Howdy!: The Minnie Pearl Story

by Mary Ellen Pethel, Don Cusic

Sarah Colley Cannon, better known as her stage character, Minnie Pearl, was born in Hickman County, Tennessee, in 1912. After graduating from Ward-Belmont, now Belmont University, she joined a touring theater company and produced and directed plays and musicals throughout the Southeast. In 1940 an executive for WSM radio in Nashville saw her Minni Pearl character and invited her to appear on the Grand Ole Opry. Cannon would play Minnie Pearl on both the Opry stage and the television show Hee Haw for the next fifty years.

292 pages, Hardcover

Published October 3, 2025

Reviews

[Maureen Grigsby · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was never a big fan of Minnie Pearl when I saw her on tv, but after hearing the author speak about her, I wanted to read this brief biography. I am glad I did because it made me realize the enormous impact of this woman in the world of country music.

[Holley Snaith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Howdy! The Minnie Pearl Story is a beautifully written and thoroughly researched biography that gives both Minnie Pearl and Sarah Cannon the recognition they deserve. Mary Ellen Pethel and Don Cusic tell Cannon's story within the broader history of country music, Nashville, and Southern culture, showing why she was far more than a beloved comic persona—she was a pivotal figure who helped shape the genre.

The book is only enhanced by wonderful photographs woven throughout the narrative. Whether you're a longtime fan or discovering Minnie Pearl for the first time, this is an engaging and fitting tribute to one of country music's most enduring icons.