Beautiful Mess: The Story of Diamond Rio (NelsonFree)

By Diamond Rio

Can a band comprised of six very talented but very different musicians make a difference with their music?

What made it possible for Diamond Rio to weather the storms inherent in the fickle world of fame and fortune and go more than two decades without a single lineup change? Any reader in search of transparency and a behind-the-scenes look into the life of the band as a unit as well as the individual lives of the players and singers will be well satisfied. Can true loyalty exist within the competitive, seemingly unforgiving music industry? In Beautiful Mess Marty Roe, Dan Truman, Jimmy Olander, Brian Prout, Gene Johnson, and Dana Williams each has an entire chapter devoted to his personal and professional life. The book’s tone is a welcome rarity—not written from one player’s perspective, but from all six as they “meet in the middle.” Beautiful Mess is a wild ride from the edge of disaster and a little-known secret to an ongoing heart-warming revival.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson
• Release date: Sep 14, 2009
• ISBN: 9781418585884

Book preview

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Reviews for Beautiful Mess

[authorlyndacoker · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

My Thoughts: This unique hardcover edition of Beautiful Mess The Story of Diamond Rio lived up to the earlier reviews that I had read and to the book blurb. I chose this book because I've always been a fan of this group's music. They will be glad to know that I'm one of many fans who never had a clue Diamond Rio was in trouble. Ignorance is truly bliss.While reading this story of their years of struggle, success, struggle, and succees, I felt as though I'd been invited into their inner circle of close friends. I experienced the frustration, hurdles, and failures that burdened their early years. I soared with them through the awards and rewards of their successful years. I gasped when learning of the disaster that almost brought them to their knees in more recent years.The story is told with candor, humor, and tears. I especially appreciated the many photos that depicted each stage of their journey. Anyone who enjoys the music of this group will more than enjoy reading Beautiful Mess.Teaser Snippet:"Diamond Rio's story is a beautiful mess. And an inspiration for anyone who wants to know what's possible when a small group of people rolls up its sleeves and works together."

[brokenteepee · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I took my time reading this book because I wanted to give it a fair review. It was an unusual genre for me and I chose it just for that reason. The book starts near the end of the band's story and then it starts to build back from the beginning. While I found the tale of how the band came together to be interesting, I also found it to be a bit long and drawn out.What I thoroughly enjoyed were the individual chapters on the final members of the band after they settled on who would make up what ultimately became Diamond Rio. Each member's story is told from his childhood through to his joining the group. This information is vital to understanding how the disparate personalities would come to work together so very well.As with any "marriage" there is bound to be trouble. It's how the participants weather that trouble that either make them stronger or fall apart. While this group is a public entity, I don't want to spoil the story for anyone who might not know the specifics of how things worked out.I enjoyed reading the book. It read smoothly, if a little tediously at times. I would recommend it to anyone interested in the Country Music scene.

[bookaholicmom · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I have been a fan of Diamond Rio for many years. I was given the opportunity to read their story thanks to Thomas Nelson Publishers, so needless to say I jumped at the chance. Beautiful Mess starts out July 4, 2005 in Nashville where Diamond Rio is putting on a disastrous performance.The band that everyone knew and loved did not sound good. They were in trouble. The book then goes into the background of how the group came to be. Some started out as Opryland amusement park employees. It was interesting to see how the group that ended up being Diamond Rio came to be. Then there is a chapter on each band member that goes into their life and how they came to be a part of Diamond Rio. The group started out being called The Tennessee River Boys but eventually came to be known as Diamond Rio. As the guys gained popularity they decided to succeed they needed to swear off the pitfalls that threaten so many performers-alcohol, drugs, and women on the road. These guys have stuck together as a group and family even in the tough times. The book does discuss the difficulties they have faced and how they overcame them. They also believe strongly in giving back to the community through their charity work. I would recommend this book to fans of Diamond Rio and country music fans. Diamond Rio with help from Tom Roland tell their story in a very interesting way. I found it to be a quick read. The book also comes with a free online audiobook read by the band and ebook. Thanks to Thomas Nelson Publishers for this review copy.