Roy Acuff

Book excerpt: "An important and especially fitting tribute." -Country Music Magazine "One of the best studies of a country music personality that has been issued to date." -The Journal of Country Music "Must reading for fans, scholars, or anyone who has more than a passing interest in Roy Acuff." -The Nashville Banner "When a king dies, the people of the land proclaim, 'The King is dead! Long live the King!' However, in this case, there is an empty throne, for there will never be another King." -Elizabeth Schlappi Acuff was the first living performer to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. He was an artist whose devotion to his work boosted not only his own career, but also the credibility and popularity of his field. This country music legend helped bring the fledgling industry and its capital, The Grand Ole Opry, from the classification of regional entertainment to a certified national institution. His career began back in 1938, when this son of a small-town Baptist preacher made his first appearance on the famed stage in Nashville. This first step toward stardom transformed his life. Roy Acuff: The Smoky Mountain Boy draws upon personal interviews with Acuff's contemporaries, friends, and family as well as Acuff himself. This combination honors Acuff by tracing the roots of his career through the evolution of his musical style and his distinctive American art form. He died on November 23, 1992