Paul Overstreet - Forever and Ever, Amen: The Heart-Warming Stories Behind the Music of Paul Overstreet

T here are many people who inspired (and helped) me to write this book, and to them all, I give my sincerest thanks:

Julie, without you there would be no book to write. Thank-you for your love, inspiration and all of the incredible effort you put into making this book happen

The good people at Destiny Image PublishersDon Nori, Don and Micki Milamand Don Wise, for putting us together

Jeanne, It is awsome how you took all my scattered thoughts and translated them into words that expressed what was burning in my heart and spirit. You are a life saver!!

Our office personnel, for keeping me in touch with the right people

Lisa Wysocky, for her energy and coordination

My fellow songwriters: Jeff Borders, Tom Campbell, Claire Cloninger, Taylor Dunn, Jerry Michael, Don Moen, Thom Schuyler, Alan Shamblin, and Don Schlitz

The fine Country artists who sang my songs: Glen Campbell, Paul Davis, the Forester Sisters, George Jones, Naomi and Wynonna Judd, Alison Krause, Susie Luchsinger, Jenny Morris, Michael Martin Murphy, Marie Osmond, Mel Tillis, Pam Tillis, Travis Tritt, Tanya Tucker, Randy Travis, the late Keith Whitley

Don Finto, our first pastor, and the one who led us in our wedding vows

Franklin Graham, for challenging me to stay straight with God

Dennis Rainey, for challenging me to finish strong as a husband and father

Beth Peters at Copyright.net, for helping with the videos for the DVD

All those who have produced the records that have meant so much to others, James Stroud and Brown Banister

RCA Records, for putting out all the songs that I recorded to radio, so people got a chance to hear them

All those who have prayed for my family and myself over the years.

My mom, Mary Hatten, who believed me when (at age 4) I said I knew I was going to be a singer of some kindfor selling her piano to buy the Ovation guitar that I brought to Nashvilleand for taking me to Little Rock, Arkansas, to record my first demo when I was a senior in high school

My brother Wiley Overstreet, for letting me move in with him for a couple of years so I could play football and for giving me the car that I drove to Nashville

My brother Norman Overstreet, for teaching me some guitar chords in Californiaand always embarrassing me by making me sing at the strangest places

My sister Edith Goff, for always telling me that I could do anything

My brother-in-law Ronnie Goff, for showing me more guitar chords

My dad, William Bill Overstreet, for having me sing, at age 8 or 9, at an ice cream gathering at my Uncle Curtiss house, and for the first time getting money for doing it (after they passed the hat)

My Aunt Berna, who died February 19, 1999one of the great encouragers in my life

So many others who have encouraged me along the way

And to all the wonderful, generous people who logged on to www.pauloverstreet.com to share their stories for this book!