If you're looking for a good rock 'n' roll read, check out "Hickory Wind," Ben Fong-Torres' excellent biography of Gram Parsons (1946-73).

Perhaps Gram is best known for his short stint with the Byrds, his collaborations with Emmylou Harris, or the bizarre circumstances surrounding his death and the period immediately after. (His road manager stole his body and burned it in the desert, as per Gram's wishes, as the legend goes.)

The book gives a well-rounded picture of a man who sold relatively few records in his lifetime, but has exerted an influence beyond his recorded legacy. If we're to believe the contentions of Fong-Torres and others in the know, Gram pretty much invented what's known as country-rock and paved the way for the massive-selling careers of the Eagles and Emmylou, among others.

There's a great story to tell about Gram, too. He was part of a very wealthy Florida family, was able to draw off a trust fund to help further his career, and therefore didn't have the same constraints as his contemporaries. Perhaps that's why he was able to follow his muse and come up with a new kind of music.

If you want to have a listen, Rhino has issued a two-disc anthology containing his best work with the Byrds, International Submarine Band, Flying Burrito Brothers and solo/duet work with Emmylou (wow, she looks good on her home page). For just a single disc, I'd recommend the Burritos' "Gilded Palace of Sin," if you can find it. (Of course, you can't go wrong with the Byrds' "Sweetheart of the Rodeo," either.)