Stutterin' Boy : The Autobiography of Mel Tillis

Dust jacket notes: "The life story of the beloved and celebrated performer and songwriter, Mel Tillis, told to us in his own words and in his own inimitable way. One of the most renowned country singers appearing today, Tillis is known to millions, thanks to his recordings and the songs he has written for others to perform, as well as his own concerts, which keep him touring the U.S.A. and Canada most of the year. In addition, he has appeared in films, most notably with Clint Eastwood in Every Which Way But Loose, and with Burt Reynolds in Smokey and the Bandit II and Cannonball Run, and has made hundreds of appearances as a guest star on leading TV talk shows. His life, however, has not been an unbroken triumphal march to fame and riches. He started out as a poor country boy in Florida, and worked himself up from picking strawberries and shelling peas at three dollars a day to become a star who earns millions of dollars a year through performances, recordings, and the three music-publishing companies he runs. He also owns a film company, three radio stations, and a 1400-acre working farm near Nashville, Tennessee. Along the way, Tillis has endured (and just about overcome) a speech impediment, from which his nickname, 'Stutterin' Boy,' was derived; a broken marriage; and a long and challenging climb up the ladder of public recognition...."