This book grew out of a simple packaging design for an audio CD. It is a tribute to a near mythical figure in the world of American music, Van Dyke Parks, whose prolific career produced six solo albums, numerous movie scores, children's books and uncounted credits as a session musician, lyricist, producer and arranger.In 1998 Rudy VanderLans took a trip to Palm Desert where Van Dyke Parks is said to have written most of the material for his legendary 1968 album, Song Cycle. The trip resulted in hundreds of photographs which Rudy VanderLans says were inspired as much by this remarkable musician's lyrics as by his own impressions. The 68 images published strive to echo Van Dyke's creative approach of blending classical, historical, vernacular, experimental, political and experiential themes.