When Neil Young left his native Canada in 1966 to move to California, his journey sparked a leap in musical artistry that would come to resonate throughout North America. His fascination with American locations - from the Santa Monica Mountains to the Deep South - profoundly influenced his eclectic musical style and helped to shape the story of his generation. Neil Young: American Traveller shows how place looms large in Young's songs: Los Angeles is seen as the home of uptight business and lost innocence, while San Francisco is seen as the retreat Young needed from the excesses of the music industry. These locations helped craft the singer-songwriter's distinct style, which led to his popularity as a solo artist and as a member of Buffalo Springfield, Crazy Horse and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. Moving from the Canadian prairies to Young's adopted Pacific home, Halliwell explores how place and travel affected one of North America's most prolific recording artists of all time.
Alongside discussion of Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Gordon Lightfoot, the Grateful Dead, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Devo, Pearl Jam and other fellow travellers, he considers how Young's personal journeys are entwined with a powerful feel for the American landscape. The book spans Young's career as a singer-songwriter from his musical collaborations to his film projects, recent memoirs and his interest in technologies new and old. Neil Young: American Traveller will appeal to the many fans of this iconic, challenging, constantly changing musician.