aFans of Arnoldas mellow music will appreciate the intensely detailed record of his private life and public career. Others may find the vivid picture of country musicas early decades (the many small-town radio stations and deejays that supported the music, the backroads tours, the struggling record labels) quite intriguing.a a"Kirkus Reviews" Illustrated with fifty-four photographs and featuring a comprehensive discography and sessionography, this book traces Eddy Arnoldas origins from a cotton farm in western Tennessee to his legendary status in the world of country music. Michael Streissguth covers Arnoldas success as a top-selling artist in the 1940s and 1950s and his temporary wane as listeners gravitated toward the rock and roll sound, embodied by newcomer Elvis Presley. Arnold (1918a2008) kept recording, however, and working on his craft. By the mid-60s, he reemerged as a pop crooner with his hit song aMake the World Go Away.a His blend of country sentiments and pop stylings created the template for Nashvilleas modern country music sound. Throughout his career he was a major concert attraction and a radio and television star. Few other figures can claim to have had as great an influence on contemporary country and popular arranging.