Charles K. Wolfe (1943–2006)

This is an absolutely terrific account of the first fifteen or so years of the Opry. The book's mostly about the musicians, and is based on interviews with then-surviving musicians and their families, mostly conducted in the 1970s. This was supplemented by some excellent research. Wolfe, moreover, writes well. It's an excellent book.

Potential readers should be aware that the book stops at 1940. Folks who want more recent history--and, incidentally, more information about Nashville's development into Music City, should probably also (note that also) read Craig Havighurst's Air Castle of the South.… (meer)