He wrote songs for Elvis. He won three Grammys. He created a guitar style that still leaves musicians shaking their heads in disbelief.

HE WROTE FOR ELVIS, WON THREE GRAMMYS, AND BUILT A GUITAR STYLE MOST PLAYERS STILL CAN’T TOUCH — BUT THE WORLD REMEMBERED THE TRUCK. Jerry Reed played guitar on Elvis Presley’s “Guitar Man.” He wrote songs Elvis recorded. Even Chet Atkins studied what Reed was doing. Brad Paisley later praised his total musicianship. But say … Đọc tiếp

A few days before he was gone, Waylon Jennings was no longer the untouchable outlaw the world knew. There were no stage lights, no cheering crowds—just a man at the end of his journey, sitting quietly beside Jessi Colter, the woman who had loved him through every triumph and every scar.

A FEW DAYS BEFORE WAYLON JENNINGS WAS GONE, THE OUTLAW WHO SPENT HIS LIFE SOUNDING UNBREAKABLE HAD BECOME QUIET BESIDE THE WOMAN WHO KNEW EVERY SCAR. The room was still. No stage lights. No roaring crowd. No black hat pulled low under a spotlight. Just Waylon near the end of the road, with Jessi Colter … Đọc tiếp

He stayed away from the Grand Ole Opry for more than two decades. It took the loss of Waylon Jennings to bring him back.

HE HADN’T SET FOOT ON THE OPRY STAGE IN 20 YEARS. IT TOOK WAYLON JENNINGS DYING TO BRING HIM BACK. Waylon Jennings carried a ghost for 43 years. In 1959, he gave up his seat on a small plane to a sick friend. That plane crashed in an Iowa cornfield and killed Buddy Holly, Ritchie … Đọc tiếp

He married her three times.

HE MARRIED HER THREE TIMES. THE LAST TIME, HE ALREADY KNEW HE’D LOSE HER. Billy Joe Shaver was the roughest man in outlaw country. Dropped out of school at thirteen. Lost three fingers in a sawmill. Relearned guitar with what was left. But the one thing he couldn’t learn was how to leave Brenda Tindell. … Đọc tiếp

For 20 years, Toby Keith quietly raised $15 million to build a home for children battling cancer. He called it the greatest achievement of his life—more meaningful than every No. 1 hit he ever recorded.

FOR TWENTY YEARS, A MAN RAISED FIFTEEN MILLION DOLLARS TO BUILD A HOME FOR CHILDREN WITH CANCER. HE CALLED IT HIS GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT. THEN THE SAME DISEASE CAME FOR HIM. He was Toby Keith. The loudest mouth in country music. America knew the caricature. Boot in your ass. Red Solo Cup. The flag-waving redneck half … Đọc tiếp