Overview

The Los Angeles Times affectionately referred to Freddy Powers as the ""Ol' Blue Eyes of Country Music,"" and wrote that if you were to ""ask country superstars Willie Nelson, George Jones, or Merle Haggard (they'll) ... tell you that he's one of country music's best-kept secrets."" The Texas Country Music Hall of Fame inductee has been to the top of the charts as both a producer for Willie Nelson's Grammy-winning LP Over the Rainbow, and as a songwriter for many of country music legend Merle Haggard's number one hits. Now, for the first time, Freddy recounts the entertaining and emotional stories behind his decades-long roller coaster ride through the music business; his voyage to the top of the charts, and his inspiring battle against Parkinson's disease. Helping Freddy tell his story are exclusive interviews from fellow country music legends Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, John Rich, Tanya Tucker, The Voice finalist and Powers' protégé Mary Sarah, along with a host of other Nashville luminaries.

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9781441703774

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Reviews

""A freewheeling, often poignant oral history of one of the unsung heroes of Country Music, told colorfully by Powers and a cast of familiar characters who knew and loved him best."" -- ""Stephen L. Betts, Nashville music journalist, Rolling Stone Country"" ""Anybody that don't like Freddy Powers, I put 'em under immediate suspicion."" -- ""Merle Haggard"" ""Freddy's strongest suit, I always thought, was his rhythm guitar playing. He was a great rhythm guitar player, and he wrote some great songs with and for Merle."" -- ""Willie Nelson"" ""He's a great a writer, and I think he's one of the least-recognized of the great country songwriters, and doesn't really get his credit due."" -- ""Tanya Tucker, award-winning country music singer"" ""In this candidly informative memoir, Freddy recounts first-hand the highly entertaining and emotionally touching story behind his decades-long roller-coaster ride through the music business, to the top of the charts, and his inspiring struggle in recent years battling Parkinson's disease, all while his legacy endured through generations of fans. An inherently compelling read from beginning to end."" -- ""Midwest Book Review"" ""One of the most creatively rambunctious artists in the history of country music."" -- ""Saving Country Music"" ""Powers' name stands alongside some of country music's most enduring classics."" -- ""Austin Chronicle""

Author Information

Freddy and Catherine Powers have been married for over twenty-five years, with Catherine managing Freddy's career as a prolific performer and Texas Country Music Hall of Fame songwriter, where he is most celebrated for cowriting numerous hits for Merle Haggard, including fan favorites like ""Let's Chase Each Other around the Room Tonight,"" ""I Always Get Lucky with You,"" ""Natural High,"" and ""A Place to Fall Apart."" Freddy is the recipient of Lifetime Achievement Awards by the Nashville Songwriter's Association International, the Texas Music Academy, and the Texas Guitar Association, the CMA Triple Play Award, and the BMI #1 Song Award among other coveted distinctions and honors. Freddy and Catherine Powers have been married for over twenty-five years, with Catherine managing Freddy's career as a prolific performer and Texas Country Music Hall of Fame songwriter, where he is most celebrated for co-writing numerous hits for Merle Haggard, including fan favorites like ""Let's Chase Each Other Around the Room Tonight,"" ""I Always Get Lucky With You,"" ""Natural High,"" and ""A Place to Fall Apart."" Freddy is the recipient of Lifetime Achievement Awards by the Nashville Songwriter s Association International, the Texas Music Academy, and the Texas Guitar Association, the CMA Triple Play Award, and the BMI #1 Song Award among other coveted distinctions and honors. Nashville-based music biographer Jake Brown is the author or coauthor of many books, including Rick Rubin: In the Studio, Lil Wayne: An Unauthorized Biography, and AC/DC in the Studio: The Stories Behind Every Album. In a career spanning more than 50 years, Willie Nelson has sold over 50 million records, recorded 250 albums, written 2,500 songs, appeared in 25 films, and written two New York Times bestsellers: Willie (an autobiography) and The Facts of Life and Other Dirty Jokes. Andi Arndt arrived at her career in audiobook narration after hosting public radio programs and teaching acting and voice/speech at James Madison University. A classically trained actress with an ear for languages and dialects, Andi has studied Spanish, Dutch, Italian, French, and Chinese (Mandarin). AudioFile magazine says that ""her energy and charm will draw listeners into [the] story and keep them thoroughly engaged during the whole emotional journey."" Carrington MacDuffie is a singer and recording artist, who first began reading audiobooks featuring poetry. The recipient of multiple Earphones Awards and six Audi nominations, she has read novels by Jackie Collins, Sun Tzu's The Art of War, Anna Quindlen's Still Life with Bread Crumbs, and Christopher Buckley's Florence of Arabia. She also co-narrated Transgressions: Death's Betrayal by Macmillan Audio. MacDuffe has published her own audiobook, Many Things Invisible, featuring poetry integrated with music and sound. Donald Corren is a New York actor, with leading credits on and Off-Broadway, as well as numerous television appearances. On Broadway, he costarred with Judy Kaye in the critically acclaimed production of Souvenir, and replaced Harvey Fierstein in the seminal production of Torch Song Trilogy. His Off-Broadway appearances include The Soap Myth, Dietrich & Chevalier, The Last Sunday in June, Stephen Sondheim's Saturday Night, and the original New York production of Tomfoolery. His television credits include eight seasons as forensic tech Medill on NBC's Law & Order, as well as his current role as Dr. Kurian on Syfy's Z Nation. Eric G. Dove is an award-winning narrator who has recorded over 450 titles across a wide range of genres. An Audie nominee, he has won multiple Earphones Awards and is known for his varied and believable characterizations. An established singer/songwriter, fiction author, and avid cruising sailor, he also co-produces, with his wife Loren, their family's web series, SailAway. For more information, visit EricGDove.com. John McLain is an award-winning storyteller with over 200 audiobook credits. He delights in narrating across many genres: detective noir, suspense and thrillers, westerns, nonfiction, biography, and more. John is a SOVAS Voice Arts Award winner, a two-time nominee for the prestigious Audie Award, and a winner of the Audiobook Reviewer Listeners' Choice Award. Kasha Kensington had early aspirations of becoming a trapeze performer, but in the end she decided to pursue a degree in communications at SUNY Binghamton, where she discovered a gift for voice-over. She works extensively in both radio and the audiobook industry. L. J. Ganser is an award-winning narrator with over 450 titles recorded to date. Prized for versatility, his projects range from preschool picture books to crime noir thrillers, from astronomical adventures (both science and sci-fi) to Arctic Circle high school basketball stories. His favorite titles include Jurassic Park, The Telling Room, Capital in the 21st Century, Talking to Crazy, and Missing Beauty. He lives in New York City with his family. Marguerite Gavin is a seasoned theater veteran, a five-time nominee for the prestigious Audie Award, and the winner of numerous AudioFile Earphones and Publishers Weekly awards. With over four hundred titles to her credit, her narration spans nearly every genre. Mark Bramhall has performed off-Broadway, at venues nationwide, and extensively in film and television. He holds numerous honors for his narrations and has repeatedly been featured among AudioFile Magazine's best readers of the year. Renée Raudman has used her acting experience in television and film to build a loyal audience for her more than 300 audiobooks. She has earned several AudioFile Earphone Awards; a Publishers Weekly Listen-Up Award as well as numerous starred reviews; and multiple Audie Nominations. Lloyd James is a professional narrator, actor, and voiceover artist who has won numerous Earphones Awards for his narrations. Traber Burns worked for thirty-five years in regional theater, including the New York, Oregon, and Alabama Shakespeare festivals. He also spent five years in Los Angeles appearing in many television productions and commercials, including Lost, Close to Home, Without a Trace, Boston Legal, Grey's Anatomy, Cold Case, Gilmore Girls, and others.

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