Country Comes to Town

"In a clear writing style, Hill links country's construction of an 'ordinary folks' American identity to the racial politics and urban policy of the late twentieth century in a compelling way."—Diane Pecknold, author of The Selling Sound: The Rise of the Country Music Industry

"In his sophisticated focus on the importance of a constructed and affective 'home' in both creating and defining a fan base, Hill breaks new ground in the scholarship of country music—and popular music studies more generally. This is one of those books that has the ability to make readers—including students—sit up and realize that meaning is created in a myriad of places, in a myriad of ways, all in noisy conversation with each other."—Rachel Rubin, author of Well Met: Renaissance Faires and the American Counterculture

"Hill's tone and knack for cultural and historical context help create a narrative that is illuminating and rich in detail. . . . Hill tells this story in masterfully paced chapters that are well-researched and thought-provoking."—Popmatters

"Jeremy Hill provides interesting insights into the culture that gave rise to and continues to support country music. . . . Hill's copious endnotes are particularly valuable for their detailed annotations. Highly recommended."—Choice

"Hill's book is a cautionary tale for community leaders in deindustrialized towns throughout the Appalachian coalfields and the U.S. Midwest who might find themselves stuck in outmoded ways of thinking about their local economies and who might prefer to lament the loss of mining and manufacturing jobs than to welcome a new creative economy."—Notes, Quarterly Journal of the Music Library Association