Revised Call for Proposals

Walking the Line:
Country Music Lyricists and the American Literary Canon

In an effort to gain broader recognition of country music as a literary genre, we are developing a volume of essays examining country music lyricists’ contributions to the American literary tradition. The book is under contract with Lexington Books (Rowman & Littlefield). Performers known for their own work as well as their covers of others’ songs would make appropriate subjects for this project as long as their original work serves as primary focus for contributions. For example, an essay addressing Johnny Cash’s self-penned songs about love, prison, and/or faith could be an ideal contribution to this project. We intend to develop a historically inclusive volume. Genre-bending writers such as Mary Chapin Carpenter, Nanci Griffith, Rodney Crowell, and Lucinda Williams can be included in this project, but essays about respected icons such as Bob Wills, Tom T. Hall, Cindy Walker, and Roger Miller are encouraged. Although some figures are not in the list below because we have tentatively accepted submissions on those subjects, we welcome inquiries.

We are interested in essays addressing the works of writers such as, but not limited to, the following:

Bryant, Boudleaux & Felice
Carpenter, Mary Chapin
Clark, Guy
Crowell, Rodney
Frizzell, Lefty
Goodman, Steve
Hall, Tom T.
Harris, Emmylou
Howard, Harlan
Jackson, Alan
Jennings, Waylon
Keen, Robert Earl
Lovett, Lyle
McDill, Bob
Miller, Roger
Pierce, Webb
Rabbitt, Eddie
Robbins, Marty
Tillis, Mel
Van Zandt, Townes
Walker, Cindy
Whitley, Keith
Wills, Bob
Williams, Hank, Jr.
Williams, Lucinda

Please send inquiries, proposals, or completed essays to Thomas Alan Holmes (holmest@etsu.edu; East Tennessee State University English Department, Box 70683, Johnson City, TN 37614) and Roxanne Harde (rharde@augustana.ca; University of Alberta, Augustana Faculty 4901 46 Ave., Camrose, AB, Canada, T4V 2R3). Substantial proposals for essays are due 15 May 2011. Completed chapters will be due 15 August 2011.