Careless Love: The Unmaking of Elvis Presley,by Peter Guralnick, January 1999.

My Country: The African American's experience in Country Music,by Pamela Foster, December 1998.

Branson, Mo: Las Vegas of the Ozarks, Henry Hornstein's photographies of Branson, December 1998.

The Encyclopedia of Country Music, compiled by the staff of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, November 1998.

The View From Nashville, Ralph Emery, once again, tells it like he sees it, November 1998.

Elvis Presley: A Life In Music (The Complete Recording Sessions), everything you wanted to know about Elvis in the studio, September 1998.

The No Depression anthology: warm portraits, but could use more objectivity, September 1998.

Rock-A-Billy: A Forty-Year Journey: tells fun stories of rockabilly lover, though facts could use checking, September 1998.

Like a Moth to a Flame: The Jim Reeves Story by Michael Streissguth isn't very definitive, September 1998.

Elvis, Hank & Me by Horace Logan with Bill Sloan. Book looks at the birth of the Louisiana Hayride, where Elvis and Hank got their starts, July/August 1998.

The King of Western Swing: Bob Wills Remembered and Jazz of the Southwest by Rosetta Wills and Jean A. Boy respectively. The former is by Wills' daughter, while the second argues in an oral history that Western swing is really an extension of jazz, July/August 1998.

The Nashville Sound by Joli Jensen. A sociological/academic look at the sound of 60's Nashville, July/August 1998.

Lone Star Swing, a Scotsman search for Western swing in Texas, May 1998.

Dreaming Out Loud by Bruce Feiler. Book looks at Nashville in the post-Nineties boom through the eyes of Garth Brooks, Wynonna Judd and Wade Hayes, May 1998.

Modern Twang, an alternative country music guide and directory and impressive tome on the subject, April 1998.

Top Country Albums, 1964-97, Billboard by Joel Whitburn, March/April 1998.

Nashville's Unwritten Rules, Inside the Business of Country Music by Dan Daley, January/February 1998.

Johnny Cash: The Autobiography, The Man in Black tells all again, December 1997.

Forever Yours Faithfully, a look at the lives of Lorrie Morgan and Keith Morgan, November 1997.

The All.Music Guide to Country, isn't the be all guide.

Creating Country Music, an insightful study by Richard Peterson, October 1997.

That's Alright Elvis, book by Scotty Moore, band member and manager for the early Elvis, October 1997.

Two books about the most successful country artist ever, Eddy Arnold, are reviewed, September 1997.

MusicHound Country The Essential Album Guide tells you what you need, most of the time, September 1997.

The Billboard Book of Top 40 Country hits tells you all you'll ever want to know when it comes to the charts, September 1997.

Rough Mix, music titan Jimmy Bowen tells his side of the story, July/August 1997.

Garth Brooks, The Road out of Santa Fe, the start of Garth Brooks's career, July/August 1997.

The Devil's Box: Masters of Southern Fiddling, examines the rise of the fiddle, July/August 1997.

Nickel Dreams finds Tanya Tucker telling all, finally, May 1997.

Ramblin' Rose, The Life and Career of Rose Maddox, the story of one of the most influential women of country, May 1997.

The Country Reader: Twenty-Five Years of the Journal of Country Music, selected readings from the seminal country music magazine.

Waylon Jennings: An Autobiography, Waylon tells about his life in music from being saved from a fatal flight to his flaws.

Ernest Tubb: The Texas Troubadour, a detailed book about the great, late Texan.

In Close Harmony: The Story of the Louvin Brothers, by Charles Wolfe. The book tries to chronicle the life of the famous brothers.

Tattooed on their Their Tongues, A Journey Through the Backrooms of American Music by Colin Escott. Book explores legends of music, including Johnny Horton.

Hell-Bent for Music, The Life of Pee Wee King by Wade Hall. The story behind the man who gave us "The Tennessee Waltz."

I Lived To Tell It All by George Jones with Tom Carter, The Possum offers the stories behind his dark days.

America's Music: The Roots of Country by Robert Oermann, companion piece to TV series is not without pitfalls.

I Fall to Pieces: The Music and the Life of Patsy Cline by Mark Bego, examines one of country's leading ladies, but does the book fall to pieces as well?

Songs of Life: The Meaning of Country Music by Jennifer Lawler, tries to study the lyrics of country music.

The History of the Grand Ole Opry by Paul Kingsbury, looks at the venerable institution in a colorful offering.

Crook & Chase TV hosts Loriane Crook and Charlie Chase tell of their beginnings and reveal a little about country's finest.

Country Music Culture Book by Miami, Ohio University Professor Curtis W. Ellison, explores the history of country.

Lefty Frizzell: The Honky-Tonk Life of America's Greatest Country Singer Book by Daniel Cooper details the life of one of country's best singers. Does the book match the quality of the singer?
Definitive Country: The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Country Music and Its Performers After 10 years in the making, this 1,132-page tome lists everyone from Nathan Abshire to Jess Young.

Steve Earle /

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