Beautiful Mess

I have been a Diamond Rio fan for many years. I am the proud owner of a Diamond Rio red guitar pick caught in a concert many, many years ago that I attended with my sister! 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.