Country Sunshine: The Dottie West Story

by Frances Meeker and Judy Berryhill

Book Overview

Book by Berryhill, Judy, Meeker, Frances This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1886371083
• ISBN13: 9781886371088
• Release Date: December 1995
• Publisher: Eggman Publishing
• Length: 127 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

A Country Legend!

"Country Sunshine" is a lovingly told and quick reading biography of the late country music star, Dotty West (1932-1991). The cover specifies "An Unauthorized Biography" but CS struck this reviewer as thoroughly authentic. The authors had a connection with Dotty, I'm sure. CS concentrates on Dotty's early years, her incredibly hardscrabble childhood and struggle to become discovered. The abuse Dotty suffered from her so-called father is utterly staggering. How did she recover? Perhaps she never completely did. I always believed Dotty had pain in her voice. Just listen to "Here Comes My Baby" or "Would You Hold It Against Me?" The "good years" as a star receive minor treatment-all to the better enjoyment for the reader. We certainly learn about the real human being/hurt child behind the music. The final chapters tell not just of her difficult final years with bankruptcy, divorces and tragic death in a car crash but of her spirit to fight back and reclaim her career. I believe she would have made it. If she survived that childhood mostly intact, she could overcome anything! Unless you plan to be in Ernest Tubb's Record Shop anytime soon, I recommend adding both "Country Sunshine" and her CD, "The Essential Dotty West", to your shopping cart.

Dottie West: Trying to Escape the Past

This book about the life and death of Dottie West is an informative look at the singer's struggles. It contains a lot of family history and information on her challenging upbringing. The book has a dim tone, because it focuses mainly on the troubles in her life, more than it does the accomplishments.Dottie West had a long, successful career that is often over-looked and under-rated by the music community. This book does a great job of telling people more about the artist's roots, but is not lengthy on detail or content. The writer leaves you wanting many more pages.

Very well researched and written.

As I read through this book, I was struck with a deep sense of sadness and at the same time, a vast happiness in West's accomplishments in her life, despite her past turmoils. Her life at home growing up near the hills of Tennessee, her turbulent marriages to four husbands, her financial collapse, her eventual downfall, and eventual death from the tragic car accident provide the reader with a truly unique story of one of Country Music's biggest stars. Dottie West suffered sexual and emotional abuse at the hands of her own father, suffered financial collapse at the hands of her trusted investors and the I.R.S, and yet somehow found the inner strength and courage to carry on. Dottie West went through many personal and public problems, but still managed to bring country sunshine to everyone who had met and known her the world over. This is a good book for anyone interested in Dottie's music, and provides an insperation to those who had a past life similar to Dottie's. I highly recommend it to anyone who has an interest in country stars' biographies. Brad Gagner, Chatham, Ontario, Canada