Customer Reviews

Classic Country: Legends of Country Music

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Profiles of fifty selected country legends accompany dozens of rare photos in a presentation which charts the Monroe Brothers, Louvin Brothers, and those who paved the way for future country artists. From bluegrass artists to country vocalists, Classic Country provides fine documentation of many lesser-known but important figureheads.

...not a fluff piece extolling the virtues of established artists who stepped on many to get to the top. As the granddaughter of that "textile worker" who had to sue Roy Acuff in order to make him stop claiming authorship of "I Didn't Hear Nobody Pray," (which he cleverly renamed "Wreck on the Highway"), I can tell you my grandfather never tried to ride on anyone's coattails, much less the likes of Acuff, who stepped on more than my grandfather in his climb to the top. Acuff and his lawyers succeeded in preventing my grandfather from obtaining the rights to his song until after its popularity had diminished and most of the money had been made from the song - by Acuff, of course. Very little research is required to find out this information - perhaps the author should have tried an honest representation of the events involved, instead of glossing over a distasteful part of Acuff's past in favor of making him out to be some sort of "put-upon" quasi-hero chased by money-grubbing textile workers.

Anyone wanting the actual story of what happened between my grandfather, Dorsey Dixon, and Roy Acuff need only google his name.

Leesa Dixon Axley