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Country music is packed with powerhouse vocalists and seasoned songwriters. And, it turns out, some multi-talented singer-songwriters are also published authors, including several of the biggest female artists.
Whether you’re looking to pick up a novel, a book of poetry, a cookbook or even a children’s book, women in country have you covered.
Kelsea Ballerini, for example, previously explained that she “realized that some feelings can’t be turned into a song.” That’s why she started writing poems instead, and debuted her first book of poetry, Feel Your Way Through, in November 2021. The collection is is something that Ballerini wrote similarly to her music: “Just like my songs, they are personal and honest. Just like my songs, they have hooks and rhymes. Just like my songs, they talk about what it’s like to be twenty-something trying to navigate a wildly beautiful and broken world.”
Lauren Alaina released her book around the same time, delving into the “Road Less Traveled” in Getting Good At Being You. The book aims to serve as an inspiration for readers to show compassion and forgiveness while following their dreams, peppered with behind-the-scenes photos of milestones throughout Alaina’s career, according to the description. Getting Good At Being You including a foreword by Trisha Yearwood, iconic country artist and longtime mentor to Alaina, who has published a few books of her own. Yearwood released a cookbook in September 2021, and self-proclaimed official taste tester (and fellow country giant… who also happens to be her husband) Garth Brooks applauded “The Queen’s NEW cookbook” when it became available.
Carrie Underwood included recipes — plus exercises, personal stories and more — in her fitness-inspired book FIND YOUR PATH: Honor Your Body, Fuel Your Soul, and Get Strong with the Fit52 Life. The whole thing is geared toward healthy living, including sustainable meal plans and exercises. Underwood debuted the book in March of 2020.
Dolly Parton released her project, Run, Rose, Run, a companion album and novel co-written with bestselling author James Patterson. “It has been such a pleasure writing [‘Run, Rose, Run’] together and we can’t wait to share the characters’ stories with all of you,” Parton previously said in a statement. The album and novel released days apart in March 2022.
Here are some of the books written by female country artists:
- Run, Rose, Run, by Dolly Parton
- Find Your Path, by Carrie Underwood
- Feel Your Way Through, by Kelsea Ballerini
- Getting Good At Being You, by Lauren Alaina
- Trisha’s Kitchen: Easy Comfort Food for Friends and Family, by Trisha Yearwood
- Coal Miner’s Daughter, by Loretta Lynn
- Reba: My Story, by Reba McEntire
- What I Cannot Change, by LeAnn Rimes
- From This Moment On, by Shania Twain
- A Dolly for Christmas, by Kimberly Schlapman of Little Big Town