Nashville City Blues: My Journey as an American Songwriter

For many diehard music fans and critics, Oklahoma-born James Talley ranks among the finest of American singer-songwriters. Talley’s unique style—a blend of folk, country, blues, and social commentary—draws comparisons with the likes of Woody Guthrie, Merle Haggard, and Johnny Cash. In this engaging, down-to-earth memoir, Talley recalls the highs and lows of his nearly fifty-year career in country music.

Talley’s story begins in the hardscrabble towns of eastern Oklahoma. As a young man, he ...