Remind MeMarty Stuart has carved out a distinct identity in country music as a respected singer, songwriter and musician with an unparalleled
sense of cool. But Stuart's career has had its ups and downs, along with his turbulent personal life. Here, Stuart shares
his life story and reveals how his devotion to country music has driven him to excel as a player, songwriter and performer.
Also featured are interviews with Stuart's wife Connie Smith, Dolly Parton, Vince Gill, Ricky Skaggs and Pam Tillis, among
others.
By the age of 9, Stuart was a genuine prodigy, playing both the mandolin and the guitar with a skill and understanding well
beyond his years. At 20, he was a seasoned bluegrass veteran, but by 28 he was considered a "has-been." After marrying, battling
prescription drug abuse, divorcing and losing a record deal, Stuart recreated himself with a brand of music he called Hillbilly
Rock, and his career once again flourished. But by 1998, he had grown tired of his glittery country image and longed for artistic
fulfillment.
With a new marriage to Grand Ole Opry star Smith and a new commitment to the music of his heart, Stuart set about to express
himself in simpler, more traditional ways. In 2000, he left the performance spotlight and became one of Nashville's most in-demand
musicians and worked on various projects such as writing the score to the film All the Pretty Horses, writing two songs
for the Dixie Chicks' album Home and producing the Johnny Cash tribute album Kindred Spirits.
Excerpts From CMT Inside Fame:
Stuart, on meeting his future wife, at the age of 12: "I truly fell in love with Connie Smith that night. And it's something
that my heart didn't forget. It was a covenant my heart made with me, and I forgot it, but my heart didn't."
Stuart, on the fallout from marrying Smith decades after meeting her: "I lost a lot of fans during that time. Connie was insulted
a lot and I think a lot of people thought I was just simply way too wild, and it was a stain on her reputation."
Stuart, on accepting the death of his mentor, Lester Flatt: "I didn't have a clue what I was going to do next. You know, the
dream had kind of ended. I was standing there motionless. The first big dose of country music reality."
Stuart, on playing his first show with Cash: "I walked out on stage at the civic center, I think, in Des Moines and when he
said, 'Hello I'm Johnny Cash,' I hung my head and I cried. That's it. This is as good as it gets. God took care of me again."
Stuart, on his 2002 DUI arrest: "It's not a fun thing to have Connie Smith come get you out of jail at three in the morning.
That just isn't the way it was meant to be."
Parton, on Stuart: "Everybody loves him. Everybody respects him. He'll live forever in country music. He's a legend."
Gill, on Stuart: "I thought, man, who is this cool cat, you know? First time I saw him play the festival, he had that cowboy
hat and that mandolin going 90 miles an hour. I said, 'That boy is special. He is just special.'"
