Michael McClure has published over thirty books, wrote Janis Joplin's hit song "Mercedes Benz," overcame censorship with his play THE BEARD, and performed and recorded his poetry with piano improvisation by the Doors' keyboardist and composer Ray Manzarek. From the history making "Six gallery" reading in 1955, when he read with Philip Whalen, Allen Ginsberg and Gary Snyder, to being celebrated in Jack Kerouac's book Big Sur, Michael McClure and his work have pushed, and contine to push, the horizons of literary possibility.