Eighteen-year-old Retta Lee Jones has just graduated from Starling High School, and she can't wait to get out of town and never look back. Armed with her guitar, golden voice and dreams of stardom, she's headed for Nashville to make it as a country singer. But she's one of hundreds of dreamers streaming into town every year, and with a rickety car and barely $500 in her pocket, the odds are stacked against her. Despite devastating setbacks, and with a few lucky breaks, Retta learns what it means to stay true to her own voice and values. And maybe, just maybe, she'll one day become somebody everybody listens to.

This sweet and inspiring story will resonate with anyone who has ever dreamed about something bigger. Retta leaves her small town and arrives in a city where girls like her are a dime a dozen. She suffers several setbacks but a combination of luck, perseverance, and the good sense to take advice from the right people ultimately propel her in the right direction. The chapters are interspersed with mini-bios of real-life country stars that Retta is inspired by, including their "pre-fame" jobs and "big break" moments. In spite of some difficulties, like a mugging and the death of a friend, Retta's story is wholesome and age appropriate. She receives strong advice to avoid copying the big stars and create her own voice (fans of American Idol will hear the judges' refrain "make the song your own" echoing here!) and hopefully readers will see the metaphor for being true to who you are in your life as well.

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