Audio of Bob Kealing at growingbolder.com

Posted on September 29th, 2012 at 5:47 am

Bob Kealing is an author and Emmy Award-winning broadcast journalist who is also an expert on pop culture. He's written books on Jack Kerouac, the Tupperware Corporation and the famed roadside artists The Highway Men.

In his latest book "Call Me Home: Gram Parsons and the Roots of Country Rock," Bob goes beyond the sadness and madness that consumed Gram's final years and explains how he created an entire genre of music.

Bob says Gram was the perfect thread to explore the roots of Southern rock. Gram had an amazing life story, growing up as the grandson of one of the wealthiest citrus barons in Florida. But he rejected that lifestyle to join the garage band scene of 1960s and by 1968, he was fronting perhaps the most important band of the '60s -- The Byrds.

Bob explains why the group's revolutionary album "Sweetheart of the Rodeo" is such an important album in music history and why Gram's idea to produce a country album at the height of the California music scene was just a controversial and risky career move. And Gram was barely 21 years old at the time!

Find out which future Hall of Fame singer's career Gram helped launch before his death of a drug overdose in 1973 when he was just 26 years old.

Plus, Bob reveals the startling family secret he discovered that not even Gram knew about. It's sure to surprise even the biggest fans!

To learn more about the book and to see exclusive photos of Gram, click here to visit the book's official Facebook page.

The picture of Bob Kealing above was taken by Mike Robinson. Bob is sitting at the foot of Gram's first stage -- his boyhood front porch in Waycross, Georgia, where he would sing and imitate Elvis.

Total Length: 10:30 Views: 1,606 Comments: 0 Favorited: 0 Rating: 5 Votes: 1