The book gives a comprehensive understanding of the many ways female musicians have been ignored, discriminated against, devalued and under rewarded financially and otherwise. The fact that I am a female musician and I didn't know a lot of the women because female artists get so much less radio play than males. Next time you listen to the radio count how many times songs by women are played compared to men.

Having grown up listening to the Chicks, LeAnn Rimes, Shania, Faith, and Martina, I was thrilled to receive a gifted copy of Her Country: How the Women of Country Music Became the Success They Were Never Supposed to Be by Marissa R. Moss. It's billed as "veteran Nashville journalist Moss’s story of how in the past two decades, country’s women fought back against systems designed to keep them down, armed with their art and never willing to just shut up and sing."

I think there are some great nuggets here, as well as analysis about who's "country." But this is a book largely comprised of anecdotes, which made it a bit of a rocky read for me -- cultural criticism is mixed in, but weakened by tangents. Some points are paired with evidence to back them up, while other opinions are simply asserted. I also struggled to make sense of the book's overall structure as the narrative bounced around between Kacey Musgraves, Maren Morris, Mickey Guyton, and others.

This sort of meandering, conversational style might work for many other readers - it's pretty approachable.

I liked Kelli Tager's narration, though at times it wasn't clear whether someone else was being quoted or whether Tager was reading the author's thoughts. I was glad to have a text copy to refer to and read at times.

5 Stars (I received an audiobook arc from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review)

I thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook and learned so much about how the country music industry has very little respect for female artists. The stereotype of country/southern music being old fashioned apparently can be quite true, praising/promoting the men while making the women jump through all these sexist hoops. Getting to hear the backstories of multiple women from childhood from different backgrounds taking similar roads but some had many more detours. We also finally get to hear from a female who is also a woman of colour and a bit more of the history of them in the industry. Of course we get to hear about how Miranda Lambert was a ball buster and refused to change herself to fit anyone’s idea. Kacey Musgraves and Marren Morris’s journey from country to more of a pop style and Kacey wining a grammy for album of the year. Also seeing the all female country festival and seeing how all the woman support and love each other.

Women in country music have dealt with deliberate sandbagging in the industry for decades. And while analyzing three careers isn't necessarily enough to make a full argument, Moss uses this trio to shape an overall narrative, which she fills in with extensive interviews with women who have seen their careers clipped (or not) as a result of the sexism and oligopolies that keep women out. She carefully (and sensitively) examines the intersection of gender and race, sexuality, class, and more as they further keep women out of the spotlight in the country music scene. This expose is juicy, it's sneaky, and it's deeply illustrative. It does get a bit repetitive as it hits its message home, but the stickiness of the argument is important here. You don't even have to love country music to love this book (though I do). It's a great read that will keep you hooked and angry. And if you love these leading ladies (Kacey, Maren, Mickey), then you'll REALLY love this book. Nonfiction reads sometimes offer even better plot twists than the best fiction stories. Here's one I can recommend.

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* read this mostly because my dad is musician and my husband really likes country music, i admit it was more interesting than expected! Not sure i would recommend it to just anyone but country loves would either like or hate this book lmao

Her Country was intriguing to me because I have always loved country music, and I know that female artists have had a very difficult time in that arena. I listened to the audiobook that was read by Kelli Tager.. There is a lot of information, but I found that the focus was on certain singers when I was hoping to get a more well rounded story that included more information about the struggles of a more varied group. I do understand that politics has had a role in the country music world, but I wasn't interested in the detailed information that the book included on politics. I enjoyed the part of the story that told of the various women in Country music, and I would recommend this book to anyone that is interested in Kacey Musgraves, Maren Morris and Mickey Guyton in particular. I would like to thank Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for giving me the opportunity to preview this book in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 rounded up!

If you’re a country music lover, this is for you. But not specifically a country music lover, a fan of the women of country music.

Depending on when you started to listen to country music, you’ve probably noticed men dominate the airwaves. This book not only does a deep dive into the reasons why, but Moss goes deeper into the gender issues of country music. And yes, this absolutely runs parallel with every other aspects of life, not just the music industry.

As a country lover and someone from Texas, I vividly remember The Chicks being disowned by country music. This was the most monumental moment of change based on social media, TV, radio, etc. (There were plenty of women before them who made similar statements). I was young enough to remember this moment, but not old enough to truly understand the reasons why. Truth be told, this happening began the political conversations in my household to where I was learning more about the world (I was 11, mind you).

It was truly fascinating learning how much these ladies were connected to not only changing the ways of country music, but the people and places around them.

This review could be a whole lot longer, but you’d be better off reading the book!

Big thank you to Henry Holt for the gifted copy and Macmillan Audio for the ARC.

If you’re a superfan of Maren Morris or think Kacey Musgraves is the second coming, this is the book for you. If you’re looking for a book that delves into Mickey Guyton’s background at all, this isn’t it. Guyton is mentioned throughout but it’s almost always as a footnote after major coverage of Morris or Musgraves.

The books sets out (and manages) to highlight the inequalities for women in modern country music and the roadblocks that are (often purposely) put in their way. It’s well researched and well reported, but something about it felt a little too…fannish. Marin and especially Kacey are treated throughout the book as if they’re the saving graces of country music or as if they’re the first women to accomplish anything in the genre, as if no one else could or would ever accomplish anything Kacey Musgraves has done, as if dhe is singlehandedly “saving” country music. That’s just not a realistic take and if you knew nothing about country music other than reading this book, you wouldn’t get a full picture. There’s an odd fascination with the fact that Musgraves proudly smokes weed. It’s mentioned at least eight or nine times. It’s 2022. This isn’t newsworthy.

The bones are good, to borrow a Maren Morris lyric, but this could’ve worked better if it was written a little cleaner and without such an obvious stance of putting these women, especially the white ones, up on a pedestal.

Her Country provides an inside look into the evolving world of country music and how a new generation of female artists are challenging the male-dominated industry and finding success despite their disadvantages. There's a lot of great information here about the winding paths of their careers, the creative process, and the history of women in country music. However, the author's determination to promote a more inclusive climate is undercut by her neglect of class and wealth, and an underlying contempt for a large portion of the country fanbase.

I wrote a much longer, much more thorough review over on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4554055838?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1

Why did I listen to Her Country?
Growing up, I was always listening to country music. Honestly, I feel pretty fortunate to have grown up in the era of Trisha Yearwood, Faith Hill, Martina McBride, and Shania Twain. And that is just naming a few artists from that time. We were also lucky to listen to some of the female legends that helped shape the country music industry (Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, Reba McEntire, etc.). Unfortunately, the amount of air play which female artists have seen over the years has declined. Her Country seemed like it was going to examine the decline and I was very interested to see what it found.

What's the story here?
Her Country examines the current state of the country music industry for female artists. It evaluated the standards which female artists are held to in comparison to their male counter parts. It discusses the role which "bro country" has played in the industry. Lack of air play is also discussed. All of this is done using the journeys of newer artists such as Miranda Lambert, Kacey Musgraves, Maren Morris, and Mickey Guyton.

How did like Her Country?
I loved Her Country! It is an intimate look into the country music industry and how women are viewed within the industry. There are personal recollections, personal interviews, and first hand accounts and is very well researched. It does not read like a research book meaning that it is not dense but it is informative. It is such a good look at the genre of country music and the "good ol' boys" brand that influence which it has on the political climate.

Presently, there are several key female artists who are trying their best to break down the "good ol' boys" walls of country. There included Maren Morris, Kacey Musgraves, Miranda Lambert, Carly Pierce, Ashley McBride, and Mickey Guyton. This is honestly just a peak of the talent that is out there trying to be heard. These women refuse to be used for just their looks and push back hard against the sexism within the industry. They are strong, vibrant, and have voices that need to be heard.

How was the narration?
Her Country is narrated by Kelli Tager. Honestly, I devoured this audiobook listening to it at 1.5x speed. The narrator was strong and the voice ebbed and flower with the topic at hand. I could tell that this was a topic that the the narrator was also passionate about Her voice provides a wonderful to take in this information and had me wanting to support female country artists even more than I already do.

I loved the journey this author took to take us back and reveal so much of what might've been hidden or downplayed at the time with regards to these three artists, women in country, and how they were treated by both the country loving community and the country controllers at the time. So much power has been misused to block talented women from truly thriving in the country music genre and it really does need to be talked about and investigated more.

I received the audiobook advance copy of Her Country and was such an eye opening, raw story that needed to be told. Texas women, including Kacey Musgraves, Miranda Lambert, Mickey Guyton, Maren Morris. As well as The Chicks formerly known as Dixie Chicks. The book brought to light the king standing misogynistic and racist boys club that country music has become and how emerging women in country have had obstacles placed in their ways to reach the top. Marissa Miss tells this story perfectly and fully recommend this beautiful story to anyone who is a fan of country music and these female icons!

This was my first experience with a NetGalley audiobook and I loved it. I just don’t have the time to get through ebooks these days.

I’m a lover of a wide range of music and the preface of this book mentioned several women artists I recognized and had in my collection so I was excited when my request for a copy was granted.

Maren Morris is one of my favorites but I had no idea she’d been in the business as long as she has been. It was so awesome to hear mention of other favorites of mine ranging from up and comer Tenille Townes to now superstar Brandi Carlile.

My musical taste these days is more Americana than Country but the edges have blurred with the years. Great songwriting takes the win every time. Taylor Swift used to be too Pop for me but I’m now the first in line to pick up a vinyl copy of the latest Taylor’s Version as well as her excellent new folklore and evermore.

This book was so well researched and informative. I’m glad there has been some reform in the good old boy country radio rules but there’s still a long way to go. Hopefully this book will be read by both men and women and some much needed enlightenment will be had by many.

Thanks to MacMillan Audio and NetGalley for an advanced readers digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

HER COUNTRY
Marissa R. Moss
Kelli Tager
Biographies & Memoirs

This book takes on the ups and downs of being a woman in country music. Focusing mostly on four artists. Some up and comers and The Chicks and what a struggle it is to compete with the men of country music.

I have to say this book surprised me a bit. I figured it would be more about the genres pioneers of the music. Such as Dolly Parton and Reba MacEntire. Instead it really made me think of the way music genres are laid out. It especially showed the me the difference about what women are supposed to sing and men can sing about. This is definitely a 5 star read for me.

AMAZING! I was transported to my childhood listening to the all time great female country artists while being inspired by this next generation’s resilience and talent. Undoubtedly, country is such a sexist industry but the nuances and persistence of it still baffled me.

Curious about the world of country music? This book takes you behind the scenes to show the challenges the women of country music have faced: conform or be ostracized. This is an inspiring tale of the women who stood up for themselves and stuck true to their beliefs. Their stories and lessons learned can translate to many other fields. I highly recommend it!

I absolutely loved this book. I’m not really someone who likes country music, but I love reading about different genres and the music industry. So this book being focused on how women went from being some of the biggest stars in country music in the 90s to barely getting played on modern country radio was super fascinating. Her Country focuses on three women (Kacey Musgraves, Maren Morris, and Mickey Guyton) and how they’re making music that is critically acclaimed yet still isn’t embraced by the powers that be in the country mainstream.

I appreciated how this book pointed out different artists who fall outside of the white or straight mold that is most prevalent in country artists. Getting a history of different people and seeing artists who are coming out now during the midst of their careers was great to see. This is one of those books that will probably frustrate you because of the misogynistic practices it talks about. Like record companies being like “well we already have one girl, we don’t need another” or radio stations refusing to play music from women back to back.

If this book sounds interesting to you then I definitely recommend checking it out. I was so engrossed by it that I ended up listening to the whole audiobook in one day. I think that even if you aren’t a fan of country music it’s a great read about sexism and racism in the music industry and artists who are trying to forge their own path outside of what was traditionally seen as the way to do things in the genre.

Having grown up listening to women like Reba McEntire, Dolly Parton, Trisha Yearwood, Martina McBride, The Dixie Chicks and more on the radio and in concert, I can appreciate the efforts of this younger generation making changes to the current country music environment. I still remember Reba reaching out to her fans for their opinions about her plan to cut her hair short before she'd do it. I found this book interesting in that I wasn't aware of all the behind the scenes inequality in the current atmosphere. While I haven't kept up with country music and wasn't super familiar with these women's music, I love that there are women strong enough to be themselves and bring about needed changes. As for the book itself, I found it to be a bit repetitive and I kept getting distracted while listening which only happens when I'm not really into a book.

Thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

Her Country by Marissa R. Moss is a phenomenal look into the "Good Ole' Boys Club" of the Nashville / Country music scene and how the women of today navigate it. The book focuses specifically on Maren Morris, Kacey Musgraves, and Mickey Guyton but includes their collaborators and friends along the way, too. Being a fan of these artists, and knowing the songs referenced throughout, really personalized the experience of this book for me but at the end of the day is not a pre-req to understanding the key messages shared here. This book expertly navigates how stars like Kacey, Maren, and Mickey took the path less travelled - not because they wanted to but because Country Radio and the Music Industry wouldn't give them a chance otherwise.

I have so much respect for these artists, and all artists in general, but to see the ways in which they, and the women who have come before them, have stuck it to the man and stood up for what they believe is right is really inspiring. I loved the inside peek into this industry and will now double down on my support for all of the female country artists that I love.

The audio version of Her Country is performed by Kelli Tager and is a great way to take in this powerful story.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC - Her Country is out 5/10/22. Now I'm off to Listen to Merry Go 'Round on repeat!