSFIELD SOUND
Conway Twitty • WITH A CAREER SPANNING FIVE DECADES, THE HIGH PRIEST OF COUNTRY MUSIC BECAME A REIGNING IDOL OF THE INDUSTRY
THE CARTER FAMiLY • THE FIRST FAMILY OF COUNTRY MUSIC HAD A SIGNIFICANT INFLUENCE ON THE CREATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE GENRE
WILLIE NELSON • SINCE EMERGING IN THE MID-50S, WILLIE NELSON HAS CARVED A UNIQUE NICHE AS ONE OF THE MOST ENDURING AND INFLUENTIAL COUNTRY ARTISTS
Kenny CHESNEY • THE KNOXVILLE SINGER-SONGWRITER WHO ROSE TO BECOME ONE OF COUNTRY MUSIC’S MOST ENDURING SUPERSTARS
JOHNNY CASH • WITH HIS DISTINCTIVE DEEP TONES AND MELANCHOLY, JOHNNY CASH MIGHT JUST BE THE MOST RECOGNISABLE COUNTRY SINGER-SONGWRITER OF ALL TIME
Jim Reeves • ‘GENTLEMAN JIM’ WAS THE BIGGEST MALE STAR TO EMERGE FROM NASHVILLE, WITH SONGS THAT SPOKE TO MILLIONS AROUND THE GLOBE
JERRY LEE LEWIS • IN THE LATE 60S, THE MAN DUBBED ‘THE KILLER’ CHANGED COURSE FOR COUNTRY MUSIC AND RARELY LOOKED BACK
KRIS KRISTOFFERSON • A UNIQUELY GIFTED SINGER, SONGWRITER AND ACTOR WHO HAS CRAFTED A STRING OF ICONIC COUNTRY SONGS
CHARLEY PRIDE • CHARLEY PRIDE PAVED THE WAY FOR OTHER BLACK COUNTRY MUSICIANS, ACHIEVING 30 CHART-TOPPING HITS
ALABAMA • THIS BESTSELLING COUNTRY BAND SOLD 75 MILLION ALBUMS AND PACKED OUT ARENAS FOR WELL OVER A DECADE
LINDA RONSTADT • DUBBED THE QUEEN OF COUNTRY-ROCK, LINDA RONSTADT’S VERSATILITY AND VOCAL VIRTUOSITY ENSURED HER SUPERSTAR STATUS
MERLE HAGGARD • A GIANT OF COUNTRY MUSIC WHO DEFINED THE BAKERSFIELD SOUND AND WAS KNOWN AS THE ‘POET OF THE COMMON MAN’
Dolly Parton • THE QUEEN OF COUNTRY. DOLLY PARTON HAS HAD A SEISMIC EFFECT, NOT ONLY ON THE GENRE, BUT ACROSS POP CULTURE
DEFORD BAILEY • AN...