In the brief introduction to his newest book longtime Nashville insider and music critic Robert K. Oermann notes that what has always set the Grand Ole Opry apart are the people, whether the people on the stage or the people in the audience. From the often told stories to the more obscure, Oermann goes on to tell about many of those artists who have throughout the years stood on that Opry stage.
If you are looking for backstage gossip, as the title might suggest, you will be disappointed. The subtitle of the book, “Tales of Romance and Tragedy,†comes closer to being a more complete description of what you’ll find in the 33 chapters Oermann offers up.
It seems his purpose was to draw back that Grand Ole Opry curtain and show the Opry members as more than just artists. Oermann goes to great efforts and research to show these artists as people. People that go through hard times, that love, and some that suffer. He does an admirable job of making that point. Each chapter is a stand alone mini-biography covering one or more of the Opry stars.
Oermann covers some of the stories most familiar to fans of country music, such as those of the legends like Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash, Hank Williams, George Jones, Loretta Lynn and Willie Nelson whose stories have been told often. He also covers some of the “younger†members of the Opry like Hal Ketchum, Alan Jackson, Clint Black, Randy Travis, Dierks Bentley and Josh Turner.
The book is heavy on the romance part of the equation telling of how these Opry members met their significant other and stories of their time together. It is this aspect of the story that goes the longest way in humanizing the artists we often only see on stage.
Where the book really shines is in the exposition of stars that stand to be forgotten by many members of the audience due to their death or at least their music going out of favor with the public. Oermann gives detailed and well-researched accounts of the lives and careers of artists including The Wilburn Brothers, Johnny Paycheck, Faron Young, Little Jimmy Dickens and Mel Tillis. He devotes a chapter to the artists lost to the “Opry Curse†of the early 1960s, Patsy Cline, Hawkshaw Hawkins, Cowboy Copas, Jack Anglin and Texas Ruby. He also devotes a chapter to an overview of duet partners such as the Davis Sisters, The Osborne Brothers, The Stanley Brothers and Jim & Jesse.
For the student of country music, one who has read widely in the field, this book probably won’t offer that much new information (although it is nice to have some of the facts and stories collected in a single volume), but for new fans of country music or longtime fans who want to dig a little deeper, Oermann offers a wide selection of artist that are sure to include at least a few favorites and enough information to either satisfy readers or allow them a place to jump off on their search for more information.
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