Diary of a Player

By Brad Paisley

Diary of a Player - Brad Paisley
  • Release Date: 2011-11-01
  • Genre: Biographies & Memoirs
Score: 4.5
4.5
From 159 Ratings

Description

Country music star Brad Paisley salutes others in the music world in this funny, personal, and fascinating portrait of what it’s like to be country’s leading guitar hero.

The Story of a Life with Strings Attached

Brad Paisley is one of country music’s leading men—admired as a recording artist, a performer, a songwriter, and a guitar slinger. This was not always so. In Diary of a Player, Paisley for the first time fully retraces his entire musical and personal journey to date. And it all began with a loving grandfather who gave eight-year-old Brad Douglas Paisley a Sears Danelectro guitar—the Christmas gift that would alter Brad’s life forever. In Brad’s own words, we read his emotional tribute to his late great “Papaw,” Warren Jarvis, who sparked his dream come true:

When I was eight I got a gift from my grandpa. No coincidence that around that time I also got an identity. See, no matter how I have changed, learned, and evolved as a person, the guitar has been a major part of it, and really the only constant. A crutch, a shrink, a friend, love interest, parachute, flying machine, soapbox, canvas, liability, investment, jackpot, tease, a sage, a gateway, an addiction, a recovery, a temptress, a church, a voice, veil, armor, and lifeline. My grandpa knew it could be many of these things for me, but mostly he just wanted me to never be alone. He said if I learned to play, anything would be manageable, and life would be richer. You can get through some real tough moments with that guitar on your knee. When life gets intense, there are people who drink, who seek counseling, eat, or watch TV, pray, cry, sleep, and so on. I play.

Reviews

  • No pictures?!?

    4
    By shawnj55
    Book was pretty good - but where are the pictures? The print version has them - why not the ebook?
  • Touching and Insightful

    5
    By Chris McDonough
    I am a huge Brad Paisley fan. The lyrics to his songs feel like the words to my life and family experiences and this book is no different. The dignity and grace he attributes to the friends and people around him resonate through this book and reflect back upon him. He shows that humor, respect, talent and pride in a life well-lived go hand in hand. There is not enough of that in the world anymore. We can't all live the life Brad has, but we can certainly lead our lives in the same way. This book is a touching reminder of that.
  • Great read for a Brad Paisley fan!

    5
    By Hollys129
    I'm not a guitar player or musician but I am a huge Brad Paisley fan. This has been such an enjoyable book to read to learn more about who Brad is and what he is about.
  • Great stories from a blessed man.

    5
    By Nuf Said.
    Today is my son's 10th birthday and I was so thankful I could spend it with him and Brad. Technology allows us to experience marvelous things these days. (See "Welcome To The Future" for more on this.) And while my son and a friend joyously roamed Dave & Busters today, I got to spend an hour or so reading this great book on my iPhone. Finished the book tonight after my boy went to bed, thankful of the joy Brad has brought to my life in this book, on his records, in concert and in numerous TV and radio appearances. Thanks to some great tix we got thru Brad's fan club, I was able to take my son to his Denver stop on the H2O tour where we were right next to the catwalk where he played unbelievable solos in front of the thousands in attendance. More than once during the show he paused during a solo to hand a pick to my son or another appreciative kid in the crowd. He did this without missing a beat. This was my son's first concert and will likely be a vivid memory throughout his life. I was blessed to meet Clemente at a similar age to my son's lucky encounter with Brad, and I believe both are similarly inspired gentlemen. This book is an act of thanksgiving from Brad and I just wanted to share my thanks for the joy he continues to bring me and the world. Looking forward to seeing Brad again in January!
  • Great Book

    5
    By Matthew Wade
    I'm not much of a reader but I am a Big Brad Paisley fan so I decided to give it a try. Once I started reading I could not put it down..
  • Must Read

    5
    By stratohacker
    If you love country music or the guitar this book is a must read!
  • Good Stuff, even for non-fans

    4
    By TexasTbird
    Let me start by saying that, although I am from Texas, I couldn't name a single song by Brad Paisley or pick him out of a line-up for that matter. I am the same age as he is and grew up playing guitar leaning more toward Pantera, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and ZZ Top. My ventures into country stop at Willie, Waylon, and the Boys along with David Allen Coe and (nearly) The Eagles. Having said that I saw an interview where Brad was talking about being a guitar player. I listened and thought it would be worth the read. I can tell you that this was much more satisfying than listening to Keith Richards recount another incident that landed him in jail. Or yet another overdose for Slash. Or read Ozzy's incoherent banter and think that my 2nd grader may have proof-read this for him. Sammy Hagar's story was uplifting in how music was his job and he took it, his family, and his fans seriously. Miles Davis' biography is a fascinating tale of a successful black man in pre-civil right USA- not to mention the fact that that Miles Davis changed music like 5 or 6 times in his career. But this little gem of a read spoke to me as a guitar-player, as a son, as a father, as a friend. I think this is just the type of dude I'd like to hang out and chew through some old standards while emptying a couple cold ones from the refrigerator in the garage! (Not the fridge with last year's dear meat, the one with the Budweiser,) I have little patience for the pop-country industry where it seems like 10 guys write everyone's songs and all of the titles have a double meaning. But this dude seems like the full meal deal as a player and as a person. It's obvious he loves music and how he describes his relationship with his guitar is something that even a cadual player will feel. I'll have to check out some of his tunes now...
  • Brad paisley playing

    5
    By Kirk & Diann
    As parents of a daughter chasing the dream of "playing"........this book was amazing! Laughter and tears!
  • Awesome, awesome

    5
    By Mersy4598
    Incredible read! This is a must buy for the holiday season. Terrific story, written beautifully.
  • Diary Of A Player

    5
    By Fan#125000000
    I laughed, I cried, I smiled. It's a wonderful account of Brad Paisleys journey in country music. I enjoyed reading about the "old timers" in the industry and how much Brad appreciated every one of them. I was sad when it ended, but look forward to many more good things from Brad Paisley.