Twenty Thousand Roads: The Ballad of Gram Parsons and His Cosmic American Music-Fast Shipping

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“A terrific biography of a rock innovator that hums with juicy detail and wincing truth. . . . Page after page groans with the folly of the ’60s drug culture, the tragedy of talent toasted before its time, the curse of wealth and the madness of wasted opportunity.”
—The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY THE LOS ANGELES TIMES •
NAMED ONE OF THE FIVE BEST ROCK BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY ROLLING STONE

As a singer and songwriter, Gram Parsons stood at the nexus of countless musicalcrossroads, and he sold his soul to the devil at every one. His intimates and collaboratorsincluded Keith Richards, William Burroughs, Marianne Faithfull, Peter Fonda, RogerMcGuinn, and Clarence White. Parsons led the Byrds to create the seminal countryrock masterpiece Sweetheart of the Rodeo, helped to guide the Rolling Stones beyondthe blues in their appreciation of American roots music, and found his musical soulmate in Emmylou Harris. Parsons’ solo albums, GP and Grievous Angel, are now recognizedas visionary masterpieces of the transcendental jambalaya of rock, soul, country,gospel, and blues Parsons named “Cosmic American Music.” Parsons had everything—looks,charisma, money, style, the best drugs, the most heartbreaking voice—and threw itall away with both hands, dying of a drug and alcohol overdose at age twenty-six.

In this beautifully written, raucous, meticulously researched biography, David gives Parsons’ mythic life its due. From interviews with hundreds of the famousand obscure who knew and worked closely with Parsons–many who have never spoken publiclyabout him before–Meyer conjures a dazzling panorama of the artist and his era.

Praise for Twenty Thousand Roads

“Far and away the most thorough biography of Parsons . . . skewers any number ofmyths surrounding this endlessly mythologized performer.”
—Los Angeles Times

“The definitive account of GramParsons’ life–and early death. From the country-rock pioneer’s wealthy, wildly dysfunctionalfamily through his symbiotic friendship with Keith Richards, Meyer deftly illuminatesone of rock’s most elusive figures.”
—Rolling Stone

“Meticulously researched . .. Though Meyer answers a lot of long-burning questions, he preserves Parsons’ legendas a man of mystery.”
—Entertainment Weekly

“Meyer gives Parsons a thorough, PeterGuralnick-like treatment.”
—New York Post