In the quiet heart of small-town America, thirteen-year-old Alan Arnopole picks up a banjo and everything changes. What follows is a wild soul-stirring journey through the psychedelic 60s and beyond: from living with a communal hippie rock group, to tales of escapades with his Country Americana roots band; experiencing the bright lights of casinos, the grit of seedy honky-tonks, the roar of rodeo crowds, as they ply the nation's highways and back roads in an old Greyhound bus. Along the way, Alan crosses paths with a cast of memorable characters and music legends like Bill Monroe, Rose Maddox, Merle Haggard and Ella Fitzgerald. But just when the music seems to fade a surprising twist of fate leads to an unexpected success in Napa Valley's fabled wine country. This story of passion, the ups and downs of a touring band on the brink of stardom and reinvention, makes this memoir a vivid ride through one man's remarkable American journey.