A compelling portrait of a unique movement in American music Features biographies, critical analysis, and discographies of nine singer-songwriter pioneers Overshadowed by brightening stars like Bob Dylan, hundreds of talented singer-songwriters emerged in the 1960s. Drawing on folk, blues and country roots, a love of rock 'n' roll and a growing pop sensibility, these artists created such timeless songs as "Everybody's Talkin"' and "Hey Joe." This book explores the musical and cultural phenomena that shaped the singer-songwriter movement of the '60s, including Dylan's reinvention of folk, the rock 'n' roll revolution, and Beat writers like Jack Kerouac. It traces the genre from its formative and peak years in New York's Greenwich Village coffeehouses, through today's CD reissues, new recordings, and singer-songwriter legacies celebrated by Elvis Costello, Nick Cave, and other artists. Against this historical backdrop, the book details how the lives and songs of David Ackles, David Blue, Tim Buckley, Tim Hardin, Fred Neil, Phil Ochs, Tom Rapp, Tim Rose, and Tom Rush helped rock music come of age.