Country Music Changed My Life: Tales of Tough Times and Triumph from Country's Legends

In this book of original interviews, some of country music's greatest stars share personal moments of redemption, inspiration, and heartache related to the music that shaped their lives. Brenda Lee explains how her childhood singing gift raised her entire family out of dire poverty, and Pat Boone speaks about the spiritual influence of his father-in-law, Red Foley. Barbara Pittman talks about her childhood friendship with Elvis Presley, while Little Jimmy Dickens divulges how Hank Williams came to write a song for him and why he never recorded it. Mickey Gilley talks about gladly living in, then gladly escaping, the shadow of his cousin Jerry Lee Lewis, and Hank Thompson reveals how his background in electrical engineering helped revolutionize country music. Freddie Hart shares how he overcame a jail-cell beating to become Mr. Easy Lovin', and Marty Martel talks about how the troubled Johnny Paycheck redeemed himself during his final sad days. More stories pour forth from Glen Campbell, Don Williams, Johnny Legend, Chris Hillman, and many others.