Jeffery Scott Buckley lived a nomadic life that took him from what he once ungenerously called a "rootless trailer trash" upbringing in Orange County, California, to Hollywood, and then New York City. Spiritual curiosity and musical experimentation combined with his naturally ethereal voice to give him an aura of otherness that seemed to preordain him for stardom.

His one and only album, Grace, confirms that promise, but he was to die young, before being able to follow up that first dazzling success. A legendary and influential figure, Buckely was still very much a real human being, and in this stunning new biography, author Jeff Apter unravels the complex and sometimes contradictory evidence of Buckley's life. Friends, peers, enemies, lovers, and collaborators offer their reminiscences to build a compelling picture of one of rock's purest spirits. The contents of Buckley's many personal letters are revealed for the first time, and his struggle with writer's block is explored, as are his battles with the concept of stardom, his desire for escape, and his attempts to deal with the unavoidable legacy of his equally gifted father, Tim Buckley.

Apter offers a lively and engaging narrative, relating Buckley's story with humanity and humor. Resisting the sentimentality that often surrounds Buckley's legacy, A Pure Drop is a sophisticated portrait of a complex man and talented musician.