Behind Closed Doors: Talking with the Legends of Country Music

by Alanna Nash

Interviews with 27 country stars reveal the range of personalities and viewpoints that make up today's country music scene. Journalist Alanna Nash speaks in candid interviews with performers about Nashville's music industry, changes in the country audience over the past thirty years, and their own releationships to their music. Nash's interviews showcase the diversity of the performers (from college-educated professionals to ex-convicts) and their audiences. Interviewees include Tammy Wynette, Merle Haggard, Brenda Lee, Reba McEntire, Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, Conway Twitty, Naomi and Wynonna Judd, Bill Monroe, Steve Earle, Emmylou Harris, Hank Williams Jr., Chet Atkins, and Willie Nelson.

Genres: Music, Nonfiction, Biography, History

576 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1988

Reviews

[Garrett Cash · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alanna Nash has an undeniable knack for interviewing country stars, and she doesn’t shrink from tough questions. As anyone should already know this book is supremely dated with many of these interviews taking place 40 years ago or more, but that’s probably why you’re interested in this. For conducting research and seeing what it was like in the moment I’d rather read Ricky Skaggs talking in 1981 about getting his solo career going than read him talking about it 40 years later.

Inevitably, 550 pages of interviews can be a little bit of a slog to chew all at once but I’m going to be pleased to use this as a reference later. Your interest will definitely vary depending on who is getting interviewed but overall the focus on truly probing the subject is consistently interesting.

I read this based on the strong recommendation given to it by Cocaine and Rhinestones host Tyler Mahan Coe, whose father David Allan Coe is one of the highlights of this book. Tyler lists it among his core library he draws on for every episode of his detailed country music history podcast, which I highly recommend as well if this book interests you.

[Joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful book. Not just about country music, but about America itself. Alanna Nash is a superb interviewr, with great insight the hearts, minds and souls of the people she is interviewing Together, these interviews tell much, about the history of America in the twentieth century,

[Lacy · Rating 2 out of 5]

The interviews are fine—nothing mind blowing and new necessarily. Some were a bit boring.

[michael r. sayles · Rating 1 out of 5]

The author is a cnt. Who the eff are you to judge Naomi Judd. Just your opinion doesn’t make it fact asswipe.

[Dusty · Rating 4 out of 5]

What stands out to me about this collection is Alanna Nash's skill at conducting interviews. When she spoke with him, George Jones had just completed his famous stay in a mental hospital, so of course she asks him about it. When she interviews Tammy Wynette, who had literally just returned home from an extended stay in the hospital for some uncertain surgical procedure or another, she asks how it feels to be considered country music's biggest drama queen. These are only two examples. If, on one hand, Nash is able to write this book because she has built trust and friendship with a number of country music's biggest names, on the other, she proves she isn't starstruck or swept up in the publicity machine by asking tough questions. It is true, as she states in her Introduction, that a number of these interviews are dated; but, like I said in my review of Nicholas Dawidoff's In the Country of Country, I am still glad to have them in print. Far too many of these country music legends are no longer with us, and so it's good to have a book like this keeping their stories alive.

[Rosa Cline · Rating 3 out of 5]

This wasn't really what I had expected but was nice at parts. Each 'interview' was just that an interview of the singer from the late 70's or early 80's so things they discussed in many of the sections pertain to things going on during that time. I was hoping for more discussions on their personalities and why they do the music they do, or why they write what they write. Or even a little about their personal lives. But instead most is about their producers and or tour dates. Although some did talk about personal stuff, but others didn't. So if you read this and find one interview not to your liking just skip it and read the next interview. Just wished it had been more less 'in the date' of the interview

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good stories, a lot that I knew but a fun read nonetheless. If you like classic country artists this is a book to read.