A Satisfied Mind: The Country Music Life of Porter Wagoner [Hardcover]

Steve Eng (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1992

A sometimes shocking and painful biography of a country music legend, from his career on The Grand Ole Opry to his position as manager of songstress Dolly Parton. Wagoner's relationship with Dolly has been the subject of years of speculation, and here he and Dolly reveal those years through letters and personal notes from that time.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 464 pages
• Publisher: Rutledge Hill Pr (May 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1558531335
• ISBN-13: 978-1558531338
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 5.9 x 1.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #199,401 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Porter is more interesting than you can ever know., July 28, 2000

By 

W. Thomas "wsst" (San Antonio, TX USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Satisfied Mind: The Country Music Life of Porter Wagoner (Hardcover)

You have got to read this book! If you like country music. You have got to read this book. If you like the weird side of country music then you have to read this book. Even if you think you know Porter Wagoner this book will give you information that will amaze you.

A rat nibbled part of his ear off when he was a child. He took the engagement ring pretty Miss Norma Jean threw back at him, when he refused to get a divorce, and had it made into a ring for Mel Tillis. He produced an album for preacher Tony Alamo on which Tony sings duets with his dead wife, who Tony had promised to raise from the dead. He brought James Brown to the Opry, and he performed country music to a disco beat. He pioneered the attempt to bring country music to crossover audiences.

This book is not yellow journalism. Based on solid research, some cooperation from Porter, and many interviews, Steve Eng simply tells the amazing story of Porter Wagoner's amazing life. If more of America read this book and knew the facts about Porter, he would take his rightful place as a premiere icon of country music in popular culture.

In here you will find the true story of Porter songs with cult followings like "The Rubber Room" and "George Leroy Chickashea". You'll also hear the unlikely story of his first big hit, "Satisfied Mind". Dolly Parton fans will find loads of information on her years with Porter.

As you can tell, I love this book. I can't imagine a better one being written, although I hope someday that Porter himself will release the autobiography which he has described as "too hot" to publish. But even then you will need this book.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "The Man Who Gave Dolly Parton Her Start", December 26, 2009

By 

Terry Richard "Terry Richard" (Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: A Satisfied Mind: The Country Music Life of Porter Wagoner (Hardcover)

If they ever make a movie based on the life of superstar Dolly Parton I am sure the producers will wisely look here for some neat information and anecdotes on Miss Parton. "A Satisfied Mind" is the autobiography of country music star Porter Wagoner, but if your a Dolly fan or biographer this book contains loads of info on the early years of the biggest superstar Nashville has ever produced. Steve Eng documents Porter's early life in West Plains, Missouri and his eventual signing to mega label RCA Victor in the 1950's. However, the bulk of the book details in implicit fashion Porter's discovery of Dolly in 1967, her joining his TV and road show that same year, and Porter's persistence with RCA to sign Dolly to the label, much to the chagrin of the label as they felt she couldn't sell records. It was Porter's statement to RCA that if Dolly lost money for them they could take monies from his own royalties, that Dolly became an RCA recording artist. Eng goes behind the scenes of the famous Porter/Dolly duet team, the biggest in country music history, their tireless hours of perfecting both the duo albums and Dolly's solo LP's, their constant touring, Dolly's signing over nearly half of her mutimillion dollar publishing empire to Porter in 1969, and their eventual split, involving broken hearts, bitter words from Porter about his protege, a terrible lawsuit that nearly destroyed Dolly financially, and their eventual forgiveness of each other's shortcomings in the late 1980's. There is more info here on Dolly's early years in Nashville than any other book written on her, including her own memoirs published in 1994. This is a fantastic read not only for Dolly fans, but for those interested in Porter Wagoner, or those wanting to know more about the country music business. Steve Eng has written a fascinating account on one of the more contoversial male singers to ever come out of Nashville.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Disappointed, December 7, 2011

By 

Nanette - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: A Satisfied Mind: The Country Music Life of Porter Wagoner (Hardcover)

I am disappointed with the cover of the book. When you pay $30.00 for a "NEW" book you would expect that it would be in perfect condition when you get it, however that is not what I got. The Title of the book is so faded that it is almost completely gone. I have no time to send it back because it is a Christmas gift, so I have to give it away as my gift like this. I'm not happy with this purchase at all, and now I see other listings of the same book that are new for less, even more disappointing.