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Almost Like a Song
Ronnie Milsap's life is a classic rags-to-riches tale. Now one of the hottest country crossover singers in the nation with six Grammys, 15 million records sold, and 34 number-one hits (more than Elvis Presley), Milsap's early life was a different story. 16 pages of photographs. National tour.
259 pages, Hardcover
First published May 1, 1990
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
December 5, 2021
I used to own a copy of this book but lost it in storage. Which really bummed me out seeing as though I had gotten it signed by Mr.Milsap himself. I have read it from cover to cover and it is the best of the best. He has always been a true inspiration and a great influence on my life. And after reading this book you will be inspired too.
February 22, 2012
The story of country musican Ronnie Milsap from his childhood with his grandparents to attending school on his own from age 6 to his sucess as a coutry music singer. A very good book for anyone that's a fan. This was the second time I've read this.
December 8, 2017
Excellent book. I enjoyed reading about one of my favorite artists. He had so much to overcome. I appreciate his sense of humor, and while in uncomfortable situations shows his ability to run with the punches.
October 22, 2019
Moving, sad, uplifting. Everything in one package.
March 17, 2026
In the early 1980s, Country Music Superstar Ronnie Milsap performed in Salt Lake City. As a reporter at a nearby newspaper, I got to attend the concert and meet him backstage, thanks to the dominant country station there. Ours was a memorable encounter: the blind reporter and the blind singer/songwriter reaching to shake hands—only for our hands to miss and collide instead. I figured the interview could only improve from there. It did. Milsap was generous with his time and thoughts, and I left with a solid story and the clear sense that I'd met a remarkable man. His talent was extraordinary, no question, but what struck me deepest was his devotion to God, family, and friends, along with his firm resolve to stay clear of alcohol and drugs.
You'll read about that resolve in the book, and I'm convinced it's genuine. When I met him, the backstage spread included plenty of juice, soft drinks, and water—nothing stronger. His Salt Lake performance stood out for its energy and skill (I even recall some pyrotechnics toward the end), but you didn't come here for my one-night memory.
The book opens with Milsap's tough beginnings in the Smoky Mountains of North Carolina. His mother viewed his birth as a curse because of his blindness, abandoned him, and left him with his grandparents, who raised him as their own son—and he saw them as his true parents. On one cruel occasion, she brought him to meet a sighted half-sister, had him touch the child's eyes, and pointed out how clear and normal they were—unlike his. She reappeared in his adulthood, asking for money he never gave her.
Milsap recounts his years at the Governor Morehead School for the Blind in Raleigh, a kind of second home. He learned a great deal there, but he also endured hardship. Many residential staff were illiterate and cruel; they beat students without mercy, and Milsap didn't escape the whippings or having his head slammed against walls.
While he studied classical music at school, it was rock, R&B, and country that truly pulled him in.
The state's rehabilitation agency pushed him toward Atlanta for college with law school in mind, but he chose a community college instead, and his passion for music flourished.
He briefly joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints but left soon after.
The book is filled with mentions of songs he performed and artists he worked with, but those details feel secondary to the steady, positive presence of his wife, Joyce. She and their son, Todd, clearly mean more to him than all the Grammys, gold records, awards, and high-profile audiences combined.
One song stands out for me above all the hits: "'Til the Season Comes 'Round Again," which Milsap recorded in 1995 for a country Christmas compilation. It's not a chart-topper or big money-maker, but every time I listen, it moves me to tears. He pours such quiet emotion and thoughtfulness into the lyrics that you feel right there at the family table for that final photo before everyone scatters—holding onto the hope that the season will indeed come round again. I catch myself playing it even outside the holidays; its message simply transcends the calendar.
One minor drawback: the sheer number of names—collaborators, band members, industry figures—can feel overwhelming at times. Milsap also writes candidly about people who exploited his blindness and inexperience, recounting moments of broken trust that nearly left him bankrupt and broken. Yet he relates these episodes matter-of-factly, without bitterness. Their poor choices hurt him, but they never hardened into lasting resentment or cynicism.
This is a straightforward, no-frills memoir that will lift your spirits and leave you humming Milsap's songs long after you finish. Unlike so many modern celebrity books that seem to compete in tales of excess and self-destruction, Milsap keeps his focus quiet but firm on God and family as the true wellsprings of his inspiration and success. He frequently credits his fans and acknowledges everyone from bandmates to bus crew as essential to what he achieved.
For me, this was a five-star experience that filled a quiet Sunday night in the best possible way.
You'll read about that resolve in the book, and I'm convinced it's genuine. When I met him, the backstage spread included plenty of juice, soft drinks, and water—nothing stronger. His Salt Lake performance stood out for its energy and skill (I even recall some pyrotechnics toward the end), but you didn't come here for my one-night memory.
The book opens with Milsap's tough beginnings in the Smoky Mountains of North Carolina. His mother viewed his birth as a curse because of his blindness, abandoned him, and left him with his grandparents, who raised him as their own son—and he saw them as his true parents. On one cruel occasion, she brought him to meet a sighted half-sister, had him touch the child's eyes, and pointed out how clear and normal they were—unlike his. She reappeared in his adulthood, asking for money he never gave her.
Milsap recounts his years at the Governor Morehead School for the Blind in Raleigh, a kind of second home. He learned a great deal there, but he also endured hardship. Many residential staff were illiterate and cruel; they beat students without mercy, and Milsap didn't escape the whippings or having his head slammed against walls.
While he studied classical music at school, it was rock, R&B, and country that truly pulled him in.
The state's rehabilitation agency pushed him toward Atlanta for college with law school in mind, but he chose a community college instead, and his passion for music flourished.
He briefly joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints but left soon after.
The book is filled with mentions of songs he performed and artists he worked with, but those details feel secondary to the steady, positive presence of his wife, Joyce. She and their son, Todd, clearly mean more to him than all the Grammys, gold records, awards, and high-profile audiences combined.
One song stands out for me above all the hits: "'Til the Season Comes 'Round Again," which Milsap recorded in 1995 for a country Christmas compilation. It's not a chart-topper or big money-maker, but every time I listen, it moves me to tears. He pours such quiet emotion and thoughtfulness into the lyrics that you feel right there at the family table for that final photo before everyone scatters—holding onto the hope that the season will indeed come round again. I catch myself playing it even outside the holidays; its message simply transcends the calendar.
One minor drawback: the sheer number of names—collaborators, band members, industry figures—can feel overwhelming at times. Milsap also writes candidly about people who exploited his blindness and inexperience, recounting moments of broken trust that nearly left him bankrupt and broken. Yet he relates these episodes matter-of-factly, without bitterness. Their poor choices hurt him, but they never hardened into lasting resentment or cynicism.
This is a straightforward, no-frills memoir that will lift your spirits and leave you humming Milsap's songs long after you finish. Unlike so many modern celebrity books that seem to compete in tales of excess and self-destruction, Milsap keeps his focus quiet but firm on God and family as the true wellsprings of his inspiration and success. He frequently credits his fans and acknowledges everyone from bandmates to bus crew as essential to what he achieved.
For me, this was a five-star experience that filled a quiet Sunday night in the best possible way.
January 29, 2016
Very touching story of the obstacles this man overcame to success. God truly had His hand on him. Easy read and well-written.
April 2, 2017
I found this book at a library book sale, and was very interested in reading this book, being a fan of Milsap's music. The book is mostly him growing up before he broke it big in the music business. When he does get to his music career, it's mainly about early shows -he just briefly mentions things like "I recorded this song" and "this song."
While the book is interesting, especially reading about the struggles he went through in his childhood and dealing with other issues in his life, it was not my kind of book. I do not like books where half (or over half) deals with the younger years before an artist starts their big break. I'd rather like to hear about how the artist found this song (or wrote it) and tales on the road. This is not a knock on the book, especially since the year it was published-memoirs have become more in depth now days (I was not looking for dirt or trashy stories, but just struggled through this one). Major fans of Milsap will like the book, and Tom Carter writes well, but overall the book was a little bland for me. However, since I got it at a library sale, I can't complain too much, because of the price and booksales are the best time to experiment on books.
While the book is interesting, especially reading about the struggles he went through in his childhood and dealing with other issues in his life, it was not my kind of book. I do not like books where half (or over half) deals with the younger years before an artist starts their big break. I'd rather like to hear about how the artist found this song (or wrote it) and tales on the road. This is not a knock on the book, especially since the year it was published-memoirs have become more in depth now days (I was not looking for dirt or trashy stories, but just struggled through this one). Major fans of Milsap will like the book, and Tom Carter writes well, but overall the book was a little bland for me. However, since I got it at a library sale, I can't complain too much, because of the price and booksales are the best time to experiment on books.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews