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Diary of a Player: How My Musical Heroes Made a Guitar Man Out of Me
Country music star Brad Paisley salutes others in the music world in this funny, personal, and fascinating portrait of what it’s like to be country’s leading guitar hero.
The Story of a Life with Strings Attached
Brad Paisley is one of country music’s leading men—admired as a recording artist, a performer, a songwriter, and a guitar slinger. This was not always so. In Diary of a Player, Paisley for the first time fully retraces his entire musical and personal journey to date. And it all began with a loving grandfather who gave eight-year-old Brad Douglas Paisley a Sears Danelectro guitar—the Christmas gift that would alter Brad’s life forever. In Brad’s own words, we read his emotional tribute to his late great “Papaw,” Warren Jarvis, who sparked his dream come true:
When I was eight I got a gift from my grandpa. No coincidence that around that time I also got an identity. See, no matter how I have changed, learned, and evolved as a person, the guitar has been a major part of it, and really the only constant. A crutch, a shrink, a friend, love interest, parachute, flying machine, soapbox, canvas, liability, investment, jackpot, tease, a sage, a gateway, an addiction, a recovery, a temptress, a church, a voice, veil, armor, and lifeline. My grandpa knew it could be many of these things for me, but mostly he just wanted me to never be alone. He said if I learned to play, anything would be manageable, and life would be richer. You can get through some real tough moments with that guitar on your knee. When life gets intense, there are people who drink, who seek counseling, eat, or watch TV, pray, cry, sleep, and so on. I play.
The Story of a Life with Strings Attached
Brad Paisley is one of country music’s leading men—admired as a recording artist, a performer, a songwriter, and a guitar slinger. This was not always so. In Diary of a Player, Paisley for the first time fully retraces his entire musical and personal journey to date. And it all began with a loving grandfather who gave eight-year-old Brad Douglas Paisley a Sears Danelectro guitar—the Christmas gift that would alter Brad’s life forever. In Brad’s own words, we read his emotional tribute to his late great “Papaw,” Warren Jarvis, who sparked his dream come true:
When I was eight I got a gift from my grandpa. No coincidence that around that time I also got an identity. See, no matter how I have changed, learned, and evolved as a person, the guitar has been a major part of it, and really the only constant. A crutch, a shrink, a friend, love interest, parachute, flying machine, soapbox, canvas, liability, investment, jackpot, tease, a sage, a gateway, an addiction, a recovery, a temptress, a church, a voice, veil, armor, and lifeline. My grandpa knew it could be many of these things for me, but mostly he just wanted me to never be alone. He said if I learned to play, anything would be manageable, and life would be richer. You can get through some real tough moments with that guitar on your knee. When life gets intense, there are people who drink, who seek counseling, eat, or watch TV, pray, cry, sleep, and so on. I play.
146 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 19, 2011
45 people are currently reading
803 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 198 reviews
November 21, 2011
I don't know what I was expecting when I started this book. For starters, I am a fan, not just a fan, a crazy fan. Brad Paisley is that one artist that I have fallen in love with and I love his sound and how he picks songs that are so many things at once. Most of all, his songs speak to me, tell me of how some think and feel about things.
This book allows you to step into Paisley's world, almost as if you are his friend, and he is just telling you a story of his life, and how he has become the person he has become today. His words portray his feelings for the people, the artists that influenced him, touched his very life and how they changed him. Many times I laughed and even cried at some of the feelings he expressed. It gives so many examples of inspiration, mostly focused on being a guitar player, but you could take them out of the specific context and make them useful for everyday life.
I would recommend this book to anyone... even if you don't like country music, you would love this book. Its like a discription that I have heard numerous times when it concerns country music: Its not necessarily the music, its what's being told. It is everyday life put to music.
This book allows you to step into Paisley's world, almost as if you are his friend, and he is just telling you a story of his life, and how he has become the person he has become today. His words portray his feelings for the people, the artists that influenced him, touched his very life and how they changed him. Many times I laughed and even cried at some of the feelings he expressed. It gives so many examples of inspiration, mostly focused on being a guitar player, but you could take them out of the specific context and make them useful for everyday life.
I would recommend this book to anyone... even if you don't like country music, you would love this book. Its like a discription that I have heard numerous times when it concerns country music: Its not necessarily the music, its what's being told. It is everyday life put to music.
August 13, 2016
I bought an acoustic guitar because of this book. I don't even know how to play guitar ... or any musical instrument for that matter, but the humor and grace of the author(s) was enough to convince me that the goal I've always had of playing might be possible. I'm a huge country music fan, and at the top of my list of favorite recent artists is Brad Paisley. I adore the idea of writing a book about your influences, and I think musicians who do that give their enthusiastic audience something more than music. They provide real inspiration, and it seems that was what Brad intended to do. I was surprised just how much of the book was about the music, and to hear him discuss the things he did to come up in the music industry proves how much he loves what he does. Overall, the book provides incredible insight, and the written voice is uniquely Brad.
November 5, 2011
It was really interesting to see where Brad Paisley came from, how he got into music and how he followed his dreams. I always got the impression from his music that he was not just an awesome guitarist, but also just a great person, and that really came out in his book as well.
December 28, 2020
This was a fast read, and very interesting. If you are a big fan of Brad you will love this book. Also anyone interested in how someone very good on the guitar gets where they are will enjoy Brad telling his side of how he got there. Country music fans will also enjoy this, especially the older country music.
January 30, 2024
Really good! Perfect for fellow musicians there’s a lot of gear talk and musician stories but he also makes it understandable for all! Wholesome and made me tear up at the end!
June 24, 2017
Great insight into a guitar hero of mine. The guy is humble despite being wicked good on that Telecaster.
May 6, 2015
Brad's a cool dude, I love his keep working at it ethic. the stories and his admiration rang through each word. however this read a bit overdone to me. not awful, just not awesome.
July 20, 2020
This is the story of how Brad Paisley's musical journey beginning with the Christmas his grandfather gave him his first guitar (not something Paisley had asked for). One of the things I respect is that he had to work hard to learn how to play well--this is how it really is with an instrument when you want to get really good and technical. Like some others who have done this well, he had a lot of help, teachers (his first one was terrible, but his second one was much better) many mentors and some fabulous opportunities. There are no instant results with playing music, or guarantees if you go for it, but there are many rewards and not everyone with talent chooses to make it a career.
He wisely chose to write this with a friend who is a professional writer, so this is quite readable.
He wisely chose to write this with a friend who is a professional writer, so this is quite readable.
March 28, 2023
Fascinating book by one of the country greats of the early to mid 2000’s. It was as entertaining as a Brad Paisley song
February 10, 2013
I was a huge Brad Paisley fan in the early days of his career (pre-Time Well Wasted). I got his first CD, Who Needs Pictures, for my 14th birthday, just a couple of months after it was released. To me, Brad Paisley was what Justin Bieber (or whoever the current teen heartthrob is now) is to teenage girls these days. I got to meet him twice at meet-and-greets before concerts, so as far as I was concerned at the time, my young teenage life was complete. At the height of my obsession, I'm sure everyone around me just wished I would shut up, actually. Then at some point along the way, his music just stopped speaking to me the way it had at one time and I moved on.
I'm not sure if this could be considered to have spoilers or not. I didn't mark it as such, so be warned.
When I came across this book, I thought it might be an interesting read. I thought it might even be fun to sort of revisit that point in my life. While the book does have some entertaining anecdotes, I thought it fell a bit short in that area. I was expecting more about Brad's personal journey as a guitar player, as well as stories about his experiences. That is there, but not to the degree you might expect. Early in the book, he provides some insight into how he felt about receiving a guitar as a Christmas gift from his grandfather, as well as his early struggles with learning to play the instrument. I found this particularly interesting--I remember watching and reading countless interviews with him where this part was never mentioned. It made him seem more like a regular person instead of the prodigy that the media (at one time, at least) made him out to be. Undoubtedly, he is extremely talented, but I don't remember much ever being said about how much work also went into that. Magazines and such always made it sound like he just picked up that first guitar and started playing.
The middle of the book focuses more on Brad's guitar heroes. I understand that that is the point of the book, but at times it felt more like it was about name-dropping than sharing how they affected his personal playing style. I'll admit that might have just been me getting a little impatient, though. I knew who several of his influences where, but there were also several names that I wasn't familiar with, so that could have been the whole problem I had with that part. The last part of the book goes back to stories of Brad's experiences after moving to Nashville and beginning to record for Arista.
All in all, I moderately enjoyed the book. I don't think it's one I'd have been particularly upset if I had never read, but it does give a pretty good insight into who Brad Paisley is as a person. Die-hard fans like I used to be will probably love it--all through the book I couldn't help but think how I'd have been hanging on every word if it had been published when I was 15 and Brad was all I could talk about. If you're a fan, it's definitely worth a read. If you're a guitar enthusiast, you might find it entertaining as well. The technical stuff is kept to a minimum, so you can still understand what's going on even if (like me) you don't know a thing about guitars.
I'm not sure if this could be considered to have spoilers or not. I didn't mark it as such, so be warned.
When I came across this book, I thought it might be an interesting read. I thought it might even be fun to sort of revisit that point in my life. While the book does have some entertaining anecdotes, I thought it fell a bit short in that area. I was expecting more about Brad's personal journey as a guitar player, as well as stories about his experiences. That is there, but not to the degree you might expect. Early in the book, he provides some insight into how he felt about receiving a guitar as a Christmas gift from his grandfather, as well as his early struggles with learning to play the instrument. I found this particularly interesting--I remember watching and reading countless interviews with him where this part was never mentioned. It made him seem more like a regular person instead of the prodigy that the media (at one time, at least) made him out to be. Undoubtedly, he is extremely talented, but I don't remember much ever being said about how much work also went into that. Magazines and such always made it sound like he just picked up that first guitar and started playing.
The middle of the book focuses more on Brad's guitar heroes. I understand that that is the point of the book, but at times it felt more like it was about name-dropping than sharing how they affected his personal playing style. I'll admit that might have just been me getting a little impatient, though. I knew who several of his influences where, but there were also several names that I wasn't familiar with, so that could have been the whole problem I had with that part. The last part of the book goes back to stories of Brad's experiences after moving to Nashville and beginning to record for Arista.
All in all, I moderately enjoyed the book. I don't think it's one I'd have been particularly upset if I had never read, but it does give a pretty good insight into who Brad Paisley is as a person. Die-hard fans like I used to be will probably love it--all through the book I couldn't help but think how I'd have been hanging on every word if it had been published when I was 15 and Brad was all I could talk about. If you're a fan, it's definitely worth a read. If you're a guitar enthusiast, you might find it entertaining as well. The technical stuff is kept to a minimum, so you can still understand what's going on even if (like me) you don't know a thing about guitars.
March 9, 2014
The title is right. He tells about his heroes and that's about it. Very little insight is given into what the instrument is about, how to practice, play-- or anything else a guitar man would write about with a special knowledge that enriches the reader. His first love was a lesbian who really couldn't love him, but he says nothing about this. One need not tell all, but some baring of the soul is necessary.
Here's my response on Amazon to another reviewer:
Yes, that's right. I noticed right away that this wasn't an autobiography the likes of which I had seen. I thought, "Well, it doesn't have to be. So what if it's different?" But it doesn't offer much detail and you get little insight. Other musicians tell of travail (and triumphs) of all kinds: stage disasters, disasters with managers-- the normal bumps in life that are so often very very big bumps for people going to the top. But any he has, a disappointing D in guitar class in college, a failed relationship with a girl, the time all their equipment got flooded, are glossed over. Somehow it all worked out with the flooded amps and everyone pulled together like troopers and the show went on. He finally got married. Did Paisley ever get heckled, drunk, angry as hell? Was there anyone he DIDN'T like? He doesn't say. As for the triumphs, Porter Wagner once gave him directions. He went fishing with Little Jimmy Dickens. He was pals with Buck Owens. These tidbits are actually quite dull. I want to know whether it's true what we've heard about these men aside from their being just awfully, awfully nice fellas. There must be more to these guys than that, good and bad. So tell us about it. Not a tell-all, but at least something that will give us insight and interest us. Compare this to Carole King's recent autobiography (or Keith Richard's or Sonny Bono's). I'm sure that Paisley's life has not been as uneventful as the book makes it seem. He should dump his co-writer and write his next book on his own. I'm rooting for him.
Here's my response on Amazon to another reviewer:
Yes, that's right. I noticed right away that this wasn't an autobiography the likes of which I had seen. I thought, "Well, it doesn't have to be. So what if it's different?" But it doesn't offer much detail and you get little insight. Other musicians tell of travail (and triumphs) of all kinds: stage disasters, disasters with managers-- the normal bumps in life that are so often very very big bumps for people going to the top. But any he has, a disappointing D in guitar class in college, a failed relationship with a girl, the time all their equipment got flooded, are glossed over. Somehow it all worked out with the flooded amps and everyone pulled together like troopers and the show went on. He finally got married. Did Paisley ever get heckled, drunk, angry as hell? Was there anyone he DIDN'T like? He doesn't say. As for the triumphs, Porter Wagner once gave him directions. He went fishing with Little Jimmy Dickens. He was pals with Buck Owens. These tidbits are actually quite dull. I want to know whether it's true what we've heard about these men aside from their being just awfully, awfully nice fellas. There must be more to these guys than that, good and bad. So tell us about it. Not a tell-all, but at least something that will give us insight and interest us. Compare this to Carole King's recent autobiography (or Keith Richard's or Sonny Bono's). I'm sure that Paisley's life has not been as uneventful as the book makes it seem. He should dump his co-writer and write his next book on his own. I'm rooting for him.
November 23, 2011
What does country music, guitar heroes and an autobiography have in common? The newest novel called, Diary of A Player by Brad Paisley and David Wild. Welcome to the unique story of just how untalented Brad Paisley really believed himself to be and how he utilized the talents of creative legends like Buck Owens, Roy Clark, and Chet Atkins to help him turn his dream into a reality!
This honest, funny, revealing book is one musician's true story of what's been a very musical life with strings attached. Diary of A Player is Brad Paisley's love letter to the guitar as an instrument that changes our lives and a loving tribute to the musical heroes that taught him everything he really needed to know about growing up.
You will learn about the important people that came into Brad's life from his humble beginnings as an 8-year-old-boy who received a guitar from his grandfather one Christmas and his journey into learning how to become the talented musician we have come to love and adore. Believe it or not, he didn't just pick it up as a natural and begin playing. He actually gave it up for awhile much to the dismay of his grandfather. The reader is also along for the journey into how he met and married Kimberly Williams, his wife and what his thoughts are for his own children. Included with the book are candid photos of Brad's journey to stardom and some of the "guitar heroes" he has met along the way.
I received this novel compliments of Simon and Schuster for my honest review and loved how simple the story was written. You actually feel as though Brad is sitting with you sharing his story in the words that spring to life off the page. You can see that even though he is a musical superstar today, the journey wasn't always the easy one we have a tendency to think of when comparing him to where he is today. I highly recommend this story to my readers and rate this autobiography a 5 out of 5 stars!
This honest, funny, revealing book is one musician's true story of what's been a very musical life with strings attached. Diary of A Player is Brad Paisley's love letter to the guitar as an instrument that changes our lives and a loving tribute to the musical heroes that taught him everything he really needed to know about growing up.
You will learn about the important people that came into Brad's life from his humble beginnings as an 8-year-old-boy who received a guitar from his grandfather one Christmas and his journey into learning how to become the talented musician we have come to love and adore. Believe it or not, he didn't just pick it up as a natural and begin playing. He actually gave it up for awhile much to the dismay of his grandfather. The reader is also along for the journey into how he met and married Kimberly Williams, his wife and what his thoughts are for his own children. Included with the book are candid photos of Brad's journey to stardom and some of the "guitar heroes" he has met along the way.
I received this novel compliments of Simon and Schuster for my honest review and loved how simple the story was written. You actually feel as though Brad is sitting with you sharing his story in the words that spring to life off the page. You can see that even though he is a musical superstar today, the journey wasn't always the easy one we have a tendency to think of when comparing him to where he is today. I highly recommend this story to my readers and rate this autobiography a 5 out of 5 stars!
April 23, 2012
Well, as everyone knows I love Brad, so it wasn't hard to love this book. Actually, I was just praying it wouldn't make me dislike him after I read it (fearing it would be terribly written or it would reveal something about him that I wouldn't like).
NOT the case...he tells many stories about his childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood....all relating to his development as a guitar virtuoso and singer/songwriter. He pays tribute to his musical heros, and to the individuals that "brung" him into the country music fold.
Country music seems to be a very inclusive group...the older, more seasoned performers tend to "bring along" the younger ones and give them a huge amount of support. Brad talks specifically about playing at Wheeling, WV's Country Jamboree as a pre-teen and teenager, and meeting very famous musicians/singers like the Judds and Vince Gill....and how nice they were to him. He mentions several other legendary guitar players and the mentorship he received.
He tells many stories about his family and their support of his music. Fascinating that neither of his parents were musical...his grandfather purchased his first guitar at age 8 and eventually it "caught on". I loved the story of he and his father ordering special amps from England...his father drove him to Pennsylvania just to pick them up...and when they got them home they couldn't even plug them in as they didn't fit into an a/c outlet!
Brad gets personal talking about his strengths and weaknesses, and how he has developed over the years as a musician. He is extremely humble and loves his family and his wife/kids more than anything. He tells the story about meeting his wife and falling in love with her...it just made me go "awwww".
Result...I loved this book and I love him even more now! The next time I see him live I will be watching his playing more closely...as he described in detail his playing style and how it developed.
NOT the case...he tells many stories about his childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood....all relating to his development as a guitar virtuoso and singer/songwriter. He pays tribute to his musical heros, and to the individuals that "brung" him into the country music fold.
Country music seems to be a very inclusive group...the older, more seasoned performers tend to "bring along" the younger ones and give them a huge amount of support. Brad talks specifically about playing at Wheeling, WV's Country Jamboree as a pre-teen and teenager, and meeting very famous musicians/singers like the Judds and Vince Gill....and how nice they were to him. He mentions several other legendary guitar players and the mentorship he received.
He tells many stories about his family and their support of his music. Fascinating that neither of his parents were musical...his grandfather purchased his first guitar at age 8 and eventually it "caught on". I loved the story of he and his father ordering special amps from England...his father drove him to Pennsylvania just to pick them up...and when they got them home they couldn't even plug them in as they didn't fit into an a/c outlet!
Brad gets personal talking about his strengths and weaknesses, and how he has developed over the years as a musician. He is extremely humble and loves his family and his wife/kids more than anything. He tells the story about meeting his wife and falling in love with her...it just made me go "awwww".
Result...I loved this book and I love him even more now! The next time I see him live I will be watching his playing more closely...as he described in detail his playing style and how it developed.
February 18, 2014
My learn-something-new goal for 2014 was the acoustic guitar. Before I started taking lessons, I wanted to begin to understand the mindset of a great guitarist, and, as a lover of country music, I knew Brad Paisley was that. When I discovered his book I was all in.
What drew me in was Paisley's relationship with his guitar, that unique bond between a person and an instrument that creates the sound of one's own life. Paisley's relationship with his grandfather who gave him his first guitar revealed again how our paths in life evolve.
Not only was the book fascinating as a journey to success, but it's also a treatise on the importance of sustainable relationships, respect, the support of others, and gratitude. Paisley's story is one of creativity and uncompromising values. It connects us with art and humanity. I hope to get a good bit of that from my own guitar lessons.
What drew me in was Paisley's relationship with his guitar, that unique bond between a person and an instrument that creates the sound of one's own life. Paisley's relationship with his grandfather who gave him his first guitar revealed again how our paths in life evolve.
Not only was the book fascinating as a journey to success, but it's also a treatise on the importance of sustainable relationships, respect, the support of others, and gratitude. Paisley's story is one of creativity and uncompromising values. It connects us with art and humanity. I hope to get a good bit of that from my own guitar lessons.
December 22, 2011
I knew I would enjoy this book, because I am a big fan of Brad Paisley's music. He wrote this book the same way he writes many of his songs, with both a sense of poignancy and a sense of humor. While this does have some autobiographical information in it, it is not strictly an autobiography. It is partially a tribute to those people who have helped Brad Paisley along in his career. The book also offers a lot of advice to musicians and parents of children taking music lessons. I highly recommend this book to music lovers, especially country music lovers, or to anyone considering a career in music.
December 10, 2012
Okay. You have to read this book. I don't care if you could care about country music. Just read the book.
When I picked this up, I was already a fan of Brad Paisley. However, this book captivated me. I would not put it down. It is laugh-out-loud funny, especially the story about the British guitar amplifiers. And the one about the horrible sounding acoustic guitar. And the one about the song "Part II" and the "Father of The Bride" movies. And the one about the time he got a D in guitar. See? I could go on forever. But to fully appreciate it, you gave to read it. Helena, that includes you:).
July 28, 2012
I went to TJ Maxx looking for something to wear to the Brad Paisley concert Wed night and while I checking out saw this book and bought it as a joke for Sam. After the concert (which was pretty awesome!)I was looking at the pictures, started reading it and was hooked! I've never been a big Brad fan, I went to his concert because I was excited that Sam actually wanted to go to a country concert and because I love The Band Perry who opened for Brad. After reading this book and seeing him play I really have a deeper appreciation for his music and talent. He seems like a pretty stand up guy - which in the world of famous people is rare.
August 3, 2012
Book Title: "Diary of a Player”
Author: Brad Paisley & David Wild
Published By: Howard Books
Age Recommended: 18+
Reviewed By: Kitty Bullard
Raven Rating: 5
Review: Brad Paisley tells the story of how his inspirations drove him to become a country music superstar, what a deep belief in god can do for you, and how his grandfather was responsible for the start of a dream.
This is a beautiful story, one that shows the true side of Brad Paisley, the boy he was, the man he became, and just how much family really means.
This book is one you don’t want to miss out on, especially if you are a Brad Paisley and country music fan.
Author: Brad Paisley & David Wild
Published By: Howard Books
Age Recommended: 18+
Reviewed By: Kitty Bullard
Raven Rating: 5
Review: Brad Paisley tells the story of how his inspirations drove him to become a country music superstar, what a deep belief in god can do for you, and how his grandfather was responsible for the start of a dream.
This is a beautiful story, one that shows the true side of Brad Paisley, the boy he was, the man he became, and just how much family really means.
This book is one you don’t want to miss out on, especially if you are a Brad Paisley and country music fan.
April 2, 2012
the book takes what every guitarist knows - that a guitar is your one companion always through all of life's ups and downs - and spreads it out over 200 odd pages
nice and easy to read... well told... and i could identify with so much in the book... at a time when i needed to
February 16, 2015
A book about Brad and his guitars? Count me in. Lots of fun.
This was a very quick read - I guess Brad figures his pickin' friends don't delve into long novels. He might be right. But i was hoping for way more information about guitars, amps, and the craft. This is more about Brad and his journey.
This was a very quick read - I guess Brad figures his pickin' friends don't delve into long novels. He might be right. But i was hoping for way more information about guitars, amps, and the craft. This is more about Brad and his journey.
October 27, 2015
As the title states, this isn't an autobiography. It's Brad talking about how he got started playing the guitar, who his musical influences were and are, and how he feels about music, the guitar, and country music in general. Fun and fascinating reading.
December 26, 2024
You get to see a new side of Brad Paisley.
January 5, 2019
I confess to not being much of a Paisley fan. It's not that I don't like him, I'm just kind of indifferent. My guitar teacher loaned me "Play" and I listened to it once. Just not my cuppa. I picked this up, along with autobiographies of Parkening and Benson, hoping to find some useful guitar lore. Despite the name...not much here in that vein. The single tip (and I paraphrase) would be: find great mentors and teachers at an early age and learn everything you can from them, as you focus your life pretty much exclusively upon music. As a fifty-something software engineer, I didn't find this to be terribly helpful advice. But that certainly isn't Paisley's fault. :)
For someone interested in country music, or for a Brad Paisley fan, I can see them getting much more out of the book. He seems like a nice enough fellow, and it sounds like he's led a pretty charmed life, musically speaking: this is not someone who had years of struggle only to finally make it big.
For someone interested in country music, or for a Brad Paisley fan, I can see them getting much more out of the book. He seems like a nice enough fellow, and it sounds like he's led a pretty charmed life, musically speaking: this is not someone who had years of struggle only to finally make it big.
January 9, 2025
This book is such a fantastic read!
Whether you’re, like, the biggest Brad fan ever, play a bit of guitar on the side, or you just love a really good story, his outlook on life, music, and self-reflection will literally have you laughing out loud, maybe tearing up a little, and straight-up feeling inspired. ‘Diary of a Player’ is one of those books where you keep telling yourself, ‘Just one more page,’ and then boom, suddenly you’ve finished it! I was so sad when I hit the end, I seriously hoped another chapter would magically appear.
Brad tells the story of how he became the musician and songwriter we all love, and hearing about who influenced him and how his success was equal parts drive, inspiration, hustle, and a bit of luck, just makes him seem even cooler! Honestly, you don’t need to be a massive country fan to appreciate his journey, but hey, it definitely helps if you love a good twang now and then.
Whether you’re, like, the biggest Brad fan ever, play a bit of guitar on the side, or you just love a really good story, his outlook on life, music, and self-reflection will literally have you laughing out loud, maybe tearing up a little, and straight-up feeling inspired. ‘Diary of a Player’ is one of those books where you keep telling yourself, ‘Just one more page,’ and then boom, suddenly you’ve finished it! I was so sad when I hit the end, I seriously hoped another chapter would magically appear.
Brad tells the story of how he became the musician and songwriter we all love, and hearing about who influenced him and how his success was equal parts drive, inspiration, hustle, and a bit of luck, just makes him seem even cooler! Honestly, you don’t need to be a massive country fan to appreciate his journey, but hey, it definitely helps if you love a good twang now and then.
February 19, 2018
I really enjoyed reading about Brad's musical influences and the way he became the guitar player and musician he is today. I've seen him twice in concert and have been blown away with what this guy can do on 6 strings, so it was awesome to get some insight into the journey it took to get him to the level. I also enjoyed learning about some of the stories from his life that have shaped him as a person. I think it is very enjoyable and refreshing to hear a success story that required a lot of work, a dose of humility, and the passion to sustain someone through the ups-and-downs of life--and out comes a guitar shredding legend on the other side. Very cool! I enjoyed Brad's story and passion for many reasons, and really enjoyed getting to know him better through this book. Rock on Brad!
May 3, 2018
Although I kind of fell off listening to his music for a spell, Brad is someone whose guitar playing I’ve always been inspired by and looked up to. After reading this book, it’s really cool to be able to see that he is also someone whose humility, gratefulness and deep love of music are also worth learning from and emulating. This book is a great tribute to all of the people who helped shape him into the musician he is today. It’s an entertaining and insightful read that really reminded me that no matter how successful you ever are, it’s never something you achieved on your own. We all have people who helped us out along the way and I can only hope to give as fitting a tribute to those people in my life as Brad does for the ones in his. A great read from a truly great country artist!
March 13, 2025
I'm not a country music fan, and only knew one Brad Paisley song (the funny "I'm Gonna Miss Her"), but I am a fan of guitar which is what made me pick it up. There were some interesting anecdotes, including how he got together with his wife (which was coincidental - we had just watched one of her movies). There were a few good nuggets, but nothing profound. The authors are listed as "Brad Paisley and David Wild", and I imagine Wild did most of the actual writing. The writing itself wasn't particularly good, and I didn't really get the sense that I was hearing Paisley's voice, or feeling his personality, as you do with some memoirs (even though it was written in the first person). Not sorry I read it, but not too memorable.
March 22, 2021
I needed to read a book with a 700 library dewey decimal number. I stumbled upon this. I did not know much about Brad Paisley but was hooked right from the start. Some autobiographies are boring and hard to read. This one flowed so well and it had me googling the information to learn more. I had no idea that Brad started playing guitar at age 8. That he started his first band at age 12. This was such an incredible story and journey that I loved it! It truly was a divine calling for him. I wondered about how he met his wife and had to laugh about how it all happened.
March 12, 2019
Truly enjoyed this book, though I am admittedly biased as I love Brad Paisley! This was more an autobiography by way of an extended love letter to the guitar, and the people who shaped him as a player, and therefore, by extension, shaped his whole life. It was heartfelt, witty, and gave you a deeper glimpse into the life of this beloved country star, who doesn't take for granted what he's earned, and worked hard to get there.
August 17, 2020
Interesting account of Brad Paisley’s musical influences. This is definitely a book for music aficionados and not those looking for a Brad Paisley biography. Yes, the stories he does share are still interesting and are a brief peek into his life but this is all about the music … and he warns the reader of this in the first chapter. If a musician is looking for inspiration and/or encouragement, this is the book for them.
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