Any of you who grew up during the 1960s are well aware of bands like the Beach Boys, the Mamas and the Papas, The Byrds, Sonny and Cher, and Simon and Garfunkel - all wonderful bands and artists who created some of the most enduring music to ever issue from a car speaker.

What you may not have been aware of is that many of these bands never even played on their own records. They did sing these songs but rarely played the instruments. This was left to an extraordinary group of studio musicians dubbed "the Wrecking Crew."

These musicians--including drummer Hal Blaine, bassist/keyboardist Larry Knechtel, bassist Carol Kaye and guitarists Tommy Tedesco and Glen Campbell--were responsible for playing on literally dozens of hits--everything from "Surfin' USA," "Mr. Tambourine Man" and "I Got You Babe" to "California Dreamin'," "Up, Up and Away" and "Last Train to Clarksville."

This gifted band of players possessed a musical sensibility and virtuoso-like musical chops that brought magic to the songs on which they played.

Kent Hartman's wonderfully detailed book chronicles the lives of these players and their impact upon music. Next time you listen to one of your favorite bands from the '60s, you'll know who's really playing that guitar riff.