In 1965, the Byrds had a worldwide smash with "Mr. Tambourine Man," hung out with the Beatles, undertook a disastrous tour of Great Britain, and capped the year with a second U.S. hit, "Turn! Turn! Turn!"
In 1972, the original lineup reunited for recording purposes, while a different touring Byrds played a final concert in February 1973. In between, they released the groundbreaking "Eight Miles High" single and a clutch of classic albums despite internal battles and lineup changes that would have wrecked most bands.
In their case, the chaos only fueled leader Roger McGuinn's creative juices. Their influence has been felt everywhere from the chiming Rickenbackers and the harmonies of REM and Tom Petty to just about every alt-country and Americana act on the scene.
This daily diary is a raw, personal glimpse of the band that invented folk rock and popularized psychedelia and country rock.
