Randy Travis’ 1986 breakthrough put him at the forefront of Nashville’s new traditionalist sound and, in the words of Garth Brooks, saved country music. The singer’s warm baritone and all-time classic songs landed him atop the charts 16 times. His cross-genre appeal brought a level of multiplatinum success that no country artist before him had ever achieved. Diane Diekman’s biography follows the life and career of one of country music’s most beloved figures. She uses dozens of interviews and in-depth research to fill in the details of Travis’ pre-fame life and his enormous impact on country, popular and gospel music. From there, she pivots to telling the story of the singer’s difficult divorce, subsequent problems with alcohol and run-ins with the law, and the challenges he overcame in the aftermath of a devastating 2013 stroke.

TWENTIETH CENTURY DRIFTER: The Life of Marty Robbins, is the first biography of this legendary country music artist and NASCAR driver who scored 16 number-one hits and two Grammy awards. Yet even with fame and fortune, Marty Robbins always yearned for more.