Recounts the author's experiences growing up in Houston in the 1950s as the only child of an alcoholic father and epileptic mother, describing a coming-of-age marked by barroom brawls, apocalyptic hurricanes, and wild improvisations in the face of unpaid bills.

Chris Hillman is arguably the primary architect of what's come to be known as country rock. After playing the Southern California folk and bluegrass circuit, he joined David Crosby, Roger McGuinn, Gene Clark and Michael Clark as an original member of The Byrds. He went on to partner with Gram Parsons to launch The Flying Burrito Brothers, recording a handful of albums that have become touchstones of rock-influenced country. Hillman then embarked on...