Marty Stuart has been taking photos of the world of country music since he was 12. His new book, Country Music: The Masters, includes some of the ones that he holds most precious. Like the one of Johnny Cash that graces the cover. Titled “Last Portrait, September 8, 2003,” it was taken just four days before Cash’s passing. Or the first photograph he ever took, which amazingly turned out to be of his future wife, Connie Smith. Listening to Stuart tell the story of that photo is like a hearing a real-life fairy tale. I can only imagine the stories that the rest of the book will tell.

By Chris Parton