First, a confession: I am no rabid fan of today’s country music. I know, I know….its popular and it sells. So be it. To me, a good portion of it feels contrived with guitar wielding frontmen that can barely strum a C chord. That said, there are songs I dig, and some artists too. As a guitar player myself, and one with a penchant for telecasters and AC30 amps, I do pay attention to what is up in the genre. And that, then, is how Brad Paisley came onto my musical radar some years back and that is also why I took note when this 2011 book hit the shelves.
Paisley tells his story through a discussion of the various players who made an impact on him. The book kicks off with the ubiquitous “first guitar” story, in this case given to Paisley by his grandfather, the guy who started it all for Brad. Along the way, Paisley tells of the influence of others, some well known, some not and I won’t spoil it by naming names here.
For the most part, the book is written in the self-effacing manner that Paisley projects and, based on everything I have read over the years, is really the way he is. Its an easy, quick read…not one replete with any real revelations or “tell all” narratives. Just a guy who has reached the pinnacle of his craft paying tribute to those who helped along the way. Kind of refreshing really.
Back to the AC30 amp. There is a great story about how Brad came to discover his tone through some old Vox amps that he got as a teenager from England. I loved that story as I had a similar experience, though one that occurred when I was a good deal older. While I suspect that guitar players will enjoy the book, its not overloaded with “gear speak” so should appeal to anyone interested in Paisley and his music.
