Peter Guralnick, dean of rock-and roll-storytellers, writes in the
introduction to Johnny's Cash & Charley's Pride, "Peter Cooper has
always been in the mix." Whether spending time with Johnny Cash or Kris
Kristofferson, playing bass for Loretta Lynn, discussing songwriting
with Taylor Swift, or introducing the Grateful Dead's Robert Hunter to
Porter Wagoner, Peter Cooper has continually found himself in the
presence of music royalty and the recipient of countless intimate
conversations, asides, and confidences. In Johnny's Cash & Charley's
Pride: Lasting Legends and Untold Adventures in Country Music, Cooper
chronicles his many "in the mix" tales since arriving in Nashville in
2000 to cover the country music scene for the Tennessean. Filled with
untold stories and newly revealed histories, it is an informal yet
well-studied inside view of country music's greatest characters and
pivotal moments. Now a senior director at the Country Music Hall of
Fame, Cooper's stories are akin to a curated behind-the-scenes tour of
country music. Spanning nineteen chapters, Cooper offers an original
take on the formative days at WSM and engaging introductions to an
ensemble cast of country music's icons, quirks, and golden-but-hidden
personalities. With a gem on every page, Cooper has crafted a
perceptive, smiling, and atypical immersion into the world of country
music that will keep any music fan engaged with its wit, passion, and
authenticity.
