This follow-up to Unterberger's book Turn! Turn! Turn! traces the evolution of American folk and rock from the mid-Sixties onward. As the title suggests, this chronology begins with the release of the Byrds song of the same name and follows this folk-rock movement to just beyond the Woodstock festival in 1969. During that period, a number of important bands made their recording debuts, and all of them are discussed here, including Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen, Linda Ronstadt, Arlo Guthrie, The Band, Jefferson Airplane, and The Youngbloods. Attention is also given to English bands like Fairport Convention, The Pentangle, and The Incredible String Band.

Eight Miles High draws these various pieces together through more than 100 interviews with the very musicians who created the music, people like Roger McGuinn, Donovan, Judy Collins, John Sebastian, Janis Ian, Arlo Guthrie, Richie Furay, and Chris Hillman.

This is one of the best books out there in piecing together the various sounds and styles and creating a logical through-line in understanding exactly what did take place back in the hallowed Sixties. If you have this one in your hands, you probably have the first volume, Turn! Turn! Turn! If you don't, you need to have it to truly put this wonderful volume in perspective.